Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1892-03-11


cislon, ato EQUAL in authority.
ono would ihluk no argumen, was
necessary To- establish the fact that II. !
iur any cause whalsopyef the FiEst Of |
these C0uncils--thu First Presilency-
SHOULD be destroyed or removed from
the Church, that the next quorum IN
power would have the tight Ia preside
over She Church aud regulate the
uiiiH thereof, pending the reorganiga.
lion OF the Firs. Presidency. And yet
IN The eNI cduncu Of the Saint, awny
back IN 49, ,wlien the Prophet Joseph,
who was NJ Tie time the President o.
Tie Church, ard his brother Hyfum,
VINO wa. his counselor were laid low
~ the hand Of a.sassins, tho Church
Tor q brief rotlod was OF r loss to know
upon whom ~ upon what quorum tho
responsibility of the Presidency Of The
Church would tell
Ambitious mon arose ia tiC Church
aud for time Distracted the minds
uf tue Sainb. sc that time the Twelve
Apostles were scattered through the
eastern States upnn various Missions.
The only members nj NluvOo were
willard richards ami John Taylor.
Juhu Taylor, Icing severely wounded
NJ the massacre % the Prophets, wa
not allie 10 bu very active In asserting
the flfhts u the Twelve Apostles 20
take charge Of The affairs pi the Church
aud direct them.
In the midst o. these difficulties the
remaining counsellor va the First ifrsi.
/ denCy sidney ilgIUn-roturn"d from
fennsylvluin, aud began laying claims
| 10 the Right Of succession 10 the Prophet
/ Joseph. He did not make this claim
! directly he was fearful thli
| II ho Gid 80 he would lee rejected los
| the Church; for | am sorry ~ have V
Z 10 lsy that this man, who was 20 glft-
! OF hy nature, whose tongue was sun.
! ciuutlv eloquent 10 hold spcll.houfd
] congregations while he tNIuundud IN
/ great elcafncss tile principles Of eternal
] liie---this nan Tor n few years previous
I tn the death OF the Prophet was th-
| faithful In his calling. IL was notorious
/ throughout tho Church that JOSEPH
| the Prophet had made 1n effort 10 yet
| It'd VI aim n year " two before his
| death. Ia the presence Of the Cougre.
cation " the SAINTS assembled In
| Nauvco no declared that hr would
carry him no longer. And scr his
brother lyrum, who, perhaps, more
I than any other man iu this dispense
I ton. was the specialization Of mercy,
| arose before that conference anu
/ pleaded Tor sidney Rigdon, aud asked
/ that he might have one more chance
/ 10 regain the confidence Of the Saints
aud % the Prophet. lie related
/ the suil'rngs OF this man from
| the commencement Of the work.
| lie depicted the scenes through wnirn
| he had passed Ia Missouri, his suffer-
[ ingH for the truth. All these things
/ appealed To- the aympathits " the
| l.ntter.day Saints, aud, n0twithstanI.
| Ing nil tie silhgts " JnsUph 10 hD rio
/ Of this unfailhful counselor, the Church
| Fastened him upon tho Prophet. Yet
| after nlI this was done for his oucou.
/ rngemeut, after his friend Hyrum
| Smith had stood by him AMI plvaduI
/ hi cause with success, he for-0Uk his
post Of duty. Instead OF remaining IN
NnuvOu, which hc was requested ip no
. both by the solicitation OF friends pnd
/ the voice Of COD Himself, he went %
[ plttbutg. After the death % the two
Prophets he came hack 10 Npuv0u, and
knowing the Saints were acquainted
| with hts uuialthlulnua-, he igarsi To
| cone ont lpldly and advocate his d.
/ rect right 10 the Presidency, but lac
| tried h. come In at a side door, aud
[ asked 10 be- appointed guardian over
| the Church, 10 build II up TO the PfC-
phct Joseph. lie avoided the two
I a postles who wUrn thcfc-E Elders
| Richards and Tnylor land called secret
meetings aud cudcRvofol 10 lay plans
that would lead to the qualification OF
| his own vain nmtitiou.
In the midst u his pi1l,iug, however,
the quorum OF the Twelve began TO ru.
turn; aud II ni,y be- we'll, ON this occl-
sion, to call attention 10 a Few mani
/ fesia,ipus Of the spirit Of God that
/ indicated very clearly the right of the
second General Quorum or Council Of
the Church to take the responsibility
of Presidency over the Church after
the DIST quorum was destroyed.
A. Farley y. Pratt was making his
way On loot over the pralues Oi Illinois
] towards Nauvoo, sad, sick at hear, aud
| bowed down IA sorrow ~ consequence
| OF the great calamity which had I've.
/ fallen the saints In the death Of their
l,aderl, aud poudeflug In his mind
upon whom now dgyUlycd the respou.
sibility of prpA'ding over the Church,
| he tcs.iGrs that the following was
| given TO him by inspiration. "Liftup
| your head and rejoice, for behold! II
| u well with My servants, Joseph and
/ Hyrum. My servant Joseph still holds
tine keys OF My Kingdom In this dis
| ponsntiOn, and ne shall stand In due
| time ON The earth, In the llgsh, and
/ fulfil that to which he Is appointed.
| Go AM say dnio My people la Maui
/ yoD that they fhall continue 10 pursue
/ their daily duties pud take care Of
! Themselves, aud make no movement In
| Church government TO re0rggnize or
alter anything until the return Of the
\ remainder Of tue quorum u the
| Twelve, hut pXhort them that they
continue 10 build up the House Of tie
| Lord, which 1 have COMMANDED them
10 build ia Nauv0O." ,Aut. i. i. T."
/ plge aill.
la order TINT he might not be mis-
1 taken in tnn' Inspiration, he asked that
n repetition II u might he giysn bin,
md his prayer was answered. Farley
Pratt followed thcat Instructions, auI
| when he arrived Mt EauvoO he found
\ his fellow 4 p0slles--Eldeu Richards
and Taylor-mOyln In the lines which
bad been indicated by the voice o. the
Spirit TO him.
President Young, at the time the
Prophet was Killed, was IN the State Of
| New Hampshire IN company with
Orsou Pratt. they received the nows
Of the Prophets death at pettfb0rD'.
"fhc fiTst uiin3 I thought Of" say
! President YOUNG, "was whether Joseph
had taken the keys at the KINGDOM
with him from the earth. Brother
Omon Pratt sat on my leN; we were
leaning bari. ia cur chairs. Bringing
my hand down IN my kuee, ! mid,