--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Jaques, John collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 3 number: 7 published: 1900-05 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'John Jaques, "Life and Labors of Sidney Rigdon—VI," *Improvement Era* 3, no. 7 (May 1900): 487–492.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera37unse transcription: Transcribed from the Internet Archive scan of each issue (the item for each issue is named in the issue's own source); unnumbered advertising leaves are omitted, printed page numbers are kept as page markers. identifier: improvementera37unse start_page: 487 end_page: 492 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1900-05) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera37unse publication_year: 1900 note: The Internet Archive item metadata carries a blanket "© Copyright by Intellectual Reserve, Inc." notice. The library owner judged it inapplicable because this issue was published in 1900, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # Life and Labors of Sidney Rigdon—VI LIFE AND LABORS OF SIDNEY RIGDON. BY JOHN JAQUES, ASSISTANT CHURCH HISTORIAN. VI. On Monday, August 5, 1844, "Elders Parley P. Pratt, W. Kichards,J. Taylor, Geo. A. Smith, Amasa Lyman and Bishop Whitney waited upon Elder Sidney Rigdon in the morning. He said he would meet them in council at Elder Taylor's after dinner. "They accordingly met in council, and when Elder Rigdon came in, he paced the room and said, 'Gentlemen, you're used up; gentlemen, you are all 'divided; the anti-Mormons have got you; the brethren are voting every way, some for James, some for Deming, some for Coulson, and some for Bedell; the anti-Mormons have got you; you cannot stay in the country; everything is in confusion; you can do nothing; you lack a great leader; you want a head, and unless you unite upon that head you are blown to the four winds; the anti-Mormons will carry the election— a guardian must be appointed.' "Elder George A. Smith said, 'Brethren, Elder Rigdon is entirely mistaken, there is no division; the brethren are united; the election will be unanimous, and the friends of law and order will be elected by a thousand majority. There is no occasion to be alarmed, President Rigdon is inspiring fears there are no grounds for.' "Elder Rigdon said he did not expect the people to choose a guardian on Thursday, but to have a prayer meeting and interchange of thought and feeling, and warm up each other's hearts." Several of the Twelve having arrived at Nauvoo, there was a 488 IMPROVEMENT ERA. meeting of the Twelve Apostles, the High Council, and the High Priests at the Seventies' Hall, on the 7th, at 4 p. m. President Brigham Young called upon President Rigdon to make a statement to the Church concerning his message to the Saints, and the vision and revelation he had received. President Rigdon said: The object of my mission is to visit the Saints and offer myself to them as a guardian. I had a vision at Pittsburg, June 27th. This was presented to my mind not as an open vision, but rather a continuation of the vision mentioned in the Book of Doctrine and Covenants. It was shown to me that this Church must be built up to Joseph, and that all the blessings we receive must come through him. I have been ordained a spokesman to Joseph, and I must come to Nauvoo and see that the Church is governed in a proper manner. Joseph sustains the same relationship to this Church as he has always done. No man can be the successor of Joseph. The kingdom is to be built up to Jesus Christ 'through Joseph; there must be revelation still. The martyred Prophet is still the head of this Church; every quorum should stand as you stood in your washings and consecrations. I have been consecrated a spokesman to Joseph, and I was commanded to speak for him. The Church is not disorganized though our head is gone. We may have a diversity of feelings on this matter. I have been called to be a spokesman unto Joseph, and I want to build up the Church unto him: and if the people want me to sustain this place, I want it upon the principle that every individual shall acknowledge it for himself. I propose to be a guardian to the people; in this I have discharged my duty and done what God has commanded me, and the people can please themselves whether they accept me or not. President Brigham Young said he did not care who led the Church, but one thing he must know, and that was what God said about it. He said: I have the keys and the means of obtaining the mind of God on the subject. I know there are those in our midst who will seek the lives of the Twelve as they did the lives of Joseph and Hyrum. We shall ordain others and give the fullness of the Priesthood, so that if we are killed, the fullness of the Priesthood may remain. Joseph conferred upon our heads all the keys and powers belonging THE LIFE AND LABORS OF SIDNEY RIGDON. 489 to the Apostleship which he himself held before he was taken away, and no man or set of men can get between Joseph and the Twelve in this world or in the world to come. How often has Joseph said to the Twelve, "I have'laid the foundation and you must build thereon, for upon your shoulders the kingdom rests." The following report shows how the claims of Sidney Rigdon were decided upon "At a special meeting of the Church of Jesus : Christ of Latter-day Saints, held in Nauvoo, at 10 a. m., on Thursday, August 8, 1844, by the request of President William Marks (who was then presiding over that Stake of Zion,) to choose a guardian, or President and Trustee, Sidney Rigdon took his position in a wagon, about two rods in front of the stand, and harangued the Saints for about one and a half hours, upon choosing a guardian for The Church. The meeting was then dismissed, when President Brigham Young gave out an appointment for the brethren to assemble at 2 p. m, "At the appointed time the brethren came together. Present of the Twelve, Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball, Parley P. Pratt, Orson Pratt, Willard Richards, Wilford Woodruff, George A. Smith. The several quorums were organized on and around the stand according to order." President Brigham Young said, among other things: For the first time in my life, for the first time in your lives, for the first time in the kingdom of God in the 19th century, without a Prophet at our head, do I step forth to act in my calling in connection with the quorum of the Twelve, as Apostles of Jesus Christ unto this generation —Apostles whom God has called by revelation through the