BYU Studies Quarterly

Volume 25 Issue 3 Article 15

7-1-1985

The Personal Writings of Joseph Smith Dean C. Jessee comp.

and ed.
Marvin S. Hill

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Recommended Citation
Hill, Marvin S. (1985) "The Personal Writings of Joseph Smith Dean C. Jessee comp. and ed.," BYU Studies
Quarterly: Vol. 25 : Iss. 3 , Article 15.
Available at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/byusq/vol25/iss3/15

This Book Review is brought to you for free and open access by the Journals at BYU ScholarsArchive. It has been
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 Hill: <em>The Personal Writings of Joseph Smith</em> Dean C. Jessee com

book reviews

DEAN C JESSEE the personal writings ofofjoseph

comp and ed joseph smith
salt lake city deseret book company 1984 xxviii 1895
18.9
ap S1895
736 pp 1895
18.95
reviewed by marvin S hill professor of history brigham young university

there what has been written

is a strange paradox in much of
about joseph smith believer and disbeliever alike have refused to
tolerate human weakness in the man believers by ignoring or denying
any evidence that joseph ever acted out of human needs or human
limitations disbelievers by disparaging him for imperfection in the
ideological warfare that has largely dominated the historical treatment
of the prophet one side has seen him as chosen a saintly spokesman
for the lord whose every word and every act is a divine command or a
lesson
moral lessons
lesson1 the other side has reversed that immaculate image and
1

portrayed him as depraved hedonistic lustful for power and worldly

pleasure a model of the religious hypocrite and fraud 2 in approaching
joseph from this absolutistic perspective the antagonists have allowed
the historical joseph smith to nearly vanish the few attempts to break
foldings
free of these cast iron mol dings have reached but a small number of
moldings
readers 3

jesses
Jes sees new volume the personal writings of joseph
dean jessees
smith affords mormon and non mormon readers a chance to look at
the sources that joseph smith himself produced material heretofore
examined by only a handful of scholars here is a perspective of the

lwhile
awhile
1
while francis gibbons in his recent biography introduces joseph smith by acknowledging his
M
imperfections vil vn his initial chapter argues that the foundation of josephs power was prayer the
vii
implication is that the lord intervened in answer to those prayers but more importantly that joseph in his
conduct is a role model for the ideal mormon no mention is made of the alternative accounts of josephs
ofjosephs
first vision nor is anything said aboutjosiah
about josiah stowells comment that in 1825 when he metjoseph
met joseph stowell
found him not particularly religious any money digging activity is emphatically denied seejosepb
see yoseph
joseph smith
martyr prophet ofgodof god salt lake city deseret book 1977 vii 3243
vn 32
vil 43 46
ato
to this day the most widely read biography is fawn M brodies no man knows my history new york
22to
alfred A knopf 1945 2d ad ed 1971 which uses the churchs
churche position on several issues as a foil against
which to present contradictory evidence
adonna
sdonna hills
3donna jaseph smith the first mormon garden city NY
hillsjosepb
joseph
yoseph N Y doubleday 1977 attempts a more
neutral interpretation at present her book has sold only 20000 hardbound copies and an additional 2000
in paperback francis gibbonss joseph smith has sold over 40000 hardbound
Gibbonss more traditional biography ofofjoseph
jesses
copies at this writing jessees
Jes sees book has sold about 12000 copies in two paintings
prin tings and a third has been
printings
ordered

