will prevail.“ 
CITY O 


AUVOO, ILL. SEPT. 15, 1844. [Whole No. 101. 


Vor. V. No. 17. 


HISTORY OF JOSEPH SMITH. 


work of the gathering. Notwithstanding that 
(Cotinnued.) 


COMMON SCHOOLS. «. nearly all christendom doubethe propriety of 

The disciples should loose no time in pre-|j"eceiving revelations for the government of the 
paying schools for their children, | — in — — 
be taught as is pleasing unto the an iptures of the and New Tes 
—— up in * “aaa holiness. Those ap- tament as the only rule of faith and practice, 
pointed to select and prepare books for the use} — we believe, from the scriptures of truth, 
of schools, will attend to — omar — = | — 3 — — 5 ages, which 
as more weighty matters are finished. But the} recogniz is, he gave revela- 
— | tions wisely calculated to govern them in the 
peculiar sitaation and circumstances under 
which they were placed, and to enable them 
by authority 
congregation of Isrrel,the parents, says, And | — were to pérform. The Bible eontains rev- 
mess words which I command thee this day,||¢lations given at different times to different 
shall be in thy heasf# And thou shalt teach people, under different circumstances, as will 
them diligently unto thy children, and shalt}j>e¢ seem by editorial articles in this paper. The 
talk of them when thou sittist in thy house, and |j old world was destroyed for rejecting the rev- 
when thou walkest by the way, and when thou |j elations of God, given to them through Noah, 


parents and guardians in the Church of Christ 
peed not wait—it is all important that children, 
to become good should be taught so. Moses, 
while delivering the words of the Lord to the | 


— 


liest down, and when thou risest up. And thou Tho Israclites were destroyed in the wilder- 


‘shalt bind them for a sign upen thy hand. and 
they shall be as frentlets between thine eyes.— 
If it were necessary then to teaeh their chil- 


| ness for dispising the revelations given to them 


in the days of the apostles, should be comdgm- 
dren diligently, how much more necessary is it ned for not receiving the word of God through 
new, when the Church of Christ is to be an them: thus we see that the judgments of God 
ensign, yea, even a saggpleto the world, for} 
good! A word to the wise ought to be eutti-| 

cient, for children soon become men and wo- 
men. Yes, they are they that must follow us, 
and perform the duties which, not only apper - 
tain to this world, but to the second coming of 
the Savior, even preparing for the Sabbath o 
creation, and for eternity. 


not so much for neglecting thé revelations giv- 


inge of heaven it may be, said, they havg al- 
ways rested upon the hebds of those to whom 
chey were promised : Thereſore, seeing that it 


not enly was, but as long as God remains the 


“The Star Office is situated within twel b eame, always will be the privilege ¶ the true. 


miles of the west line of the state ot Missouri: church to receive révelations, conuinlug bless- 
which at present is the western limits of the | ings and eursings, peculiarly adapsed to itself 
United ‘States, and about 120 miles west oſſſes a church. We conclade that it isa mista- 
any press in the state, in about 39 degrees of|j ken notion that the scriptures of the Old and 


north latitude, and about 17 1-2 degrees of New Testament are the only rule ef faith and 


west lengitude; two and a belf miles south of 
| 


Missouri river; 280 miles by land, or 500 by 
water, west of St. Louis; nearly 1200 miles ly applicable to us under our particular cir- 
west of Washington; 1300 miles from New Jcumstances, we are bound to be governed by 
York, and more than 1500 miles from Boston.” | them; and we alsocan receive much benefit 
In August we were again delighted to re- 
ecive.the Star. The following ie extracted 
from the nd number. | these there are many, both im the Old and New 
THE ELDERS IN THE LAND OF ZION, 
TO THE CHURCH OF CHRIST SCAT-jjthat shall be accomplished in the last days;— 
TERED ABROAD. euch as preaching of the everlasting gospel te 
Brethren, we think it proper {to give you fall nations; the gathering of the elect from the 
some general information respecting the pres- |j four winds of Neven; the bailding up of Zion 


practice; nevertheless, inasmuch as the pre- 


entastate of the church in Zion, and aleo and Jerusalem, or the ing#thering of the rem- 


TIMES AND 


do the peculiar work which 


| through Moses; and Christ said that the world, 


in the past ages have come upon the people, 


en to their forefathers, as for rejecting these | 
given immediately to thertiiglves. Of the blese= 


|cepts and examples contained ih them are tru- | 


from such prophecies as point out the events 
jtnat shall take place in our day and age: of — 


Testament. They speak plainly of great things 


— 
2 


- 


a 641 


= = 


* nants of Jacob, and the planting them in the 
lands of their fathers’ inheritance: the neces- 
sary preparation to meet the Savior at his se- 
cond coming, with all his saints to dwell wi 

them in the millennium reign. And row, who, 
with the Bible in his hand, ean suppose 
that these greatand marvellous works can be 
accgmplished by the church without more rev- 
eiations from the Lord! We cannot, for we 
worship the God of Israel, in whom there is 
veither variableness nor shadow of turning;— 
consequently as in days of old, so in these last 
days, he has given us revelations by which we 
may know how to organize the Church of 
Christ, and by his autherity to perform the 
work which he has enjoined upon us. And 
pow’brethren, if we wish for blessings upon 
this church, we must walk bumble before the 
Lord, and observe to keep all his command- 
ments. Notwithstanding the work of the gath- 
ezing will be accomplished, we believe, in a 
speedy manner, yet the Lerd has commanded 
that it shall not be done in haste, nor by flight, 
but that all things shall be prepared before 
you; and for this purpose he has made it the 
duty of the bishop or agent in the land of Zion 
to make known, from time to time, the privi- 
Teges of the land, to the cenferences, which 
may determine and make known how many 
can be accommodéted. And the saints will 
remember that the bishop in the land of Zion, 
will not receive any, as wise stewards, without 
they bring a recommend ‘om the bishop in 
Ohio, or from three Adee The elders there- 
fore, will be careful and not recommend and 
send up chusches to thid. place, without first 
receiving information from fhe bishop in Ohio, 
or in the land of Zion, that they cam be accom- 
mmodated n they arrive,eo as to be set- 
tled without casfusion, Which would produce 
pestilence. ‘TMerefore, if a church is Gesirous 
to come to the land of Zion, we would recom- 
mend, that first, by letter or otherwise, they 
make known their desires and their situation 
to the bishop in Ohio or in the land of Zion, 
and receive information from them before they 


. + start. Brethren will perceive as well as we, 


that where churches of fifty or a hundredsouls 
each, are coming to the land of Zion from dif- 
ferent parts of the nation, and, as soon will be 
the case, from different, nations, without a 
knowisige of each other, they wou'd, when 
they arrive, be iu a state of confusion, and la- 
bor under many ‘disadvantages which might 
be avaided by strictly observing the rules and 
regulations of the church. Moreover by being 
in baste, and forcing the sale of groperty, un- 
reasonable sacrifices he ve been made, and al- 


Though this is f dey of sacrifice and tithing, 
yet to make lavish and unreasonable sacrifices 
is not well pleasing in the sight of the Lord. 


It i about one year since the work of the 
gathering commenced, in which time between 
three and four hundred have arrived here and 
are mostly located upon their inheritanees, and 
are generally in good health and spirits and are 
doing well, The expense of journeying and 
settling here, together with the establishing of 
a printing office and store, have probably ex- 
ceeded the expectations of our brethren abroad, 
and although Zion, according to the ‘prophets, 
is to become like Eden or the garden of the 
Lord, yet, at present it is as it were but a wil- 
derness and desert, and the disadvantages of 
settling in a new country, you know, are many 
and great: Therefore, prudence would dictate 
at present the churches abroad, come not up to 
Zion, until preparations ean be made for thom, 
and they receive information as above. The 
prospect for crops in this region of couutry, is, 
at present, tolerable good, but calls for pro- 
visions will undoubtedly be considerable, for 
besides the emigration of the whites, the gov- 
ernment of the United States is settling the 
Ind ia ne, (or remnants of Joseph) immediately 
to the west, and they must be fed. 

Brethren, we drop the above remarks for 
your benefit, until you can have the revelations 
to peruse for yourselvesgywhieh will be pub- 
lished as soon as they can be consistently .— 
Although the Lord has said, thatit is his busi 
ness to provide for his saints in these last days» 
yet, remember he is not bound so to do, unless 
we observe his sayings and keep tHem. 

TO THE ELDERS OF THE CHURCH OF 
HRIST, WHO PREACH GOOD TI- 
NGS TO THE WORLD. 

