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 9 Saints in England> would not be thus afflicted, Some were tried and tempted because took to himself a , they thought he should have given himself wholly to the ministry, and followed Paul’s advice to the letter, Some were tried because his wore a veil and others because she carried a muff to keep herself warm, when she walked out in cold weather, and even the President of the Church there thought, “she had better done without it,” she had nothing ever purchased by the Church, and to gratify their [HC 3:276] feelings wore the poorest clothes she had, and they were too good, so hard was it to buffet the storm of feeling that arose from such foolish causes— was very sick for some time, and some were dissatisfied, because he did not neglect her entirely, and go out preaching— and others that she did not go to meeting when she was not able to go so far— from such little things arose a spirit of jealousy, tattling, evil speaking, surmising, covetousness and rebellion— until the Church but too generally harbored more or less of those unpleasant feelings, and this evening Elder Halsal came out openly in Council against , and preferred some heavy charges, none of which he was able to substantiate— most of the Elders in were against for a season except , who proved himself true in the hour of trial.
<10> Sunday 10th. When made proclamation from the pulpit that if any one had aught against him, or his Wife he wished they would come to him, and state their grievances, and if he had erred in any thing he would acknowledge his fault— one only of the brethren came to him, and that to acknowledge his own fault to in harboring unpleasant feelings without a cause, bore all these trials and persecutions with patience, for he knew the cause, his calling having been made known to him by Revelation, but he told no one of it. The work continued to spread in and vicinity, among the Staffordshire Potteries and other places in England.
<15 Petition of Joseph Smith for > Friday 15th. I made the following Petition
“To the Honorable Judge Tompkins [George Thompkins], or either of the Judges of the Supreme Court for the State of . Your petitioners , , , [HC 3:277] and Joseph Smith Junr., beg leave respectfully to represent to your honor, that Joseph Smith junr. is now unlawfully confined and restrained of his liberty, in Clay County (Missouri) that he has been restrained of his liberty near five months, your petitioners claim that the whole transaction, which has been the cause of his confinement is unlawful from the first to the last. He was taken from his house by a fraud being practised upon him by a man by the name of , and one or two others, thereby, your petitioners respectfully shew, that he was forced, contrary to his wishes, and without knowing the cause, into the camp, which was commanded by of , and from thence to sleeping on the ground, and suffering many insults and injuries, and deprivations, which were calculated in their nature to break down the Spirits and Constitution of the most robust and hardy of mankind. He was put in chains immediately on his being landed at , and there underwent a long and tedious examination. Your Petitioners shew that the said Joseph Smith Junr. was deprived of [p. 895]