# J. M. Grant's RIGDON/Trial of Elder Rigdon

TRIAL OF ELDER RIGDON
Minutes of a meeting of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, held on the meeting ground in the city of Nauvoo, on Sunday, September 8, 1844.
“Present of the Quorum of the Twelve: President Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball, P. P. Pratt, Orson Pratt, Orson Hyde, George A. Smith, John Taylor and Amasa Lyman.
page 20 “The High council organized themselves with Bishop Newel K. Whitney at their head, as follows: William Marks, President of the Stake, and Charles C. Rich, Counsellor; Samuel Bent, James Alrad, Lewis D. Wilson, Alpheus Cutler, David Fullmer, George W. Harris, Thomas Grover, Aaron Johnson and Henry g. Herwood; 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 choir sung another 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 before you to-day—but I will first make a request that the police will attend to the instructions given them by the Mayor this morning, and that is to see that there is perfect order on the outside of the congregation. We are not afraid of disturbance here, but there is generally some on the outside disposed to talk, which prevents those who are near them from hearing, and we wish all to hear what is said from the stand.
“Elder Young continued: I have travelled these many years in the midst of poverty and tribulation, and that too with blood in my shoes, month after month, to sustain and to preach this gospel and build up this kingdom; and God forbid that I should now turn round and seek to destroy that which I have laboring to build up.
“It is written in the book of Doctrine and Covenants, that the president can be tried before a bishop and twelve high priests, or the high council of the church. There are many present this morning who were present at the organization of that quorum in Kirtland. We have here before us this morning, the high council, and bishop Whitney at their head, and we will try Sidney Rigdon before this council! And let them take an action on his case this morning; and then we will present it to the church, and let the church also take an action upon it. I am willing that you should know that my feelings for Sidney Rigdon as a man, as a private citizen are of the best kind. I have loved that man and always had the very best feelings for him; I have stood in defence of his life and his house in Kirtland, and have lain on the floor, night after night, and week after week, to defend him. There are those who are following Sidney for whom my heart is grieved. I esteem them as good citizens. But when it touches the salvation of the people, I am the man that walks to the line.
“I am informed that elder Rigdon is sick; I am also informed that he and his party have had a council this morning, and have concluded not to say any thing in their own defence, thinking that would be best for them. I have no idea that Elder Rigdon is any more sick than I am; any how, we have a right to try his case, for he had sufficient notice to prepare himself if he had been disposed. We gave him notice last Tuesday evening, and had it published in the Neighbor, and was he sick he could have sent us word to have the case deferred. I heard elder Rigdon’s discourse last Sunday, myself; I heard him pour blessings upon this people in an unbounded degree; I heard him encourage the building up of this city and the Temple; he said he was one with us, and left his blessing upon the congregation. The congregation says to him; ‘go in peace’. I said upon the back of his statements, you see that brother Rigdon is with us. I have not seen that brother Rigdon has been with us since he returned from Pittsburg; I have page 21 known that he was not with us in spirit, but I took him at his word. The spirit reveals many things which it would not do to tell the public, until it can be proved. But to come to the point. On Tuesday last, I heard that Elder Rigdon had a meeting the night previous, and had ordained men to be prophets, priests and kings. I concluded to go and see Elder Rigdon, and asked Elder Hyde to go with me. We went into his house, and after the usual compliments, I sat down directly opposite him, and took hold of his hand. I looked him right in the face and asked him if he had a meeting last night, here, in which men were ordained to be prophets, priests and kings? He replied no, we had no meeting here, had we brother Soby?
“ ‘Well, did you have a meeting any where, brother Rigdon, in which men were ordained to be prophets, priests and kings?’
“ ‘Well, I don’t know; did we have a meeting last night, brother Soby? Yes, I believe there was one last night, was’nt there brother Soby, up at your house?’
“I saw the disposition of Elder Rigdon to conceal the truth and equivocate, and I determined to know the whole secret. I said to him again. ‘Elder Rigdon, did you not ordain those men at that meeting last night?’
“He replied ‘yes, I suppose I did.’
“I then asked brother Rigdon by what authority he ordained prophets, priests and kings?
“With a very significant air he replied ‘oh, I know about that.’
“I will not attempt to describe the feelings I had, nor the look of his countenance, but he equivocated 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 and kings.
“I then asked brother Rigdon; ‘do you not think, really, that you hold keys and authority above any man, or set of men in this church, even the twelve?’
“Says he, ‘I never taught any such doctrine, did I, brother Soby?’
“Says I, ‘brother Rigdon, tell me the truth, do you not think so?’
“He replied, ‘ yes I do. ‘
“Says I, ‘that tells the whole story. Brother Joseph never undertook such important business as you are engaged in, without consulting his brethren, and especially the Twelve, if they were present.’ I felt delicate in asking Elder Rigdon these questions, but I knew it was my duty to find out the secret of the whole matter. To evade answering the questions I put to him, he finally said don’t crowd upon my feelings too much: my feelings are tender, and I don’t wish to be crowded. I then proposed to him, that myself and the brethren of the Twelve would call in the evening and converse with him further on the subject, to which he agreed. In the evening eight of the Twelve together with bishop Whitney, went to elder Rigdon’s and conversed a-while, and finding matters as before stated, we concluded we would go over to Dr. Richards’ and there council together what was best to do on the subject. In our council we deemed it necessary to demand his license, and say to him he could not hold it any longer, unless he retracted from his present course and repented 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 up to you.’ On the strength of this, we published a page 22 notice in the Neighbor that there would be an action on his case before the church to-day.
We have now the quorum before us, before which he will be tried, with the oldest bishop at their head; and I shall leave the subject for the brethren to take it up, and it is left for us to decide whether we are Latter-Day Saints or not.
