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.
<November 15> excuse, and the earth prepared for the judgments which will follow. In this all the ordinances will be made manifest, and many things will be shewn forth which have been hid from generation to generation. The set time to favor the stakes of is at hand, and soon the Kings and the Queens, the princes and the nobles, the rich and the honorable of the Earth, will come up hither to visit the of our God, and to enquire concerning his strange work; and as Kings are to become nursing Fathers and Queens nursing mothers in the habitations of the righteous, it is right to render honor to whom honor is due; and therefore expedient that such, as well as the Saints, should have a comfortable house for boarding and lodging when they come hither, and it is according to the revelations that such a house should be built. [HC 4:449] The foundations of this , and also of the , are laid; and the walls of the basement stories of each nearly completed; and the finishing of the whole is depending on the exertions of the Saints. Every Saint on Earth is equally interested in these things, and each is under <equal> obligations to do all in their power to complete the buildings by their faith and by their prayers; with their thousands and their mites, their gold and their silver, their copper and their zinc, their goods and their labors, until the top stone is laid with shoutings, and the place is prepared to be filled with the glory of the highest; and if there are those among you, who have more than they need for the gathering, and for assisting the destitute, who desire to gather with them, they cannot make a more acceptable offering unto the Lord, than by appropriating towards the building of his . He that believeth shall not make haste, but let all the Saints, who desire to keep the commandments of Heaven and work righteousness, come to the place of gathering as soon as circumstances will permit. It is by united efforts that great things are accomplished, and while the Saints are scattered to the four winds, they cannot be united in action, if they are in Spirit; they cannot all build at one city, or lift at one Stone of the great though their hearts may all desire the same thing. We would not press the subject of the gathering upon you, for we know your hearts, and your means; and so far as means fail, let patience have its perfect work in your souls, for in due time you shall be delivered if you faint not. We are not altogether ignorant of the increase of difficulty among the laboring classes in England since our departures, through the stoppage of factories and similar occurrences, and we would counsel those who have, to impart unto those, who have not, and cannot obtain; remembering that he who giveth unto the poor lendeth unto the Lord, and he shall receive in return four fold. The idler shall not eat the bread of the Laborer, neither must he starve, who would, but cannot find employment. Inasmuch as ye desire the fulness of the Earth, let not the cries of the widow, the fatherless, and the beggar ascend to heaven, or salute your ears in vain; but follow the [p. 1246]