, “Brief History,” Manuscript, ca. 6 April 1838– ca. 26 January 1839; handwriting of and an unidentified scribe; seventy pages numbered 20–90, plus three unnumbered pages; John Fletcher Darby Papers, Missouri History Museum Archives, St. Louis.
, a careful observer, had enjoyed a close association with Mormon leaders, and consequently his account provides valuable insights into the development and structure of the early church. He summarized many of the doctrines taught by JS and provided a detailed description of the conflict between the Latter-day Saints and other settlers. But his chronicle also related the story of a personal spiritual journey into and then out of the church as came to disapprove of the church’s course in 1838 in Missouri. Yet despite his estrangement from the church and his excommunication in 1839, he retained a degree of sympathy for the Saints and maintained some contact.
apparently began compiling portions of his account while serving as an officially appointed church historian in . He probably completed his narrative by 11 February 1839, when he secured a copyright with the district federal copyright office. He arranged for Thomas Watson & Son of to print A Brief History. The entire print run may have included up to twelve hundred copies.
The document presented here, ’s circa 1838–1839 rough draft of his history, is incomplete. It includes the title page, copyright notice, and preface but is missing twenty-one pages, including the nineteen pages that constitute chapters 1 through 6. The manuscript is almost entirely in Corrill’s handwriting, though some of the chapter summaries (added after he drafted the narrative) were written in a different hand, possibly that of the printer.
’s published version of A Brief History receives comprehensive treatment in volume 2 of the Histories series of The Joseph Smith Papers and is available on this website as part of the history series.
Page 35
istering the sacrament, &c. These pulpits were alike in each end of the house, and one was for the use of the High Melchesideck or High preisthood, and other for the Aaraonic or lesser priesthood. The first, or highest apartment, was used by occupied by the first presidency over all the church; the second apartment, by the President of the High preists and his two councellors; the third by th three of the High Preists, and the fourth by the President of the Elders and his two counsellors. The highest apartment of the other pulpit was occupied by the Bishop of the church, and his two counsellors, the next by the President of the Preists and his two counsellors, the third by the President of the Teach[e]rs and his two counsellors and <the> fourth by the President of the Deaccons and his two counsellors. Each of these apartments had curtains hanging from the ceiling over head down to the top of the pulpit, which could be rolled up or drop[p]ed down at pleasure, and when droped down would completely exclude those within the apartment, completely from the sight of all others. The room itself was finished with slips and seats so calculated that by slipping them <the seats> a littl[e] the congregation could change their faces toward either pulpit they chose; for in some cases the High priesthood would [p. 35]