“President Young said further that the Twelve are to be regarded as witnesses in this trial, and not judges. We present ourselves before the High Council as witnesses, and we are prepared to bring other testimony forward if necessary. There may be some who will say that this is not a fair trial because the opposite party are not here. They have had sufficient notice and time to make their objections, and if they don’t appear to make their defence it will prove to me that they are guilty. Elder Rigdon has not conducted himself like a man of God, he has not conducted like a prophet of God, nor a counselor to the first president, since he came here. We prefer these charges against him, and the High Council will be obliged to act.
“Elder Orson Hyde arose and said as follows: I thought I would present to your view some things which have transpired since the death of our beloved Prophet and Patriarch, Joseph and Hyrum Smith, who were murdered by the mob. I was in New Haven when I first heard the news, but hardly crediting the report; I went from thence to New York, where I learned the same things, I then concluded I would start to Boston. When I arrived at Boston I met with President Young and one or two others of the Twelve. We held a council together and it was decided to write to Elder Rigdon at Pittsburg. I was appointed to write the letter. I informed Elder Rigdon of our conclusions, and stated to him that we had decided to return immediately to Nauvoo, and that we should go by the lakes, inasmuch as we deemed it safer and quicker to go that way, than to go through Pittsburg. I stated also that it was the desire of the Twelve, that Elder Rigdon and Elder Page should meet us at Nauvoo, and after we had rested and mourned 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 we have since learned. Well, what does he do? He comes directly to Nauvoo.—He arrived before the Twelve could get there. He immediately entered into measures to call the church together to appoint a Guardian, and was very anxious to crowd an action before the Twelve arrived, when he knew it was the request of the Twelve to sit in council together with him before any action was taken before the public. He represented to the congregation that it was necessary that he should return home immediately on account of the situation of his family. Providentially the Twelve came before he had accomplished his designs, and an action was then taken before the public, and he was defeated. The church unanimously voted to sustain the Twelve in their office as appointed by President Joseph Smith and the church—since that action was taken Elder Rigdon has shown no more anxiety to return to Pittsburg. Now I would ask this congregation, 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 success, if he had been sure God had appointed him? Were the Twelve jealous that they should not stand in their place? I heard no such thing. We wanted to sit in council together and felt that whatever the spirit dictated that should be our course. There is a way by which all revelations page 23 purporting to be from God through any man can be tested. Brother Joseph gave us the plan, says he, when all the quorums are assembled and organized in order, let the revelation be presented to the quorums, if it pass one let it go to another, and if it pass that, to another, and so on until it has passed al the quorums; and if it pass the whole without running against a snag, you may know it is of God. But if it runs against a snag, then says he, it wants enquiring into; you must see to it. It is known to some who are present that there is a quorum organized where revelations can be tested. Brother Joseph said, let no revelation go to the people until it has been tested here.
“Now I would ask, did Elder Rigdon call the quorum together and there lay his revelation before it, to have it tested? No, he did not wait to call the quorum; neither did he call the authorities together that were here.—He endeavoured to ensnare the people and allure their minds by his flowery eloquence; but the plan was defeated. The voice of the people was in favor of sustaining the Twelve to be their leaders. I tell you it is no enviable place for one of that quorum to stand in, and act as the leaders of this people. The shafts of the enemy are always aimed at the head first.—Brother Joseph said some time before he was murdered. “If I am taken away, upon you, the Twelve, will rest the responsibility of leading this people, and do not be bluffed off by any man. Go forward in the path of your duty though you walk into death. If you will be bold and maintain your ground the great God will sustain you.” And now inasmuch as a charge has been laid upon us, it will be inquired in a day to come if we have been faithful to the charge, and we are responsible for what has been laid upon us.
“After the Twelve returned I went to see Elder Rigdon and requested him to meet us in council; I invited him to attend but he said he was sick; well, I don’t know but he was sick, but I am informed he went the same day and held a meeting somewhere outside the city.—To-day, there is an excuse. He says he is sick, perhaps it is so. In our conversation on Tuesday evening, when he said he had the keys and power, he said he did not claim jurisdiction over the Twelve, he claimed jurisdiction over no man. Says I Elder Rigdon, if the Twelve were to transgress would you call them to account? He replied no, I have no jurisdiction over them. But was Brother Joseph here and he was to see the Twelve do wrong, we would not have time to wink more than twice, before he would be upon us with a rod and drive us back to the path of duty again. Elder Rigdon says he claims no jurisdiction over the Twelve, nor the Twelve over him. Says I, Elder Rigdon, such a course as this will lead to a division of the church. He replied there will be a good many churches build up all over the world, I asked it all these churches would be subject to one common head. He answered they would not. Elder Young replied, then there will be many bodies. He replied, Oh no! I then said where there are many heads there is no head at all; and a thing that has got many heads must be a hydra.—a monster: a house divided against itself cannot stand. Elder Ridgon is now going to work to make a division, and yet he said on the stand, he did not want to make a division. When any man comes here with a revelation purporting to be from God, we feel in duty bound to question its validity. This is a kind of furnace to prove all things, and Elder Rigdon dont like to come into the furnace.
“I will now give some testimony which has been handed to me concern-page 24ing what Elder Rigdon has said. Those who have testified here are ready to testify to the same before the congregation if it is necessary.
“I shall omit names unless called upon, and then they shall be forthcoming. One of Mr. Rigdon’s party said to this brother, you are a pretty strong Twelve man I believe: are you not? He answered: I am no party man—but I am desirous to obtain the truth. Mr. Rigdon’s friend then said, if you will not tell it to the twelve, I will tell you our plans. He then communicated unto me their designs. The substance of which was as follows: that Elder Rigdon was going to feel the minds of the branches, and then of the people of Nauvoo, until he got strong enough to make a party, and if he found that he could raise influence to divide the people he would do so, and let the remainder, follow the Twelve.