Brethren, as stars of the ensign which is now 
set up fer the benefit of all natione, you are to 
enlighten the world; you are to prepate the 


way for the people to come up to Zion; you 


are to instruct men how to receive the fulness 
of the gospel, and the everlasting covenants, 
even them that werefrom the beginning; you 
are to carry the Anx of Sarety before the 
wondering multitudes, without fear, entreating 
and beseeching all men to be saved; you are to 
set an example of meekness and humility be- 
fore saints and sinners. os did the Sayior; and 
when reviled you are not to revile again; you 
are to reason with men as in days of old, to 
bear patiently and answer as tho spirit of truth 
shall direct, allowing all credit for every item 
of good. You are to walk in the valley of hu- 


mility and pray for the salvation of all; yes, | 


te to pray for your enethies; and warn in 


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compassion, without threatening the wicked 
with judgments which are to be poured upon 
the wofld hereafter. You have no right to take 
the judgments, which fell upon the ungodly. 
before the flood, and pour them upon the head 
of this generation; you have no authority to 
use the judgments which God sent upon Pha- 
raoh in Egypt, to terrify the inhabitants of 
America, neither have you any direction. by 
commandment, to collect the calamities of six 
thousand years, and paint them upon the cur- 
tain of these last days to scare mankind to re- 
_pentance; no; you are to preach the gospel, 
which is the power of God unto salvation, even 
glad tidings of great joy unto all people. 
Again, youare not to take the blessings of 
an individual, or of a church, from the days of 
Enoch to the days of the apostles, and place. 
them upon an individual ora church, in these 
last days; byt you are to teach all men that 
they are to be judged according to their works: 
For, if God is the same yesterday, to-day and 
forever, his reward is always wish him, and 
his revelations and blessings, and judgments, | 
before the flood, were fitted for that. people 
and that time; in the days of Abraham, for that 
man and that time; in the days of Moses, for. 
that man and that time; in the days of David; 
for that man and that time; in the days of Paul, 
for that man and that time; and now, for this 
generation and thistime. You therefore, must 
regson from the Bible and the Book of Mor- 
mon, with great care and not pervert the mea- 
ning of God's sacred word. If our ‘heavenly 
Father saw fit to destroy Sodom and Gomor- 


emigration; the wars and rumors of wars, with 
many othersigns of the distress of nations, 
from the old world—as it is called across the 
ocean—whispers so loud to the understanding, 
that he that runs may read the label on the 
eastern sky: The endis nigh. France is filled 
with a spirit of rebellion, and when the chole 
ra was sweeping its thousands, mobs were col- 
lecting to slay their tens of thousands. While 
the hospitals were crowded with the sick, and 
the groans of the dying filled the air, the fash- « 
ionable French were holding cholera balls and 
dancing at the judgments of the Almighty.— 
In England, where an anxious multitude have 
been waiting for a reformation in government 
for years, disappointment is destruction. The 2 
house of lords has rejected the Reform bill, and 
the proud hearted Englishman says—Reform 
or Revolution! Nu stop there: for the sound 
comes across the Atlantic. Reform or ruin 
All the kingdoms of the east seem to be pre- 
paring to act the part allotted to them, whefi 
the Lord rebukes the nations. As on a morn- 
ing of some great festival, the church bell, the | 
cannon, the smell arms, the music, and the 
cheers of the multitude, arouse all to what. is 
going on, and thundere to man: Behold the 
day! so alsa earthquakes, wars and rumors of 
| wars, the distress of nations, the constant tide 
of emigration to ths west, the wide ‘spreading 
ravages of the cholera morbus, and the joy of 
the saints af God as they come out of Babylon, 
alarms the world, and whispers to every mor- 
tal, watch ye, forthe time ia at hand for the 
second coming of Jesus Christ, the Redeemer 
of Israal, with peace on earth and good will to 


rah for their wickedness, Nineveh for its abom- 
ination, and Jerusalem fora transgression o 


men. Watch the signs of bis coming, that ye 


his eommandments, what have their destruc- be not deceived. 


tions to do with the salvation. of the world 


now? The Lord says tengeance is mine, and 


I will repay. Teach all men to trust in God 
and not in man, and do works meet for repen- 
tance. Again, teach all men that God is a 
God of the living and nox of the dead. Final- 
ly, whatever you do, do it with an eye single 
to the glory of God. Vou are the light of the 
world in matters of pure religion, and man 

souls may be required at your hands, Let the 
idea not leave you, that, not. only the.eyes of 
the world, but the eyes of the angels and af | 
God are upon you. | 


FOREIGNNEWS: | 

It igaday of strange appearances, Every 
thing indicates, something more than meets| 
the eye, Every nation is opening events which 
vat onich mankind: Even the heart of man be- 


gine to melt at the prospect before it. The un- 
quenchable thirst for news; the centipuity of Bent writer, 


good grapple.” — Minox. 


In connexion with the Star, we publish a 
weekly paper entitled the Missounr At 
VERnTiseRn. It will contain sketvhes of the news 
of the day, polities, advertisements, and wbat- 
ever tends to promote the interes: of the great 
west. 

Independence, July, 1832. 
— * 


From the N. F. Prophet. 


„MAGNA EST VERITAS ET PREVA- ** 


L EBIT. 

“Though all the winds af dectrine were let 
leose upon the earth, so truth be in the field, 
we de injurieusly by licensing and prohibiting 
to mis-doubs her strength. Let her und false- 


The distinguish Mg cfaracteriste of the age. 
tal and religious matters, is « tenden 
to Ultraiem. In the language of an emi- 


* 


71 0 000505 
| 
| 
/ 
| 
| 
| 

> * 

| 
— * 


Christianity, who wield un influence decidedly |] Pharisees, Saducees, Samaritans, and 
‘igimicat to her extension, and indeed hostile } just like the sects of the present dag, 
to her very existence, for the avowed any bend ef union, all ef they utterly de- 


mover saw befere, in extent as well as in oleat - I Church. These with the more specious ap- 
ness of visions. We are almost ready to per- pearance of friendship and zeal for her doo- 
suade ourselves the experience of the past is off trines, wage war not merely with her enemies, 
little value to us; that the change of circum-|| but eovertly with christianity herself. ese 


stances is so great, that what was wisdom once || pseudo friends in the persons of ministers and . 


is ne longer such;” that the political or reli-|jchurch members, have taken her under their 
gious systems which we now rear on the ruins 
ef the old ones, must ever endure as the monu- their leisure, and use what advantages they 
ments of our superior wisdom. Gibbon in- have acquired by faithless and hollow profes- 
forms us that it was while viewing the ruins of |! sions, to give an air of probability te the pleasi- 
ancient Rome, that he first formed the idea of || ble mischiefs which they haye prepared against 
that gigantic work, to which he devoted so her, and to plunder her by stealth of some of 
"large a portien of his life; a work replete witk her ſairest distinctiens, so that we are wholly 


instruction from the dead in our dangers and | unable to recognize her in the painted, patch- 


our duties he thought that history was philoso- ed, and disfigured garb in which they have ur- 
phy teaching by example: and indeed it is 80. rayed her. 

We mey gaze with speechless admiration up- | It was once said by Talleyrand. of a celebra- 
on the monuments which fallen nations have] ted physician, that he knew a little of every 
left of their glery, on the lonic elegance of the | thing, even of medicine. But it may not besaid 
temples ef Apollo at Miletus, and Diana al of these persons, with all their professions, that 


Ephesus, the Doric grandeur and sublimity of | they have embraced even the first principles of 


the temple of Theseus at Athens, what are} the doctrine of Christ. I write with warmth 
these confessed standards of excellence in the} but with no roots of bitterness in my heart; I 


fine arts, compared with the price at which | write with the solemn conviction of my re- 


_ they were purchased—the price of liberty —eponeibility as one who bas embraced the 


Where ere Athens and Reme? These once truth in the love of it, and in view of the au- 


glorious republics have become blended wich gust tribunal before which all men must one 
the ehaos of the past; they live enly in our day appear. Oh! that God would inspire me 
memories; their downſall may be traced te} with wisdom from on high, to present truth in 
their departure from thoee virtues which were | such plainness that some wayward wanderer 
the foundation stemes of their strength. Whe in the wilds of error may fall in love with her 
will look fer one moment at modern Rome, | who is coming up out of the wilderness, lean- 
where he may see the ruins even of the ancient ing on the arm of her beloved. Any person 
city? What is true of nations is ally truelibut volerably conversant with the annals of 
of the people of God, if they depart from his}! history, mast know that there is ne principle 
counsels, their destruction ‘is sure, and God} which is se directly opposed to the tastes and 
leaves them torear their own systems upon af views of the formalist ur profligate, as revela- 


hey vainly supposo are decided improvements | have always held, end for which martyrs have 
of his plan of salvation, and must eventually |i died in every age—a principle (this facet none 
supersede it. But who I ask, that is not ther- ¶ dere idispute) which has élways distinguished 
oughly imbued with the common spirit of ub che people of God in the deys of their obedi- 
traism and innovation, will regard for 4 mo-Hence and prosperity. When men have reject- 
ment, the religious systems of man, when he ed revelation, and hewn out for themselves cis 
may behold in all its native simplicity and dig-li¢erns, broken cisterns, whieh can hold no wa- 


nity, the plan of salvation as devised by Al- ter: then it is that God has left them in their 


ee Ged! fisgrant wickedness, to all the distraction of 
ike the early christians, the Latter-day I division and uncertainty, to the worse than 


