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.
<December 13> and the glory and honor and adornment of all her municipals, through the medium which God hath ordained— In the same revelation the command is, to “all the Saintsfrom afar”, as well as those already gathered to this place; to arise with one consent and build the ; to prepare a place where the Most High may manifest himself to his people. No one is excepted who hath aught in his possession, for what have ye, that ye have not received? and I will require mine own with usury saith the Lord; so that those [HC 4:472] who live thousands of miles from this place, come under the same law, and are entitled to the same blessings and privileges as those who have already gathered. But some may say how can this be, I am not there, therefore I cannot meet in the ; cannot be baptized in the Font? The Command of heaven is to you, to all, gather; and when you arrive here, if it is found that you have previously sent up of your gold or your silver, or your substance, the tithings and consecrations which are required of you, for this building, you will find your names, tithings and consecrations written in the book of the Law of the Lord, to be kept in the , as a witness in your favor, showing that you are a proprietor in that building, and are entitled to your share of the privileges thereunto belonging. One of those privileges which is particularly attracting the notice of the Saints at the present moment, is baptism for the dead &c in the font, which is so far completed as to be dedicated, and several have already attended to this ordinance by which the sick have been made whole, and the prisoner set free; but while we have been called to administer this ordinance, we have been led to enquire into the propriety of baptizing those who have not been obedient, and assisted to build the place for Baptism, and it seems to us unreasonable to expect that the Great Jehovah will approbate such an administration; for if the Church must be brought under condemnation and rejected with her dead if she fail to build the , and its appurtenances, why should not individuals of the Church, who thus neglect, come under the same condemnation? For if they are to be rejected they may as well be rejected without baptism as with, for their baptism can be of no avail before God, and the time to baptize them may be appropriated to building the walls of the , and this is according to the understanding which we have received from him who is our Spokesman. Let it not be supposed that the sick and the destitute are to be denied the blessings of the ; God forbid; his eye is ever over them for good He that hath not, and cannot obtain, but saith in his heart if I had, I would give freely, is accepted as freely as he that gives of his abundance. The is to be built by tithing and consecration, and every one is at liberty to consecrate all they find in their hearts so to do; but the tythings required, is one tenth of all, any one possessed at the commencement of the building, and one tenth part of all his increase from that time till the completion of the same, whether it be money or whatever he may be blessed with. Many in this place, are laboring every tenth day for the , and this is the tything of their income, for they have nothing [p. 1262]