THIS is not INTENTIONAL DECEPTION
:
After Joseph’s initial work on his history in 1838-39, Willard Richards (who was appointed Church Historian in 1842) did a substantial amount of work before Joseph died and had added over 600 pages to volumes A-1 and B-1 of what would become Joseph’s Manuscript History. After Joseph died Richards began compiling what were later called “Draft Notes” for the history instead of directly writing into the Manuscript Volumes. Thomas Bullock would later take Richards’ notes and draft them into the final version of the Manuscript History. By the end of 1845, because of deteriorating health, Richards began dictating Joseph’s history to Bullock who compiled it as the rough draft, and later into the final version.
By the beginning of 1846 they had reached the date of 28 February, 1843. The project was then suspended as the Church moved west to the Utah Territory. Richards again picked up the Draft History in 1853, but due to ill health he only wrote a couple of lines. He died in early 1854.
In April of 1854 George Albert Smith was sustained as the new Church Historian. Two years later, Smith wrote to Wilford Woodruff,
On the 10th April 1854, I commenced to perform the duties of Historian by taking up the History of Joseph Smith where Dr. Willard Richards had left it when driven from Nauvoo on the 4th day of February 1846. . . .
Thomas Bullock acted with me as chief clerk, being a clerk in the History office previously to, and at the time of Prest. Smith’s death, and has continued in it ever since. His pen wrote the principal part of the rough manuscript from my dictation, and his acquaintance with all the papers was of great assistance to me—
Jonathan Grimshaw sorted and filed the papers, and carefully amalgamated the principal part of the discourses of President Smith and others from the various reports mentioned above, and put them into shape to be filled up by me. He also assisted in writing the manuscript of the History from my dictation, compiled indices, and performed other duties incident to the office—
Leo Hawkins assisted to file papers, copied correspondence, and wrote the final copy of the History in Books C2 and D2 after revision; besides attending to office business generally—
Robert L. Campbell copied the rough manuscript of the History into books D1 and E1 which were revised by the Presidency and Council. . . .
The plan of compiling the history of Joseph Smith from the Journals kept by his Clerks . . . was commenced by himself, extracting items of necessary information in regard to general and particular movements from the Times and Seasons, Millennial Star, Wasp, Neighbor and other publications, extracts from city councils, Municipal Courts, and Mayor’s dockets and Legion Records, which were all kept under his direction; also the movements of the church as found in Conference Minutes, High Council records, and the records of the several quorums, together with letters and copies preserved on file; also noted remarkable occurrences throughout the world, and compiled them under date of transaction, according to the above plan which he [Joseph Smith] while in prison just previous to his murder requested Elder Willard Richards to continue.
“The History has been compiled to the day of his [Joseph Smith’s] death and the principal part of it has been revised by the Council of the First Presidency almost without any alteration. A few vacancies remain to be filled up from the statements of persons who are now absent. (George A. Smith to Wilford Woodruff, 21 Apr. 1856, Historical Record Book, 218-219)
Even though Smith claims that Joseph’s History was “revised by the Council of the First Presidency almost without any alteration,” there were significant alterations made to some of Joseph’s diary entries. One of them had to do with polygamy.
Because Joseph had been so careful in Nauvoo not to admit to the practice of polygamy, there were no instances of him endorsing the doctrine, except for the 1843 “revelation” which was not made public until after his death, and was therefore touted by some as a concoction of Brigham Young.
Unfortunately for the Church in Utah, there were many statements by Joseph where he condemned the practice. One such instance was the ORIGINAL diary entry from Joseph Smith's Journal, for October 5, 1843:
Thursday, October 5[th] Morning rode out with Esqu[ire] Butterfield to farm &c. P.M. rode on prairie to shew some brethren some land. Eve[ning] at home. Walked up and down St[reet] with Scribe and gave instructions to try those who were preaching, teaching, or practicing the doctrine of plurality of wives on this Law. Joseph forbids it and the practice thereof. No man shall have but one wife. [rest of page blank] {page 116} (Scott H. Faulring, An American Prophet's Record, p.417).
This poses all kinds of problems for those who wanted to affirm that Joseph never did such a thing. (Forbid the practice of polygamy in the fall of 1843) and affirmed that he did so in a PRIVATE diary entry. (I am writing an Essay to explain why he did this).
In the Draft History (1 March 1843 to 31 December 1843) under the date of October 5, 1843 it was deceitfully changed to read:
Thursday 5th. This morning I rode out with Esquire Butterfield to the farm &c. In the afternoon rode to the Prarie to show some brethren some land. Evening at home, and walked up and down the street with my scribe. Gave instructions to try those persons who were preaching, teaching, or practicing the doctrine of plurality of wives, on this
[the following written in smaller text:]
(or according to the law I hold the keys of this power in the last days, for there is never but one on Earth at a time on whom <on this law> the power and its keys are conferred – and I have constantly said
[end of smaller text and blank line]
Joseph forbids it, and the practice thereof. No man shall have but one wife
[the following written in smaller text:]
<at a time> unless the Lord directs otherwise.
On the left hand side of the page is written, to be revised (History draft; handwriting of Thomas Bullock, John L. Smith, Jonathan Grimshaw, Robert L. Campbell, Leo Hawkins, Richard Bentley, and Wilford Woodruff; CHL., 72).
Richard S. Van Wagoner wrote:
When incorporating Joseph Smith's journal into the History of the Church, Apostle George A. Smith, a cousin, altered this passage to reflect later Mormon thinking:
"Gave instructions to try those persons who were preaching, teaching, or practicing the doctrine of plurality of wives; for, according to the law, I hold the keys of this power in the last days; for there is never but one on earth at a time on whom the power and its keys are conferred; and I have constantly said no man shall have but one wife at a time, unless the Lord directs otherwise" (HC 6:46).(Richard S. Van Wagoner, Mormon Polygamy, p.63, note 1).
Finished Manuscript History entry:
This is absolutely INTENTIONAL deceit. By covering this stuff up for years, we know that modern Mormon "Authorities" are complicit in that deceit. And did they VOLUNTARILY disclose all this? No. They were FORCED to, by people like the Tanners, honest historians like Mike Quinn and others. But they still restrict lots of documents and engage in totally DECEPTIVE practices when it comes to History and Doctrine.