“Elder Hyde continued and said: this was said previous to his discourse at La Harpe; then, he comes here and says I have no authority, I have no jurisdiction over this people whatever. We knew by the spirit that this was in Elder Rigdon’s hear before, and we wanted to bring it out. This shows that the whole plan was matured at the time he said he did not want to divide the church—he had no jurisdiction, &c., and he let out the roots of it on Tuesday evening, when we conversed with him. When we demanded his license, he said, “I did not receive it from you, neither shall I give it up to you.” He then threatened to turn traitor. His own language was, inasmuch as you have demanded my license, I shall feel it my duty to publish all your secret meetings, and all the history of the secret works of this church, in public journals. He intimated that it would bring a mob upon us, says he, I know what effect it will have; there is a rod and a scourge awaits this people. Says I, Elder Rigdon, if you want the honor of bringing distress upon this people, you may have it, you may have the honor of it here, and you may have the honor of it in eternity; and every effort you make to bring distress upon this people, will recoil back upon your own head. I have been told since, he was angry and did not mean to do as he said: but I would ask this congregation, can a man say what is not in his heart? I say he cannot, for “out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.” (Elder Young says he can prove the Elder Rigdon made use of the same expression previous to our visiting him last Tuesday.) I replied to him and said, we have counted the cost and it 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 expressions, it was this, if you will let me alone, and not oppose me in my measures, although you are a wicked and iniquitous people, we will be hail fellows well met, and all fellowship together; but if you oppose me, I will expose all your secret wickedness, I will expose all your iniquity. Now I don’t know of any man in this church that has gone deeper into matters than he did in Far West in his oration on the 4th of July. He was the cause of our troubles in Missouri, and although Brother Joseph tried to restrain him, he would take his own course, and if he goes to exposing the secrets of this church, as he says, the world will throw him down and trample him under their feet.
“Before I went East on the 4th of April last we were in council with Brother Joseph almost every day for weeks, says Brother Joseph in one of these councils there is something going to happen; I don’t know what it is, but the Lord bids me to hasten and give you your endowment before the temple is finished. He conducted us through every ordinance of the holy page 25 priesthood, and when he had gone through with all the ordinances he rejoiced very much, and says, now if they kill me you have got all the keys, and all the ordinances and you can confer them upon others, and the hosts of Satan will not be able to tear down the kingdom, as fast as you will be able to build it up; and now says he on your shoulders will the responsibility of leading this people right, for the Lord is going to let me rest a while. Now why did he say to the Twelve on YOUR shoulders will this responsibility rest, why did he not mention Brother Hyrum? The spirit knew that Hyrum would be taken with him, and hence he did not mention his name; Elder Rigdon’s name was not mentioned, although he was here all the time, but he did not attend our councils.
“When we were coming away last Tuesday evening, Elder Rigdon said you are not led by the Lord, and I have known it for a long time that you were not led by the Lord. In his discourse before the people the first Sunday after he came here, he stated that Joseph Smith yet holds the keys of this kingdom, for he had seen it since he was dead. When Elder Rigdon made this remark, says I to him, I defy any man to show that we have adopted any measure, only what Joseph has directed us. We have all the while sought to carry out those measures which he has laboured at such pains 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 in to the celestial 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. I will now eave the subject with Brother Parley for he is a witness in the matter.
“Elder Parley P. Pratt arose to give his testimony concerning this case. He said in the first place I will say that there is no man present, save one, who has been acquainted with Elder Rigdon longer than I have. Elder Hyde knew him before I did. I have been in church fellowship with him for 15 or 16 years. I was a member of the same church with him before we heard this gospel; I was the first man who presented the Book of Mormon to him, and bore testimony to him concerning the gospel. I witnessed his coming into this church, I have feelings for him as a friend of the strongest kind, and ever have felt an interest for him, I would be amongst the first to rejoice to see him walk up as a counsellor with us. I have no 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 may. After Brother Rigdon came from Pittsburg, I waited on him to bid him welcome, but he was so crowded with friends shaking hands and welcoming him back that I said to him Elder Rigdon, you are busy to-day, we will not interrupt you to-day, but to-morrow morning the few of the Twelve who are here will want to meet with you, and sit down in council together. We expect to hear you preach. IN the morning I called upon him to go with me to Brother Taylor’s, as we had to hold our councils at Elder Taylor’s, he being confined to his bed, by the wounds he received from the mob. He made an excuse, saying that he was engaged with a strange gentleman, and could not leave him then, but would come when he got through. We waited until it was almost meeting time, and instead of coming to meet with us, he went directly to the meeting. He came here and preached, and related his vision or revelation to appoint a guardian. We still deferred and waited to meet with him in council, until, to page 26 our astonishment, without our knowledge he caused as appointment to be made for the next Thursday for the church to choose their guardian; and this too in the absence of the most part of the quorum of the Twelve, and even without consulting the high council of the church. I knew such a course would divide the church, and I protested against it, and determined to come to the stand if the motion was to proceed and dismiss the meeting. It fortunately happened that the Twelve came in time to attend the meeting which was changed by them into a special conference. We made another effort to get Elder Rigdon to sit in council with the quorum of the Twelve. We met at the time appointed and waited something like three hours before he came. He finally came and we then asked him to give us the relation of his vision or revelation, which he did. He said it was shown to him that there were no authorities left in the church who could act. When Joseph was alive the people had confidence in the quorums, but now they had not that confidence; the people must choose some man they can have confidence in, to act. Said I to him, Elder Rigdon, there never was a time when the people were more willing to hearken to council and be agreed, than they are now. Said I, has not the Almighty God established authorities in this church by Joseph Smith, such as the quorum of the twelve, the high council and other quorums, and have they not power to act, and will they not be damned if they do not act; and will the people not be damned if they do not give heed to these authorities? He answered, yes; when not twenty minutes before he said there was no authorities in the church! Said I, elder Rigdon, I object to that meeting you got up, in the name of the Twelve. It is got up without the consent or advice of those of the Twelve who are here, at present we don’t need to adopt any new measures, we only need to carry out the measures which God has revealed, and when we have done this, God will give us more; and on these grounds, I object to the meeting. Says he, there is no need to appoint another officer. We have only to sustain the officers, as they are already organized; and I pledge myself there shall be no other business brought up on Thursday, only the regular prayer meeting. When I had got the pledge from him I told the people that Thursday’s meeting would only be a prayer meeting. But after this some of the people went to him and he turned round again, and said it was a business meeting. I know that he said no business should be done at that meeting, and afterwards said it should be a business meeting. I then saw that this was a deep and cunning plan laid to divide the best people that ever lived.
