History of Salt Lake City, Part 118

Author: Tullidge, Edward Wheelock
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: Salt Lake City, Star printing company
Number of Pages: 1194

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On the 19th of March, 1840, Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball, George A. Smith, Parley P. Pratt, Orson Pratt and Reuben Hedlock, sailed from New York on board the Patrick Henry, a packet of the Black Ball line. A large number of the Saints came down to the wharf to bid them farewell. When the elders got into the small boat to go out to the ship, the Saints on shore sa g " The gallant ship is under way," in which song the elders joined until the voices were separated by the distance.

Liverpool was reached by these apostles on the 6th of April. It was the anniversary of the organization of the church, just ten years before. Brigham left the ship in a boat, with Heber C. Kimball and Parley P. Pratt, and when he landed he gave a loud shout of Hosanna! They pro- cured a room at No. S Union Street, and here they partook of the sacrament, and returned thanks to God for his protecting care while on the waters, and prayed that their way might be opened to the successful accomplishment of their mission.

Next day they found Elder Taylor and John Moon, with about thirty Saints who had just re- ceived the work in that place. On the following day they went to Preston by railroad (which was built just at the period that the Mormon mission was introduced to that country).

In Preston, the cradle of the British mission, the apostles were met by a multitude of Saints, who rejoiced exceedingly at the great event of the arrival of the Twelve in that land.

Willard Richards immediately hastened to Preston and gave an account of the churches in the British Isles, over which he had been presiding during the interval from the return of Heber C. Kimball and Orson Hyde to America. The President of the Twelve was so emaciated from his long journey and sickness, that Willard did not at first recognize him ; yet he at once commenced to grapple with the work in foreign lands, convened a conference, and wrote to Woodruff to attend.

Apostles Woodruff and Taylor had arrived in England on the first of the year, since which time Taylor had founded a church in Liverpool; and Woodruff, in Herefordshire, had built up a

BRIGHAM YOUNG.

conference, consisting of many branches, numbering nearly a thousand souls The President, there- fore, had come at the very moment when he was most needed to give organic form to that great mission, out of which Utah itself has largely grown.

It was on the 14th of April, 1840, that the first council of the I'welve Apostles, in a foreign land, was held at Preston. There were present, Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball, Parley P. Pratt, Orson Pratt, John Taylor, Wilford Woodruff and George A. Smith. These proceeded to ordain Willard Richards to their quorum, and then Brigham Young was chosen, by a unanimous vote, the standing President of the Twelve.

Then followed during the next two days, "a general conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints," held in 'Temperance Hall, Preston, with Heber C. Kimball presiding and William Clayton clerk. There were represented at that time, 1,671 members, 34 elders, 52 priests, 38 teachers, and 8 deacons.

During this conference the Apostles resolved to publish a monthly periodical- The Millennial Star-to be edited by Parley P. Pratt, assisted by Brigham Young, and to compile a new Hymn Book. Brigham Young, Parley P. Pratt and John Taylor were appointed a committee to select the hymns suitable for the service of the Saints; and Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball and Parley P. Pratt, a committee for the publication of the Book of Mormon. Upon this Brigham wrote the following characteristic letter to the Prophet :

" To President Joseph Smith and Counselors :

" DEAR BRETHREN :- You no doubt will have the perusal of this letter and minutes of our con- ferences ; they will give you an idea of what we are doing in this country.

" If you see anything in or about the whole affair that is not right, I ask in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, that you would make known unto us the mind of the Lord and his will concerning us.

" I believe that I am as willing to do the will of the Lord, and take counsel of my brethren, and be a servant of the Church, as ever I was in my life; but I can tell you, I would like to be with my old friends ; I like my new ones, but I cannot part with my old ones for them.

"Concerning the Hymn Book: when we arrived here, we found the brethren had laid by their old hymn books, and they wanted new ones; for the Bible, religion and all, is new to them. * *

" I trust that I will remain your friend through life and in eternity.

" As ever,

" BRIGHAM YOUNG."