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118 BYU studies

prophet that has largely escaped us and it is not surprising that this
joseph does not fit entirely into either of the dichotomous molds for
this reason the personal writings constitutes the most important
source book on the mormon prophet to be published since B H
roberts edited josephs history of the church just after the turn of the
century
the new volume includes unpublished holography
holographs
holo graphs dictated
manuscripts and material previously printed but now somewhat inac
sible jessee begins by reproducing josephs personal diaries written
tessible
cessible
ces
between 1832 and 1839 and enhances their significance by designating
in large type those parts actually written by joseph himself As jessee
argues these afford us a more direct insight into the mind and spirit of
the prophet than do the dictated passages or excerpts lifted from the
ofthe church
diaries of others which make up so much of the history odthe
josephs personal notations in his diary hardly support the alle-
gation that he was disingenuous rather they show him to have been
deeply committed to his prophetic calling a missionary a millennial-
ist and a leader concerned about his flock a man dependent upon the
lord in his every undertaking some short excerpts illustrate his
orientation
orientations4
strongly religious orientation4
november 27 1832 oh may god grant that I1 may be directed in all my
thoughts oh bless thy servent amen
thaughts
p16
P 16
pig

ath 1833 arrived at springfield erie county pennsylvania on

october 6th
the sabbath held a meeting at brother ruds
buds had a great congregation
paid good attention oh god seal our testimony
tesjtimony to their hearts
amen
p17
P 17

Nicker sons
sunday the 13th october 1833 held a meeting at freeman nickersons
had a large congregation brother sidney preached & I1 bear record to the
people the lord gave his spirit in a marvilous
mar vilous maner for which I1 am
marcilous
thankful
P 18

november 13th 1835 18551 in the morning at 4 oh clock 1I was awoke by

1833
1853
18331
18531
brother davis knocking at MY door saying brother joseph come git
abrose and beheld to my great joy
UP and see the signs in the heavens I1 arrose
the stars fall from heaven yea they fell like hail stones a litteral fullfillment
of the word of god as recorded in the holy scriptures and a sure sign that
the coming of christ is dost at hand
pp20 21

agle
bangle
4angle
ngle brackets in the quoted passages indicate marginal or interlinear additions to the original
jesses
Jes sees editorial interpolations are in square brackets I1 have omitted manuscript page
manuscript dean jessees
numbers and line ending indications

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 Hill: <em>The Personal Writings of Joseph Smith</em> Dean C. Jessee com

reuie
reviews
book Revie tvs 119
placed that seem to be
march ith 1834 there is a small church in this place5
strong in the faith oh may god keep them in the faith and save them and
lead them to zion
p27
P 27

M 3rd 1854
march 3ard 1834
18 34th
this tended to sstart
intended
is morning in tart 0on 0our
our
urjourny
journy to th
thee
east BUT did not start 0 may god bless us with the gift of utterance to
accomplish the journy and the errand on which we are sent
p28
P 28

1835 my heart is full of desire to day to BE blessed

september 2 3 th 1835
of the god of abraham with prosperity untill 1I will be able to pay all my
depts for it is THE delight of my soul to BE honest
P 58

gusday 22d december 1835 at home continued my studys

tusday studs 0 may god
indow me with qualifycations
give me learning even language and aindow qualifications
qualify cations
canions to
magnify his name while 1I live
P 117

on the other hand the account of his history written in 1832

shows remarkable candor in josephs admission that he had hoped to
profit from the gold plates 7 and then from the publication of the
book of mormon 228 contrary to his mothers recollections he
indicates that he was well read in the scriptures beginning serious
study at the age of twelve he tells us that he was intimately acquainted
other denominations that he pondered the existence of god and
withother
with hother
wit
was persuaded by the argument of design and purpose in the universe
and that even before his first vision he had concluded that all men had
stati zed from the true faith in his account he did not claim that he
statized
apostatized
apo
was isolated from or oblivious to the forces at work in his culture nor
that he did not endure a personal struggle to discover his religious
destiny 4 6
in the letters which joseph wrote from 1829 through june 1844
spiritual and religious forces seem evident as well as those human
limitations that all men suffer in a letter to hyrum smith in march
1831 joseph marveled at the divine power manifest through him
185
1831
1851

this morning after being colled out of my bed in the night to go a small
ft4 an awful strugle
ar4
distance 1I went and had ara strigle with satan BUT being
armed with the power of god he was cast out and the woman is clothed in
hir right mind the lord wormeth
worketh wonders in this land
p231
P 231
251