“On last Sunday we heard preaching all day about things a long way ahead—terrible battles to be fought somewhere by the brook Kedron. Their preaching gave me a text which I want to preach from, it is somewhere in Webster’s Spelling Book, and I suppose the little boys can tell me where. However it is a story of a “country maid and her milk pail,” &c. The moral was that when men suffer their imaginations to be amused with things along way ahead, they suffer loss by neglecting those things which immediately concern them. The great God said through Joseph—build this temple; I give you a sufficient time to build it, and if you do not build it by the appointed time, you shall be rejected as a people with your dead. I thought we were concerned in building up this place and defending it, and while we were immediately concerned in all these important matters, the day was spent in talking about Queen Victoria, battles, &c., and things which were calculated to draw our minds away from those things wherein our eternal page 27 interest is at stake. When he blessed the people I said amen, and when he said our persecutions were about over, and cried peace, peace, I hoped it would be so, if we could get it. He did, by hard straining get it out that we might go on and build the temple and build up the city.
“On Tuesday as has been stated we went to Elder Rigdon’s house, when I had heard that he had been ordaining men to unheard of offices. These men were in no quorum, and under nobody’s direction, nor authority, but Elder Rigdon’s own revelations. We protested against it. He claimed he had authority and keys over any one else. By and bye we had more of his revelations. Says he, I saw all this before I left Pittsburg. I then charges him with endeavoring to palm upon the people, false revelations and lies in the name of the Lord. He then gave us another slice of his revelation, in addition to what he had already told us. It was that he was to help to fight a bloody battle in some appointed place, the particulars of which had been revealed to him. This battle was not to be a war of words, not a battle with the tongue, but says he, “with the ‘sword,’ and it will be a bloody battle; the great God has revealed it to me, and no one shall beat me out of it!” Says I to him, if you build up churches and ordain men to preach who are not subject to the Twelve, how are they to be governed. Suppose the twelve, having authority to regulate all the churches in all the world according to the Book of Doctrine and Covenants, should publish an epistle to the churches, they will say, who are the Twelve? We are not under the authority of the Twelve. Will not this be the result?
“I asked the question to one of his new prophets, do you consider yourself under the direction of the Twelve? 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 under the direction of the Twelve, only so far as they agree with Elder Rigdon. I shall be under the directions of the revelations as given to Elder Rigdon, I regard him as my prophet, seer, and revelator.” The old revelations require us to build this temple, that we may receive our endowment, and all the ordinances and priesthood, whereby we may save ourselves and our dead. The new revelation is to draw the people to Pittsburg, and scatter them abroad; and do any thing and every thing but that which the old revelations bid us do. Some of the brethren, Elders Young, and Orson Pratt, and others then said to him that the matter must be settled before he went away 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. Says I, Elder Rigdon, if the God of heaven has sent me to tell what will be, you will never fulfil your revelation; I have no more confidence in your revelations than I have in Gladden Bishop’s. One said he would marry the Queen of England, and the other said 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 of their secret meetings, that the fellowship of the twelve was withdrawn from Elder Rigdon—I was one of the committee who went to demand his license, and acted as spokesman. I made the demand in a respectful manner, taking care not to do anything intentionally to wound his feelings. When I demanded his license he refused to give it up as has already been observed, and says he, I shall now take the liberty to publish to the world, all the secret works of this church, and stir up the world against you, and says he, I know the result both on you and the church, and myself, this was letting out a little page 28 more of his revelation. He then said, I have sat and laughed in my sleeve at the proceedings of the Twelve this evening, for they have been fulfilling in this last act, the vision I had at Pittsburg. I knew you would withdraw fellowship from me, I knew you would oppose me, in all my movements. It was all shown to me in the vision before I left Pittsburg. Thought 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 were a blessed people. Now he says 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 don’t 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 secrets; Elder Hyde then said he was glad he had got at the roots of his feelings; Elder Rigdon replied ‘I don’t do it with a design to injure this people, as before stated.’
“Now the quorum of the Twelve have not offered 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, who laid the foundation of this work, and the Twelve have labored to carry them out. We have not said, go to Black river, nor to Prarie du Chien, nor to Pittsburg, but we have said take the sword of the spirit, and do the things commanded and enjoined by brother Joseph. Only think of the idea, after blessing the congregation in the manner he did last Sabbath, in two days after he says this people have not been led by the Lord for a long time, and I have known it: And why? Because we fulfilled his own revelation by cutting him off from the church; but it we had not cut him off nor opposed him in his secret corner of treachery and apostacy, we should have been a very good people, and we would all fellowship together.
“I will here read from the book of Doctrine and Covenants, page 102, new edition, paragraph 11, to show concerning the legal authorities of this church: (See D.C.)
“Now you ask where is the proper authority and power for us to look to? We answer here is a power and authority equal to the first presidency; equal and nothing more. But suppose you uphold Elder Rigdon’s theory, what have you got? You have got one of the quorum which does not even form a majority, and consequently has no power to act. But if it would make no odds who you look to for your leaders, if they are not chosen and upheld by the faith and prayer of the church, and then they must walk according to the revelations, or there is no power in their appointment. I say and bear testimony that the things revealed to Sidney Rigdon touching the great battles to be fought somewhere; the secret meetings; the ordination of officers, and the government of this church, is a revelation of falsehood and delusion, calculated to lead the people astray. It will result in open apostacy, and is designed to bring destruction upon us, or else it will result in speedy repentance and a turning round to the principles and revelations laid down by our martyred prophet.