‘Saints are charged by the priests of the day, Cimmerian darkness of an enslaved mind.— 
. with being innovators, a charge which they in- Thus it was with the Jews; they killed the 


dignantly disdain, and which is truly farsical,|| prophets which were among them, and God 


 ponsidering the eouree from wheneeit eman-|j left them to their own ways: and immediately 


ates; from those miserably flimsy pretenders'to they divided into different sects, Herodisns, 


knowledge of God; their neturshin- 
and blindness led ‘hem, 


* 


fidel attempts openly, but fraitlestly, to sap 
he foundation upon which reste Christ 


teofa 


insidious protection, only to dishonor her at. 


eterogeneous mass of error and truth, which n from God; a principle which God's people 


a 
>. 
matic 


644 
false constructions upon the prophesies, and off otry and persecutien which is as savage as the 
doors they did not know when they were ful- | tiger, and as cruel and relentless as the grave: 
filled. They declared if they had lived in the I ask where is the grin ! and echo answers 
days of their fathers, they would not have kill -I where? How any one can for a moment sup- 
ed the prophets, but evinced the utter futility || pose after having studied the New Testament, 
ef their pretessions, by slaying those whom that any church not organized according to the 
God had sent among them. The mystery of pattern there laid down by the great Head of 
the whole was they were destitute of revelation|| the church, can be the true one, it is diffioult 
which God intended, but for the wickedness|| to conceive, unless their creed be ‘‘credo quia 
of man, should always remain in the church impossibile.” The pigmy form, dissonant spir- 
Lo! the fulness of time had come, and God it, repulsive aspect, and incongruous teachings, 
spake as he did in the morning of creation, of the present churches, prove to any person 
Let there be light.“ and there was light. The with a cast of mind ordinarily reflective, thar 
Messiah had come, but Oh! how humbly, how they are the growth of any other than an apos- 
directly the reverse from the common expécta-|itolic age. It is impossible to convince the 
tion; the Jews had rejected the prophets, and || world that that decrepid form without dignity 
they knew him not. or grace, characterized by a certainty of dispo 
Who will say that prophets are not necessa- sition, wholesale denunciation, and a spirit of 
ry$ “Who will say that revelation is unneces-|j ſalsehood and murderous persecution, is ‘the 
sary* Jesus went forth (preceded by John, [Pure, peaceful, transferring, religion of Him 
who worged no miracle) and established hie Who spake as man never spake. “ 
church on the foundation of apostles and pro- It is most certainly obvious that there has 
phets, he himself being the chief corner stone. been a wide departure from the simplicity of 
Ephesians ii20. And he gave to this church Primitive christianity. This apostasy has been 
spiritual gifts, which were to continue in the foretold in the days of the apostles, 1 Tim. is · 
church #0 long as she remained in an organiz-|j2 Tim. ii, ill., &e. 2 10 
ed form. Eph., iv., 1 Cor. Ai. And ſor this At the close of the sixteenth century, such 
church he prayed just previous to his betrayal, f men as Luther, Calvin, Knox, and Melanethon, 
when he knew that he must soon leave them, Awoke from their profound slumbers, heartily 
“Neither pray I for these alone; but for them ek of the corruptions and mummeries of Pe- 
also which shall believe ön me through their] bsey, and were hailed by thousands of the n 
word. That they all may be one; as thou Fa- and daughters of op and superstition, 
ther art in me, and 1 in thee, that they also] 4e the auspicious omens ef a brighter and hap- 
may be one in us; that the world may believe f Pier . They discarded, to be gute, many of 
that thou hast sent me. How different all thie|| the follfes of the system of religion from which 
is from the religion of the present day; even|| ‘hey had just emerged, but after ali, theirs was 
the very foundation is taken away, and most of||® partial reformatien—they were still in Baby- 
thre gifts, and so far from praying forse 'on—their highest aims seem to be but to mend 


which the gospel — mp and for ieh the old system; and prove that ume to the 
Jesus prayed as an evidence to the world of the 


present day, at different periods, such men as 
divinity of his missibm the religionists of the Wesley Murray, Edwards, Campbell, have a- 
present day, when’ talking with the Mormons, 


risen from some cause or another, and have be- 

“delight to call to mind and @xpatiate on the ad- 2 the projectors of new editions of chris- 

vantages of division in the christian church; tlanity, so that the religious world has become 
the fact of division they are too often reminded 


a Babel of conflicting faiths; and the skeptic 

of by the jeers of the skeptic, and the failure points triumphantly tothe opposing sects, as 

of their much loved projects, and te cance] their} an unanswerabie argument in faver of his as 
confusion, they have taxed their inventive pow-||sertion that the Bible afforde ample ground on 
ers, to construct some kind of a robe to hide | which to rear superstructaree of ‘faith wide as 
its hideous deformity. How preposterous to} the poles asunder, and therefore cannot have. 
tell us of ite advantages. Allowing that some | emanated from God. 
benefit might arise from discussion, can they Christie nity as it fell from the lips of Jeans 
at all compare with the more serious side of the Christ and his apdeties, is now treated’ ss if it 
estry—garmenis dipped in blood, the groans || had at length been discovered to be fictitious; 
the wounded and the dying—the broad and not only by infidel and the unthinking, but: on 
constantly gweihng ranks of infidelity, embtac.|| the various ‘of modern 

| viens them: (From ‘the deys Which”. 


ing the brightest and most promising portieg of 
and last, not least, that spirit of N. Christ ssid the kingdom of Heaven 


| 
| 
| 


> 
‘ 


praise of man. 


his subsistence. 
he went forth gifted with that wisdom which 


tions of his enemies were not able to gainsay 
or resist. All the eloquence of the most gifted 
pulpit orators were not able to gainsay or resist. 
All the eloquence of the mest gifted pulpit ora- 
tors; all the arguments of the most profound 
reasoners; the whole host of historians, logi- 
cians and polemics, have been unadle to de- 
tect a single departure from the scriptures, in 
the religion which he promulgated. The wick- 


and newspaper effusions, which have been 
widely and industriowsly circulated; the foul 
calumnies of- pe hypocrites who have 
been excommunicated from her bosom; the al- 
most incredible labete und unparalelled self- 
Genial and truculent persecution to h her 
ministry has been subjected, all, art, have not 
been able te prevent the most rapid and aston- 
ishing progress of primitive christianity, that 
bas been known since Jesns dwelt among men. 
Already has she « foothold in various parts of 
the United States, the Canadas, Nova Scotia, 
England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales, and the is+ 
: „lands of the sea, &., and this church who was 
21 ‘leoked upon as contemptible, is now formida- 
1 ble in numbers, and a Daniel predicted the lit- 
Ue stone shall fill the whole earth. This gos- 
pel of the kingdom must first be preached a- 
mong all nations, then shall the end come, 
Who, I ask most solemnly, who, but the 


God in all this! 
In the prosecution of their holy work, the 


{ saints of God are obliged to contend with not 

a only the almbet invincible force of educational 

prejddices, pre coneeived and long established 

opinions, but also with the greatest and foulest 

of falsehood that wasever put in circula- 

don by satan himself, mendaciorum loquaciesi- 


A 


violence and the violent take it by force, men 
have been aware of the miserable inefficiency 
of their faith, yet no one seems to have looked 
with a longing, lingering desire towards God 
tor a restoration of the faith once delivered to 
the saints, the great mass have been willing to 
hear and teach for doctrines the commandments 
ofmen. No never had the voice ef man been 
beard for centuries prociaiming the apostelic 
faith, until God saw fit, to send forth into hig 
vineyard, a youth, with the bloom of boyhood 
upon his cheek, uninitiated in the mysteries of 
controversies, totally unacquainted with the 
erudition of the schools, one who loved truth 
and the approbation of his God, better than the 
He was the son of an indigent 
man, depending entirely upon manual labor for 
Under these circumstances 


comes from God only, which all the machina- 


ed falsehoods of eatch-penny tracts, pamphlets 


most ‘sceptical, eannot recognize the hand of 


reverontly, my heart trembles while I 


— 
mus and all his host. It is almost, if not quite, 
beyond the range of language to exaggerate 
here, my heart grows warm asI write upon 
this subject, and I wonder that the red hot bolt 
of Heaven’s condign vengeance have not been 