From the conference the President accompanied Willard Woodruff into Herefordshire, which was the most important field of labor in the British mission. Here he obtained most of the money for the publication of the Book of Mormon and the Hymn Book; Brother John Benbow furnishing 250 pounds and Brother Kington 100 pounds sterling.

On the 6th of June, President Young sent off the first company of the Saints, numbering 41 souls, in the ship Britannia. They were bound for the " Land of Zion." He then, with his quorum held the second general conference, July 1st, in Manchester, at which were represented 41 branches, 2,513 members, 56 elders, 126 priests, 61 teachers, and 13 deacons, being an increase in three months of 842 members, 22 elders, 74 priests, 23 teachers and 5 deacons. At this conference twenty of the native elders volunteered to devote themselves exclusively to the ministry.

Soon after this conference, Parley P. Pratt, leaving for America to bring his family to England, Brigham took more immediate charge of The Millennial Star, assisted by Willard Richards.

In September he organized the second company of emigrants-200 souls-on board the North America, which sailed on the 8th.

On the 6th of October the third general conference was held at Manchester, at which 3,626 mem- bers were represented, with 81 elders, 222 priests, 74 teachers, and 26 deacons, showing an increase in the three months of 1,113 members, 25 elders, 96 priests, 15 teachers, and 13 deacons.

By this time the work had penetrated into Wales and Scotland ; yet with great difficulty into the latter country.

The work in London was also opened about this time by Heber C. Kimball, George A. Smith. and Wilford Woodruff; and, notwithstanding that it afterwards became the stronghold of Mormon- ism in England, the elders found the metropolis hard to penetrate.

While he was in England, President Young visited London several times. On one occasion, as he passed the chapel in which John Wesley preached, he paused and respectfully uncovered his head. It was the instinctive reverence of one great man paid to another.

On the 20th of April, 1841 Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball, Orson Pratt, Wilford Wood- ruff, John Taylor, George A. Smith. and Willard Richards, with a company of 130 saints, went on

HISTORY OF SALT LAKE CITY.

board the s'up Rochester, boun 1 for New York. The following pissige from the President's journal will give a view of what was done by the Twelve during the mission to England :

" It was with a heart full of thanksgiving and gratitude to God, my heavenly father, that I re- flected upon his dealings with me and my brethren of the Twelve during the past year of my life which was spent in England. It truly seems a miracle to look upon the contrast between our land- ing and departing from Liverpool. We landed in the Spring of 1840, as strangers in a strange land, and penniless, but through the mercy of God we have gained many friends, established churches in almost every noted town and city of Great Britain, baptized between seven and eight thousand souls, printed 5.000 Books of Mormon, 3,000 hymn books, 2,500 volumes of the Millennial Star, and 50,000 tracts; emigrated to Zion 1,000 souls, establishing a permanent shipping agency, which will be a great blessing to the Saints, and have left sown in the hearts of many thousands the seeds of eternal life, which shall bring forth fruit to the honor and glory of God; and yet we have lacked nothing to eat, drink or wear; in all these things I acknowledge the hand of God."

A multitude of the Saints stood on the dock to see these successful apostles start for their native land, among whom was P. P. Pratt, who was left in charge of the British mission, and Apostle Orson Hyde, bound on a mission to Jerusalem.

On the 1st of July President Young, with Heber C. Kimball and John Taylor, arrived in Nauvoo. They were cordially welcomed by the Prophet, who several days after received the fol- lowing revelation :

"Dear and well beloved brother Brigham Young, verily thus saith the Lord unto you. my ser- vant Brigham, it is no more required at your hand to leave your family as in times past, for your offering is acceptable to me; I have seen your labor and toil in journeying for my name I there- fore, command you to send my word abroad, and take special care of your family from this time henceforth and for ever, amen."

The Prophet also wrote in his history concerning the Twelve :

"All the quorum of the Twelve Apostles who were expected here this season, with the excep- tion of Williard Richards and Wilford Woodruff, have arrived. We have listened to the accounts which they give of their success, and the prosperity of the work of the Lord in Great Britain, with pleasure.

