COLLECTION OF FACTS, &c. PART I
ELDER SIDNEY RIGDON IN OHIO.”Imagination is a mental power of extensive influence. if it be allowed to wander at discretion, through scenes of imagined wealth, ambition, frivolity or pleasure, it tends to withdraw the mind from the important pursuits of life, to weaken the habit of attention, and to impair the judgment.”
In order to show Elder Sidney Rigdon’s connexion with the “Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,” it will be necessary to give a short sketch of the rise of said church, which was organized in the town of Manchester, Ontario county, State of New York, on the 6th day of April, A. D., 1830, by Elder Joseph Smith, (late Martyr of Jesus Christ, in the Republic of North America, under the protection of His Excellency Thomas Ford, Governor of the State of Illinois.) After he had obtained and translated the ancient American Records, (commonly called the Book of Mormon,) and had received authority from the Legates of Heaven, delegated and sent unto him by the Lord to ordain him to the Holy Priesthood, giving him min win the right to ordain others, that the Gospel might be preached in all world for a witness unto all nations—Elder Smith ordained, among others, Oliver Cowdery, Peter Whitmer, and Parley P Pratt, who were appointed on a mission to the Western Country. Soon after they arrived in the State of Ohio, as Elder Pratt had been previously acquainted with Elder Rigdon, he proposed calling to see him, to “teach him the way of the Lord more perfectly,” as Elder R. was at the time a Campbellite, or reformed Baptist. They called accordingly, Elder Pratt presented to him “The Book of Mormon,” which at first he was not disposed to read, but they reasoned with him until he consented to read it. It was however, after much prayer and reading that he became convinced of its truth. He made known his conviction to his friends and neighbours, which caused considerable excitement among them. He received baptism, confirmation and ordination under the hands of Elder O. Cowdery, assisted by Elders Pratt and Whitmer. In December following, Elder Rigdon paid Elder J. Smith a visit in the state of New York where they met for the first time. Early in the spring of 1831, Elder Smith moved to the state of Ohio, where he became more familiarly acquainted with Elder Rigdon, who was truly a man of talents, possessing a gift for speaking seldom surpassed by men of this age. But unfortunately, there was in Elder Rigdon’s composition, some peculiar characteristics which have marked his career on the stage of action, from the days of his youth until the present time. Mr. A Campbell alludes to one of the distinguishing traits of Elder Rigdon’s character. He calls it a yawning disposition after imaginary things, he said “that he had discovered this disposition in Rigdon, some time previous to his joining the Mormons.” The above characteristic, combined with great ambition, and over anxiety to be leader, has had a tendency to lead Elder Rigdon into many serious difficulties, causing himself, as well as others, much trouble. One of the first dilemmas into which he plunged himself, and others, (for or a time,) was caused by a peculiar revelation, which he professed to have received from the Lord, not many months after he united with the saints, in Kirtland, Ohio. In the absence of Elder J. Smith, the saints did not act to please him, therefore he proclaimed his revelation, which was, that the Kingdom was rent from them, because of their transgression. His revelation, though short, was truly alarming to the Saints, and threw them into a state of indescribable confusion; when they sought for an explanation he told them they might all go home, for the Kingdom was surely rent from them. Before the excitement and confusion had subsided, Elder J. Smith arrived, he called the Saints together, and soon convinced them of the incorrectness of Elder Rigdon’s revelation, (said he,) fear not, little flock, it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the Kingdom.
Elder Smith’s presence and words calmed the stormy feelings of the Saints, and caused joy to spring up in their hearts, but Elder Rigdon felt bad, he had spoken falsely, in the name of the Lord. Elder Smith advised him to give up license, for said he, the Lord will leave you, for your transgressions in the hands of Satan, who will handle you as one man an handles another, he gave up his license, and according to his own confession, he suffered as predicted by Elder Smith, after which he was again restored to the fellowship of the Church.
In the year of our Lord 1831, Elder Rigdon in company with others fulfilled a Revelation, given through Elder Joseph Smith, by going to Upper Missouri to consecrate a place for the gathering of the Saints in the last days, and for the building of a Temple to the Lord. Elder R. was chosen to write a description of the country which was to be sent to the saints in the eastern States. Having a fruitful imagination he became very extravagant in his description of the upper country. He expatiated on the beauties of Jackson county in such a profuse manner, that fears were entertained by the brethren that it would cause the saints from the east to apostatize as soon as they should arrive, not finding things as set forth by Elder R. Elder Smith laid the subject before the Lord, and obtained the following concerning R.’s writing. Book of Doctrine and Covenants, sec. 20, p. 14th, 2nd. Ed.