josephs humility and dependence on the lord are shown in a

letter he wrote to emma smith in june 1832

swesleyviue pennsylvania
5wesleyville

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120 BYU studies

I1have visited a grove which is just back of the town almost every day
where 1I can be secluded from the eyes of any mortal and there give vent to
all the feelings of my heart in meaditation and prayr
grayr 1I have called to mind
all the past moments of my life and am left to morn w and shed tears
of sorrow for my folly in Su fering the adversary of my soul to have so
much power over me as he has had in times past but god is
merciful
mercif
mercia UL and has forgiven my sins and 1I rejoice that he sendeth senneth
forth the Comfert
comforter
comferter
er unto as many as believe and humbleeth
hum bleeth themselves
before him
p238
P 238
258

letter to emma from new york city in october 1832 reflects

A
josephs prophetic perspective joseph noted the great buildings and
material achievements of the city for which he said the lord could not
aganet man is the anger of the lord kindled
be displeased only aganst
because they give him not the glory he warned that their iniquities
iniquites
shall BE visited upon their heads and their works shall be burned
up with unquenchable fire joseph found repulsive the worldliness he
saw beneath the surface nothing but the dress of the people makes
butiful all is deformity their is something in every
them look fair and dutiful
counti nance that is disagreeable
countenance
countinance disagreable with few exceptions nonetheless he
refused to condemn these people prematurely saying when 1I reflect
upon this great city like ninevah not des earning their right hand from
desearning
their left yea more than two hundred thousand souls my bowels is
com pasion towards them and 1I am determined to lift up my
filled with compasion
companion
voice in this city and leave the event with god 252 53
josephs letters reveal his prevailing pessimism about man soci-
ety and government in the nineteenth century the plain fact is this
he told N C saxton editor of a newspaper in rochester new york in
january 1833 the power of god begins to fall upon the nations
and they hastily are preparing to act the part allotted them when the
lord rebukes the nations when he shall rule them with a rod of iron &
break them in peaces like a potters vessel he warned the editor

the lord has declared to his servants some eighteen months since that he
was then withdrawing his spirit from the earth and we can see that such
is the fact for not only the churches are dwindling away but there are no
conversions or but very few and this is not all the governments of the
earth are thrown into confusion & division and dist ruction to the eye of
distinction
briten by the finger of an invitable
the spiritual beholder seemes to be writen invisable
hand in large capitals upon almost evry thing we behold
p272
P 272

josephs sense of impending doom and millennial imminence is also

evident

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book reviews 121

A history of our nation

scene of bloodshed as has not a parallel in the hystory
pest alence hail famine and earthquake will sweep the wicked of this
pestilence
pestalence
generation from off the face of this land to open and prepare the way for
the return of the lost tribes of israel from the north country for
there are those now living upon the earth whose eyes shall not be closed in
death until they see all these things which I1 have spoken fulfilled rem-
ember these things
pp273 74

so much of whatjoseph
what joseph smith did in building the political kingdom in
ohio missouri and illinois grew out of these pessimistic expectations
several letters written in 1833 and 1834 suggest how challenging
to his prophetic calling was the news from zion that the saints had
been forced into an agreement that they would leave jackson county
before the turn of the year joseph showed initial uncertainty in
august 1833 as to the reason for the persecution and the remedy
saying of the redemption of zion god is pleased to keep it hid from
mine eyes the means how exactly the thing will be done 285 he
wrote that the persecution was not due to wrongdoing in missouri but
for the sins of the chirch the persecution was to serve as a test and
a sign that all the ends of the earth may know that you are not
speculiting with them for lucre but you are willing to die for the cause
speculating
you have espoused 286 he concluded with a somewhat cautious
commitment to military intervention
del iverd from your
we have had the word of the lord that you shall be deliverd
delivered
shall again flourish
shail
bainger and SHAII
dainger flurish in spite of hell we wait the comand
of god to do whatever he plese and if HE shall say go up to zion and
defend thy brotheren by THE sword we fly and we count not our
lives dear to us
pp287288
on
december 1833 joseph expressed himself more positively
10
that the saints would soon be delivered
god execute judgment upon your enemies and to avenge
will not fail to exicutejudgrnent
exicute
his own elect that cry unto him day and night behold he will not fail you
he will come with ten thousands of his saints and all his advis
advisaries
aries shall be
dis troyed by the breath of his lips
distroyed
destroyed
P 310

