8^th Their was a meeting appointed at the
grove for the Church to come together for prayer
But in consequence of some excitement among the
People and a dispositions by some spirits to try to divide
the Church, it was thought best to attend to the
business of the Church in the afternoon that was
to be attended to on Tuesday, the Twelve
spent their time in the fore part of the day at the
office and in the afternoon met at the grove the
following is the business of the day.

Aug 8^th 1844

[FIGURE] All the authorities of the Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in and
about Nauvoo met in a special conference
in the grove in Nauvoo at 3 oclock. The quorum of
the Twelve, Councillors S. Rigdon & A Lyman, the
High Council, and others occupied the stand, the
High Priest, quorum, & quorum of the Seventies and
Elders, Pishops, Priests Teachers & deacons appeared
in their several quorums and took their seats and
also a vast congregation of Saints, when all was
seated that could get seats,

President B. Young arose and said Attention all
this congregation makes me think of the days of
king Benjamin when the People was so great that
they could not make them hear [Mosiah 2:7-8], But we want
your attention. W^m W Phelps was called
upon to address the throne of grace which he did do
most fervently. President B Young again
arose and said let none complain because of the
situation of the congregation. we have all done the best
we could.

For the first time in my life, for the first time in
your lives, for the first time in the kingdom of God
do I step forth to act in my capacity in connexion
with the quorum of the Twelve as Apostles of Jesus
Christ unto the People and to bear of the keys of the
Kingdom of God in all the world. And for the first time
are you called to walk by faith not by sight, for
always before you have had a Prophet as the mouth
of the Lord to speak to you, but he has sealed his
testimony with his Blood. I now want to ask
each of you to tell me if you want to chuse a

gardeen [guardian], a Prophet, evangelist or sumthing els
as your head to lead you all that are in favor of it
make it manifest by raising the right hand. No hands
raised. All that wants to draw away a party from
the Church after them let them do it if they can
but they will not prosper. I now wish to speak of
the organization of the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter Day Saints; Sidney Rigdon and Amasa Lyman
were counsellors to Joseph. I ask whare is Joseph
he is gone beyound the vail, and for them to act in
their office as his councillors they must go beyond
the veil whare he is. Their has been much said abou[t]
Presiden Rigdon being president of the Church
leading the People, being the head, &c If the People
want President Rigdon to lead them, they may
have him. But I say unto you that the quorum
of the The Twelve have the keys of the kingdom
of God in all the world, they stand next to Joseph
and are the Presidency of the Church, and hold
the keys and would have to ordain any man unto
that appointment if one that should be chosen ie if one
was to be chosen. You cannot appoint any man at
our head. we should have to ordain him, you cannot
appoint a man at our head, But if you want any
other man to lead you, take him, and we will go
our way to build up the kingdom in all the world.
Perhaps some think that president Rigdon would
not be honord But if he does right he will not act
against our council nor we against his but act together
but I repeat again No man can stand at our head.
The Prophet Joseph has lade the foundation for
a great work, and we will build upon it. Do you
want a Patriarch for the whole Church it would
have been the right of Samuel Smith if he had
lived, but he is dead William is left and John
Smith it is their right. Do you want a trustee

in trust isf so look at a bishop, it is their place
to attend to temporal matters they never yet have
acted in their station. Elder S. Rigdon
claims to be a spokesman to Joseph, vary well he
is but can he now act in that office if he wants
now to be a spokesman to the prophet, he must go
to the other side of the veil for the prophet is there
But Elder Rigdon is here. why will Elder Rigdon
be a fool. Let those who holds the keys of the
Kingdom of God build it up in all the world. If their
is a spokesman if he is a king and priest let him go
and build up a kingdom this is his right, and it is
the right of many here but who is the head?
the Twelve. If one Thousand rise up and say they
have the Prophets Joseph shoes I know they are impost-
ures If you know how the Church is organized I
wish to ask a question. Now If you want Rigdon
Lyman or Law to lead you or any body els, you may
have them, But I tel you in the name of the
Lord, that no man can put another betwen
the Twelve and the Prophet Joseph, why
because Joseph was their file leader and he has
committed into there hands the keys of the
kingdom for all the world. dont put a thread
between the Priesthood and God. I will ask who
has stood next to Joseph and Hiram. I have and
I will stand next to him. we have a head, and
that head is the Twelve and we can now begin to
see the neccessity of the Apostleship I will now
close and give way for my brethren.