visited upon them. I shudder for the people 
ofthis generation, who have aided in this ne- 
farieus work, by the suppression of truth er 
otherwise, when [ call to mind thet there isa 
day of terrible retribution at hand, when all 
men shall stand at the judgment seat of Christ, 
to be judged according to the deeds done in the 
body. Then will the hollow-héarted professor 
of religion know that there is a God of justice, 
then will the minister of religion, and the mer- 
cenary editor, (both grand engines in these 
deeds) forget their ill-gotten gain, they will 
forget utterly their meagre short lived triumphs 
over truth and its faithful acvocates; and they, 
the asperity of whose invective against the 
Sainte of the Last Days, nothing could abate, 
will be crowned with shame, the gumerous, 
mournful train, will be obliged, sadly indeed, 
to drink to the very dregs, the bitter portion of 
the chalice which they have prepared for them- 
selves. The fair escutcheon of our country has 
been pollated, the constitution has beeome vir- 
tually illegible, and many of the brave. sons of 
Columbia, have been degraded to the condition 
ofserfe. Oh! God of our fathers, speed, oh! 
speed the dey, when the hand of injustice 
shall be removed from thy people, and the glo- 
rious era of universal and everlasting righteous- 
ness shall be ushered in. The blood of the 
martyrs of Jesus, yea, prophets, patriarchs and 
saints, has crimsoned this fair land, day it ev- 
er be a memorial before thee of their undying 
(faithfulness in thy cause. It is very common 
fomxeligionists to suppose that the, Latter-day 
2 cannot be a g people, because they 
are do severely pe d. „But Christ says, 
“If the world hate you, ye know that it hated 
me before it hated you. If ye were of the 
world, the world would love its own; but be+* 
cause ye are not of the world, but I have cho- 
sen you out of the world, therefore the world 
hateth you. Remember the word thatI said 
unto you—ihe servant is no greater than his 
lord.“ And again—* They that live godly in 
Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” The 
religion of Jesus never did and never will be- 
come so fashionable as to shield its adherents 
from persecution: it is only when it is mixed 
up with the fooleries of men, and diluted down 
to their taste, that it receives the adulation 
the multitude. If the people of God were 
beloved hy the world in amy age, (“+ I speak 


645 
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hesalds of salvation, shall be raised up by thou- 


646 


does not the language of our Lord attribute 30 
him a very strange way of speaking, and some- 
thing of a deceptive manner?’ The dreadfui 
fires which followed the early disciples seem 
to have been. rekindled, and the ministers of 
the Latter-day Saints have and do now ask 
themselves the question on entering their fields 
of labor, have I grace and strength to suffer for 
the gospel as they suffered. I am acquainted 
with elders of this, church, who, even in this 
age ef illumination and toleration, have assist- 
ed to perform the Jast task of sepulture to forty 
of their brethren at one time, who died noble 
martyrs for the “faith once delivered to the 
saints.” Thousands of men, helpless women 
and young chilcren, have boen forcibly eject- 
ed from their peaceful hom es, in an inclement 
season of the year, and no virtuous indignation, 
no, Christian sympathy was aroused in their 
favor; yet with all their sorrows, the Latter 
day Saints would not exchange their faith for 
any other, for the value of the universe; they 
know in whom they have believed, and that 
deliverance shall eventually be theirs. 

In the New York Sun of the 16th ult., I no- 


ticed among some flippant remarks on Joseph 
Smith the beloved Prophet, an assertion that 


he was a heartless, unfeeling aspirant, a man 


without a redeeming quality; it appears to me 
thet euch a libellous assertion, must have pro- 
ceeded from very narrow or wilfully distorted 
views. A mere cursory glance at that noble 
man’s life, onght to cover with shame the 
man’s face who can be guilty of such bare - ſac - 
ed falsehood. If such had been his character, 
would he have invariably stood between his 
people and death in all their — 


Was he eve@fassailed py temptation to ew 


from the path of the just? if so, it must Mave 
been during the late tréubles at Nauvoo. To 
a man of acute sensibility, of warm and gener- 
ous. feelings as were his, it must bave been 
painful to tear himself from his people, the 
partner of his choice and his children. Assas- 
sination he knew was almost inevitable, he saw 
the grave fast opening before him and was he 
unappalled? He was. Overwhelmed asa man 
of selfish ambition must have been, be stood 
firm a practised declaration, that his was that 
high order of moral responsibility and benevo- 
lence to which extraordinary minds alone are 
attributable. He laid down his life like a good 
sbepberd for the sheep, the damp shroud and. 
the lonely coffin are his, but his spirit calmly 


‘smiles in the presence of Jesus. The “blood 


ofthe martyrs.sball be the seed of the church.“ 
God's nobleman the chivalry of the age, the 


sands and fly on the wings of the Wisid, te the 
utmost bounds of the everlasting hills, all na- 
tions shall hear, until he shall come whose 
right it is to reign; then in the morning of the 
— — when every chain that new binds 
down God's people shall be knocked off, when 
the martyrs for Jesus, shall athis mandate 
burst the bars of death, and stand with their 
sheaves with them upon the earth redeemed, 
then having parsed through all their afflictions, 
having endured hardness like good soldiers of 
Jesus Christ filled with those serennial joys 
which flow supernal from the throne of God, 

like incense from a censor, Halleluja! Hullelu- 
jah!, the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth! Theu 
shall the mghteous shine forth in the kingdom 
of their Father in all the splendor of the régal 
sun, reflecting forever the celestial rays that 
hang from the Eternal Presence. God grant 
to breathe his benediction upon his people, to 
stretch out his arm to sustain them inall their 
afflictions, and preserve them blameless unto 
the coming of Christ is the prayer of your broth- 
er in the Lord, , 

Boston, Aug. 10, 1844. 


CONFERENCE MINUTES. 
— — 
From the N. T. Brophet. + | 
Minutes of a can omy 4 helg in — 
ampton county. Pu * 

Meeting being du'y called and 4 by 
prayeg eder Albert Lutz was called to the 
chair, nd Elder William A. Moore, was cho- 
sen secretary. Brother Wm. A. Glever wes 
called upon to represent the numberof mem- 
bers and their standing, which were as fol- 
lows: 

Nineteen ‘members, two elders, one priest 
and one teacher, all in good standing, two hay- 
ng removed; one an elder, gone to Scotland 
to preach the gospel. 

Elder Lutz then arose and gave such instruc 
tions as was necessary, * that the branch 
having never been organized. then proceeded 
to organize the branch by appointing William 
Glover, presiding eder; Isaae Dorr, priest, and 
William Glover, Sen., er. Elder Reber, 
Smith arese and said he would make every ex- 
ertion to spread the gospel in {he warreunding 


country. The following tesoludoti® Were. of- 
fered and read by the penny wnani- 
mously adopted. ‘ 


Resolved, That this branch of the Ch 
Jenes Christ of Latter Day Saints, 


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“ident Brigham Y 


647 


Resolesd. That this branch of the chureh, 


by their own free will and consent, give the 
tenth day of their labor to be applied to the 
building of the Temple at Nauvoo. 

Resolved, In order to secure our salvation, 
and the permanency of this great work, that 
we hold ourselves in readiness, 28 much as pos- 
sible, at all times, to obey the instructions ef 
the Twelve. 

Resolped, That we request the above pro- 
ceedings and resolutions to be published in the 
Times and Seasons, and New York Prophet, 
after which a hymn was sung and the meeting 
disthissed, with a benediction by Elder Wm, 
A. Moore. 

ALBERT LUTZ, Chairman. 

Wa. A. Moors, Secretary. 


TIMES AND SEASONS, 


CITY OF NAUVOO, 
SEPTEMBER 15, 1644. 


TRIAL OF ELDER RIGDON. 
Minutes of a meeting of the Church of Jesus 
Christ of Latter Day Sainte, held on the meet- 
ing ground in the city of Nauvoo, on Sunday, 
„Stk. 1844. 
resent, of the quorum of the Twelve, Pres- 
g, Heber C. Kimball, P. 
P. Pratt, Orson Pratt, Orson Hyde, George A. 
Smith, John Taylor and Amasa Lymap. 
The High Council organized t¥@ihselves 
with Bishep Newel K. Whitney at their head, 
as follows; William Marke, President of the 
Stake, and Charles C. Rich, Councillor; Sam- 
uel Bent, James Alred, Lewis D. Wilson, Al- 
pheus Cut'er, David Fullmer, George W. Har- 
ris, Thomas Grover, Aaron Johnson, Henry 
G. Sherwood, also Reynolds Cahoon, Asahel 
Smith and Ezra T. Benson, in the place of three 
absent members. | 
At 10 minutes after 10 o’clock, President 
Young requested the choir to sing a hymn, 
which was done; and the services opened by 
prayer from elder Orson Hyde, after which 
the ebair sung anathér hymn. | 
President Young then arose and addressed 
the people in substance as follows :— 
I will call the attention of the congregation 
to the subject which is designed to be laid be- 
fore vou to-day. But I will first make a request 
| t the police will attend to the instructions 
given them by the Mayor this morning, and 


‘that ig, to sce that there is periact order om 


@utgide of the congregation. We are not afraid. 


mined to de right, let me be ome that is mat- 


of disturbance here, but there is generally me 
disposed to talk on the outside, which prevents 
those from hearing who are near them, and we 
wish all to hear what is said from the stand. 