again on 30 march he wrote to edward partridge

god will strike through kings in the day of his wrath but what he will
deliver his people and what do you suppose he could do with a few
robbers in jackson county where ere long he will set his feet when
mobbers
earth & heaven shall tremble
P 319

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122 BYU studies

yet by the time he had organized zions camp and journeyed to the
banks of the mississippi river in june 1834 joseph was aware that he
and the saints would have to settle for much less than the restoration
of the evicted church members he wrote to emma at that time
our numbers and means are altogether too small for the accomplishment
of such a grear
greaf enterprise but they are falling daily and our only hope is
great
greafenterprise
grearenterprise
that whilst we deter the enemy and terrify them for a little season for we
learn by the means of some s pies
ples we send out for that purpose that they
are greatly terrified notwithstanding they are endeavoring to make a
formidable stand and their numbers amount to several hundred
pp323 24

joseph urged at this point that church members hurriedly send in men
and supplies for the redemption of zion but when no further help
came and the cholera hit the elders joseph had to abandon his effort
and return to kirtland to endure a hostile reaction by many of the
saints to counter this he wrote to the church leaders in missouri that
two years from the eleventh of september next is the appointed
time for the redemption of zion 330 in his diary he wrote in
september 1835 we strigle for this thing untill
covenanted to strugle
ditolve this union 59 but circumstances were such in
death shall disolve
kirtland and missouri in 1836 that another attempt at military redemp-
tion became impossible and the matter was deferred to a later day
there is evidence in these letters of josephs continued involve
ment in treasure hunting according to ebenezer robinson joseph
was informed by william burgess that there was money hidden in a
cellar of a house in salem massachusetts 349 worried with debt
joseph inquired of the lord and was told 1 I will give this city into your
hands that you shall have power over it insomuch that its wealth
pertaining to gold and silver shall be yours dac d&c 1114 A letter to
emma from salem dated 19 august 1836 confirms the accuracy of
ebenezer robinsons report joseph said we have found the house
since bro burgess left us it will require much care and patience to
rent or buy it we think we shall be able to effect it 550 5 0 later in far
3350
west joseph encouraged hyrum smith to join him in a search for
money locating an old indian mound nearby which held promise of
treasure joseph wrote to hyrum in may 1838 verily thus saith the
strate away to far west and
lord unto hyram smith if he will come strateaway
inquire of his brother it shall be shown him how that he may be freed
from debt and obtain a grate treasure in the earth even so amen
358
josephs letters from libertyjail
jali in 1838 reveal his deepest fears of
liberty jail
jall
alienation and disloyalty at a time when many of his most faithful

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followers were abandoning the faith he particularly was concerned

about emmas attitude he wrote her on 4 november 1838 do not
forsake me nor the truth but remember me 362 in a subsequent
letter of 4 april 1839 he told her never give up an old tried friend
who has waded through all manner of toil for your sake and throw
him away because fools may tell YOU he has some somefaults
faults
427
josephs deep seated fear that many might abandon him and the
faith led him to be more than generous to wayward saints who had
tolda
betrayed him in missouri in june 1840 he toldw
told W W phelps who had
testified against him in richmond at the preliminary hearing
inasmuch as long suffering patience and mercy have ever characterized
the dealings of our heavenly father towards the humble and penitent 1I
feel disposed to copy the example

it is true that we have suffered much in consequence of your behav-

ior the cup of gall already full indeedtiled
was indeedfilled
indeed ailred
tiled to overflowing
filled
when you turned against us
p472
P 472

