PART IV
ELDER S. RIGDON IN PENNSYLVANIA & ILLINOIS.
IMPORTANT COLLECTION OF FACTS—TRIAL OF ELDER RIGDON, &c.
Soon after Elder Rigdon arrived in Pittsburg, he was chosen to preside over the branch of the Church in that City, (build up principally by the labour of Elder John E. Page), which numbered at the time near forty members. He held forth to the people several times before he heard of the Awful Assassination of Elders J. and H. Smith; at first he could not believe the report, but facts soon multiplied, until unbelief gave place to stern reality. The first particulars, received by Elder Rigdon from the press at Nauvoo, was contained in an Extra sheet of the “Neighbour,” which I sent to him shortly after my arrival in Pittsburg, on my way to this City. The next day I called at his house and related to him all the particulars as far as I had witnessed them. He spoke in the highest terms of the martyred Prophet and Patriarch, indeed he had held up the Prophet Joseph as a man not only worthy of the confidence of all the saints, but worthy also of the confidence of all the free born sons of Columbia, worthy to stand at the head of the free and the brave. Being desirous to go on my journey as fast as possible, I informed Elder Rigdon that the next morning I should take the Packet for Philadelphia. He requested me to say to the Elders composing the Quorum of the Twelve, if I met with any of them, that it was his wish and desire that they should come to Pittsburg before going to Nauvoo, and hold a council; said he, they can make my house their home while here, in the meantime speaking highly of the Quorum. Oh! Said he, how bad they will feel when they hear of the death of Brothers Joseph and Hyrum. The twelve sent him a friendly letter, informing him that their friends at the West thought it safer for them to return by the way of the Lakes, requesting at the same time, that he would meet them in Nauvoo, where they would council together. Elder Rigdon received their letter and proceeded immediately to Nauvoo, arriving several days in advance of the Quorum. He commenced holding forth to the Saints on the propriety and necessity of their choosing a Guardian, telling them they had a right to do so, as the Church was now fourteen years of age. He related, on several occasions, that he had received a revelation before leaving Pittsburg, directing him to come to Nauvoo to see that the teachings and measures of Elder J. Smith were carried out to the letter, which said he, cannot be done until you choose a guardian; therefore he appointed a day when the Saints were to meet for that purpose. Those of the Twelve at Nauvoo, protested against his course as being premature in the extreme; Elder P. P. Pratt, in particular, insisted with great earnestness that no action of the kind ought to be taken before the Church until a majority of the Twelve could be present. Elder Rigdon promised that the meeting should be turned into a prayer meeting, but not long after he rescinded his promise to Elder P. and told the people it was a business meeting. However, we read that “all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the[n] called according to his purpose.” Before the time of meeting the absent members of the Quorum arrived, and attended to hear what Elder Rigdon had to say; he spoke in the forepart of the day to the saints on the necessity of choosing a Guardian, or spokesman, or head, telling them that Brother Joseph held the keys of the kingdom in this world, and still held them the other side of the vail; thatthe kingdom must be built up to Joseph, &c. In the afternoon, Elder Brigham Young made a few remarks in his usual plain and forcible style, throwing considerable light upon the subject handled by Elder Rigdon, after which he submitted it to the assembled thousands; a vote was then taken. (Elder Rigdon refused to have his name put to the congregation,) all in favour of choosing a Guardian, or Spokesman, or Head, manifest it by raising the right HAND; not a hand was lifted in the vast assembly. The question was then put, all in favour of upholding the Quorum of the Twelve in their calling, as counselors and leaders of the church, manifest it by the same sign; a sea of hands arose in an instant, when the opposite vote was called there was not a hand lifted, all things passed off in the most perfect order, Elder Rigdon spoke not a word against the proceedings of the meeting, all appeared quiet and calm.