“Elder Amasa Lyman said, so far as I am acquainted with what has been said, it is correct, and the most of it has been under my own observation. page 29 It would therefore be useless to recapitulate. But there are some things connected with the history of this event that should speak 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 is a curiosity connected with the revelation of this individual, who is so favored of heaven as to have gathered the rays of light from the upper world; intelligence and wonderful things, that other men never thought of. Even Gladden Bishop never thought of such wonderful things. Now where has this individual been for these years past? Has he been laboring to support and uphold the man whom God has appointed to bring forth this work? Has he been endeavoring for the the last four or five years to build up the principles taught and laid down by the man of God? Here are men present who have travelled through the length and breadth of these United States, and to Europe, and some who have travelled as far as Palestine to carry out and establish the principles which have been laid down by our deceased prophet, and yet the great God has not made known to any of these men the wonderful things made known in this revelation. Neither has Elder Marks or the Twelve received any such wonderful revelation. But this man who has been asleep all the while, when he was not sick. To sleep and smoke his pipe, and take his drink; correspond with John C. Bennet, and other mean, corrupt men. This is the character of the man on whom shines the light of revelation; this is the man who says the Twelve have gone astray and this church is not led by the Lord. This man is made generalissimo of all the armies of the Gentiles, on both sides I suppose; this is the man who is to fight these wonderful battles till the blood of the slain flow as high as the horse’s bridles in the brook Kedron. Elder Brigham, nor any o[f] the Twelve did not get this wonderful power; they have not got the same spirit. But these men who obtain these great revelations carry the spirit about with them; you can smell it as soon as you come near enough to feel their breath. Elder Rigdon’s plan is to divide the church, although he claims no jurisdiction.
“This wonderful spirit of revelation has fallen on a great many. Here is a revelation come from Michigan, which points out a Mr. Strang, as the one to take the lead of this people. So brother Sidney is not the only man who proposed to have been appointed to lead this church. The devil seems to have set a good many hooks and baited them very nice, that some may be sure to catch. Here is another revelation come from the wonderful town of Appanooce; but the Twelve are so wicked they cannot get it. The great John C. Bennet said at the conference when he first came here, that be sustained the same position to the first presidency, as the Holy Ghost does to the Father and Son. He now says that Rigdon is to take the presidency, and he is appointed to Elder Rigdon’s place. Now you see it is impossible for this people to go after them all. When Elder Rigdon was in Pittsburg he saw a great many things, and I dare venture to say, that when the news reaches him of your action to-day, it will bring another slice of his revelation; he no doubt saw it before he left Pittsburg. It is plain beyond a doubt that Elder Rigdon came here with a spirit as corrupt as can be. He first told the people he came here to do one thing, afterwards he said he would do another quite opposite. He said God had sent him here to see that the church was built up to Joseph, and the least departure from this, he said, was sure to re-page 30sult in the destruction of the church. He said wo, wo, wo unto this people if they do not make a right choice. Again he says he saw that the people would reject him. He said there was an important passage in the scriptures which had to be fulfilled. He did not tell us what it was, but we learned that it was that part of Isaiah’s prophecy where he says, ‘the stone which the builders rejected is become the head of the corner.’ Now it appears that Isaiah’s prophecy must be proved true, if it has to ruin the whole church to do it. The Temple must be forsaken and not be finished, and all that Joseph has done must be rejected, to carry out his notion that he (Sidney) was some great one. For the last four or five years we have never heard of Sidney’s getting a revelation, but as soon as brother Joseph is out of the way, he can manufacture one to allure the people and destroy them. Now after he has given his testimony to the world; after finding fault with God because he happened to get into jail in Missouri; and because he was poor: yet this is the man that can get such wonderful revelations. Brother Parley and Brigham suffered in Missouri, but did not find fault with God; they don’t get such wonderful things. Now this is the man who has got the keys of conquest; the keys of David, keys which the Twelve never heard was to be given to man, who had, in a manner, cursed God to his face. It may be said that Sidney Rigdon may be mistaken. If he should, it is not the first time that he has been mistaken in his revelations. But Joseph Smith never was mistaken in his revelations. He never commenced to do a thing and when he had got it half done, turn round and quite it.
“Sidney’s first revelation in Kirtland was telling the people that the Kingdom was rent from them, and they might as well all go home for they were rejected. The saints felt very bad and were almost distracted. When brother Joseph (who was absent at the time) came home, he called Sidney into council and there told him he had lied in the name of the Lord; and says he, ‘you had better give up your license and divest yourself of all the authority you can, for you will go into the hands of satan, and he will handle you as one man handleth another, and the less authority you have the better for you.’ Sidney gave up two licenses to brother Whitney, (who has got them at this day) and according to his own testimony, he was handled by satan just as brother Joseph said, and weltered in the most extreme agony for about two or three months, and then brother Joseph seeing that he had repented, said that he had suffered enough and restored him again. He made a tremendous blunder at the first revelation, but we would hardly suppose that a man who has been in the church so long as Sidney has, would make such a monstrous blunder as he has made this time. The object of Sidney’s revelation was to divide the church and scatter it. Brother Joseph has said at different times, that if Elder Rigdon was to lead the church twelve months, he would lead them to the devil. When he attempted to lead the people in Kirtland, it was to lead them to the devil, and when he made the attempt this time, it was for the same purpose. When he was making his flowery sermon and endeavoring to captivate the people by his eloquence, they looked, and when he had got through, behold they had seen nothing; and when he found that there were those who were on the alert, and that there were men in whose ears the God of heaven would whisper, and they would discover his principles, he could not stand it; he was going to run; he was in a wonderful hurry to get back to Pittsburg. He was determined not to let Brother Young pull the tings out of him. I presume the atmosphere did page 31 not feel very congenial to his spirit. After we had been and spent the evening with him last Tuesday and had concluded to demand his license, he then said he was going to publish the history of all the secrets of this church. I think if he don’t give a straighter history than he has given in his revelation, we shall not need to be at the trouble to go abroad and contradict it, for he will contradict himself. He took a position when he first came here, but since that he has left the ground entirely. If he talks with one of brother Joesph’s friends, he will say, ‘I admit that Joseph held the keys of the kingdom at his death,’ but if he talks with those who are not Joseph’s friends, he will say, ‘I knew he was not led of God for a long time.’ In our council in the Seventies’ Hall, he said that this vision was a continuation of the vision recorded in the book of Doctrine and Covenants. There was however this difference, the one in the Doctrine and Covenants was an open vision but the vision he received in Pittsburg was a mental vision, a vision presented to the mind. Now it seems very likely that while brother Sidney was maturing his plans in Pittsburg, and laying his schemes as to what course he would pursue, it was very natural to see that the church would cut him off. There are many who seem to be in difficulty concerning Sidney Rigdon’s standing in the church during the time he has bee wallowing in his filth and corruption for four or five years past. I know how he has stood, but I rather some one else would tell it, and I shall therefore leave the subject.