but joseph added having been delivered from the hands of wicked
men by the mercy of our god we say it is your privilidge
privi lidge to be delivered
from the power of the adversary 472 73
however joseph had small sympathy for any who directly ques-
tioned his authority or would seem to undermine his leadership when
he heard that almon W babbitt was drawing some saints away to
kirtland rather than guiding them to nauvoo joseph wrote indig-
nantly it is in consequence of aspiring men that kirtland has been
forsaken how frequently has your humble servant been envied in his
office by such characters who endeavoured to raise themselves to
power at my expense 476
while the early 1840s in nauvoo were years of progress materi-
ally and spiritually with some of josephs greatest revelations coming
at this time still they were also years of trial and inner turmoil joseph
introduced plural marriage to an increasing number of his most faith-
ful followers and added to the number of his own polygamous rela-
tion ships no development in this period has had a greater influence in
tionships
convincing skeptics that joseph smith was a worldly lustful man his
letter to sarah ann whitney a new plural wife written in august 1842
will no doubt be seen as confirmation by some readers it showsjoseph
shows joseph
caught up in a relationship which he seemingly sought to conceal from
his wife emma in hiding because of a writ issued by lilburn W boggs
joseph was evidently beset with a terrible loneliness he wrote to

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124 BYU studies

brother and sister newel K whitney and their daughter sarah ann
11
my feelings are so strong for you since what has pasedbased lately between
us that the time of my absconce cence from you seems so long and dreary
abscence
abs
that it seems as if I1 could not live long in this way he urged them to
visit him at carlos graingers
Gra ingers all three of 3y you gomocome can come
como
and see me in the fore part of the night it is the will of god that you
should comfort ME clearly josephs desires were not primarily
sexual for he invited the parents to the rendezvous he desperately
needed companionship but he knew of emmas increasing jealousy
and warned his friends the only thing to be careful of is to find out
when emma comes then you cannot be safe he added only be
careful to escape observation as much as possible his fears of
exposure were so intense because his life was threatened he advised
burn this letter as soon as you read it keep all locked up in your
breasts my life depends upon it 539 40 plural marriage was a
nightmare for joseph as it generated fears dangers and conflicting
loyalties which made his prophetic role that much more difficult
increasing tension had developed between the prophet and emma
by 1844 so that it may be that he felt closer to some of his other wives
than he did to her this is suggested by the contrast between what he
wrote to emma and to the lawrence sisters on the same day 22 3 june
he told emma if god ever opens a door that is possible for me I1 will see
you again 1I do not know where 1I shall go or what 1I shall do if you
conclude to go to kirtland Cin cinatti or any other place 1I wish you
cincinatti
would contrive to inform me this evening he told maria and sarah
I
lawrence 11I want for you to tarry in cincinnati untill you hear from
me 598 he seemed much more certain that he would see maria and
sarah lawrence than that he would ever see emma again
it is clear from this letter and another which he wrote to employ
lawyer orville H browning for his hearing on 29 june 612 as well as
his desperate note to legion commander jonathan dunham on
227 june to fly to his rescue gig 616 17 that joseph was not resigned to
066
616
martyrdom on that fateful day As implacable as were his enemies as
helpless as he was in their midst in carthage jail he still hoped and
expected to survive joseph smith was not a quitter and he relished
living too much to surrender it without a fight when the mob charged
up the stairs at carthage jail he fired his pistol three times into the
crowd and tried to escape by the window never a fatalist he went
down as he had lived fighting for his rights his religion his life with
no quarter given
dean jessee has provided us through this splendid collection a
more complete more complex but also more appealing joseph one

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book reviews 125

that joseph smith was omniscient that he

does not find evidence here thatjoseph
had overcome all his human limitations he was beset with uncertain-
ties about the future about his friends and enemies about the success
of his cause about the preservation of his life but neither does one
find here any evidence thatjoseph
that joseph was a religious pretender so wicked
that the lord could not have used him as an instrument of gospel
restoration this is a joseph smith from whom all may benefit by
knowing him better dean jessee has made the quest for the historical
deanjessee
joseph less difficult than it has been

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