The Latter-day Saints were expelled from the State of Missouri, under the exterminating order of Governor Boggs in the Fall and Winter of the year of our Lord, one thousand eight hundred and thirty-eight. Having been plundered of all their property, they settled in this place — then called Commerce but subsequently named Nauvoo;¹ while they were in a stripped and destitute condition. Nearly all of the Saints were sick, and many of them died in consequence of exposure and the lack of the necessaries of life. There were then but two or three houses in the place;² and, therefore, the majority of the people dwelt in tents and in the open air, exposed to all the rigors of an inclement season.

In September, 1839, the Apostles started the second time for England. They, themselves, were ill³ and they left their families in sickness and poverty. The Apostles who took this trying journey at that time were Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball, Parley P. Pratt, Orson Pratt, John Taylor, Wilford Woodruff and George A. Smith. Elder Richards was already in Great Britain; and he was ordained to the apostleship when the others of the Twelve reached their destination.

During the Winter and Spring of 1839, nearly all of the Saints moved into Nauvoo, the only exceptions being some few families who scattered about among the people of the State of Illinois.

As soon as the health of the brethren would in anywise permit, they began the work of putting up log cabins for shelter. In the course of the season the majority were made tolerably comfortable in this respect, though many still suffered greatly for want of food.

The spot of land on which the Saints located was very wet and consequently very unhealthy; but by the blessing of God the health of the Saints improved,⁴ and they learned the necessary course of life in this trying region, and were able to improve the character of the soil which they cultivated.

Before even this state of comfort was achieved, the authorities began to talk upon the subject of building a temple, wherein to administer the ordinances of God's house. Several councils were held and a place selected whereon the temple was contemplated to be built. The matter was laid before the conference on the 6th of October, in the year 1840; and the Church voted to commence the work immediately. On this day the conference appointed a committee of three, viz: Alpheus Cutler, Elias Higbee and Reynolds Cahoon, to carry the business into operation and to over see the work.

During conference President Joseph Smith explained to the Saints the law of tithing⁵ and the plan upon which the building of the temple was to be conducted.

Several plans for a temple were made and submitted by various individuals, but the only one which was satisfactory to the Prophet was the one drawn and presented by William Weeks.

On the twelth day of the same month, the brethren commenced the opening of a quarry from which to obtain stone for the building. Brother Elisha Everett was the man who struck the first blow on the works. He has continued in this labor from that time on until the present, and has proved himself a faithful worker and a worthy man.

The committee contracted with Daniel H. Wells, Esq., for the land whereon to build the temple; and on the nineteenth day of January, in the year 1841, the Lord, through His servant Joseph, gave a revelation [(D&C 124)] approving the selection of a temple site and commanding the errection of the sacred structure upon that spot.

In the month of February, 1841, Elder Alpheus Cutler, assisted by Elder Cahoon and others, laid out the foundation of the temple. On the eighteenth day of that month the brethren began to dig the cellar. As it was the wish of President Joseph that the corner stones of the temple should be laid on the sixth day of the next April, the corners for the foundation were first excavated; and about the first day of March the cellar walls were commenced.

On February 22nd the committee organized the city into Wards⁶ and called upon the brethren to come forward and labor every tenth day. By this means they were enabled to rush on the work so rapidly that by the sixth day of April the walls were sufficiently high at the corners to admit of the laying of the corner stones. And notwithstanding the extreme poverty of the Church, the labor moved on quickly and the prospects seemed very cheering and pleasing.

I will now extract from the Times and Seasons of April 15, 1841, as follows:

"At an early hour on the sixth inst. the several companies constituting the Nauvoo Legion, with two volunteer companies from Iowa Territory, making sixteen companies in all, assembled at their several places of rendezvous, and were conducted in due order to the ground assigned for general review. The appearance, order and movements of the Legion were chaste, grand and imposing, and reflect great credit upon the taste, skill and tact of the men comprising said Legion, especially the chief officer of the day, Major General Bennett. We doubt whether the like can be presented in any city in the western country.

