Title: The Joseph Smith Papers: Documents, Volume 12, March-July 1843
Editors: David W. Grua, Brent M. Rogers, Matthew C. Godfrey, Robin Scott Jensen, Christopher James Blythe, Jessica M. Nelson
Publisher: The Church Historian’s Press
Genre: Religious Non-Fiction
Year Published: 2021
Number of Pages: 680
Binding: Hardbound: alk. paper
ISBN: 978-1-62972-888-9
Price: $54.95
Reviewed by Cheryl Bruno for the Association for Mormon Letters
Recently, the question was asked in a Facebook group of professional and amateur Mormon historians if Joseph Smith was a “micro-manager.” The question gave me pause. How could Joseph personally do every task that was required for managing a burgeoning new city as well as handling the affairs of a new religious movement with worldwide outreach? It would have been impossible. By the time the Saints were established in Nauvoo, he had built up a complex network of civil and religious leaders to shoulder some of the burden of these responsibilities—both men, and to a lesser extent, women. On the other hand, he seemed to have his finger in every pie. There was little that happened in church or city that he did not know about, and often he would reach out to correct the behavior and activities of foot soldiers in the movement.
Volume 12 of the Joseph Smith Papers Documents series is an examination into Joseph Smith’s involvement in civic, ecclesiastical, military, domestic, and personal affairs in the penultimate year of the Nauvoo period of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The ninety-six documents include correspondence, public discourses, revelations, and church, civil, legal, and financial records. This is a representative selection of nearly four hundred documents pertaining to the Mormon Prophet during this time period which have been collected on the Joseph Smith papers website. The editors have done a commendable job choosing, describing, and providing context on these papers.
Volume 12 begins with a synopsis of the period between March and July 1843. Additionally, each month during this time (with June and July placed together) is introduced in its place with a historical overview, and each document is accompanied by source notes and relevant historical background. I read these pieces avidly. Though I consider myself familiar with this period of history, I learned new details such as Joseph’s assignment of Willard Richards and W.W. Phelps to improve the public image of Mormonism in Boston by writing letters to the Daily Bee under a pseudonym “Viator,” purportedly an approving non-member visitor to Nauvoo. This and other documents demonstrate, the editors opine, Smith’s attention and management of areas outside the immediate environment of Nauvoo (xxiv).
I was familiar with Joseph’s remark about how he had been “praying very earnestly to know the time of the coming of the son of man” and was told that if he lived until he was 85 years old, he would see the face of the Lord. However, I did not realize that this sermon was given on April 2, 1843—the day before the April 3 date that followers of Adventist William Miller believed the Second Coming of Christ would occur (137). This background demonstrates Joseph’s awareness of current religious trends and his willingness to investigate, respond to, and inform his followers about contemporary issues. Smith’s inquiry apparently resulted in an outpouring of revelation on the millennium and the concept of resurrection.
Millerite beliefs also prompted national discourse about prophecies in the book of Revelation. Debates swirled locally when Pelatiah Brown was called before the Nauvoo High Council for his teachings that the beasts in the fourth and fifth chapters of Revelation represented “the kingdoms of God on the earth.” Joseph Smith disagreed with the idea that God would ever use the figure of a beast to represent the kingdom of heaven. He taught instead that the beasts in Revelation were actual creatures, “adding that they possibly came from another planet” (184).
Evidence in this volume shows several additional instances of Smith being loath to allow even his most trusted followers to formulate doctrine. An interesting theological discourse by Orson Pratt on the reorganization of matter as applied to human resurrection was rebuffed by Smith in the same meeting (179). Smith held a very literal vision of people rising from the tomb, embracing, and immediately renewing their conversation (209).
Many Mormon history aficionados have read the letters John C. Bennett wrote to Joseph Smith in July 1840 telling of his intention to move to Nauvoo and asking about the “population of Commerce & Hancock County, the face of the country, climate, soil, health etc.”[1] This volume makes it clear that Joseph Smith received these types of letters often. Samples reveal people wanting to learn more about how to come to Nauvoo, trying to figure out how to make such a trip possible financially and inquiring about what they might do for employment once they got there (e.g. 13,17, 82 [ans 127]). One member wrote to Smith for advice when he lost his home to fire (146-50). Financial and property documents reproduced in this book show that Smith was sometimes directly involved in assisting newcomers to attain land and occupational opportunities in addition to his many other duties. This volume shows a continuing interest in the building of the Nauvoo House, which Joseph envisioned as lodging and a waystation for immigrants to the city.
One of the most interesting documents reproduced here is a published account of a ruling Smith gave acting in a secular role as justice of the peace. William Brink, a local “botanical” physician had been summoned to assist Margaret Dana, an eight-months-pregnant woman with symptoms of fever and diarrhea. While there, he incorrectly diagnosed her, told her the child had died in utero, damaged her birth canal, and administered injurious medicines to induce labor throughout the night. Two days later, after the doctor was gone, Margaret delivered a healthy baby with the assistance of midwife Patty Sessions. The Danas sought reparations due to the lasting injuries Margaret suffered. Because of contemporary legal constraints, the husband had to pursue legal action on the wife’s behalf. However, Smith heard statements from several eyewitness women, as well as the midwife. Testimony from Margaret herself was objected to, but the court overruled the objection and allowed her to speak. In making his decision, Joseph consulted with others on the medical aspects of the case, ordered Brink to pay damages and the costs of the suit, and published his lengthy decision in the Wasp “for the public good” (90-100).
Joseph Smith’s long arm seemed to reach into every corner of his world and every aspect of Mormon life. One of my favorite letters to illustrate this point was written from a Council of the Twelve meeting in Smith’s office on April 19, 1843. [220-228]. Joseph sweepingly directs this man and that to “get property land horses,” to grind flour at such and such a mill, procure a book for records, build the Nauvoo House and temple, travel to LaHarpe, Maine, Pittsburg, Boston, Germany, Jerusalem. He speaks knowingly and personally of men who are not rested enough to go to England, or who “can do more good in the Editorial th[a]n pre[a]ching,” or whose lungs are weak. This letter’s colloquialisms bring Joseph right off the page. You will never make anything out of Benjamin Winchester, he says, unless you “take [him] out of the churn he wa[n]ts to be in.” John E. Page has been in Pittsburg so long he is about to “sleep with h[i]s granny.” Joshua Grant clips half his words, and Joseph intends to break him of the habit. Grant is young and untried, but “if a High Priest come[s] along–& goes to snub him, <let him> knock his teeth down his throat.” Smith exuberantly commands his followers to “cast up a high way for the Sai[n]ts,” and “make a monstrous wake as you go.”
…As Joseph Smith himself was wont to do. This volume elegantly, capably, and fondly pictures the Mormon Prophet in his vigorous maturity.
[1] “Letter from John C. Bennett, 27 July 1840,” p. 171, The Joseph Smith Papers, https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/letter-from-john-c-bennett-27-july-1840/2.