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Show Page 113 almost at once by way of New York and the rail route west through Schenectady and Buffalo, by steamer to Detroit and Chicago, arrving at last on August 6. The following days were taken up with preparation for a solemn assembly of all the priesthood quorums present at Nauvoo. The apostles visited and ministered to the only one of their number who survived the massacre at Carthage jail; John Taylor had received five bullet wounds. On August 8, the Twelve called the quorums to order around the dais of the great open-air meeting ground near the temple. They found that Joseph's counselor, Sidney Rigdon, who had been "out of harmony" with Joseph for nearly a year, was advancing himself as "guardian" and president of the Church by virtue of his former office. Rigdon spoke to the assembly all morning, but in the afternoon, following a forceful address by Brigham Young, the conference voted to sustain the Twelve as the presiding authorities of the Church. For most Latter-day Saints the question of leadership was resolved, although dissidents continued to arise. Orson now sat in on most decisions directing the Church. The Twelve immediately tried to put the community in order - they rolled off the trusteeship of the Church onto a "presiding bishop" and began to settle financial and missionary affairs as best they could, while still advancing work on the temple. In September, to stem the conflicting claims still put forward by Rigdon, Brigham Young called a general meeting to vote once again - the result was the excommunication of 26 Sidney Rigdon, who returned permanently to Pittsburgh. Orson Pratt became a valuable spokesman for the Twelve, addressing 27 the Rigdon question (Rigdon considered Pratt an"inflammatory" speaker) and the necessity of completing the temple. Brigham Young, through his |
