JS, History, 1838–1856, vol. C-1, created 24 Feb. 1845–3 July 1845; handwriting of , , Jonathan Grimshaw, and ; 512 pages, plus 24 pages of addenda; CHL. This is the third volume of a six-volume manuscript history of the church. This third volume covers the period from 2 Nov. 1838 to 31 July 1842; the remaining five volumes, labeled A-1, B-1, D-1, E-1 and F-1, continue through 8 Aug. 1844.
Historical Introduction
This document, “History, 1838–1856, volume C-1 [2 November 1838–31 July 1842],” is the third of six volumes of the “Manuscript History of the Church” (in The Joseph Smith Papers the “Manuscript History” bears the editorial title “History, 1838–1856”). The completed six-volume collection covers the period from 23 December 1805 to 8 August 1844. The narrative in this volume commences on 2 November 1838 with JS and other church leaders being held prisoner by the “’s forces” at , Missouri, and concludes with the death of Bishop at , Illinois, on 31 July 1842. For a more complete discussion of the entire six-volume work, see the general introduction to this history.
Volume C-1 was created beginning on or just after 24 February 1845 and its narrative was completed by 3 May 1845, although some additional work continued on the volume through 3 July of that year (Richards, Journal, 24 and 28 Feb. 1845; Historian’s Office, Journal, 3 May 1845; 3 and 4 July 1845). It is in the handwriting of and contains 512 pages of primary text, plus 24 pages of addenda. Additional addenda for this volume were created at a later date as a supplementary document and appear in this collection as “History, 1838-1856, volume C-1 Addenda.” Compilers and Thomas Bullock drew heavily from JS’s letters, discourses, and diary entries; meeting minutes; church and other periodicals and journals; and reminiscences, recollections, and letters of church members and other contacts. At JS’s behest, Richards maintained the first-person, chronological-narrative format established in previous volumes, as if JS were the author. , , , and others reviewed and modified the manuscript prior to its eventual publication in the Salt Lake City newspaper Deseret News.
The historical narrative recorded in volume C-1 continued the account of JS’s life as prophet and president of the church. Critical events occurring within the forty-five-month period covered by this text include the Mormon War; subsequent legal trials of church leaders; expulsion of the Saints from Missouri; missionary efforts in by the and others; attempts by JS to obtain federal redress for the Missouri depredations; publication of the LDS Millennial Star in England; the migration of English converts to ; missionary efforts in other nations; the death of church patriarch ; the establishment of the city charter; the commencement of construction of the Nauvoo ; the expedition that facilitated temple construction; the introduction of the doctrine of proxy baptism for deceased persons; the dedicatory prayer by on the Mount of Olives in Palestine; publication of the “Book of Abraham” in the Nauvoo Times and Seasons; publication of the JS history often referred to as the “Wentworth letter;” the organization of the Female Relief Society of Nauvoo; and the inception of Nauvoo-era temple endowment ceremonies.
<January 19> any portion of that stock any where else, only in that , without the consent of the stock holder, and do not repay fourfold, for the stock which they appropriate any where else, only in that house, — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —, they shall be accursed, and shall be moved out of their place, saith the Lord God, for I the Lord am God, and cannot be mocked in any of these things. 21 Verily I say unto you, let my servant Joseph pay stock into their hands for the building of that , as seemeth him good; but my servant Joseph cannot pay over fifteen thousand dollars stock in that , nor under fifty dollars; neither can any other man, saith the Lord. 22 And there are others also, who wish to know my will concerning them; for they have asked it at my hands: Therefore I say unto you, concerning my servant , if he will do my will, let him put stock in<to> that for himself and for his generation after him, from generation to generation, and let him lift up his voice, long and loud, in the midst of the people, to plead the cause of the poor and the needy, and let him not fail, neither let his heart faint, and I will accept of his offerings; for they shall not be unto me as the offerings of Cain, for he shall be mine, saith the Lord. [HC 4:280] Let his family rejoice and turn away their hearts from affliction, for I have chosen him and anointed him, and he shall be honored in the midst of his house, for I will forgive all his sins, saith the Lord; Amen. 23 Verily I say unto you, let my servant put stock into that , as seemeth him good, for himself and his generation after him, from generation to generation. 24 Let my servant put stock into that , for I the Lord loveth him for the work he hath done, and will forgive all his sins; therefore let him be remembered for an interest in that , from generation to generation. Let my servant be appointed among you, and be ordained by my servant and be blessed of him, to go with my servant , to accomplish the work that my servant Joseph shall point out to them, and they shall be greatly blessed. 25 Let my servant pay stock into that , as seemeth him good, for himself and his generation, from generation to generation. 26 Let my servant pay stock into that as seemeth him good, for himself and his seed after him, from generation to generation. 27 Let my servant pay stock into that , for himself and his seed after him, from generation to generation. — — — 27LetmyServantpaystockintothat , forhimselfandhisseedafterhim, fromgeneration.— If he will do my will, let him not take his family unto the Eastern lands even unto ; nevertheless I the Lord will build up , but I the Lord have a scourge prepared for the inhabitants thereof. And with my Servant there are many things with which I am not well pleased; behold, he aspireth to establish his Council instead of the Council which I have ordained, even the presidency of my church; and he setteth [p. 1154]