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Show Page 112 Utica Canal with his brother William, wrote that he was burdened with speechless awe and solemnity that afternoon, "as if the powers of hell were let loose...the spirit of murder...seems to pervade the whole land." " Wilford Woodruff late wrote that all the Twelve, wherever they were on that day and at that time, were sorrowful and burdened in spirit without knowing why. From New York, Orson went to Boston to help with political meetings to be held under Brigham Young, still unaware of the fate of the Prophet. While at Boston, around July 9, the first reports circulated, but the apostles refused to believe them. Brigham and Orson set out together to visit Lowell and Peterborough, New Hampshire; at the latter place, they met with a Brother Bement and heard the letter read which gave particulars of the murder. Brigham Young wrote: "The first thing which I thought of 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 on our chairs. Bringing my hand down on my knee, I said the keys of the Kingdom are right here with the Church." 24 There was no doubt between these two apostles that the Church would continue with its "keys," and this moment of inspiration led them back to Nauvoo to face the suffering Saints and to reassure them that the leadership was intact. Wilford Woodruff from Boston, advising that the Twelve meet to decide what to do - at the same time, Parley was counseling the members of the Church at Nauvoo to await patiently the return of the Twelve to receive instructions from them. Orson Pratt was now a member of the presiding council of the Church. That the Twelve embodied the "general authority" over the Church seems implicit in these events - but soon, their predominance would be questioned. The two apostles advised the Boston branches to gather immediately at Nauvoo for a grand council of the Church, and Orson left |