“Elder John Taylor arose and said, I wish to make a few remarks, and to give in my testimony in this case. There has already been much said, sufficient to criminate Elder Rigdon, and to prove satisfactorily to the minds of every unprejudiced person, that he is unworthy of the confidence we have reposed in him; that he has dishonored his high and holy calling, and has in every way disqualified himself to act in that relationship to the church, which he has heretofore sustained. We did not investigate his conduct or character previous to the conference before alluded to, in order to prove this; his own acts and deeds since his return from Pittsburg, as they have been set forth before this conference, are sufficient to establish that fact. It may be supposed by some that the Twelve are enemies to Elder Rigdon. So far from this, they have courted his company. They invited him frequently to their councils, and have shown every mark of esteem, deference and respect, which his long standing in the church, his years, his talent and his calling would entitle him to. They have been extremely solicitous to cultivate a friendly feeling, and not till they were forced with overwhelming testimony, have they taken steps in the matter; but they have a duty to God and to this church to perform: and whatever may be their personal predilections, prejudices or feelings; they feel bound by the relationship they sustain to this church and to God, to lay aside all private feelings and secondary considerations in the fulfillment of the great work that they are called upon to perform.
“Elder Rigdon was appointed by President Smith to go to Pittsburg and build up the church; but he was expressly forbid to take any one with him. Now, I would ask, has Elder Rigdon accomplished his mission? Has he sought to build up the church according to President Smith’s order? No, he has been holding secret meetings; he has ordained men illegally, and contrary to the order of the priesthood; he has been ordaining men to the office of prophets, priests and kings; whereas he does not hold that office himself; who does not know that this is wrong? There is not an officer belonging page 32 to the church but what is acquainted with this fact. Can a teacher ordain a priest? Can a priest ordain an elder? Can an elder ordain a high priest, or any of the former ordain an apostle? You all know they could not, it is contrary to the order of God; and yet we find that President Rigdon, a man who ought to know better—who does know better—has been ordaining men to office that he does not hold himself: and yet he has come to us with a revelation to lead this church to the Celestial kingdom of God; and even if he had the authority to ordain these men, he could not do it in and of himself without the accompanying ordinances, and under the circumstances which he did. There are numbers here who can bear witness to the truth of what I now say. These things go plainly to show that his mind is enveloped in darkness, that his is ignorant and blinded by the devil, and incompetent to fulfil the work which he has undertaken.
“There are some who would insinuate that we should be merciful; we have been as merciful as we could be in the fulfillment of our official duties. But if we pass over such gross violations of the ordinances of God’s house, and such departures from the revelations of God; if such ordinations and organizations are suffered to proceed, we shall, as a people, soon be destroyed. I see men in this congregation who have received illegal ordinations, ordinations imparted through a perversion of the priesthood, and through the influence of an improper spirit. Who wants to see their friends destroyed in this way? A man may receive a spirit in a few minutes, the which it will take him years to get entirely rid of. I don’t want any man with such a spirit to put his hands on my head, or on the head of any of my brethern.
“Some people talk as though they considered these things very little matters; but it was for a transgression of this kind that satan and his angels were cast out of heaven, and it is those very principles that have destroyed the church in every age of the world. It was not for drunkenness, theft nor any other act of immortality that satan was hurried from heaven, but for resisting authority, and trying to subvert the order of God. And this is the thing that Elder Rigdon is guilty of; which is calculated to lead men to destruction. I consider that this conference has had evidence enough before it in relation to the matter. We have tried him who said he was a prophet, and sent of God with revelations to this church, and found him a liar. I feel sorry for him as a man, but I also feel sorry for others whom he is leading astray. What has been the cause of all our difficulties? Why, a little difference of feeling, a little difference of opinion, a little difference of spirit, and this little difference has finally ended in bloodshed and murder. I do not blame those men who shot our beloved brethern, Joseph and Hyrum Smith, one hundredth part as much as William and Wilson Law, the Fosters and the Higbees; it is true they are murderers, but I consider that those men who pointed their guns at me, are not so steeped in crime, nor half so guilty before God, as those men who were their instigators, their aids and abettors. They are the men who are the most guilty before God, and of them will their blood be required.
“Elder W. W. Phelps said, It becomes necessary on this occasion that you should be acquainted with all the facts in the case. I am knowing myself to most of the facts. Perhaps I have taken a greater interest, and have been better disposed towards Sidney Rigdon than many would suppose under existing circumstances. I have endeavoured to be his friend in every situation I could. When I learned he had arrived from Pittsburg I went to see him, page 33 and tried to find out his views and calculations on the subject, but in all is conduct there appeared to be something wrong, a reluctance to communicate. I have had as good a privilege of knowing the whole of Joseph Smith’s revelations as any other man, and I know that the Twelve are the first in authority after the first presidency. Secondly, the Twelve are the travelling high council, to regulate all the affairs of all the churches in all the world. Now I would ask this congregation, are you willing to throw away this authority for one man? What have you gathered here for? You have gathered here to build up a city; to build up the kingdom, and shall we come up to this time, and then throw away the revelations and all the measures laid down by Brother Joseph? No! verily no!