Ihave frequently thought lately of Paul's 
words when he said ‘much every way,’ ‘some 
for Paul, some for Appollos, me for Cephus 
and some for Ohrist;? and I believe ther@are a 
great many here for Christ. I will make the 
application of Paul’s words to us: ‘Much every 
way,’ Some for Joseph and Hyrum, the Beok 
of Mormon and Doctrine and Covenants, the 
Temple and Joseph's measures; and some for 
Lyman Wight, some for James Emmett and 
some for Sidney Rigdon, and I suppose some 
for the Twelve. 

The business of the dey will result in this 
thing: all those who are for Joseph and Hy- 
rum, thef{Book of Mormon, book of Doctrine 
and Covenants, the Temple and Joseph’s meas- 
ures, and, ſor the Twelve; they being one par- 
ty; will be called upon te manifest their prin- 
ciplesopenly and boldly, Then we wish all 
who are ofthe opposite parties to enjoy the 
eame liberty, and to be as decided and bold, 
and to show their principles as boldly, and be 
as decided as they are in their secret meetings 
and private councils. If they are for Sidney 
Rigdon; and believe he is the man to be. the 
first president and the leader of this people, we 
wish them to manifest it as freely as they do 
in other places; because this will form another 
party. | 
We want all those who are for Lyman 
Wight and his measures, to show themselves 
openly and boldly; and all those for James Em- 
mett and his measures, to show themselves.— 

wish them to withdraw to Ay withou fear 
ana to be as bold he they are in other pla- 
ces. They may as well show themselves bold- 
ly, for I know where they live, and I know 
their names: I can point them out if necessary. 
Those who wish to tarry and build up the city 


and build the Temple, and carry out the mess- 


ures and revelations of our martyred prophet, 
we wish to know who they are. Now all those 
who decline going either way, but secretly 
slander the character of Joseph Smith and the. 
Twelve, my fellowship will be withdrawn 


‘from them without any further ceremony. If 


there are not more than ten men who hang on 
to the truth, and to Joseph and the Temple, 
and ate willing to do right in all things, let me 
be one of that number. If there should be but 
ten left, and their lives should be threatened; 
threatened with destruction by mobs, the Den- 
ple not be built, &c,, because they ute detet- 


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life and his house in Kirtland, and have lain 


tyred for the truth. I have travelled these many 
yearsin the midst of poverty and tribulation, 
and that too with blood in my shoes, month 
afier month, to sustain and to preach this goe- 
pel and build up this kingdom; and God for- 
bid that I should now turn round and seek to 


| lic, until it can be proved. But to come te the 
point. On Tuesday last, I heard that elder 
Rigdon hada meeting the night previous, and 
had ordained men to be prophets, priests arid 
kings. I concluded to go and see elder Rigdon, 
and asked elder Hyde to go with me. We went 
destroy that whieh I have been laboring to into his house, and after the usual compli- 
buil up. ments, I set down directly opposite him, and 
It is written in the book of Doctrine and f took held of his hand. I looked him right in 
Covenants, that the president can be tried be- 
fere a bishop and twelve high priests, or the 
high council of the church. There are many 


to be prophets, priests and kings? He replied 
present this morning who were present at the no, we had no meeting here; had we brother 
organization of that quorum jn Kirtland. We] Soby! 

have here before us this morning, the high|} ‘Well, did you have a meeting any where, 
council, and bishop Whitney ai their head, andi brother Rigdon, in whieh men were ordained 
we wiil try Sidney Rigdon before this counei! || to be prophets, priests and kings? | 
and let them take an action on his case this} ‘Well, I dont know; did we have a meeting 
morning; and then we will present it te the | last night, brother Soby? Yes, I believe there 
church, and let the church also take an action|f'was one last night; was’nt there brother 

upen it. Iam willing that you should know up at your house? 

that my feelings for Sidney Rigdon es a man. I saw the disposition of elder Rigden to con- 
as a private citizen, are of the best kind. I have ff ceal the truth and equivocate, and I determin- 
loved that man and always had the very best ed to know the whole secret. I said to him 
feelings for him; I have stood in defence of his again. Elder Rigdon, did you not ordain these 
men at that meeting last night? 

| He replied, yes, I suppose I did.“ 

week, to defend him. There are those who I then asked brother Rigdon, by what an- 
ate following Sidney for whom my heart 10 thority he ordained prophets, priests and kings? 
gtieved, I esteem them as good citizens. But 
when it touches the salvation of the people, III know about that!” 

| I will not attempt to 2 . the feelings [ 
had, nor the look of his couutenance, but he 
equiv very much. He said there was 
no meeting here last night, and then finally 
said. I believe there was a meeting at brother 
Soby’s. I questioned him till he acknowledged 
that they ordained men to be prophets, priests 


om the floor, night after night, and week aſter 


am the man that walks to the line. 

I am informed that elder Rigdon is sick; Ij 
am aleo informed that he and his party have 
had a counci! this morning, ‘end have conclu- 
ded not to say any thing in their own defence, 
thinking that would be best for them. I have 
no idea that eder Rigdon is any more sick . | 
I am: an how, we have a right to try B 


ease, for he had sufficient notice to prepare | I chen asked brother Rigdon; ‘do you not 


himself if he had been disposed. We gave i think, really, that you hold keys and authority, 


him notice last Tuesday evening, and had it above any man, or set of men in this churek, 

published in the Neighbor, and was he sick he} even the Twelve?’ 

could have sent us werd to have the case de- Says he, ‘I never taught any such doctrine, 
ferred. I heard elder Rigdon’s discourse last did I, brother Soby 

Sunday, myself; I heard him pour blessinge Says I, brother Rigdon, self” me the truth, 
apon this people in an unbounded degree; I do you not think so” | 

heard him encourage the building up of this} He replied, ‘yes I do.” 8 

city and the Temple; he said he was one with] Zays I, that tells the whole story. Brother 
us, and left his blessing upon the congrege-|| Joseph never undertook such important busi- 
tion. The congregation says to him: ‘go inf ness as you are engaged in, without eonsul- 
peace’ I eaid upen the back of his statements, || ting his brethren, and especially the Twelve, 
ve oe that brother Rigdon is with us. Thave if they were present“ I felt delicate-in asking 


nat seen that brother Rigdon has been with us} elder Rigdon these questions, but I knew it 


dines he returned from Pittsburg; I ha / know was my duty to find out thé seeret of the whate 
thathe was not with us in spirit, but I took |] mavtete To evade answering the questione 1 


the face and asked him ifhe hada meeting 
lau night, here, in which men were ordained . 


With a very significant air be . eren 


at hies word. The spirit reveals many} put to Mm, he finally 


648 
and kings. 


— 


up to you.’ On the strenght of this, we pub- 


-and not judges. We present ourselves before 


this is not a fair trial, because the opposite par- 


649 | 
I dont wish to be crowded. I then proposed Elder Rigdon at Pittsburg. i was appointed 
to him, that myself and the brethren of the to write the letter. I informed Elder Rigdon 
Twelve would call in the evening and con- of our conclusions, and stated to him that we 
verse with him further on the subject, to which had decided to return immediately to Nauvoo, 
be agreed. In the evening eight of the Twelveſ and that we should go by the Jakes, inasmuch 
together with bishop Whitney, went to elder as we deemed it safer and quicker to go that 
Rigdon’s.and conversed a-while; and finding way, than to go through Pittsburg. I stated 
matters os before stated, we concluded we 
would go over to Dr. Richards’ and there coun- 
cil together what wes best to doon the sub- 
ject, In our council we deemed it necessary 
to demand his license, and say to him he could 
not hold it any longer, unless be retracted from 
hie present course and repent of his wickedness. 
A committee of three was chosen, who went 
over and demanded his license, but he refused 
to give it up, at the same time saying, ‘I did | 
not receive it from you, neither shall I give it | 


Elder Rigdon and Elder Page should meet us 
at Nauvoo, and after we had rested and mourm 
ed for our martyred brethren, we would sit 
down together and hold a council on the very 
ground where sleeps the ashes of our deceased 
friends. This letter was received by Elder 
Rigdon as wo have since learned. Well, what 
does he do! He comes directly to Nauveo.— 
He arrived before the Twelve cofild get there. 
He immediately entered into measures to call 
the church together to appoint a Guardian, and 
lished a notice in the Neighbor that there [was very anxious to crowd an action before 
would be an action on his case before the} the Twelve arrived, when he knew it was the 
ah urch to-day. request of the Twelve to sit in council tegeth- 

We have now the quorum before us, before |} er with him before any action was taken before 
which he will be tried, with the oldest bishop ff the public. He represented to the congrege- 
at their head; and I shall leave the subject for|| tion that it was necessary that he should re- 
the brethren to take it up, and it is left for us 


turn home immediately on account of the situ- 
to decide whether we are Latter Day Saints or} ation of his family. Providentially the Twelve 
not. 


