Brigham Young as Successor to Joseph Smith, the Prophet

■'.». BRIGHAM YOUNG AS SUCCESSOR TO JOSEPH SMITH, THE PROPHET By Preston Nibley, Member General Board Y. M. M. I. A. President Brigham Young was doing missionary work in Peter- boro, New Hampshire, on the 16th of July, 1844, when he learned of the death of the Prophet Joseph Smith. News traveled slowly in those days, and it was not until nineteen days after the martyrdom that this terrible and disheartening word reached him. Being president of the Twelve, he realized immediately, no doubt, that the burden of leadership of the Church now rested upon him. Nothing in our his- tory is more beautiful and inspiring to me than the way in which this man, chosen of God, stepped forth and took command. The prophet, the founder, the leader, was gone — but a new leader, equal to every emergency, a new general, born to command, stood in his place. While others were in doubt and consternation, not knowing which way to turn or what to do, this man knew instantly, and he stepped out and shouldered his task like a true man. Ten of the quorum of the Twelve were at this time scattered throughout the eastern states, doing missionary work. The first prob- lem, therefore, was to gather them together and proceed immediately to Nauvoo. Brigham's journal gives us a few general items relating to his return journey. Beginning under date of July 16, when the news of the death of the Prophet reached him, he writes: "I started for Boston; stayed at Lowell all night. "July 16 — Arrived in Boston; found Brothers Kimball and Wood- ruff. "July 18 — I met in council with Elders H. C. Kimball, O. Pratt and W. Woodruff, preparatory to returning to Nauvoo. "July 21 — Elder Kimball and I attended meeting in Boston and preached to the Saints. "July 23 — We attended meeting in the evening and ordained 32 elders. Lyman Wight, for whom we had waited in Boston about a week, arrived. "July 24 — I left Boston for Nauvoo, in company with Brothers Kim- ball and Wight, and on our arrival at Albany were joined by Brothers Orson Hyde, Orson Pratt and Wilford Woodruff, who had just arrived from New York. We continued to journey night and day, by railroad, stage and steam- boat, via Buffalo, Detroit, Chicago and Galena, and arrived in Nauvoo on the 6th day of August, where we were received with joy by our families and friends." Wilford Woodruff relates that the boat bearing the brethren docked at Nauvoo at 9 o'clock in the evening. "When we landed, a deep gloom seemed to rest over the city of Nauvoo, which we never experienced before." I fancy that "a deep gloom" hardly describes the condition of the people in Nauvoo at this time. They were without their great and inspired leader, the man who had gathered them from various parts of the earth, the one to whom they had looked for guid-

BRIGHAM YOUNG AS SUCCESSOR TO JOSEPH SMITH 7 73 ance and inspiration. They were a flock without a shepherd. What should they do now? No one knew. Sidney Rigdon, close associate of the Prophet for nearly fourteen years, and his counselor in the First Presidency, hastened from Pittsburg, where he had been attempting to build up a branch of the Church, and offered himself a9 "a guardian" to the people. The following day after Brigham's return home, Aug- ust 7, at a meeting of the Twelve, the High Council and High Priests, in "Seventies Hall," Sidney formally presented himself. He said: "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." After fourteen years of almost constant labor in the Church, that was all that Sidney Rigdon seemed to know about Church government. A guardian? The suggestion was hardly believable. But Sidney's plea, because of his attitude, had little or no weight with the members of the quorum of the Twelve and the others who heard him. At the meeting held August 7, Sidney's claim fell with dead weight on the ears of Brigham Young. When he had ceased speaking, President Young (just past 43 years- of age at this time) arose and defined his position. His words were clear and decisive enough and left no doubt in the minds of his hearers. He said, speaking for the Twelve: "Joseph conferred upon our heads all the keys and powers belonging 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, T have laid the founda- tion and you must build thereon, for upon your shoulders the Kingdom rests.' "My private feelings would be to let the affairs of men and women alone; only go and preach and baptize them into the Kingdom of God; yet, whatever duty God places upon me, in his strength I intend to fulfil it." However, this stern rebuke did not effectually dampen the deter- mination of Sidney. He was to make one more grand attempt on the morrow. The remainder of the evening he was busy stirring up the interest of his friends, and through William Marks, president of the Nauvoo stake, he called a meeting of all the people to convene the next morning, August 8, at 10 o'clock. Promptly on the morrow, a great multitude assembled. Sidney was the first speaker, and he harangued before the people for "two hours." But his words were like chaff on the wind and no great impression was made by him. He was his own undoing. Following his remarks, President Young arose and stated that he would answer Sidney at two o'clock the same afternoon, and again the multitude assembled, for the interest was intense. We are fortunate in having even a meagre account of President Young's great speech. Such account