Elder A Lyman arose and said, I will say a few
words. I am satisfyed with the open frank manner
that Elder Young has addressed this assembly.
I ownly take exceptions to my name being associated
with W^m Law. Elder Young asks pardon it

is granted. I believe their is no power or, officer
or means wanted to carry on the work but what
is in the Twelve, the right has been presented
by Elder Young and I will back him up. President
Young has stood next to the Prophet Joseph
with the Twelve and I have stood next to them
and I will still stand next to them. We have
a head here what is that head the quorum
of the Twelve we now se[e] the necessity of
the Apostleship. I might rise up as well as any
other man to ask for the head but I could not
do it without endangering my salvation. But
I will stand unto the Twelve the same as I did
to Joseph either on one side or the other
but not before them. President Rigdon
called upon W. W. Phelps to speak in his
behalf as he could not speak.

Phelps arose and said, he believed their
had been enough said to Prepare the minds
of the People to act. I have seen the people
submit with defference to the Authority of the
Church. I have seen the People take their
lives in their hand and gather subjects for the
kingdom of God. I have seen them prepare
for war and ready to pour out their hearts
Blood, and I am happy to see the same
disposition manifest here today as was when
Joseph and Hiram Smith was brought dead
murdered to this city, then you submitted
to the Law and to God and I see the same
thing today you are ready to submit to the
Authority of God the Twelve are chosen
to rise up and bear the Church off triumphant
I ^have^ feelings about this esspecially for president
Rigdon their is a quorum that the 12 belong to
Br Rigdon was brought to the same quorum

and received in part the blessings. Joseph
has gone but he has not left us comfortless, for
he will administer unto us I will bear this testimony
in 2 nights after he was slain he came to me (and
I thought their was a large building stood on
wheels, and he said tell the drivers to drive on I
asked if the building was on wheels yes so
we drove all round the hills and valleys and
finally over the river into Iowa. I told him
Devil Creek was before us I dont care said he for
Devil Creek drive over it and we did so)
their is a combination in Nauvoo to stand for destroy
all that stand for Joseph, but
let us go ahead and build up the Temple and
you will then be endowed. If you want to
do right uphold the Twelve. If they die I am
willing to die with them. But do your duty
and you will be endowed. I will sustain the
Twelve. Joseph and Hiram are removed
whare they can convers with the Gods beyound
the reach of Powder and ball.

P. P. Pratt arose and said if their was wicked
men in this city that was so bad it was because
we supported them. Stop dealing with them
and they will go away will I support them
No. I am willing to do good to all men esspecially to
the household of faith, except mobs and wicked men
will scease when you scease to support them
I would rather die a natural death than to employ
a wicked doctor to kill me

President Young arose and said their is more
business than we can do this afternoon but we
can place ourselves in a situation to continue

the business without calling the whold Church
I dont want you to abide my council alone
but act for yourselves. If you want Sidney Rigdon
to lead you vote for him but if you dont intend
to follow him, and support him as you did Joseph
and I would say the same for the Twelve
dont make a covenant to support them unless
you intend to abide by their council. But we
want to know if this people will support the Priesthood
If wyou build the house you will get the endowm-
ent. If we do our best and cannot build the
house we will go into the wilderness and get
it. will you take our council. The first is
do you want President Rigdon to be the head
or do the Saints want the Twelve to stand as
the head. the first Presidency of the Church
and at the head of this Kingdom in all the
world, stand next to Joseph, walk up into
their calling, hold the Keys of this Kingdom
All that are in favor of this in all the congre-
gation of the Saints manifest it by holding
up the right hand. Their was sea of hands
a universal vote, a contrary vote was called
and not a hand was raised in all the con-
gregation. Let President Rigdon go and raise
up a mighty kingdom. Our feelings are to let
Marsh stand as the President of this stake.
Joseph has loved this People unto death and
Hiram has loved Joseph and this People unto
death. If the The Twelve had been here
I would not have seen him given up, he should
not have been given up. He was in your
midst, But you did not know him he has been
taken away for the People are not worthy
of him. But let not men think that the kingdom
of God, is rent from you it is not, if we were all

dead the High Priest would rise up and with
the keys of the Kingdom build up the kingdom
let men go to a healthy country and get a foot
hold, so as to be sustained in the midst of our
persecution. The Saints will still be tithed
untill the temple is done all that is in favor
of being tithed untill the temple is finished
make it manifest with the usual sign it was
a universal vote. Would it be the feelings
of the people to support the Twelve in all the
world in their missions. Itw was a universal vote
Will the Twelve People let the Twelve regu-
lated the financial concerns of the Church
A universal vote

The Patriarchal Priesthood belongs to the
Smith family, if Samuel had lived it would
have been his right, but as it is will the people
leave the matter the Twelve, it was
A universal vote.

Do you want to sustain President Rigdon to stand
in his place to council with us, and we with him
and the same Br A Lyman A universal vote
Resolved that the Twelve dictate the affairs of
the Temple committies and other affairs

Meeting closed by Prayer by P. P. Pratt