Iowa territorial gazette and advertiser. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa Territory [Iowa]) 1840-1846, 1844-09-28

The adheren.s Of Risdon have i,,,,,
the following statement in relation !. 40.
church difficulties.
To the Members Of the go
Of Jesus Christ Of lautes
saints. ~
II becomes an imperative oblie,t;c. \
volving upon the frieuds and adRer.s..
Pres. SYDNEY RIGDON, to NAL
. plicit and candid statement Of he c.n.'
which have led to their disunion M ~.
fellowship with the adheren,, 80
Twelve in their illegal and unwan,,..sI
assumption Of the authority Of their ~.
Presidency.
1t is well known to every well inev,
member Of the Church, that the hv =
ganiza,ion and government Of said A.
is contained in the book of lloctr;ns =.
Covenants, as received through Jm.ss
Smith BY revelation. BY referenoe 4 N.
book, we find that the church iss,,s,,'.S ~,
by the Presidents Of the High Prir,,As.S
appoin; ed BY revelation, whose duty h's.
preside over the whole church. A.
Twelve being subordinate to that au,h.;
" and acting under its direction.
The melancholy catastrophe Of he nm.
der Of Joseph Smith, the presiding Pres.
dent and Hyram, his brother, resulted n
leaving one indi, idual only known 70 he
church as pointed ont by repeated Revel,.
lions, as holding the Presidency and Ks,
of this last Kingdom, as Prophet, SEER and
Revelator for the church, Wig: Sidney
Rigdon.
Pres. Rig,lon. who was then in Pitts.
burg received instructions from the Lord
to repair TO this place, and present him.
self to the Church for their acce ptance q
rejection, which actually did result IN hi,
rejection, and the appointment Of ~
Twelve (by large majority Of the chnrch)
10 the Presidency Of the whole church and
its entire control.
Verify believing as we do, that this wa
vital departure from the order of Heav.
en-, and rejection Of the only man WIN
sustained the legal relation Of Revelat0
TO the church, and who was competent /.
reorganize the first Presidency, we. =.
sented and lifted our voices againse such
proceedings, and manifested our adherenn
to Pres. Rigton.
In consequence Of this rejection Prea
Rigdon has received commandment 10 Re.
organize the church; and for this reason
the Twelve and their adherents have -
siduonsly studied and striven TO misrepre.
sent the character and designs Of Pres.
Rigdon, and his friends, and have nd
scrupled 10 ascribc to them motives and
designs the most base and dishonorable.
We do declare that Pres. Rigdon II
above all maleyolent aspersions Of his req.
utation, and is known 10 us as WORTHY
law-abiding citizen, and a gentlemen i
unblcmished character.
We do moreover declare our s;nccs,
conviction, that in rejecting Sidney Ris
don, the church Of Jesus Christ of Lslia
Day Saints no longer exists, except i
connect, N with him, and that God ha
given no authority far an organization d
the church differing from that contained
in the book Of Doctrine and Covenants.
Heretofore the accused has Ind he
privilege Of trial. and opportunity % -.
ply to the charges brought against then,
bnt on the memorable 8th of September,
1914, this privilege was denied in opm
and fragrant violation Of all the laws sal
rules Of the church; thus manifesting clear
ly that the course they have pursued b
wards us is one unsanc,ioned BY law sad
unhallowed by Justice.