Prophet Joseph, who are ordained and anointed to bear off the keys of the kingdom of God in all the world. The first position I take in behalf of the Twelve and the people is, to ask a few questions; I ask the Latter-day Saints, Do you, as individuals, at this time, want to choose a Prophet or a guardian? Inasmuch as our Prophet and Patriarch are taken from our midst, do you want someone to guard, to guide and lead you through this world into the kingdom of God or not? All that want some person to be a guardian or a Prophet, a spokesman or something else, signify it by raising the right hand. (No votes.) I now wish to speak of the organization of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. If the Church is organized, and you want 490 IMPROVEMENT ERA. to know how it is organized, I will tell you. I know your feelings — do you want me to tell your feelings? Here is President Rigdon, who was counselor to Joseph. I ask, where are Joseph and Hyrum? They are gone beyond the vail; and if Elder Rigdon wants to act as his counselor, he must go beyond the vail where he is. There has been much said about President Rigdon being President of the Church, and leading the people, being the head, etc. Brother Rigdon has come 1,600 miles to tell you what he wants to do for you. 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. The Twelve are appointed by the finger of God. Here is Brigham, have his knees ever faltered? Have his lips ever quivered? Here is Heber and the rest of the Twelve, an independent body, who have the keys of the Priesthood —the keys of the kingdom of God to deliver to all the world. This is true, so help me God. They stand next to Joseph, and are as the First Presidency of the Church. I know who are Joseph's friends, and who are his enemies. I know where the keys of the kingdom are, and where they will eternally be. You cannot call a man to be a Prophet; you cannot take Elder Rigdon and place him above the Twelve; if so, he must be ordained by them. Again, perhaps some think that our beloved Brother Rigdon would not be honored, would not be looked to as a friend; but if he does right and remains faithful he will not act against our counsel nor we against his, but act together, and we shall be as one. Do you want a spokesman? Here are Elder Rigdon, Brother Amasa Lyman (who Joseph expected to take as a counselor) and myself. Do you want the Church properly organized, or do you want a spokesman to be chief cook and bottle-washer? Elder Rigdon claims to be spokesman to the Prophet. Very well, he was; 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 vail, for the Prophet is there, but Elder Rigdon is here. Why will Elder Rigdon be a fool? Who knows anything of the Priesthood, or of the organization of the kingdom of God? I am plain. Now, if you want Sidney Rigdon or William Law to lead you, or anybody else, you are welcome to them; but I tell 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 their hands the keys of the kingdom in this last dis- THE LIFE AND LABORS OF SIDNEY RIGDON. 491 pensation, for all the world; don't put a thread between the Priesthood and God. I will ask, Who has stood next to Joseph and Hyrum? I have, and I will stand next to him. We have a head and that head is the Apostleship, the spirit and power of Joseph, and we can now begin to see the necessity of that Apostleship. Brother Rigdon was at his side— not above. No man has a right to counsel the Twelve but Joseph Smith. You Think of these things. cannot appoint a Prophet; but if you let the Twelve remain and act in their place, the keys of the kingdom are with them and they can manage the affairs of the Church and direct all things aright. Now, all this does not lessen the character of President Rigdon; let him magnify his calling, and Joseph will want him beyond the vail let — him be careful what he does, lest that thread which binds us together is cut asunder. Amasa Lyman sustained President Brigham Young and the Twelve. President Rigdon called upon W. W. Phelps to speak in his behalf, as he could not speak. Elder Phelps sustained the Twelve, saying: "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 as long as I have breath." President Brigham Young said: I do not ask you to take my counsel or advice alone, but every one of you act for youselves; but if Brother Rigdon is the person you want to lead you, vote for him, but not unless you intend to follow him and support him as you did Joseph. Do not say so without you mean to take his counsel hereafter. I will ask you as quorums: Do you want Brother Rigdon to stand forward as your leader, your guide, your spokesman? President Rigdon wants me to bring up the other question first, and that is. Does the Church want, and is it their only desire to sustain the Twelve as the First Presidency of this people? Here are the Apostles, the Bible, the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants —they are written on the tablet of my heart. If the Church 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, and hold the keys of this kingdom, 492 IMPROVEMENT ERA. every man, every woman, every quorum is now put in order, and you are now the sole controllers of it. All that are in favor of this, in all the congregation of the Saints, manifest it by holding up the right hand. (There was a universal vote.) If there are any of the contrary mind, every man and every woman who does not want the Twelve to preside, lift up your hands in like manner. (No hands up.) This supersedes the other question, and trying it by quorums. We feel as though we could take Brother Rigdon in our bosom along with us; we want such a man as Brother Rigdon. He has been sent away by Brother Joseph to build up a kingdom; let him keep the instructions and calling; let him raise up a mighty kingdom in Pittsburg, and we will lift up his hands to Almighty God. Let no man suppose that the kingdom is rent from you; that it is not organized. If all the quorums of the Church were slain, except the High Priests, they would rise up with the keys of the kingdom, and have the powers of the Priesthood upon them, and build up the kingdom, and the devil cannot help himself. We want to know the feelings of the j)eople. Is it your will to sup- port the Twelve in all the world in their missions? (The congregation sustained this question by a unanimous vote.) I feel to bring up Brother Rigdon; we are of one mind with him and he with us. Will this congregation uphold him in the place he occupies by the prayer of faith and let him be one with us and we with him? (Unanimous.)