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Times and Seasons, 1 October 1842

Source Note

Times and Seasons (, Hancock Co., IL), 1 Oct. 1842, vol. 3, no. 23, pp. 927–942; edited by JS. For more complete source information, see the source note for Letter to Isaac Galland, 22 Mar. 1839.

Historical Introduction

JS, assisted by and , served as editor for the 1 October 1842 issue of the Times and Seasons, the twenty-third issue in the third volume. The extent to which JS was involved in writing the editorial content in this particular issue is unclear. As the newspaper’s editor, however, he was responsible for its content.
The non-editorial content in the issue, which is not featured here, included an installation of the serialized “History of Joseph Smith,” a letter from JS on the subject of for the dead, and the minutes of a church held in Alexander, New York. In addition, the issue featured a poem by Frederick William Faber titled “The Signs of the Times,” reprinted from the Warder (a newspaper published in Dublin, Ireland), and reprinted a response by the Latter-day Saints’ Millennial Star (the ’s newspaper published in ) to a letter featured in a British newspaper on the differences between Latter-day Saint and Baptist doctrine.
Editorial content included commentary on a passage from a book about archaeology in Central America; an update on the growth and development of , Illinois; and an editorial encouraging donations to the Nauvoo construction fund. In addition, the editors reprinted with commentary the church’s 1835 statement on marriage, criticized the way was handling the criminal case of three abolitionists, and countered the millenarian claims of and his followers. The issue also included a response to reports circulating in American newspapers that JS had fled Nauvoo to escape arrest. Two passages presumably written by the editors but not included in the selection of editorial content featured here are a single-sentence notice requesting that Martin Titus return to Nauvoo to answer undisclosed charges preferred against him and a recurring notice that new printings of the Book of Mormon and hymnbook were available for purchase.
Note that only the editorial content created specifically for this issue of the Times and Seasons is annotated here. Articles reprinted from other papers, letters, conference minutes, and notices, are reproduced here but not annotated. Items that are stand-alone JS documents are annotated elsewhere; links are provided to these stand-alone documents.

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    See Historical Introduction to Times and Seasons, 1 Sept. 1842.

  2. [2]

    “History of Joseph Smith,” “Letter from Joseph Smith,” and “Minutes of a Conference,” Times and Seasons, 1 Oct. 1842, 3:928–931, 934–936, 941–942. The manuscript version of JS’s letter is featured earlier in this volume. (Letter to the Church, 7 Sept. 1842 [D&C 128].)

  3. [3]

    “The Signs of the Times,” in Faber, Cherwell Water-Lily, 47–48; “The Signs of the Times,” Warder (Dublin, Ireland), 12 Dec. 1840, 5; “The Signs of the Times,” Times and Seasons, 1 Oct. 1842, 3:942.

    Faber, Frederick William. The Cherwell Water-Lily, and Other Poems. London: J. G. F. and J. Rivington, 1840.

    Warder. Dublin, Ireland. 1832–1902.

  4. [4]

    “Difference between the Baptists and Latter-day Saints,” Millennial Star, 12 Apr. 1841, 1:296–299; “Difference between the Baptists and the Latter-day Saints,” Times and Seasons, 1 Oct. 1842, 3:931–933.

    Latter-day Saints’ Millennial Star. Manchester, England, 1840–1842; Liverpool, 1842–1932; London, 1932–1970.

  5. [5]

    There is no record of charges against Titus in the records of the Nauvoo high council. (“Notice,” Times and Seasons, 1 Oct. 1842, 3:942.)

  6. [6]

    “Books of Mormon, &c.,” Times and Seasons, 1 Oct. 1842, 3:942.

  7. [7]

    See “Editorial Method”.

Asterisk (*) denotes a "featured" version, which includes an introduction and annotation. *Times and Seasons, 1 October 1842 *Times and Seasons, 1 October 1842 *Times and Seasons, 1 October 1842 *Times and Seasons, 1 October 1842
*Times and Seasons, 1 October 1842
*Letter to the Church, 7 September 1842 [D&C 128] *Appendix 3: Statement on Marriage, circa August 1835

Page 941

to be the last year of the world, and God should supply the inhabitants thereof with a large amount of food beyond the power of consumption, the present year, where is the evidence of his wisdom, or of the truth of that declaration—“My ways are equal?”
 
————
Editorial Note
The last editorial selection in this issue denied rumors that JS was en route to in order to avoid arrest in and extradition to . According to the editors of the Times and Seasons, the story originated in an issue of the Picket Guard. While that issue is not extant, the story was reprinted or paraphrased in several other newspapers throughout the country. One of those newspapers, the Baltimore Sun, stated that JS started traveling northward on the on 3 September. The version reprinted by the Times and Seasons reported that JS was “on his way to ,” that “it was thought he would push for Canada,” and that “his influence is on the wane most evidently.” The editorial refutes these claims, and JS’s journal confirms that although legal authorities were indeed pursuing JS with the intent to arrest him and that JS was in hiding, he remained in or around at this time. In the months following the 8 August 1842 arrest attempt, publications both in and out of Illinois commonly speculated about JS’s whereabouts.
Joe Smith was seen on the 3d inst., on his way to , and it was thought he would push for . His influence is on the wane most evidently.—St. Louis Picket Guard.
It is a great pity that humbuggery was not on the wane too. Joe Smith is at his residence in , attending to and administering the droppings of Mormon beneficence. Apropos—would it not be a more wise course for the press abroad to drop this nonsensical jargon about the Mormons—let them pursue their vocations after their own modes, customs and consciences, than to be eternally poking sharp sticks at a harmless inoffensive sect? Surely we should think so. What say you, friend [Thomas R.] Whitney?
 