"At half past 7 o'clock, a. m. the fire of artillery announced the arrival of Brigadier Generals Law and Smith at the front of their respective chorts; and at 8 o'clock Major General Bennett was conducted to his post under the discharge of cannon and took command of the Legion.

"At half past 9 o'clock, a. m. Lieutenant General Smith with his guard, staff and field officers, arrived at the ground and were presented with a beautiful silk national flag by the ladies of Nauvoo, which was respectfully received and hailed by the firing of cannon, and borne off by Colonial Robinson, the cornet, to the appropriate position in the line; after which the lieutenant general, with his suite, passed the lines in review. At 12, [a.] m. the procession arrived upon the temple ground, inclosing the same in a hollow square, with Lieutenant General Smith, Major General Bennett, Brigadier Generals Law and Smith, their respective staffs, guard, field officers,⁷ distinguished visitors, choir, band, etc., in the center and the ladies and gentlemen citizens surrounding the interior. The superior officers, together with the banner, architects, principal speaker, etc., were duly conducted to the stand at the principal corner stone, and the religious services were commenced by singing from page 65 of the new hymn book.

President Sidney Rigdon addressed the assemblage at some length, after which a hymn was sung under page 205, and the closing prayer was offered. [In continuing the minutes state]:

"The architects then, by the direction of the First Presidency, lowered the first (S.-E. corner) stone to its place, and President Joseph Smith pronounced the benediction as follows:

"This principal corner stone, in representation of the First Presidency, is now duly laid in honor of the great God; and may it there remain until the whole fabric is completed; and may the same be accomplished speedily, that the Saints may have a place to worship God, and the Son of Man have where to lay His head.' [(D&C 124:28)]

"President Sidney Rigdon then pronounced the following:

"May the persons employed in the erection of this house be preserved from all harm while engaged in its construction, till the whole is completed; in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost; even so. Amen.

"Adjourned for one hour.

"Assembled according to adjournment and proceeded to lay the remaining corner stones according to previous order.

"The second (S.-W. Corner) stone, by the direction of the President of the High Priesthood,⁸ with his Council and President Marks,⁹ was lowered to its place, when the President of the High Priesthood pronounced the following:

"The second corner stone of the temple now building by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, in honor to the great God, is duly laid, and may the same unanimity that has been manifested on this occasion continue till the whole is completed; that peace may rest upon it to the laying of the top stone thereof, and the turning of the key thereof; that the Saints may participate in the blessings of Israel's God within its walls, and the glory of God rest upon the same. Amen.

"The third (N.-W. corner) stone, superintended by the High Council, as representatives of the Twelve¹⁰ (they being in Europe), was then lowered to its place, with the benediction of Elias Higbee as follows:

"The third corner stone, in representation of the Twelve, is now duly laid; and as they are, in some measure, the support of the Church, so may this stone be a firm support to the corner, that the whole may be completed as before proposed, and according to the order of the priesthood.

"The fourth (N.-E. corner) stone, superintended by the Bishops, was then lowered to its place, and Bishop Whitney pronounced the following:

"The fourth and last corner stone, expressive of the Lesser Priesthood, is now duly laid; and may the blessings before pronounced, with all others desirable, rest upon the same forever. Amen." (Times and Seasons 2:375-377)

After the corner stones were laid and the conference was over, the work upon the temple seemed to progress more rapidly. There were about eighteen stone cutters engaged to dress the rock for the building. Up to this time the work performed was nearly all done by tenth days' labor. But after this the Saints began to bring in some provisions, property and money; and the committee was enabled to employ a number of stone cutters and keep them constantly at work. The tithing labor also increased through the continuedimmigration of Saints from abroad.

When the Winter season set in toward the close of the year 1841, the walls on the south side were built up to the water table, a part of which also was laid. On the north side the walls were only about two feet high. In this state the structure remained until the Spring of 1842.

During all this time there had been no general tithing record opened. The money and other property contributed had all been paid over to the committee, and receipts were issued to the several donors. Elias Higbee kept the books and work accounts, and generally wrote the receipts for tithing. This branch of the business occupied nearly the whole of his time. Elders Cahoon and Cutler hired the laborers, superintended the work and kept an oversight of the entire business.

