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 .
<September 9> to think so. Let the world come forward, and translate the plates that have of late come forth, if they have wisdom to do it. The Lord [HC 6:14] intends to take away the Gods of the Gentiles: he pulleth down and buildeth up at his own pleasure.
Sacrifice your Gods for the building up of Zion; administer of your substance; send our Missionaries to the Islands of the Sea; don’t be afraid of a dollar, or a hundred dollars, or even a thousand dollars: I would not; I have made a sacrifice of all I possessed a good many times. I am richer the more I give; for the Lord has promised and does reward me a hundred fold; and if I sacrifice all for the cause of God, no good thing will be withheld from me. I have taken this course to get rich— I have given all I had, and God has given many blessings in consequence. If I am too bold in asking, be too bold in giving. I ask expecting to receive. Put your shoulder to the wheel with all your might— give your all and become rich by receiving a hundred fold.’
Adjourned until half past two o’Clock, when the meeting was opened by singing. Prayer by Elder singing.
Elder said
“I have a few remarks to make concerning the subject spoken of in the forenoon by Elder who said we wanted all your Gold, silver, and precious things. We not only want your all as pertaining to Gold, silver &c. but we want you, your wives and children, and all you have to be engaged in the work of the Lord. I don’t know that I can give you a better pattern of what we want, than the case of Joseph in Egypt. Israelites will get all they can: they are very great to go a head. The Egyptians believed in dreams, and by the peculiar gift of interpretation of dreams, Joseph entered into a great scheme of speculation; he used the gift of interpretation to become great in the eyes of the Egyptians. He obtained great political influence, came out with gold ornaments, and rode in the kings Chariot in great splendour. He laid up Corn in great abundance during the seven years of plenty, and when the famine came he got all their gold, silver, cattle, land, property, and finally their persons. No one but an Israelite or an Israelitish God would have thought of it; it was like an Israelite— it was like Noah, Lot, Christ &c; and it is a fair sample of our speculation.
There is more said in Scripture about Gold, Silver, and Land than any other subject.
God is the origin of power— the Sovereign; He made the people and the earth, and he has the right to reign. There will be good times and good government, when the world will acknowledge the God of heaven as their law giver, and not till then; and if I could live under his government I should be thankful, although I am a real republican in principle, and would rather live under the voice of the people than the voice of one man; but it will be for the good and happiness of man when that government is established which we pray for when we say “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven”; and until that time arrives we must pray for it. [HC 6:15]
This Joseph in Egypt— the speculator— what a great and good man he was; I love him— I admire his course, and I believe a little of his blood is in my veins; but had Joseph been like the religious world at the present day— had he [p. 1720]