The Twelve met in council with Elder Taylor, at his house at Nauvoo; they found him recovering from his wounds. In the afternoon, the Twelve, the High Council and High Priests held a meeting in the Seventies' Hall, where Sidney Rigdon's claim to lead the Church was considered. (1)
-- Aug 7, 1844. Wednesday.
[William Clayton Journal] This morning the Committee and myself went out to Lots to take invoice of Josephs property. Brother [Alpheus] Cutler said that in the council yesterday he drew out from [William] Marks that Sidney Rigdon was to be president and Marks Patriarch.
5 of the Twelve got home last night viz. B[righam] Young, H[eber] C. Kimball, L[yman] Wight, O[rson] Pratt and W[ilford] Woodruff. This seems very providential and has given great satisfaction to the people. At 4 P.M. the Twelve and the High Council assembled in the 70s Hall when Elder Rigdon stated the object of his mission. He said he had a vision presented to his mind, not an open vision, but rather a continuation of the one mentioned in the Book of Covenants. It was shown to him that this Church must be built up to Joseph and that all the blessings we receive must come through Joseph. He had been ordained spoken to Joseph and he must come to Nauvoo and see that the Church was governed in a proper manner. The people could please themselves whether they accepted him or not. He said he had a conversation with Judge [] Pope on his way to Pittsburgh and that Pope told him that the U.S. Government were determined to deal with our Municipal Court for the proceedings in relation
to Jeremiah Smith and that Butterfield and Pope were very determined to prosecute &c. After Elder Rigdon got through B. Young said a few sentences. He said he did not care who lead the Church if God said so even if it was old "Ann Lee"102 but he must know that God said so. He said he [] the keys and the means of knowing the mind of God on this subject. He knew there were those in our midst who would seek the lives of the Twelve as they had sought that of Brother Joseph. He should ordain some man and give him the keys so that if he was killed the church might still have the priesthood. He said the Twelve would not be permitted to tarry here long. They would organize the Church and then go away and they would baptize Mormons a great deal faster than the mob would be able to kill them. Elder Lyman Wight followed in the same strain and said he knew there were those in our midst who were seeking his life. The meeting closed by appointing a conference for next Tuesday at 10 o'c
lock. (2)
-- Aug 8, 1844
[Apostle Wilford Woodruff Journal] 8th Their was a meeting appointed at the grove for the Church to come together for Prayers. But in consequence of some excitement among the People and a dispositions by some spirits to try to divide the Church, it was thought best to attend to the business of the Church in the afternoon that was to be attended to on Tuesday. The Twelve spent their time in the fore part of the day at the office and in the afternoon met at the grove. The following is the business of the day:
{) All the authorities of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in and about Nauvoo met in a special Conference in the grove in Nauvoo at 3 oclock. The quorum of the Twelve, Councillors S. Rigdon & A Lyman, the High Council, and others occupied the Stand. The High Priest quorum, & quorum of the Seventies and Elders, Bishops, Priests, Teachers & deacons appeared in their several quorums and took their seats and also a vast Congregation of Saints.
When all was seated that Could get seats President B. Young arose and said Attention. All this congregation makes me think of the days of king Benjamin when the People was so great that they Could not make them hear. But we want your attention.
Wm. W Phelps was called upon to address the throne of grace which he did do most fervently. President B Young again arose and said let none complain because of the situation of the congregation. We have all done the best we could.
For the first time in my life for the first time in your lives, for the first time in the kingdom of God do I step forth to act in my capacity in connexion with the quorum of the Twelve as Apostles of Jesus Christ unto the People and to bear of the keys of the Kingdom of God in all the world. And for the first time are you Called to walk by faith not by sight. For always before you have had a Prophet as the mouth of the Lord to speak to you. But he has sealed his testimony with his Blood.
I now want to ask each of you to tell me if you want to chuse a gardeen, a Prophet evangelist or sumthing els as your head to lead you. All that are in favor of it make it manifest by raising the right hand. No hands raised. All that wants to draw away a party from the Church after them let them do it if they can, but they will not prosper.
I now wish to speak of the organization of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints; Sidney Rigdon and Amasa Lyman were Counsellors to Joseph. I ask whare is Joseph? He is gone beyound the vail, and for them to act in their office as his Councillors they must go beyond the veil whare he is.
Their has been much said about President Rigdon being president of the Church leading the People, being the head, &c. If the People want President Rigdon to lead them, they may have him. But I say unto you that the quorum of The Twelve have the keys of the kingdom of God in all the world. They stand next to Joseph and are the Presidency of the Church, and hold the keys and would have to ordain any man unto that appointment if one that should be Chosen ie. if one was to be chosen. You Cannot appoint any man at our head. We should have to ordain him. You Cannot appoint a man at our head. But if you want any other man to lead you, take him, and we will go our way to build up the kingdom in all the world.
Perhaps some think that president Rigdon would not be honord. But if he does right he will not act against our Council nor we aginst his but act together. But I repeat again No man can stand at our head. The Prophet Joseph has lade the foundation for a great work, and we will build upon it.
Do you want a Patriarch for the whole Church? It would have been the right of Samuel Smith if he had lived, but he is dead. William is left and John Smith. It is their right. Do you want a trustee in trust? If so look at a bishop. It is their place to attend to temporal matters. They never yet have acted in their Station.
Elder S. Rigdon Claims to be a spokesman to Joseph. Vary well he is. But can he now act in that office? If he wants now to be a spokesman to the prophet, he must go [to] the other side of the veil for the Prophet is there. But Elder Rigdon is here. Why will Elder Rigdon be a fool?
