Mormon History, Dec 24, 1843

-- Dec 24, 1843
[Apostle Wilford Woodruff Journal] 24th Sunday I Preached in the fore part of the day at Br David Fulmers. In the afternoon I met with the quorum of High Priest in company with Elder G. A. Smith. I addressed the quorum for about one hour and was followed by Elder G. A Smith. I had the liberty of speach. In the evening I again met with the quorum in Company with Mrs Woodruff. We recieved some instruction concerning the Priesthood. (1)

[Brigham Young] --24-- Attended a prayer meeting with the [First] Presidency and Twelve in the Assembly Room. (2)

[Joseph Smith Diary] Sun[day], December 24th 1843 At home. Received a visit from Mr. Richards[, the] one who assisted to kidnap Avery. He manifested some repentance and promised to use his influence to prevent Avery's conviction by the Missourians. (3)

[Joseph Smith] Apostle John E. Page preaches at Boston "that England, Ireland & Scotland would again become catholic....That the pope will unite all Europe to go & fight the Jews at Jerusalem....And the world will not come to an end before 1863." (4)

The endowed quorum meets for instruction. (5)

-- Dec 25, 1843
Amos Davis: Issued six-month license to sell merchandise 25 December 1843. (6)

Brigham Young performed a monogamous marriage for Anointed Quorum member Levi Richards. This was recorded in "Meetings of anointed Quorum [--] Journalizings," even though his wife was not endowed and there was apparently no formal meeting of the quorum. Perhaps members of the Anointed Quorum held a prayer circle as part of the marriage ceremony . (7)

[Apostle Wilford Woodruff Journal] 25 CHRISTMAS DAY A large Party met at the Nauvoo Mansion & had A splendid dinner and supper and spent a long evening.

I was invited By Elder R. Allexander to meet the Tennessee Saints at his house in company with my own family. I did so & found Br Smoot & family Br Allexander & family & Sister Petty & family. We had a social interesting time together. We had a good feast & spent the evening in conversing about the things of God. (1)

[Brigham Young] --25-- I married Dr. Levi Richards and Sarah Griffiths. (2)

-- Dec 25, 1843 (Monday)
Daniel Avery was liberated from his imprisonment in Missouri, his son having previously escaped. (8)

O. Porter Rockwell arrived in Nauvoo from nearly a year's imprisonment in Missouri without conviction, during which time he was subjected to very cruel treatment. (8)

-- Dec 25, 1843
Orson Pratt returns to Nauvoo. (9)

Orrin Porter Rockwell, after nearly ten months of imprisonment in Missouri, arrives at the home of Joseph Smith in the midst of a Christmas party. The overwhelmed Prophet joyfully receives his old friend. (10)

[Joseph Smith] At one o'clock on Christmas morning, a family of English converts sings Christmas carols under Joseph's window. Joseph's family and boarders in the Mansion House are awake and listen to the music. Joseph blesses the singers. In the afternoon Joseph has 50 couples over for Christmas dinner. During the evening a long-haired man breaks in and acts "like a Missourian." The police are called, but when Joseph sees the man, he realizes, to his "great surprise and joy untold," it is Orrin Porter Rockwell, just returned to Nauvoo from his Missouri imprisonment. (History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (7 volumes) 6:134-42.) Rockwell then eats and drinks and relates his Missouri experiences, after which Joseph blesses him, saying, "I prophesy, in the name of the Lord, that youâ€"Orrin Porter Rockwellâ€"so long as you shall remain loyal and true to thy faith, need fear no enemy. Cut not thy hair and no bullet or blade can harm thee!" (HC 6:134-42; Harol
d Schindler, Orrin Porter Rockwell: Man of God, Son of Thunder 1089.) Daniel Avery, who had been kidnapped and taken to Missouri, is released by habeascorpus. The First Presidency sanctions a plan that the sisters will donate one cent or a half-penny per week for the building of the temple. (11)

[Joseph Smith Diary] Monday, December 25th 1843 At home. About noon gave counsel to the brethren who called on me from the Morley Settlement. Told them to keep law on their side and they would come out well enough.

About 2 o'c[loc]k about 50 couple[s] sat down at my table to dine. While I was eating my scribe called on me to solemnize the Marraige of Doct[or] Levi Richards and Sarah Griffiths, but as I could not leave I referred the subject to Pres[i]d[en]t B[righam] Young who married them.

A large party supped at my house and spent the evening /in a most cheerful and friendly manner/ in Music, Dancing, &c. During the festivities a man apparently drunk, with his hair long and falling over his shoulders come in and acted like a Missourian. I commanded the Capt[ain] of the police to put him out of doors. In the scuffle, I looked him full in the face and to my great surprize and Joy untold I discovered it was Orrin Porter Rockwell, just arrived from a years imprisonment in M[iss]o[uri].

[several lines left blank] Daniel Avery was liberated on Habeus Corpus in M[iss]o[uri]. Warm and rain this eve. (3)


Footnotes:
1 - Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies
2 - Manuscript History of Brigham Young, 1801-1844, ed. Elden Jay Watson (Salt Lake City: Smith Secretarial Service, 1968).
3 - Faulring, Scott (ed.), An American Prophet's Record: The Diaries and Journals of Joseph Smith: Joseph Smith Diary, 1843-44, http://amzn.to/jsdiaries
4 - Quinn, D. Michael, The Mormon Hierarchy: Origins of Power, Appendix 7: Selected Chronology of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1830-47, http://amzn.to/origins-power
5 - Hales, Brian C., Joseph Smith's Polygamy: History and Theology, 2 vols., Salt Lake City: Greg Kofford Books, 2011 (www.JosephSmithsPolygamy.com)
6 - Cook, Lyndon W., The Revelations of the Prophet Joseph Smith: A Historical and Biographical Commentary of the Doctrine and Covenants, Seventy's Mission Bookstore, Provo UT, 1985, http://amzn.to/RevelationsofJosephSmith
7 - Quinn, D. Michael, The Mormon Hierarchy: Origins of Power, Signature Books, 1994, Appendex: Meetings and Initiations of the Anointed Quorum, 1842-45, http://amzn.to/origins-power
8 - Jenson, Andrew, Church Chronology
9 - Tidd, N. R., "Mormon Chronology"
10 - The Woodland Institute 'On This Day Historical Database,' http://www.woodlandinstitute.com
11 - Conklin, Christopher J., Joseph Smith Chronology


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