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Show THE MORMON CHURCH. 109 1844. At the time of liis death, he was in prison for vio lation of law, when the prison was forced, and the man shot dead on the spot. John Taylor, now one of the Apostles in Salt Lake City, narrowly escaped being killed at the same time. He was a fellow- prisoner of Smith's, and a ball passed through his clothing and lodged in his watch, which he still preserves as a memento of the tragedy. Such acts are always to be deprecated. Mob violence is barbarism, whether in the acts of a Vigilance Committee in California, a massacre in New Orleans, or the attempt of a John Brown to incite insurrection in a peaceable community. Brigham Young, now the Prophet, President, Seer and Rev. elator was received into the church in the second year of its existence, and in 1835 was elected President of the " Twelve Apostles." After the death of Joseph Smith, Sidney Rigdon, one of his councillors, assumed the Presidency ; but before he had ruled a year he was deposed by Brigham. It appears that no " revelation" had been recorded, providing for a succes sor in the event of the death of the Prophet, and Rigdon being next highest in rank, naturally claimed the position. As there was then no one individual to receive a revelation that would satisfy the clashing interest of aspirants, Brig-ham Young proposed to show the will of God concerning the succession by a miraculous demonstration. So on one occasion Brigham went into the pulpit, to preach, as he had often done before, and upon rising before the congregation, he assumed the appearance, manners and tone of voice of Joseph Smith, the martyr, so perfectly as to quite qlectrify the people. Whereupon it was at once conceded that the mantle had fallen upon him, and he was by acclamation declared to be the President of the Church. This made poor Rigdon to be an impostor, and he was cut off and delivered over to the buffetings of Satan. Brigham Young's course met the disapprobation of Emma Smith, who had been the public wife of Joseph. She contended then, as she does now, that her husband had expressly declared, that at his death his mantle would fall upon his oldest son, and he |