JS, History, 1838–1856, vol. E-1, created 20 Aug. 1855–5 Apr. 1856; handwriting of Robert L. Campbell, , and Jonathan Grimshaw; 392 pages, plus 11 pages of addenda; CHL. This is the fifth volume of a six-volume manuscript history of the church. This fifth volume covers the period from 1 July 1843 to 30 Apr. 1844; the remaining five volumes, labeled A-1, B-1, C-1, D-1, and F-1, continue through 8 Aug. 1844.
Historical Introduction
History, 1838–1856, volume E-1, constitutes the fifth of six volumes documenting the life of Joseph Smith and the early years of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The series is also known as the Manuscript History of the Church and was originally published serially from 1842 to 1846 and 1851 to 1858 as the “History of Joseph Smith” in the Times and Seasons and Deseret News. This volume contains JS’s history from 1 July 1843 to 30 April 1844, and it was compiled in Utah Territory in the mid-1850s.
The material recorded in volume E-1 was initially compiled under the direction of church historian , who was JS’s cousin. Smith collaborated with in collecting material for the history and creating a set of draft notes that Smith dictated to Bullock and other clerks.
Robert L. Campbell, a recently returned missionary and member of the Historian’s Office staff, transcribed ’s notes into the volume along with the text of designated documents (such as letters and meeting minutes). The Church Historian’s Office journal entry for 2 May 1855 pinpoints the beginning of his work: “R. L. C. on Book D forenoon, afternoon began book E.” Campbell’s work on the volume apparently concluded on 5 April 1856; entries in the Historian’s Office journal indicate that he then moved on to other assignments while another clerk, Jonathan Grimshaw, began work on volume F-1, the last manuscript in the series. (Historian’s Office, Journal, 2 May 1855; 5 and 9 Apr. 1856.)
Volume E-1 contains 391 pages of primary text and 11 pages of addenda. The initial entry on page 1637 is a continuation of the 1 July 1843 entry that closed volume D-1. The final entry in volume E-1 is for 30 April 1844.
The 391 pages of volume E-1 document a crucial period of JS’s life and the history of the church. Important events recorded here include
• An account of JS’s 2 July 1843 meeting with several Pottawatamie chiefs.
• JS’s 4 July 1843 address regarding his recent arrest, the Legion, and Mormon voting practices.
• JS’s 12 July 1843 dictation of a revelation regarding eternal marriage, including the plurality of wives, in the presence of and .
• The 13 August 1843 disfellowshipment of and revocation of his priesthood license.
• Dispatch of the first missionaries to the Pacific Islands on 20 September 1843, led by .
• JS’s 1 October 1843 announcement of ’s appointment to a mission to Russia.
• Minutes of a 6–9 October 1843 general conference inserted under the date of 9 October at which pled his case in regard to his 13 August 1843 disfellowshipment and was permitted to continue as counselor in the First Presidency.
• Text of JS’s appeal to the Green Mountain Boys of , inserted under the date of 29 November 1843.
• A 20 January 1844 entry that includes a poem by commemorating the presentation of two copies of the Book of Mormon to Queen Victoria and Prince Albert by .
• JS’s nomination on 29 January 1844 as an independent candidate for the presidency of the .
<August 26> we all took dinner— and this was a dinner indeed, good enough for the king. I thought the best that I ever ate in my life but being so extremely hungry it was delicious &c.— came 10 miles, staid all night at Mosquito creek, got 2 ears of green corn apiece and roasted them. and went to sleep. Wednesday 24 this morning we started at daylight then 10 miles from the old Agency of the Sacs and Fox— We travelled 25 miles beyond the Agency which made. 35, miles, then encamped for the night; here we bought some bacon and half a loaf of warm wheat bread. Thursday 25th.August. This morning some rain and lowry— we took a bite, and then started for city; travelled until sunset, then camped in the woods about 12 miles from : we killed one Grey squirrel, and eat a little dry buffalo meat, and lay down in the rain all night. In the morning we got a few Potatoes and boiled them I killed two Grey squirrels and the squaw burned off the hair and boiled them, this we had for breakfast. Friday 26th. we travelled all day in the rain and at night reached the and encamped on the bank above the potter house. <I have seen much delightful country, but the prospect for Bee hunting is not as good as I could wish.>
[NB. The names of places and distances were procured from the Indians and are not accurate.]”
The met with [HC 5:549] the Saints in the Columbian Hall, Grand Street, , in .
Meeting opened by prayer. arose, and addressed the meeting, in an interesting manner, upon the subject of the gathering, the building of the and . He spoke of the Priesthood, and said that it was a perfect system of government.
In the afternoon the Conference reassembled, and spoke in parables— gather in the wheat and tares, thrash the wheat, and the Mill will blow away the chaff. He said an Elder could get a people together, and could get this them [blank] to receive the work if he did not whip the sects so much he compared such Elders to a Shepherd who would call up a buck and a flock of sheep, and hand them a little salt, and just as they begin to eat, hit him with a club across the head, and the sheep will run away.
Elder followed <and> bore testimony of the work; spoke of the Elders spending their time in speaking about mysteries, and speculating upon things behind the vail, which they did not understand; advised them to wait till God revealed hidden mysteries to them before they undertook to preach them to the people;
“The conduct of some Elders puts me in mind of an anecdote of a wealthy farmer to whom a man applied to be hired. The farmer asked him if he was good at telling a lie, for he wanted a man who could invent a strait-forward lie; the man replied that he was not much of a hand at fabricating lies, but he was tolerably dexterous at putting a good face on a lie after it was told. The farmer consented to take him on trial, and soon after, in paying a visit to a young lady he took his new servant with him; and in the course of his visit he told her a story of a very large cheese house which he had, and of the gigantic cheeses which he made, and which took several yoke of oxen with immense lever power to press. She being inclined to doubt his statement took the opportunity in the temporary absence of the farmer to ask his servant man if it was true. “Well Ma’am” said he [p. 1704]