" They certainly have been instruments in the hands of God of accomplishing much, and must have the satisfaction of knowing that they have done their duty. Perhaps no men ever undertook such an important mission under such peculiarly distressing, forbidding and unpropituous circum- stances. Most of them, when they left this place, nearly two years ago, were worn down with sick- ness and disease, or were taken sick on the road. Several of their families were also afflicted, and needed their aid and support. But knowing that they had been called by the God of heaven to preach the gospel to other nations, they conferred not with flesh and blood, but, obedient to the heavenly mandate, without purse or scrip, commenced a journey of five thousand miles entirely de- pendent on the providence of that God who had called them to such a holy calling.

" While journeying to the sea board, they were brought into many trying circumstances; after a short recovery from severe sickness, they would be taken with a relapse, and have to stop among strangers, without money and without friends. 'Their lives were several times despaired of, and they have taken each other by the hand, expecting it was the last time they should behold one another in the flesh.

" Notwithstanding their afflictions and tria's, the Lord always interposed in their behalf, and did not suffer them to sink into the arms of death. Some way or other was made for their escape ; friends rose up when they most needed them, and relieved their necessities, and thus they were en- abled to pursue their journey and rejoice in the holy one of Israel. They truly went forth weeping, bearing precious seed, but have returned rejoicing, bearing their sheaves with them."

The Prophet had now nearly reached the zenith of his power. His marvelous career was draw- ing to a close. But he had lived long enough to see his mission planted firmly in the United States and Europe. Ile had seen, too, the very man rise by his side who, perhaps, above all men in the world, was the one most fitted in every respect to succeed him and carry the new dispensation to a successful issue. Every move which Joseph made from that moment to his death manifested his instinctive appreciation of that fact. At the next conference the Prophet called upon the Twelve to stand in their place and "bear off the Kingdom of God" victorious among all nations. From that time, too, the burden of his sayings was that he was "rolling off the kingdom from his own shoul lers on to the shoulders of the Twelve." The mantle of Joseph was falling upon Brigham,

BRIGHAM YOUNG.

He lived barely long enough to make this appreciated, and to prepare the church for his martyrdom. A thousand times did the Prophet forshadow his death. Every day he told his people in some form of the coming event. They blinded their understanding; yet, to-day, they remember but too well the prophetic significance which indicated the close of his mortal career. If any man could have averted the stroke of fate, that man was Brigham Young. Had he been in Nauvoo he would have probably prevented the martyrdom. But strange to say, in spite of the foregoing revelation, and Joseph's evident feeling of safety with Brigham by his side, he sent him again on a mission, dur- ing which period the tragedy occurred.

But during the last two years preceding his martyrdom, the star of the Prophet burst forth in its full brilliancy. Nauvoo rose as a beautiful monument of a new dispensation. The city numbered twenty thousand souls. In its legion were mustered several thousand militia soldiers. They were the flower of Israel, and in the prime of manhood. Joseph was their lieutenant-general. With the thousands that were now expected to flock to Zion from the British mission, had his triumphant career continued, a hundred thousand of his disciples would, in a few years, have been gathered to Illinois and adjacent States. Their united votes would have controlled those States. Success would have multiplied the opportunities for success. Long ere this, following up such a prospect, the Prophet would have held half a million votes at his command among his disciples. Even some of his wisest elders were carried away by this view, while brilliant politicians and aspiring spirits out- side the Church pointed the Prophet out to the nation as the " comning man," and sought to unite their destiny with his. In short, Joseph Smith became a canditate for the presidency of the United States. The first contest would of course have been lost ; the second and third perhaps lost also : but ere this, the Mormon elders would have swept over the States in a political mission like an av .?- lanche down the mountain.

There was one man, whose clear strong judgment was not glamored by this delusive view. It is scarcely necessary to say that that man was Brigham Young, His genius would have led him just where his destiny led him-namely, to the Rocky Mountains. In the very certainty that the Mor- mons, by their united vote, would soon rule the elections in several States consisted the Prophet's greatest danger. This people never have been guilty of crimes, but they have been guilty of unity, and have been damned by the prospect of a great destiny.