“I think enough has been said to make the matter plain to the minds of the people. He has come and lied in the name of the Lord. He has told me two stories. He said he wanted to form an intimacy with the Twelve, but he has never taken one step to do it, but has in every instance, endeavored to shun them. The devil has blinded his eyes, and he has endeavored to blind the minds of the people against those revelations that have been our guide since we came into this church. Those revelations that said we should build the Temple, in order to save ourselves and our dead, and bring to pass those keys and blessings which will secure to ourselves and our posterity the blessings which all since the days of Adam, had lived and died for. The Lord has said that the church would be able to judge those who were prophets and those who were not. The first thing Elder Rigdon endeavored to press upon the minds of the people, was the idea that it belonged to some person to rise up and build up the church to Joseph Smith, but there is no such thing written in the Bible, or the book of Mormon, or the book of Doctrine and Covenants. This church has been built up to Jesus Christ, and Joseph Smith always taught us that there is no other name whereby we can be saved but in and through the name of Jesus Christ.
“It is one part of the portion of this people to be tried to the centre, and you will learn to judge men when they come before you. There will be men who cannot endure a celestial law, and consequently, they cannot obtain a celestial glory. Brother Sidney is endeavoring to draw off a party, and he will be like those who are spoken of in the vision: some for Paul, some for Apollos, some for Cephas, &c., and many will have to go to outer darkness and there tarry till they have paid the uttermost farthing. Is there one person here who wishes to barter away a certainty for an uncertainty and go to perdition? If any man comes to you to lay on hands suddenly, don’t suffer them to do it, lest ye be deceived. Recollect this—“an apostle is an elder” and he has authority to ordain elders, priests, &c. Be wise and lay hands suddenly on no man; neither suffer any one to lay hands suddenly on you. It takes a majority of any quorum, according to the order of God, as declared in the Doctrine and Covenants, which I hold in my hand, and the common consent of the whole church, to make any act valid; every ordination therefore, made by Sidney Rigdon, he being one only out of a quorum of three, even if he had not otherwise transgressed, is illegal. I therefore, in the authority of the holy priesthood, and as one who cannot look upon sin with any degree of allowance, declare his late revelations, and his extraordinary ordinations of prophets, priests and kings among the Gentiles, holding the keys of David,— of the devil; and let all the people say: Amen.
“Elder Heber C. Kimball arose and said he was sick and could scarcely page 34speak, but he could not forbear to offer his testimony on this subject. You have already had the testimony of my brethern, and I feel disposed to offer my testimony. I have been in all their councils since they returned home, I was with the brethern at Elder Rigdon’s last Tuesday, but I don’t know that I can do any thing more than confirm what they have said. They have related things as they transpired, as near as I can recollect, and I cannot do more than confirm their testimony. As to Elder Rigdon’s course there is scarce any one that can give a relation of it. Elder Rigdon is a man I have always respected as a man, but I have not respected his course for more than five years past.—Brethern, I have known his course and was aware of it all the while. While I have gone abroad to preach and have returned again, I would not have the privilege of sleeping, before Brother Joseph would call us to council; and there is not a thing of importance which was ever done, but Brother Joseph counseled with us. Elder Rigdon after he came from Pittsburg never attended council only when he could not avoid it. He has no authority only what he receives from the church, if he was one with us, why was he not in our councils? He was not in the council pertaining to the High Priesthood until just before he started for Pittsburg. Brother Phelps was the means of bringing him in, but he has not go the same authority as others; there are more than thirty men who have got higher authority than he has. Elder Rigdon has intimated that if we opposed him we should have a mob on us. Brethern, if I have to be martyred for the truth, amen to it! If I have to go as Joseph and Hyrum did, it will be a short work. Elder Rigdon has not been in good standing as a counsellor to Brother Joseph for some years. Brother Joseph shook him off at the conference a year ago, he said he would carry him no more; if the church wanted to carry him they might, but he should not. Joseph said, he had no more authority in his office as counsellor. Elder Amasa Lyman was appointed in his stead, and all the power and authority and blessings which Elder Rigdon ever had, was put on the head of Brother Amasa. Brother Hyrum plead to have Elder Rigdon restored, he said try him a little longer, try him another year; Brother Joseph would not receive him again but shook him off. The church voted to try him again, and it was the church that received him and not Brother Joseph. If Elder Rigdon was in good standing, why has he not been with Brother Joseph in all his councils. He has not acted as a councillor in Brother Joseph’s councils for five years, but the Twelve have, they have never forsaken him. Now when Brother Joseph is gone, he comes and sets us aside. I have handled with my hands, and have heard with my ears, the things of eternal reality, but I never betrayed Brother Joseph.
“Brethren, as it was in the days of Moses, so it is now. When Moses went into the Holy of Holies, he pulled off his shoes; Brother Joseph has passed behind the vail and he pulled off his shoes, and some one else puts them on, until he passes the vail to Brother Joseph. President Young is our President, and our head, and he puts the shoes on first. If Brother Hyrum had remained here, he would have put them on.—Hyrum is gone with Joseph and is still his counsellor. The Twelve have received the keys of the kingdom and as long as there is one of them left, he will hold them in preference to any one else. I wish the people would hear and be wise, and those who have been upholding Brother Sidney, would turn about before they go into everlasting despair. Here is John C. Bennett, and Wm. And Wilson Law. Robert D. Foster and the Higbees, are all the while seeking page 35 to come back and if they cannot accomplish their purposes they will seek to take our lives. We stand forth as the shepherds of the sheep, and we want to lead you into green pastures, that you may be healthy and strong. There are men here brethren who have got authority, but we don’t want to mention their names, for the enemy will try to kill them.