Let those who holds the keys of the Kingdom of God build it up in all the world. If their is a spokesman if he is a king and Priest let him go and build up a kingdom. This is his right, and it is the right of many here. But who is the head? The Twelve. If one Thousand rise up and say they have the Prophets Joseph shoes I know they are impostures. If you know how the Church is organized I wish to ask a question. Now If you want Rigdon Lyman or Law to lead you or any body els, you may have them. But I tel you in the name of the Lord, that no man Can put another between the Twelve and the Prophet Joseph. Why? Because Joseph was their file leader and he has Committed into there hands the keys of the kingdom for all the world. Dont put a thread between the Priesthood and God. I will ask who has stood next to Joseph and Hiram? I have and I will stand next to him. We have a head, and that head is the Twelve and we can begin to see the neccessity of the Apostleship. I will now Clo
se and give way for my brethren.
Elder A Lyman arose and said, I will say a few words. I am satisfyed with the open frank manner that Elder Young has addressed this assembly. I ownly take exceptions to my name being associated with Wm. Law, Elder Young asks Pardon. It is granted.
I believe & their is no power or officer or means wanted to Carry on the work but what is in the Twelve. The right has been presented by Elder Young and I will back him up. President Young has stood next to the Prophet Joseph with the Twelve and I have stood next to them and I will still stand next to them. We have a head here. What is that head? The quorum of the Twelve. We now see the necessity of the Apostleship.
I might rise up as well as any other man to ask for the head but I could not do it without endangering my salvation. But I will stand unto the Twelve the same as I did to Joseph either on one side or the other but not before them.
President Rigdon called upon W W. Phelps to speak in his behalf as he could not speak. Phelps arose and said, he believed their had been enough said to Prepare the minds of the People to act. I have seen the people submit with defference to the Authority of the Church. I have seen the People take their lives in their hand and gather subjects for the kingdom of God. I have seen them prepare for war and ready to pour out their hearts Blood, and I am happy to see the same disposition manifest here to day as was when Joseph and Hiram Smith was brought dead murdered to this City. Then you submitted to the Law and to God and I see the same thing to day. You are ready to submit to the Authority of God. The Twelve are Chosen to rise up and bear the Church off triumphant.
I have feelings about this esspecially for president Rigdon. Their is a quorum that the 12 belong to. Br Rigdon was brought to the same quorum and received in part the blessings.
Joseph has gone but he has not left us comfortless, for he will administer unto us. I will bear this testimony. In 2 nights after he was slain he came to me (and I thought their was a large building stood on wheels, and he said tell the drivers to drive on. I asked if the building was on wheels. Yes. So we drove all round the hills and valleys and finally over the river into Iowa. I told him Devil Creek was before us. I dont Care said he for Devil Creek. Drive over it and we did so.)
Their is a combination in Nauvoo to destroy all that Stand for Joseph. But let us go ahead and build up the Temple and you will then be endowed. If you want to do right uphold the Twelve. If they die I am willing to die with them. But do your duty and you will be endowed. I will sustain the Twelve. Joseph and Hiram are removed whare they can convets with the Gods beyound the reach of Powder and ball.
P. P. Pratt arose and said if their was wicked men in this City that was so bad it was because we supported them. Stop dealing with them and they will go away. Will I support them? No. I am willing to do good to all men esspecially to the household of faith Mobs and wicked men will scease when you scease to support them. I would rather die a natural death than to employ a wicked doctor to kill me.
President Young arose and said their is more business than we can do this afternoon but we can place ourselves in a situation to continue the business without calling the whole Church. I dont want you to abide my Council alone but act for yourselves. If you want Sidney Rigdon to lead you, vote for him. But if you dont intend to follow him, and support him as you did Joseph, and I would say the same for the Twelve dont make a convenant to support them unless you intend to abide by their Council.
But we want to know if this people will support the Priesthood. If you build the house you will get the endowment. If we do our best and cannot build the house we will go into the wilderness and get it. Will you take our council? The first is do you want President Rigdon to be the head or do the Saints want the Twelve to Stand as the head, the first Presidency of the church and at the head of this Kingdom in all the world, Stand next to Joseph, walk up into their Calling, hold the Keys of this Kingdom? All that are in favor of this in all the congregation of the Saints manifest it by holding up the right hand. Their was [a] sea of hands a universal vote. A contrary vote was Called and not a hand was raised in all the congregation. Let President Rigdon go and raise up a mighty kingdom.
Our feelings are to let Marsh stand as the President of this Stake. Joseph has loved this People unto death and Hiram has loved Joseph and this People unto death. If The Twelve had been here I would not have seen him given up. He should not have been given up. He was in your midst, But you did not know him. He has been taken away for the People are not worthy of him.
But let not men think that the kingdom of God is rent from you. It is not. If we were all dead a High Priest would rise up and with the keys of the Kingdom build up the kingdom.
Let men go to a healthy Country and get a foot hold, so as to be sustained in the midst of our persecution.
The Saints will still be tithed untill the temple is done. All that is in favor of being tithed untill the temple is finished make it manifest with the usual sign. It was a universal vote. Would it be the feelings of the people to support the Twelve in all the world in their missions? It was a universal vote. Will the People let the Twelve regulate the financial Concerns of the Church? A universal vote.
The Patriarchal Priesthood belongs to the Smith family. If Samuel had lived it would have been his right. But as it is will the people leave the matter the Twelve? It was A universal vote.
Do you want to sustain President Rigdon to stand in his place to council with us and we with him and the Same Br A Lyman? A universal vote.
Resolved that the Twelve dictate the affairs of the Temple committies and other affairs.
Meeting Closed by Prayer by P. P. Pratt. (3)
Footnotes:
1 - Jenson, Andrew, Church Chronology
2 - George D. Smith, An Intimate Chronicle; The Journals of William Clayton, Signature Books in association with Smith Research Associates, Salt Lake City, 1995, http://amzn.to/william-clayton
3 - Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies
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