, “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 20
[pages 1–19 missing] in faith. much more might be quoted but I will pass to the next topic
The gathering. Prophets quoted. Power of God to be manifested in the fulfilment of prophecy. Many to be called and sent of God. Conclusions.
The work of the gathering. On searching the scriptures, I found that much was said on this subject, though it was little noticed generally. The 37th of Ezekiel, speaks very clearly; but it is too lengthy to quote here. Suffice it to say, that it promises to gather the Israelites from every place where they have been scattered, and that they and their children and their children’s children shall inherit the land of Israel forever. Isa 2. 2, 3 and Mic[a]h 4. 1, 2. make similar <promises.> Isa. 11. 11–16. also speaks of the same, to-gether with the promise of working great miracles for their safe return, such as drying the tongue of the Egyptian sea, and smiting the river (Nile) in the seven streams thereof, and casting up a highway as it was to Israel in the days that he came up out of the land of Egypt. Now When, how, where and by whom shall this great work be accomplished, unless God calls, qualifies, and send forth men endowed with power to do it: for the house of Israel is scattered to all parts of the earth, and who shall know who they are, and where to find them, and how to gather them unless God reveals it to and send them for that purpose. But this he has promised to do; for Jeremiah says that [p. 20]