“President Young arose again and said he wanted to read some testimony which had been presented to him relative to this case, but did not wish to mention the names of the individuals at the present time, if it could be dispensed with. He continued: honest men may be deceived for a time, but they will generally see their error and turn about. There are some who are strolling off and wanting to make divisions amongst us. Brother Sidney says, “if we go to opposing him he will tell all of our secrets.” But I would say, oh don’t, Brother Sidney! Don’t tell our secret, oh don’t! But if he tells of our secrets, we will tell of his—tit for tat. He has had long visions in Pittsburg revealing to him wonderful iniquity amongst the saints. Now if he knows of so much iniquity, and has got such wonderful power, why don’t he purge it out? He professes to have got “the keys of David.” Wonderful power, and revelations, and he will publish our iniquity! Oh dear, Brother Sidney, don’t publish our iniquity! Now don’t! John C. Bennett said in his exposure, he knew all of Brother Joseph’s secrets, and he would publish them. Joseph H. Jackson, says he has published all Joseph’s secrets, but nobody believes their tales, because they lie! And if Sidney Rigdon undertakes to publish all our secrets, as he says, he will lie the first jump he takes. If Sidney Rigdon knew of all this iniquity why did he not publish it sooner? If there is so much iniquity in this church as you talk of, Elder Rigdon, and you have known of it so long, you are a black hearted wretch because you have not published it sooner. If there is not this iniquity you speak of, you are a black hearted wretch for endeavouring to bring a mob upon us and murder innocent men, women and children! Any man that says the twelve are bogus makers, or adulterers, or wicked men, is a liar, and all who say such things shall have the fate of liars, where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth. Who is there that has seen us do such things? No man. The spirit that I am of tramples such slanderous wickedness under my feet. And if they take my life I will go where they cannot hurt me.
“Brother Joseph did cast off Sidney, and his power and authority was taken from him, and put upon Amasa Lyman. We told Brother Sidney to come along with us, and if he will do this we will build him up. Let him do as elder Amasa Lyman has done. Now we don’t expect ever to move without revelation and they that have the keys of the kingdom can get revelation. If any thing would make me fight, it would be to hear any one heap charges on Brother Joseph who is dead. They cannot let the dead alone, so great is their corruption and wickedness.
“Here is another secret leaked out of their secret meetings. They say the man of sin spoken of in the Revelations, is the Twelve. A pretty large man I should say. Now this is the testimony we present before this council to know if we are to fellowship Elder Rigdon any longer.
“The Bishop gave a privilege to the High Council to offer any remarks they thought proper; but, no one attempting to speak, he said he might give a relation of Elder Rigdon’s history for near twenty years past, but I deem it unnecessary. I have had some conversation with elder Rigdon since he page 36 returned from Pittsburg. I have also been present when others conversed with him; but I am to decide on the testimony as it has been presented. I was well acquainted with Elder Rigdon a number of years before he came into this church. I never had any confidence in Brother Sidney as a revelator, and why? Because I have so repeatedly heard Brother Joseph rebuke him for speaking in the name of the Lord, what was not so. He was always either in the bottom of the cellar or up in the garret window. At the time his license was taken in Kirtland he was more sanguine than he is now. The people were excited very much at that time, Brother Joseph was away, and when he returned and learned what Sidney had been doing, he took him into council, told him to give up his license to the bishop, and divest himself of all the authority he could, for, said he, the less authority you have the better it will be for you. It has been repeatedly the case when he has been speaking to the church that Joseph has rebuked him for it. The bishop then briefly referred to Elder Mark’s objection to our fetching testimony beyond the conference, &c., and then continued: I fell that Brother Rigdon came here with a bad spirit, and has delivered a revelation. If such things as are contained in his revelation, have been revealed to him, it is from a source with which we want nothing to do. When he first came here I thought he was deceived, but since last Tuesday evening I have been convinced that he is dishonest. He made many evasive replies to the interrogatories of the Twelve and I think his calculation is to scatter this people, because his theory comes in opposition to President Joseph Smith’s revelations. It has been proved that he prophesied that we should not build this Temple, I believe he is an evil designing man. He is dishonest, and he has lied to carry out his theory. He preached on thing one day and the contrary another. He did not reconcile his preaching to me. I asked him to reconcile it, but he did not do it. I feel to sustain the Twelve in withdrawing their fellowship, and I think the High Council and the church ought to sustain the decision of the Twelve. He concluded by calling upon the High Council to manifest if they were satisfied with his decision, and the vote was unanimous in the affirmative.
“Elder Hyde arose and said he was not satisfied with the motion; it is not explicit enough.
“Elder W. W. Phelps arose and offered a motion, that Elder Sidney Rigdon be cut off from the church, and delivered over to the buffetings of Satan until he repents.
“Bishop Whitney then presented the motion to the High Council, and the vote was unanimous in the affirmative.
“Elder W. W. Phelps then offered the same motion to the church, upon which President Young arose and requested the congregation to place themselves so that they could see all who voted. We want to know who goes for Sidney and who are for the Twelve. He then called upon the church to signify whether they were in favor of the motion. The vote was unanimous, excepting a few of Elder Rigdon’s party, numbering about ten.”
To satisfy all concerning the trial of Elder Rigdon, it will be necessary to show that he was tried according to the Book of Covenants, as referred to by Elder Young. On page 109 of page 37 said Book you will find the passage alluded to, which we will copy.
“And inasmuch as a President of the high priesthood shall transgress, he shall be had in remembrance before the common council of the church, who shall be assisted by twelve counselors of the high priesthood; and their decision upon his head shall be an end of controversy concerning him. Thus none shall be exempted from the justice and the Laws of God, that all things may be done in order and solemnity before him, according to truth and righteousness.”