1 came before he had accomplished his designs, 
President I oung said further that the Twelve 


| 
| and an action was then taken before the pub- 
are to be regarded as witnesses in this trial, lie, and he was defeated. The church unani- 
mously voted to sustain the Twelve in their of- 
fice as appointed by President Joseph Smith 
and the church—since that action was taken 
Elder Rigdon has shown no more anxiety to re 
turn to Pittsburg. Now I would ask this con- 
grega ion, if Elder Rigdon had known that he 
| was commanded to take the lead of this people, 
| would he have had any reason to fear his suo- 
| des, if he had been sure God had appointed 
Rigdon has not conducted himeelf like a man | him? Were the Twelve jealous that they 
of God, he has not conducted like a prophet off should not stand in their place? I heard no 
God, nor a counsellor to the first president, | such thing. We wanted to sit in council to- 
since he came here. We prefer these charges gether, and felt that whatever the spirit dicta- 
against him, and the High Council will be ted that should be our course. There isa way 
obliged to act. by which all revelations purporting to be from 
Elder OrsortHyde arose and said as follows: God through any man can be tested. Brother 
Ithought I would present to your vie v. Jaseph gave us the plan, says he, when all the 
some things which have transpired since the} quorums are assembled and orgauized in order, 
death of our beloved Prophet and Pattiareh, let the revelation be presented to the quorume, 
Joseph and Hyrum Smith, who were murder-} jfit pass one let it go to another, and if it pase 
ed by the mob. I was in New Haven when I} that, to another, and so on until it bas passed 


first heard the news, but hardly crediting the ell the quorums; and if it pass the whole with- 
report; I went from thence to New Tork. 


| out running against a enag, you may know it 
where I learned the same things, I then con - is of God. But if it runs against a snag, then 
eluded I would start to Boston. When I arriv-|j says he, it wants enquiring into: you must see 
ed at Boston I met with Presiden} Young and to it. It is known to some who are preset that 
one or two others of the Twelve, We held a there is.a quorum organized where revelatione 


council ther and it was decided to write to i oan be tested. Brother Joseph said, let no tev- 


— 


the High Councifas witnesses, and we are pre- 
pared to bring other testimony forward if ne-| 
cessary. There may be some who will say that 


ty are not here. They have had sufficient 
notice and time to make their objections, and 
if they dont appear to make their defence it 
will prove to me that they are guilty. Elder 


also that it was the desire of the Twelye, that 


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v bat has been laid upon us. 


7 


‘datign go to the people until it has been tested i now going to work to make a division, and yet 
here. Now I would askg did Elder Rigdon he said on the stand, he did q want to make 
call the quorum together ufd there lay his rey«||® division. When any man comee here with a 
elation before it, to have it tested? No, he did. revelation purporting to be from God, we feel 
not wait to call the quorum; neither did he]. in duty bonnd to question its validity. This 
eall the authorities together that were here.—||i# a kind of furnace to prove all things, and 
He endeavoredo ensnare the people and allure|| Elder Rigdon dont like to come into the far 
their minds by his flowery eloquence; but the} hace. ) 

plan was defeated. The voiee of the people I will now give some testimony which 
was in favor of sustaining the Twelve to beſſ been handed to me concerning what Ek 
theirleaders. I tell you it is no enviable place Rigdon has said. Those who have testified 
for one of that quorum to stand in, and act as|| here are ready to testify to the same beforethe . 
the leaders of this people. The shafts of the] congregation if it is necessary. . 
enemy are slways aimed at the head first.—| J shall omit names unless called upon; en. 
Brother Joseph said some time before he was then they shall be forthcoming. One of Mi . 
murdered. “If I am taken away, upon you, Rigdon's party said to this brother, you area 
the T welvegpwill rest the responsibility of lead- pretty strong Twelve man I believe: are you 
ing this . and do not be bluffed off by not! He answered: I am no party man—but 
any man Go forward in the path of your du- I am desirous to obtain the truth. Mr. Rig- 
ty th ou walk into death. If you will I don's friend then said, if you will not tell it to 
be b d maintain your ground the great] the twelve, Iwill tell you our plans. He then 
God will sustain you.” And now inasmuch||communicated unto me their designs. The 
as a charge has been laid upon us, it will be in- | substance of which wasas follows: that Elder 
quired in a day to come if we have been faith-|| Rigdon was going to feel of the minds ef the 
fol to the charge, and we are responsible for branches, and then of the people of Nauvag, 
until he got strong enough to make a party. 
land if he found that he could raise jnfluenc#s 
to divide the people he would do so, and 


| 


After the Twelve returned [ went to see El- 
der Rigdon and requested him to meet us in , cle 
council; L invited him to attend but he said he|| the remainder, follow the Pwelve. 
was sick; well, I dont know bat he was sick, Elder Hyde continued and said: this was 
but Iam informed he went the same day and said previous to his discoursaget La Merpe; 
held @ meeting somewhere outside the city.—} then, he comes here, and says I have no iu 
To-day, there is an excuse. He says he is sick, |} thority, I have no jurisdiction over this people 
perhaps it is 0. In our conversation on Tues" whatever. We knew by the spirit that this was 
day evening, when he said he had the keys and in Elder Rigdon’s heart before, and we want 
power, he said he did not claim jurisdietion ed to bring it out. This shows that the whole 
over the Twelve, he claimed jurisdiction over plan was matured at the time he said he did 
no man. Says I Elder Rigdon, if the Twelve not want to diyide the church—he had no ju- 
were to tranggress would you call them to ae risdiction, &e., and he let out the roots of it om 
count! Héteplied no, I have no jurisdietion Tuesday evening, when we conversed with 
over them. Bu: was Brother Joseph here and|i|him. When we demanded his license, he ssid, 
he was to see the Twelve do wrong, we would.“ did net receive it from you, neither shall I 
not have time to wink more than twice, before| give it up to you.” He then threatened to 
he would be upon us with a rod and drive us} turn * His own language wa inasmyeh 
back to the path of duty again. Elder Rigdon as you have demanded my licenee, I shall feel 
says he claims no jdrisdiction over the Twelve, || it my duty to publish all your sétret meetings, 
nor the Twelve over him. Says I Elder Mg-H and all the himory of the secret works of this* 
don such a course as this will lead to a division | church, in the public journals. He intimated 
of the church. Ile répliec there will bea good | that it would bring a mob upon ne, says he, J 
many churches built ‘up all over the world, II know what,effectit will have; there is a rod 
asked if all these ghurches would be subject to and a scourge awaits this people. Says J, El- 
one vommon head. He answered they would | det Rigdon if you want the honor of bringing 
not, Elder Young replied, then there will be | distress upon this people, you may have it, you 
— bodies. He replied, Oh no! I then said may have the honor of it here, and you may 
dere there are many heads there js no head have the honor of it in eternity ; and every ef 
at all; ‘and a thing that bas got many heads} fort you make to bring distress upon this peo- 
must “Se a hydra,—a monster: a hogse divided | ple, will recoil back upon your own head. J 


slant. Elder Rigdon is "have bean wace, he was net « 


650 

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r 

l 

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0 him and said, we have counted the cost and 


651 


mean to dos he said; but 1 would ask this seen it since he was dead. When Eider Rig- 
congregation, can @ man say what is not in his don made this ak, says I to bim, 1 dety 
heart? I say he cennot, for “out of the abun- any man to show that we have adopted any 
dance of the heart the mouth speaketh .” A.- | measure, only what Joseph has directed us.— 
der Young says he can prove that Elder Rig- | We have all the while sought to carry out those 
den made use of the same expression previous] messures which he has labored at such pains 
to our visiting him last Tuesday.) 1 replied to establish. Now if Brother Joseph yet holds 
the keys of this kingdom, I would ask how is 
any man going to get by Joseph into the celes- 
tial kingdom of God, if they oppose and seek 
to destroy the principles laid down by Brother 
Joseph. They can’t get over it neither can 
they get by him. 1 will now leave the subject 
: with Brother Parley for he ia a witness in the 
matter. 


