We then, being the only members of the quorum now present in Nauvoo, united in daily councils at Bro. Taylor's, who was confined by his wounds, and counseled for the good of the Church. We were enabled to baffle all the designs of aspiring men, such as Rigdon and others who strove to reorganize and lead the Church, or divide them, and to keep the Church in a measure of union, peace and quiet till the return of President Young and the other members of the Quorum. Elder Rigdon arrived from Pittsburgh soon after my arrival, and with the aid of Elder Marks, local President of the Nauvoo Stake, and others, attempted to worm himself in as President of the whole Church. A public meeting was actually called and appointed for that purpose, the call being made and the day appointed by President Marks on the public stand. President W. Richards was present when this appointment was announced.
On being informed of this untimely and underhanded attempt, I called upon Elder Rigdon to meet with us—that is, the three of the Twelve then in the city, at the house of Brother Taylor, who was still confined with his wounds, and there we expostulated with him, and showed our reasons for being opposed to such a course.
I finally told him that no such meeting should be held, nor any such business attempted in the absence of the general authorities of the Church. And that, if any such meeting was attempted, I should be there and oppose it, and show my reasons, and then dismiss the congregation and take my hat and walk away. He finally assured us that no business of the kind should be attempted, and that the meeting should only be the usual prayer meeting. We likewise forbade President Marks from attempting any general business till the return of the general authorities.
About this time, President Marks joined with the widow of the martyred Joseph and some others, in a council in the upper room of Brother Joseph's house, to try to nominate and appoint a trustee in trust for the whole Church. I entered this council and heard Mrs. Emma Smith plead in relation to this matter, the great importance and absolute necessity of immediate action on this subject, as delay would endanger much property of a public and private character, and perhaps cause a loss of scores of thousands. I arose and protested against any action of the kind, telling them plainly that the appointment of a trustee in trust was the business of the whole Church, through its general authorities, and not the business of the local authorities of any one stake of the Church, and that, therefore, it could not be done till the remainder of the quorum returned. To this it was replied that by this delay much property would be lost. I again repeated that dollars and cents were no consideration with me, when principle was at stake, and if thousands or even millions were lost, let them go. We could not and would not suffer the authorities and principles of the Church to be trampled under foot, for the sake of pecuniary interest. The council finally broke up without accomplishing anything.
At length the day for Mr. Rigdon's great meeting arrived, when the remainder of the quorum, or a majority, with President Young at their head, arrived in time to be present. Mr. Rigdon was frustrated in his ambitious schemes, and with his adherents, including President Marks, soon left the place, being disfellowshipped by the Church.
President Brigham Young was unanimously chosen and upheld in the Presidency of the whole Church; the keys of which he held by virtue of his apostleship, being the senior and President of the highest quorum of the Church then living in the flesh.
October 6th.—The half yearly Conference was held at Nauvoo, which I attended.
CHAPTER XLIII.
Eastern Mission:—Return:—Mobocracy:—Labor in the Temple:—Expulsion from Nauvoo:—Cross the Mississippi:—Garden Grove:—Mount Pisga:—Council Bluffs:—Mormon Battalion:—Winter Quarters:—Mission to England with Elders Orson Hyde and John Taylor:—Conference at Manchester:—Tour through the Kingdom.
December 2d.