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.
<March 24> were baptized by Elder Goodson. Soon after this, Mr. Joseph Saville, member of Mr. Matthew’s Church, being very desirous of receiving baptism at the same time with Mr. Matthews, waited on him at his house, in company with Elders Goodson and , and Mr. Matthews and Mr. Saville mutually agreed to meet the Elders on the bank of the River Ouse, at a specified hour in the afternoon, and attend to the ordinance of baptism. At the hour appointed, Mr. Saville met the Elders at the place previously designated by Mr. Matthews; but as he did not make his appearance according to promise, after waiting for him an hour, Mr. Saville was baptized, when the elders repaired to Mr. Matthews’ to — — learn the cause of his not fulfilling his engagement, and were informed by Mr. Matthews’ family that he had gone out into the country to preach. In a day or two it was currently rumored <that Mr. Matthews> had baptized himself, and this rumor was afterwards confirmed by Mrrs. Matthews, who stated to at , that Mr. Matthews had baptized himself, reasoning upon this principle within himself— “If I [HC 4:317] have authority to administer the sacrament to my people, why not have the authority to baptize myself,” &c, and all this, after Mr. Matthews had acknowledged to Elders Goodson and , that he had no authority to administer in the ordinances of God’s house; and altogether regardless of the words of the Apostle, (Heb 5 ch 4 v) “No man taketh this honor unto himself but he that is called of God as was Aaron.” By the foregoing, it is plainly to be seen, that Mr. Matthews has attempted to take that upon himself which was never conferred upon him by the spirit of revelation, either by God, his angels, or his servants,: viz. the holy Priesthood; and from that period Mr. Matthews began to preach baptism, and baptized those who felt it their duty to be baptized, and then invited them to the penitent form to get remission of their sins; but finding that would not answer all the design which he intended, he afterwards began to baptize for the remission of sins.
Mr. Matthews appears to have well understood that counterfeit coin is more current the nearer it approximates to the true, and governed himself accordingly; for he continued to preach faith, repentance, baptism for the remission of sins, the second coming of Christ, &c, &c, adding one thing to another, in imitation of truth, as fast as it answered his purpose, from those doctrines which he had heard from the Latter Day Saints; but it was some time before he arrived at that heaven— daring conscience— seared hardihood, to lay hands on those whom he had baptized for the reception of the Holy Ghost; and at the same time, he acknowledged that he had not got the Holy Ghost himself, by praying that he might receive it— (Query— how can a man communicate that which he is not in possession of?) and he now calls his church, the Church of — — Latter Day Saints. Thus has Mr. Matthews been running about from Bedford to ; from to Northampton; from Northampton to Bedford, and other places; crying aloud in public and private that the Latter Day Saints and their doctrines came from hell.— at the same time has been preaching the same doctrines, calls his Church by [p. 1177]