————
MINUTES.
Minutes of a conference of the of the , held at Alexander, Genesee co. N. Y., on the 27–8 of August A.D. 1842.
The conference met according to previous adjournment and organized by calling Elder R. L. Young to the chair and C. R. Clark clerk; after which a hymn was then sung and the throne of Grace addressed by Elder .
On motion said conference was adjourned to 1 o’clock P. M. Conference met according to adjournment, a hymn being sung and prayer by the president, conference proceeded to business.
Motioned and carried that the clerk take the names of all the official members present, which are as follows: , : of the , Charles Thompson, Harmon H. Hill, Joel McWithey: Elders, Geo. Thomson, Hiram Thompson, C. R. Clark, S. W. Disbrow, Nathan Hatch, [blank] Taylor, Benjamin Waldron, Thomas Pearson, , Geo. Brown, Rowland Cobb, Nathan Bradley, R. L. Young, R. D. Sprague: , Miron Alger, John L. Bartholf, Alviras Webster, Daniel Adams: , Silas Alger, Joseph Shamp, Joseph Shadbolt, Linus Whiting, James E. Herrington: , Samuel Mott, Isaiah Call.
Representation of the several belonging to said conference.
Alexander branch represented by Samuel Mott, consists of 24 members, 2 elders, 1 deacon.
Batavia branch represented by S. W. Disbrow, consists of 22 members, 2 elders, 1 priest, 1 teacher.
Acron branch represented by James E. Herrington, consists of 9 members, 1 elder, 1 priest.
Charlotte Centre branch represented by Thomas Pearson, consists of 16 members, 3 elders.
Attica branch represented by Alviras Webster, consists of 13 members, 1 priest, 1 teacher.
Castile branch represented by Benjamin Waldron, consists of 5 members, 2 elders, 1 teacher. Also 4 members, living near by.
Bennington branch represented by Joel McWithey, consists of 24 members, 2 elders, 1 deacon.
Sparta branch represented by R. L. Young, consists of 13 members, 2 elders, 1 deacon; 2 moved away since last conference.
Loon Lake branch represented by R. L. Young, consists of 6 members, 2 elders.
Howard and Bath branches represented by R. L. Young, consist of 25 members, 1 priest, 1 teach[er.]
In Burns are 2 members and 1 elder.
In Grove are 5 members and 1 teacher.
In Granger are 2 members and 1 elder.
Conference then adjourned to Br. Geo. Thompson’s at early candle light.
Opened agreeable to adjournment: after singing and prayer, conference proceeded to business.
Moved and carried that no elder or priest belonging to any of the branches under the jurisdiction of this conference, go beyond the jurisdiction of his branch to preach and build up the church without a recommend from said conference; and that no officer shall hereafter be ordained to any of the above branches except for the express purpose of presiding over or in said branch without the voice of the conference.
Motioned and carried that Richard D. Spraque and Rowland Cobb have a recommend to build up the church in the regions round about. [p. 941]
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Page 941

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Related Case Documents
Editorial Title
Times and Seasons, 1 October 1842
ID #
8157
Total Pages
16
Print Volume Location
Handwriting on This Page
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Footnotes

  1. [71]

    See, for example, “Joe Smith,” Evening Post (New York City), 26 Sept. 1842, [2]; and “The Morman Prophet,” Maine Farmer and Mechanic’s Advocate (Winthrop), 8 Oct. 1842, [3].

    Evening Post. New York City. 1801–.

    Maine Farmer and Mechanic’s Advocate. Winthrop, ME. 1842–1843.

  2. [72]

    “Joe Smith, the Mormon,” Sun (Baltimore), 26 Sept. 1842, 1.

    Sun. Baltimore. 1837–2008.

  3. [73]

    Galena is a city located upriver from Nauvoo in the northwest corner of Illinois near the state’s border with Wisconsin. However, the Baltimore Sun stated that JS was traveling northward on the Mississippi River on a steamship named the Galena and was not necessarily en route to the city of Galena. (“Joe Smith, the Mormon,” Sun [Baltimore], 26 Sept. 1842, 1.)

    Sun. Baltimore. 1837–2008.

  4. [74]

    News Item, Times and Seasons, 1 Oct. 1842, 3:941.

  5. [75]

    JS, Journal, 3–10 Sept. 1842.

  6. [76]

    See, for example, News Item, Sangamo Journal (Springfield, IL), 30 Sept. 1842, [2]; and “The Mormon Prophet,” Public Ledger (Philadelphia), 26 Sept. 1842, [1].

    Sangamo Journal. Springfield, IL. 1831–1847.

    Public Ledger. Philadelphia. 1836–1925.

  7. [77]

    Whitney was one of the editors of the St. Louis Picket Guard. (“Assault and Battery,” Daily Picayune [New Orleans], 21 Sept. 1842, [2]; Coxe et al. v. Whitney, 9 Stringfellow 314 [Mo. Sup. Ct. 1845]; Palmquist and Kailbourn, Pioneer Photographers, 632–633.)

    Daily Picayune. New Orleans, LA. 1837–1914.

    Stringfellow / B. F. Stringfellow. Reports of Cases Argued and Determined in the Supreme Court of the State of Missouri, from 1845 to 1846. Edited by Louis Houck. Vol. 9. St. Louis: Gilbert Book, 1880.

    Palmquist, Peter E., and Thomas R. Kailbourn. Pioneer Photographers from the Mississippi to the Continental Divide: A Biographical Dictionary, 1839–1865. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press, 2005.

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