Elder Parley P. Pratt arose ve his testi- 
said in the 


an pres- 
with 


can't cost us more than our lives, and we 


‘have got them ready to pay. Now what was 
the idea conveyed by Elder Rigdon’s exp 
sions, it was this, if you will let me alone, and 
oppose me in my measures, although you 
wicked and iniquitous people, we will be 
bail fellows well met, and all fellowship to- 
‘gether; but if you oppose me, I will expose all 
your secret wickedness, I will expose all yout | mony concerning this case. 


_Agiquity. Now I dont know of any man in Gitat place I will ay that tere is 
this church that has gone deeper into matters ee, who hes’ bese 


an he did in Far West in his oration on the Elder Rigdon longer than I have 


Hyde 
e th of July. He was the cause of our troubles | knew bim before I did. I have been In church 


in Missouri, and although Brother Joseph triedſ fe. owship with him for 15 ot 10 youre, I Wes 
„ * own odüksesſſe member of the same church with him before 
_ end if he goes to exposing the secrets of this „e h nd this gospel; N ons the first man who 

ch, as he eays, the world will throw him presented the Book of Mormon to him, and 
down end tremple him, under their feet. | bore testimony to him concerning the gospel: 
Before I went east on the 4th of April last. I witnessed his coming into this church, I heve 
we were in counci®with Brother Joseph almost feelings for himas a friend of the strongest 
every day for weeks, says Brother Joseph in} kind, and ever have felt an interest for him, I 
ane of those councils there is something going || would be amongst the first to rejoice to see him 
haßpen? font know what it is, but the} 
Lord bids me to hasten and give you your en- 
downtent before the temple is finished. He 
conducted us through every ordinenice of the 
holyfpriesthood, and when he had gone through 
with all the ordinances he rejoiced very much, 
and says, now if they kill me yeu have got all 


the keys, and all the ordinances and vou can wes so crowded with friends shaking hands 
confer them upon others, and the hosts of Sa“ | and. welcoming him back that I said téhim 
tan will not be able to tear down the kingdom, Elder Rigdon, you are busy to day, we will not 
as fast as you will be able to build it up; and | interrupt you to-day, but to-morrow merning 
now says he on your shoulders will the respon-|| the few of the Twelve who are here will want 
siblity of leading this people rest, forthe Lord] to meet with you, and sit down in council to- 
is going telet merest a while. ‘Now Phy did gether. We expect to hear you preach. In 
he say to the Twelve on your shoulders will the morning I called upon him to go with me 
, this responsibility rest, why did he not mention | o Brother Taylors, as we had to hold our 
Brother Hyrum? The spirit knew that Hyrum —— at Elder Taylor’s, he being conffhed 
would be taken with him, and hence he did to his bed, by the wounds he received froth the 
not mention his name; Jer name möb. He made an axeute, saying, that he 
was not mentioned, although he Was here all was engaged with a gentleman, and 
the time, but he did not attend our councils. [could not leave him then, but would eme 
When we were coming away last Tuesday when he got through. We waited until it was 
evening, Elder Rigdon said you are not led by || almost meeting time, and inafead of coming to 
the Lord, and I have known it for a long time meet with us, de went directly to the ma 
that you were not led by the Lord. In his eis: ¶ He came here and preached, and relpted: his 
ewutes before the people the first Sunday after vision or revelation to appoint M gut 
he bere, he stated jhat Joseph Smith yet We still dMerred and waited td meet with him 
* holds we keys of this kingdom, for be hid" in counell, un 
‘ 


feelings but in his favor. But the salvation of 
| this church is of far more importance than any 
thing else, and we are determined to walk up 
to our duty, let it come against whom it ma. 
After Brother Rigdon camé from Pittsburg, I 
waited on him to bid him welcome, but 


[walk up asa counsellor with us. Ihave no 


til, to our sstoniahiment, Wien 


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the people were more willing to hearken to eternal interest is at 1 Barr he bl 


652 


our knowledge he caused an sppointment to feines meeting. I then saw that this wap 
be made for the next Thurisy for the church f deep and a cunning plan laid 10 divide the pie 
to choose their guaw$ian; and this to in the ab- jj people that ever lived. 

sence of the more par! of the quorum of the On lest@unday we heard preachin ae a 
Twelve, and even without consulting the high | about things along way ahead—terrib 

council of the chureh. IT knew sucha course f to be fought somewhere by tHe brook 

would divide ‘the church, and I protested | | Their preaching gave mea text which I 82 
against it, and deermined to come to the stand | to preach from, it in somewhere in Websters 
ifthe motion was to proceed and dismiss the | Spelling Book, and I suppose the little des 
meeting, It fortunately happened that the} can tell me where. However it is try of @ 
Twelve came in time to attend the meeting ||“country maid and her milk pail,” &. The 
which was changed by them into a special moral wae that when men suffer their imagin * 
conference. We made another effort to get|jations to be amused with things along way &. 
_ Rigdon to sit in ceuncil with the quo- bead, they suffer loss by neglesting: | 
rum of the Twelve. We met at the time ap- things which immediately copéern: rth 
and waited dmething like three hours The great God said through Joseph bu 
bolore he 0e. He finally came and we then I temple; I give you a sufficient t * tos 
ssked bim to give us the relation of his vision and if you do not build it by hg 

or révelation, which be did. He said it was f ume, yeu shall be tejected as a people: 
shewn to him that there were no authorities your dead. I thought we were concerned-in 
"left ifthe church who esuld act. When Jo- bu ing up this place and defending it, afd 
sep was alive the people had confidence n whilé we were immediatel# concerned im abt 
the quorums, but now they had not that confi-|{thése important matters, the day was spent in 
dence ; the people must choose some man they } talkingubout Queen Victagia, battles, &c., and 
can have confidence in, to act. Said I to him, i things which were calculated to draw 2 


* 


Elder Rigdon, there never was a time when winde away from those things wherein 


council and be agreed, than they new.— the people I said amen, ben he said ote” 
Said I, Me not the Almighty God established | persecutions were about over, Ber éried peace, 
authorities, in this chyrch’ by Joseph Smith, }peave, I hoped it would be so, if we oould a 
aueh us the quorum of the Twelve, the high He did, by hard straining get it t 
council and other quorums, and have they not we might go on and build the temple and 
power to act, and will they pot bf damned if up the city. oe ee 
they do not act; and will the people not be On Tuegday as has been stated we went to 
-dgmned if they do not give heed to these au Wider Rigdon’s house, when Ihad heard that 
thoritigs? He atlewored, yes; when not twen- Ihe bed deen ordaining men to unheard of offi- 
ty minutes before he said there warno author-fces. These men were in no quorum, and un- 
ities in the church! Said 1, Elder Rigdon, Ider mobody’s direction, nor authority, but E- 
object to that meeting you got up, in the name der Rigdon’s own revelations. We protested 
of the Twelve. It is got up without the con-Hagainstjit. He claimed he had anthority and 
sent orudvice of those of the Twelve who are keys over any one else. By and bye we had 
here, at present we dont need to adopt any new [more of his tevelgtions. Says he, I saw all 
measures, V only need to carry out the meag-¶ this before Ideſt Piggburg. I then charged. 
ure which God has revealed, and when we bim u endeavoring td pam upon the peeple, 
bavelone this, Ged will give us more; and on Lend revelations and li the name of the 
these grounds, I object to the megting. a He then gave us another slice of his 
27 


ba, there is no need to appoint another ion, in ad@ition to what he had already 
We have only to sustain the officers, iteld us. It was that he was to help to fight a 
we already org@pized; and pledge elf hloody batt! me appointed plac®, the par- 
there be po er business brought up tic lars of Lae had been revealed tohim— 
= apres 47 regular prayer meeting. This battle was not to be a war of words, not 
t the pledge from him I told thej tle with the tongue, but says he, **with 
people that y's meeting would only be the rd and it will be a bloody battle; the 
yer meeting. But after this some of the great God has revealed it to me, and ne one 
pe pall beat m ont of it!” Says I to bim, if | 
— medting. I know beild up churvhes end ordain men te 27 
ere not subject to the Twelve, 
it a bu 


~ — —— — — — — _ — — — — ~ — 
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ying authority to regulate all the churches 
in all the world according to the Book of Doc- 
d Covenantsyshould publish an epistle 
N churches, they will say, who ate the 
vet We are not under the authority of 

the Twelve. Will not this be the result! 