The only course that could have saved the Prophet, would have been an earlier removal to the Rocky Mountains. An expedition to explore this country had not only been planned, but was in process of organization, when the electioneering campaign, for Joseph Smith as President of the United States, came uppermost, and absorbed every other interest.

Events have since proved that had Joseph led a band of pioneers in the spring of 1844, to the Rocky Mountains, Brigham was quite equal to master an exodus and remove the entire Church. When the mob force threatened Nauvoo, and the Governor with an army, prepared to march against the devoted city, under the excuse of forestalling civil war, making the demand on the person of the Prophet for high treason, Joseph essayed to flee to the mountains. He had even started, crossing the river to the Iowa side, where he waited the enrollment of a chosen band of pioneers ; but a mes- senger from his wife and certain of his disciples, reproaching him as a shepherd who had deserted his flock, recalled him to Nauvoo. Such a reproach was, beyond all others, the last that the lion heart of Joseph could be ir and he returned and give himself up to the authorities of Illinois. But had Brigham Young been home he never would have permitted that return. He would have thun- dered indignation upon the craven heads of those who thus devoted their Prophet to almost certain death. Rather would he have sent a thousand elders to guard him to the mountains, for none loved Joseph better than did Brigham Young.

It was one of those cases in which Providence overrules for the accomplishment of its wiser purposes. A triumphant career leading to empire was most in accordance with human desires, but from the hour of his death, the Church realized that a martyr's blood was necessary to consecrate a new dispensation of the gospel. Christ was a greater success than Mohammed ; Joseph was more immortal in his martyr's gore than he had been in the seat at Washington. The Church mourns the event to this day-ever will look upon it as one of the darkest of earth's tragedies, but all ac- knowledge the hand of God in it.

Brigham was away with the majority of the Twelve when the martyrdom took place, Two only were in Nauvoo ; they were Willard Richards and John Taylor. Both of these were in prison with the Prophet when the assassins, with painted faces, broke into Carthage jail, overpowered the guards, and martyred the brothers Joseph and Hyrum. No pen can describe the universal

HISTORY OF SALT LAKE CITY.

shock felt among the Saints, when the news burst upon them, and sped throughout the United States and Europe.

Brigham Young and Orson Pratt were together at Peterboro, N. H., at the house of Brother Bemet, when a letter from Nauvoo came to a Mr. Joseph Powers, giving particulars of the assas- sination. The rumor met them first at Salem. Awful as it was to him, the President too well re.il- ized that unless the Twelve were equal to the occasion, the Church was in danger of dissolution or a great schism. At best, the Saints must feel for a moment as sheep without a shepherd.

Those who have followed him in his eventful career, know that Brigham was always greatest on great occasions. He never failed in a trying hour. The disciples of Christ, with Peter at their head, went sorrowfully to their fishing nets after the crucifixion ; but not so with these modern apostles. " The first thing that I thought of," said the President, " was whether Joseph had taken the keys of the kingdom with him from the earth. Brother Orson Pratt sat on my left; we were both leaning back in our chairs. Bringing my hand down on my knee, I said, the keys of the kingdom are right here with the Church,"

The President immediately started for Boston, where he held council with Heber C. Kimball, Orson Pratt and Wilford Woodruff, relative to their return to Nauvoo. Heber and Brigham re- mained there a week awaiting the arrival of Apostle Lyman Wight. During their stay they ordained, at one evening meeting, thirty-two elders. This act was conclusive evidence that these apostles did not intend to let the Church die.

As soon as Lyman Wight arrived the three set out for Nauvoo, and at Albany they were joined by Orson Hyde, Orson Pratt and Wilford Woodruff.

A stupendous burden rested upon the shoulders of the Twelve. The Church had not only to be comforted in its great affliction, and made to realize by a sufficient manifestation of apostolic power, that the keys were " right here with the Church," but to establish an authorized succession. Sidney Rigdon was already at Nauvoo. He had been the second counsellor to the Prophet, and Hyrum the first counsellor, was a martyr with his brother. Sidney was now a claimant for the lead- ership. The Twelve knew that they should have first to grapple with this brilliant but unfit man, and knew that Sidney would, if possible, wreck the Church in his vain-glorious ambitions.