774 IMPROVEMENT ERA as we have was taken down that day in long hand, and is brief and disconnected. But it reveals the soul of the man, and the great earnest- ness and faith that were in him. It was on this occasion that he estab- lished himself in the hearts of the people as their leader: Synopsis of President Young's Speech The meeting being opened, President B. Young arose and said: Atten- tion all! This congregation makes me think of the days of King Benjamin, the multitude being so great that all could not hear. I request the brethren not to have any feelings for being convened this afternoon for it is necessary; we want you all to be still and give attention, that all may hear. Let none complain because of the situation of the congregation; we will do the best we can. 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 revelations through the Prophet Joseph, and who are ordained and anointed to bear off the keys of the kingdom of God in all the world. This people have hitherto walked by sight, and not by faith; you have had the Prophet in your midst. Do you all understand? You have walked by sight, and without much pleading to the Lord to know whether things were right or not. Heretofore you have had a Prophet as the mouth of the Lord to speak to you, but he has sealed his testimony with his blood, and now, for the first time are you called to walk by faith — not by sight. 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 guardian? Inasmuch as our Prophet and Patriarch are taken from our midst, do you want some one 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.) When I came to this stand I had peculiar feelings and impressions; the faces of this people seemed to say, we want a shepherd to guide and lead us through the world. All that want to draw away a party from the Church after them, let them do it if they can, but they will not prosper. If any man thinks he has influence among this people to lead away a party, let him try it, and he will find out that there is power with the Apostles, which will carry them off victorious through all the world and build up and defend the Church and kingdom of God. What do the people want? I feel as though I wanted the privilege to weep and mourn for thirty days at least, then rise up, shake myself, and tell the people what the Lord wants of them. Although my heart is too full of mourning to launch forth into business transactions and the organization of the Church, I feel compelled this day to step forth in the discharge of those duties God has placed upon me. 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 to know how it is organized, I will tell ycu. 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 veil; and if Elder Rigdon wants to act as his counselor, he must go beyond the veil where he is. There has been much said about President Rigdon being President of the Church and leading the people, being the head, etc., etc. Brother Rigdon

BRIGHAM YOUNG AS SUCCESSOR TO JOSEPH SMITH 775 has come 1600 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 do not know whether my enemies will take my life or not; and I do not care, for I want to be with the man I love. You cannot fill the office of a Prophet, Seer and Revelator; God must do this. You are like children without a father, and sheep without a shep- herd. You must not appoint any man at our head; if you should the Twelve must ordain him. You cannot appoint a man at our head, but if you do want any other man or men to lead you, take them and we will go our way to build up the kingdom in all the world. 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. I tell you there? is an over anxiety to hurry matters here; you cannot take any man and put him., at the head, you would scatter the Saints, to the four winds, you would sever the priesthood; so long as we remain as we are, the heavenly head is in constant co-operation with us; and if you go out of that course, God will have nothing to do with you. 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. I again repeat, no man can stand at our head, except God reveals it from heaven. I have spared no pains to learn my lesson of the kingdom in this world, and in the eternal worlds; and if it were not so, I could go and live in peace; but for the gospel, and your1 sakes, I shall stand in my place. We are liable to be killed all the day long. You have never lived by faith. Brother Joseph, the Prophet, has laid the foundation for a great work, and we will build upon it; you have never seen the quorums built one upon another. There is an almighty foundation laid, and we can build a kingdom such as there never was in the world; we can build a kingdom faster than Satan can kill the Saints off. What do you want? Do you want .1 Patriarch for the whole church? To this we are perfectly willing. If Brother Samuel H. Smith had been living, it would have been his right and privilege; but he is dead, he is gone to Joseph and Hyrum; he is out of the reach of bullets and spears, and he can waft himself with his brothers, his friends and the Saints. Do you want a Trustee-in-Trust? Has there been a Bishop who has stood in his lot yet? What is his business? To take charge of the temporal affairs, so that the Twelve and the elders may go on with their business. Joseph condescended to do their business for them. Joseph condescended to offer himself for President of the United States, and it was a great con- descension. Do you want a spokesman? Here are Elder Rigdon, Brother Amasa Lyman (whom Joseph expected to take as a counselor) , and myself. Do you want the Church properly organized, or do you want a spokesman? Elder Rigdon claims to be a 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

776 IMPROVEMENT ERA 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? Who knows anything of the priesthood, or of the organization of the kingdom of God? I am plain. Does this Church want it as God organized it? Or do you want to clip the power of the priesthood, and let those who have the keys of the priesthood go and build up the kingdom in all the world, wherever the people will hear them? If there is a spokesman, if he is a king and priest, let him go and build up a kingdom unto himself, that is his right, and it is the right of many here, but the Twelve are at the head of it. I want to live on the earth and spread truth through all the world. You Saints of latter days want things right. If 10,000 men rise up and say they have the Prohet Joseph Smith's shoes, I know they are impostors. In the priesthood you have a right to build up a kingdom, if you know how the Church is organized. 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 dispensation 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 them. 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. Think of these things. You 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 veil; let him be careful what he does, lest that thread which binds us together is cut asunder. May God bless us all. Following this great speech by President Young, a vote was taken and "the Twelve" were unanimously sustained as head of the Church; the claim of Sidney Rigdon to act as "guardian" being rejected. The fears of the people were allayed: the orderly process of Church gov- ernment had been carried out. How to Remember . A new congressman from the Middle West had studied a course in memory training, and prided himself on his dependable memory for names. The course taught that to remember a new name, compare it with some othet familiar name or with some word of like meaning. The congressman had been introduced to ex-Governor William Spry of Utah, Commissioner of the Land Office, and had applied the rule. Upon a subsequent meeting with Mr. Spry, the congressman unhesitatingly greeted him: "Glad to see yon again, ,Mr, Nimble." ,