Iuked the question to one of his new proph- 
ets, de you ‘consider yourself under the direc- 
tien of the Bwelve? He hesitated a while and 
replied, “I hope Elder Rigdon and the Twelve 
will be united and walk together, if not I shall 
not be uader the direction of the Twelve, only 
they agree with Elder Rigdon. I 
be under the directions of the revelations 
te Elder Rigdon, [ regard him as my 
‘eer, dad revelator.“ And the old 
Hone reqtiite us to build this temple, that 
receive our endowment, and all the or- 
ces and priesthood, whereby we may save 
ourselves and our dead. The new revelation 
„ is to draw the peopi to Pittsburg, and scafter 
them abroad; and do any thing and every 
thing but that which pe old revelations.bid u: 
do. Some of the brethren, Elders Young, and 
Ordon Pratt, and others then said to him that 
neue must be settled before he went a- 
way to Pittsburg, either one way or the other. 
We labored with him till near twelve o’clock, 
but the split seemed only to grow wider and 
wider. ys I, Elder Rigdon, if the God of 
A hea as sent me to tell what will be, you 
ill never fulfill your revelation; I have no 
‘ mote confidence in your revelations than I have 
in Gladden Bishop’s. One said he weuld mar- 
ry the Queen of England, and the other ssid he 
would take her by the nose. Now brethren it 
was for this ordaining men to unheard of offices 
in an illegal*manner, and the proceedings 
their secret meetings, that the fellowship of the 
Twelve was withdrawn from Elder Rigdon.— 
I was one of the committee mho went to de- 


ments. It was alhshown to me in the vision’ 
before I left Pittsburg. Tigpught I to myself 

O consistency, where hast thou fled? Here are « 
revelations manufactured [as fast as they are 
needed to suit the circumstances. 

Last Sunday elder Rigdon said we werea 
blessed people. Now he enya, he has known 
ever since before he left Pittsburg, that this 
same blessed people would cut him off before 
he left them. 

He further said, ‘I am not going to injure 
this people; I dont want to make a division,’ 
and soon after said, I know this people have 
not been led by the Lord for a long time.“ He 


was talking about exposing our s; elder * 


Hyde then said he was glad he tat the 
roots of his feelings; elder Rigdon replied 1 
dont do it with a degign to — this people, 
as before stated.’ 

Now the quorum of the Twelve have not of- 
fered a new revelation from the time of the 
massacre of our beloved brethren, Joseph and 
Hyrum, but we have spent all)our time, early 
and late, to do the things the God of heaven 
commanded us to do through brother Joseph. 
Here are the principles of brother Joseph, our 
prophet, wl laid the foundation of this work, 
and the Twelvo.bave labored to carfy them 
out. We have not said, go to Black river, nor, 
to Praitie du Chien, nar to Pittsburg, but we 
have said take the sword of the spirit, and de 
the things commanded and enjoined by broths 


er Joseph. Only think of the idea, after blos 
ing the. congregation in the manner he did . 
last Sabbath, in two days afteg he says, this 
people have not been led by the Lord fora long 
time, and I have knownit: And why! Because 
we fulfilled his own revelation by cutting him 
off from the church; but if we had not cut him 
off nor opposed him in his secret cormer, of 
treachery and spostacy, we should have been a 
very good people, and we would all Rllowship 


, mand his license, and ac veal as spakesman. I 
made the demand in etful manner, ak- 
ing care net to do af thing intentionally t 
i wound.his feelings, When I demanded bis li- 
4 conse he refused to give it up @ bas already 
deen observed, and says he, I shall now take 
, the liberty @ publish to the world ll the se- 
cret works of this church, and stir dp the wor 
A against you, end says he, I know the result 
both on you and the church, and myéelf, this 
was letting out a little more of his revelation,—. 
He then said. I have. sat and laughed in my 
deve at therproceedings of the Twelve this 
. they have been fulfilling in this 
vision 1 bad Piusburg. Iknew 
withdraw fellowship. from me, L 
would oppose me, in all my move 


together. 
here read from the book of Doch. 
and Covenants, page 102, new edition, para- 
ph M, to show concerning the legal author, 
ities Of this church: (See D. C.) a 
Now vos ask where is the oper authority. 
and power for us to look to?@ Wg ans@tt here 
power and authority equal tothd first pret, . 
ency; equal and nothing more. Byt™pppore 
you uphold elder Rigdon’s theory, hat have 
you got! You have got one of the qu 
which does even form a and 
sequently bas no power to act. B it * 
make no odd gho you look to for 
dere, it they are not choeesMand uph 
faith and prayer of the church, and — 2 


one 

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ust walk according to the revelations, or 
. is no power in their appoint ment. I say 
» and bear testimony that the things revealed to 
Sidney Rigdon touching the great battles to 
be fought some where; the secret meetings ;— 
the ordination of officers, and the government 
af this church, is @ revelation of falsehood and 
delusion, calculated to lead the people astray. 
It will result in open apostacy, and is designed 
to bring destructiomupon us, or else it will re- 
sult in speedy repentance and a turning round 
to the principles and revelations laid down by 
our martyred prophet. 


Elder O. Hyde arose again and said he wan- 
tod to relate a little story. It is only about two 
minutes long, and I think it will serve to illus- 
trate the preséht position of this church. El- 
der Rigdon’s remarks not only authorized, but 
cofrte@ a division of the ch „ and at the 
same time he acknowledged that he had no ju- 
tisdiction over the church/whatever. The sto- 
ry is this, ‘in the day’ of King Solomon there 
were two women who lived in the same house, 
and had each achild. One night one of ihe 
of the women overlay her child, and when she 
awoke her child was dead. As soon as she dis- 
covered this, she took her own dead child and 
placed it by the side of the mother of the liv- 
ing child, and took the living child to herself. 
When the mother of the living child awoke in 
the morging to give her child suck, behold it 
was dead; but when she had considersd-it, she 
four it was not her child; and the other wo- 
man said nay; but the living is my son, and 
the dead is thy som. And this said ne: but the 
dead is thy son, and the living is my 80 
They then referred the matter to Ki Solo- 
mon, who said, the one saith this is my son 
that Hveth, ahd thy son is dead. And the oth- 
er saith, nay; but thy son is the dead, and my 
son is the living: And the King said, ‘bring 
me a sword) and they brought a sword befare 
the King, andthe King said; ‘divide the living 
child M two, and give the half to the one and 
a half e ther.“ But the woman whese 
the nne daild was, said to the King, ‘O my 
lord abe King, give her the li@mg child, and in 
no wise slay it? for her bewels Name over 
her son. But the other said, let it be neither 
Pes tine, but divide it.“ Now brethren 

say tet not the child be divided ;— 
but Rigdoy ssys let the child be divided, 
for I profess to havg no claim or jurisdiction 
over — and I believe if the great God would 

from heaven he old say 
to the ‘Gwelve, are the mother, (or rather 
the father) of ih living child, and in church 
shall nabe divided, tor Pray it io the name 


654 


of the great God. I say let not che child be di- 
vided; let it live; and all the eOngregation said 
‘amen. 

Elder Amasa Lyman said, so far as Tam aco 
quainted with what has been said, it is correct, 
and the most of it has been under my own ob- 
servation. It would therefore be useless to 
recapitulate. But thcke are some things con- 
nected with the history of this event that should 
épeak to the understanding of the individuals 
to whom this case is to be submitted. The 
Twelve have already told their mind on the 
subject and have acted upon it. There 


curiositf connected with the revgla tion 
individual, who is so favordd, of heaven 
have gathered the rays of lighlelfrom the u 2 


world; intelligence and wonderful things, 
other men never thought of. Even Glad 
Bishop never thought ofsuch wonderful things.” 
Now where has this individual been for these 
years past? Has he been labering to support 


and uphold the man whom God has appointed 
to bring forth this work? Has he been endeav- 
oring forthe last four or five years to build ap 
the principles taught and laid down by the man 
of God? Here are men present who have tA 
elled through the length and breadth of these 
United States, and to Europe, and some whe 
have travelled as far as Palestine to carty out 
and establish the principles which se 
laid down by our deceased prophet, 
the great God has not made known to any * 
these men the wonderful things made known 
in this revelation. Neither has elder Marks or 
thé Twelve received any such wonderful rev 
elation. But this man who has been dsleep all 
the while, when he was not sick, to sleep and 
smoke his pipe, and take his drink; cogrespond 
with John C. Bennet, and. other mean, corrupt 
men. This is the character of the man on 
whom shines the light of revelation; this la 
the man who says the Twelve have cone astray 
and this church ie not led by the Lord. This 
man is made generalissimo of al the armies of 
the Gentiles, on both sides ? suppose; thig is 
the man who is to these 
till the blood of the slain flow as high 
horse’s bridles inthe brook Kedron.” 
Brigham, nor any ofthe Twelve Ma acter, * 
this wonderful power; they have not got the . 
same spirit. But these men who obtain these 
gtest revelations carry the spirit about with 
them; you can smell it as soonas you come 
pear enough to feel their breath, Elder 
don’s plan is to divide 
claims no jurisdiction, 


This wonderful 
len 


‘ 


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