Granting that the keys of the kingdom remained on earth, who held them? This was the all- important question before the Saints, when Brigham Young and the Twelve arrived at Nauvoo on the 6th of August, 1844.

Sidney Rigdon, the second counsellor of the martyred Prophet, arrived at Nauvoo before the President of the Twelve. He had for some time been as an unstable staff to his chief, and the Saints were not in a frame of mind to look upon him as " the man whom God had called " to sustain the Church in that awful hour. But the vain-glorious Rigdon had come to claim the guardianship of the Church, in the absence of the majority of the Twelve. There were enough, however, of that quorum in Nauvoo to prevent Sidney from beguiling the people into an untimely action.

When Rigdon appeared before the congregation, he related a vision which he said the Lord had shown him concerning the situation of the Church, and declared that there must be a guardian chosen " to build up the kingdom to Joseph." He was the identical man, he said, that the prophets had sung about, wrote about and rejoiced over ; he was to do the identical work that had been the theme of all the prophets in every preceding generation.

Elder Parley P. Pratt remarked " I am the identical man the prophets never sung nor wrote a word about.

Marks, the president of the stake, appointed a day for a special conference, for the purpose of choosing a guardian.

Willard Richards proposed waiting till the Twelve Apostles returned, and advised the people to ' ask the wisdom of God."

Eller Grover proposed waiting to examine the revelation.

And thus the ellers were variously moved.

Rigdon sought to evade coming in council with such men as Willard Richards, Parley P. Pratt, John Taylor and George A. Smith, but at length he was forced to a meeting with them. Entering, he paced the room and said :

"Gentlemen, you are used up; gentlemen, you are divided ; the anti-Mormons have got you ; the brethren are voting every way, some for James, some for Deming, some for Coulson and some for Bedell. The anti-Mormons have got you ; you can't stay in the country ; everything is in con- fusion : you em do nothing. You lack a great leader ; you want a head; and unless you unite

BRIGHAM YOUNG.

upon that head, you're blown to the four winds. The anti-Mormons will carry the election ; a guar- dian must be appointed,"

" Brethren," said George A. Smith, " Elder Rigdon is entirely mistaken. There is no division ; the brethren are united; the election will be unanimous, and the friends of law and order will be elected by a thousand majority. There is no occasion to be alarmed. Brother Rigdon is inspiring tears there are no grounds for."

With the return of President Young and the remainder of the Twelve vanished Rigdon's last chance of being elected Guardian of the Church ; " but," says Apostle Woodruff, in his journal, " when we landed in the city a deep gloom seemed to rest over Nauvoo which we never experienced before. The minds of the Saints were agitated; their hearts sorrowful, and darkness seemed to cloud their path. They felt like sheep without a shepherd. Their beloved Prophet having been taken away."

President Young immediately called a special conference, to give Sidney Rigdon the opportu . nity to lay before the Church his claims for the leadership. It was August Sth, 1844. That day it was practically to be decided who was to "lead Israel."

At the hour appointed, Sidney took his position in a wagon, about two rods in front of the stand, where sat the Twelve. For nearly two hours he harangued the Saints upon the subject of choosing a guardian for the Church. But his words fell upon the congregation like an untimely shower.

" The Lord hath not chosen you!" Thus felt the Mormon Israel as his words died upon the ear.

At two P. M. the second meeting was convened.

"Attention all !" The voice rang over that vast congregation ; it was the voice of Brigham Young. " This congregation," he said, " makes me think of the days of King Benjamin, the multi- tude being so great that all could not hear. 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 nineteenth 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 revelation through the Prophet Joseph Smith, 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 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 a guar- dian ? 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 who 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 seem to say, we want a shepherd to guide and lead us through this world. All who want to draw away a party from the Church after them, let them do it if they can, but they will not prosper.

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History of Salt Lake City, Part 118

Author: Tullidge, Edward Wheelock Publication date: 1886 Publisher: Salt Lake City, Star printing company Number of Pages: 1194

Author: Tullidge, Edward Wheelock
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: Salt Lake City, Star printing company
Number of Pages: 1194