On the 25th day of September, 1841, Elders Alpheus Cutler and Peter Haws, started for the pine country to obtain lumber for the Temple and Nauvoo House. They took with them, Tarleton Lewis, Jabez Durfee, Hardin Wilson, Wm. L. Cutler, Horace Owens, Octavius Pauket, Blakely B. Anderson, James M. Flack, Nathaniel Child, Brother Child's wife and daughter, and Peter W. Conover. These brethren spent the Winter in the pine forests, and toiled diligently in their appointed work. They suffered some because of the cold in that northern region, but they made good progress. By the following July, they had succeeded in making up and bringing to Nauvoo a large raft of first-rate pine timber. By this means the prospect of the work was much brightened.

On the 13th day of December, 1841, the Prophet Joseph appointed Apostle Willard Richards to be recorder for the temple and scribe for the private office of the President.

The recorder opened his office in the counting room of President Joseph's new brick store on Water Street, and he immediately began to record the tithings on the Book of the Law of the Lord,¹¹ page 27. The first record was made under the date of December 1, 1841. It was one gold sovereign, valued at $5.00, to the credit of John Sanders, late from Cumberland, on the borders of Scotland, Europe.

A short time previous to this Joseph had been appointed "Sole Trustee-in-Trust for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints;" and, consequently, it became his prerogative to receive all the donations for the Church and the temple. Late in the evening of the 11th of December, the Trustee-in-Trust instructed Brigham Young, president of the quorum of the Twelve Apostles, to visit the members of the building committee and inform them more fully regarding their duties — to notify them not to accept any more tithes and consecrations, except such as were received from him. On the morning of the 13th, this message was delivered by Brigham to the committee in the presence of Elders Kimball, Woodruff and Willard Richards.

When this order was understood by the Saints, the business of the recorder increased rapidly, and having many important matters crowding upon him, he found it necessary to appoint Saturday of each week as the time for receiving and recording the tithings of the brethren. He published a notice under date of January 12, 1842, informing the Saints of this regulation; and it was subsequently carried into effect. But the business increased so rapidly that he could not keep pace with the work. He therefore counseled with his brethren of the Twelve; and, having received permission from President Joseph, he called Elder William Clayton, lately from England, to assist him. Elder Clayton accordingly entered the recorder's office on the 10th day of February, 1842, and continued therein from that time forward.

I will now copy an extract from the revelation of January 19, 1841, concerning a baptismal font:

"For there is not a place found on earth that he may come and restore again that which was lost unto you, or which he hath taken away, even the fullness of the Priesthood;

"For a baptismal font there is not upon the earth, that they, my saints, may be baptized for those who are dead;

"For this ordinance belongeth to my house, and cannot be acceptable to me, only in the days of your poverty, wherein ye are not able to build a house unto me.

"But I command you, all ye my saints, to build a house unto me; and I grant unto you a sufficient time to build a house unto me, and during this time your baptisms shall be acceptable unto me." (Doc. and Cov. Sec. 124:28-31). (cont.)

¹As Clayton states, the origional name for Nauvoo was "Commerce". The Prophet changed the name to Nauvoo shortly after the Saints located there and explained its meaning as follows: "The name of our City (Nauvoo) is of Hebrew origin, and signifies a beautiful situation, or place, carrying with it, also, the idea of rest; and is truly descriptive of the most delightful location. It is situated on the east bank of the Mississippi River, at the head of the Des Moines Rapids, in Hancock County, bounded on the east by an extensive prairie of surpassing beauty, and on the north, west and south, by the Mississippi [River]." (TPJS 182; HC 4:268)

³¹For more information on these men, their social standing in the community, their manipulation of the legal system, their membership in the masonic fraternity and the masonic connection in the martyrdom see "Freemasonry and the Lynching at Carthage Jail, by Mervin B. Hogan; and Carthage Conspiracy . . . by Dallin H. Oaks and Marvin S. Hill.