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> “I dont know; my master never suffered me to go into his cheese house, but I do know this, that he has a grist mill of four run of stones, which is propelled by the whey which runs from that cheese house.”
councilled the Elders to be wise enough to let such things alone and talk about the whey which runs from the cheese house; or in other words, the good things of the kingdom which we have received; and do understand, and wait patiently until the Lord takes off the vail of darkness. He spoke of the collegiate education he received from President Joseph Smith, which was to preach short sermons, and make short prayers, which had done him much good in life.Prest. said the Scriptures had been mystified to that degree, that the greatest divines of the day are as ignorant as the dumb ass concerning the things of God;— comparatively they don’t know their right hand from their left. We are trying to revere the Scriptures, and to make them so simple that the people can understand them. Place a man in this room who is ignorant of science and take every thing out that we can see, and then ask him if there is anything in the room. He will say no, only we two. I tell him that there are millions of live animals in the room,— that we even breathe them, and I will shew him, by the aid of the Microscope, that there are <live> animals in a drop of water, which appear to be eight feet long, but he won’t believe it until he sees it through the magnifying glass. So with the unbeliever in revelation, he does not believe in God, in Angels, or in Spirits, because he cannot [HC 5:550] see them; but let him have spiritual glasses, or obey the commandments of— God, get the Spirit of God, and then he can see the truth.
A Hymn was then sung:
Then several questions were asked, as follows
1st. Can any officer in any branch of the church say that his word is law, and shall be obeyed? Answer. [blank]. <He can say that his word is law, but does that make it so? Yes, if he has the law of God, and delivers it; otherwise it is not.>
2nd. Is it right for a priest to be appointed to accompany a Teacher, to visit the houses of each member, when his duty is set forth in the covenants? Answer. Yes. any officer from a High Priest to <a> Deacon, may visit the church or members, and be set apart for this purpose, if the church will receive it.
3d. Can a branch of the church make bye laws on the principle of expediency, which are not specified in any Revelation? Answer. Yes; if they wish they may make laws to stick their fingers in their eyes; but it is like the man who habituated himself to sticking his finger into a knot hole in a board partition every morning, until custom compelled him to do it; for having omitted it one morning, he felt so curiously at the breakfast table that he could not eat, he then bethought himself, went and put his finger into the knot hole and returned with a good appetite and eat a hearty breakfast.
said that if Elders or High Priests are so situated that they cannot get word from the Prophet or the Twelve <Apostles,> they may get a Revelation concerning themselves. The Twelve may get a Revelation in any part of the world concerning the building up of the kingdom, as they have to establish it in all parts of the world; so any person can ask the Lord for a Witness concerning himself, and get an answer; but not to lead the church.— that belongs to the head of the church. [p. 1705]