In the meantime word of the horrible tragedy was sent by Dr. Willard Richards to Nauvoo. He said he had pledged his word to the frightened citizens of Carthage, that no violence or vengeance would be attempted by the Saints, and for the Saints to keep the peace and be prepared for an attack from Missouri. Indeed, there was no thought of summary vengeance by the Saints. With heads bowed down and hearts filled with grief—for the greatest sorrow in all their history had come upon them—they silently wept and prayed, leaving vengeance to Him who said, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay!”
The Burial
The next day, June 28, 1844, the bodies of the martyred prophets were taken to Nauvoo by Dr. Willard Richards, Samuel H. Smith and a guard of eight soldiers sent by General Deming. On the 29th, they were interred amidst the deep mourning of a stricken people.
Chapter 36
The Succession of the Twelve Apostles— Preparation to Leave Nauvoo
1844–1846
A Crisis in the Church
The martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum Smith came as a terrible shock to the members of the Church. The thought that the Prophet was to be taken from them had not entered their minds, notwithstanding the many predictions he had made regarding his approaching death. He was only in his thirty-ninth year. His constitution was strong and he was possessed of exceptional vitality. The Lord had saved him so many times from perils and threatened death, that the Saints fully expected the same power to shield him always.
His death brought about a crisis in the Church, for it was the first disorganization of the presiding quorum of the Priesthood. Very little thought had been given to the subject of succession in the Presidency, even by the leading brethren, for such a contingency seemed to them to be very remote. The revelations were clear on that point, but there had been no occasion for consideration of the subject. In the revelation on Priesthood, given to the apostles in 1835 (Doc. and Cov. Sec. 107), the Lord said that the council of the apostles was equal in authority with the First Presidency, and Joseph Smith stated that its place was second only to the presidency of the Church, and where there was no First Presidency, the apostles would preside. When the Saints were left without the guiding hand of the Prophet, they were in confusion, not fully understanding this order of the Priesthood. Sidney Rigdon, first counselor to President Joseph Smith, had lost the spirit of the work. Contrary to the direct command of the Lord in a revelation (Doc. and Cov. Sec. 124:108 –9) he moved his residence to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where he was of little assistance as a counselor in the presidency. For many months before his death, Joseph Smith had suspected Sidney Rigdon of being in league with his enemies. The Prophet openly accused Sidney of being guilty of such treacherous action, from which accusation he was not entirely cleared. He had manifested much sympathy for John C. Bennett, the arch-traitor, although he denied any direct communication with him. At the October conference, 1843, the Prophet refused to sustain Sidney Rigdon as a counselor, but through the merciful pleadings of Hyrum Smith and others, he was sustained. On that occasion the Prophet said: “I have thrown him off my shoulders, and you have put him on me; you may carry him, but I will not.” Amasa M. Lyman had been chosen to act as a counselor in his stead. William Law, Joseph’s second counselor, had been excommunicated for apostasy, and was one of those who brought to pass the martyrdom.