also published in the Millennial Star, the Latter Day Saint publication in England. After the Mormon pioneers arrived in Utah Territory, the record was printed in the Deseret News beginning on November 15, 1851. Extraction and canonization Franklin D. Richards, Willard Richards's nephew and a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, extracted excerpts from the History of the Church and published them in 1851, hoping that the selection would "increase the members' ability to defend the faith." In the years leading up to the canonization of Joseph Smith–History, Brigham Young and other leaders of the church had expressed growing concern over members' lack of understanding of church history, particularly among the younger generations. Richards focused on extracting the main events of the text, excluding revelations given to Smith in God's words. He emphasized that this passage's intended audience was existing members of the church, not newcomers to the faith. Church leader Orson Pratt recognized the value of Smith's history and played a pivotal role in its becoming important in the eyes of church members. He also recognized its potential as a proselyting tool; the mid to late 1800s saw a boom in the usage of Smith's account by missionaries. When Franklin Richards compiled the Pearl of Great Price, he chose to include the passage he had extracted from the History of the Church. The excerpts had been pulled from the earliest section of the history: the 59 pages scribed by James Mulholland. Joseph Smith–History subsequently became part of the official standard works of the LDS Church on October 10, 1880, when the Pearl of Great Price was canonized during the 50th semiannual general conference. The motion was brought forth by George Q. Cannon and Joseph F. Smith. John Taylor was appointed president of the church at that same general conference. After the proceedings, the manuscript was sent to James E. Talmage, then a professor at the University of Utah, for some minor editing: mainly, adding footnotes and organizing the passages into chapters and verses. Talmage's edited version was accepted in 1902 and published as the first edition of the Pearl of Great Price. Joseph Smith–History remained relatively untouched throughout the canonization process. It spans 12 pages in the Pearl of Great Price. Content The events recounted in Joseph Smith–History begin with a succinct record of Joseph Smith's genealogy and birth. They then proceed to a description of the