”And now behold verily I say unto you, I the Lord am not pleased with my servant Sidney Rigdon, he exalted himself in his heart and received not counsel, but grieved the Spirit, wherefore his writing is not acceptable unto the Lord and he shall make another, and if the Lord receive it not behold he standeth no longer in the office which I have appointed him.”
In compliance with the foregoing revelation he made another writing which was received.
The facts as stated had the effect of humbling Elder R., yet he was prone to follow his flights of imagination whenever the sun of prosperity would shine upon his pathway. At times Elder Smith would gently pluck a quill or two from his broad spread pinions, and lower him to his proper sphere of action, throwing the mantle of charily over all his imperfections; Elder R. would not only soar as it were to the highest Heaven in raptures of delight, but when dark clouds overspread his horizon he would also sink into the lowest state of despondency. These conflicting characteristics so often at war with each other caused Elder Smith some uneasiness of mind, not knowing how matters would terminate with Elder R., he therefore inquired of the Lord, Nov. 10th, 1833, and received among other things the following relative to Elder R.
”And again blessed be brother Sidney also, notwithstanding he shall be high and lifted up, yet he shall bow down under the yoke like unto an ass that croucheth beneath his burden, that learneth his master’s by the strokes of the rod. Thus saith the Lord. Yet the Lord will have mercy on him and he shall bring forth much fruit even as the vine of the choice grape, when her clusters are ripe before the time of the gleaning of the vintage, and the Lord shall make his heart merry as with sweet wine because of him who putteth forth his hand and lifteth him up out of deep mire and pointeth him out the way, and guideth his feet when he stumbles and hum-
bleth him in his pride. Blessed are his generations nevertheless, one shall hunt after them as a man hunteth after an ass that hath strayed in the wilderness, and straightway findeth him and bringeth him unto the fold, thus shall the Lord watch over his generation that they may be saved; even so Amen (Times and Seasons, page 662.)
From the above Revelation we may learn the two grand governing characteristics of Elder R., neither of which could possibly make him a competent leader of the Church of Christ, or of his own household. It will be seen that they as well as himself would wander far away from the fold, and if saved would have to be brought back by a close search for them in the wilderness. He was to learn his master’s will by the strokes of the rod, be humbled in his pride, and lifted by a friendly hand out of deep mire. His way was to be pointed out and his feet guided in the right path, he has been very fruitful, according to the Revelation. As one part has been fulfilled we may reasonably infer that the other will also be fulfilled.
Elder Smith, having learned from the Lord the destiny of Elder Rigdon, watched over him as a mother watches over the steps of her inexperienced offspring. In the mean time a dark cloud arose from the west, threatening destruction to the whole Church. The Saints in Jackson county, Mo., were bleeding at every pore, their houses were burned, their goods confiscated, and they compelled to leave the county amidst showers of rain and snow, in the cold month of November, 1833.
At the same time the saints in Kirtland, Ohio, were actively engaged in building a Temple to the Lord. The branches of the Church in the east were doing all they could to assist them to build and prepare for the day of Pentecost. The news from the west caused sorrow and lamentation, it was a day never to be forgotten. In the spring following, Elders Joseph and Hyrum Smith, in company with two hundred male members of the Church, went up to Missouri, for the purpose of rendering all the assistance they could to the afflicted saints. The dark clouds seemed to break away, the spirit of mobocracy was checked for a short time, and the beams of light once more dawned on the afflicted. After they had done all in their power to do at that time, Elders J. and H. Smith and many others, returned to Kirtland, Ohio. The same fall and winter a large school convened for instruction, composed of Elders, and members of the Church. Elders Smith, Rigdon, and others, acted as teachers. In the course of the winter the Quorum of the Twelve was chosen and ordained, also one Quorum of the Seventies. The next spring many of the Elders went forth to preach the word,
To prove themselves worthy of the blessings expected at the day of Pentecost. In the sprint of 1836, the lower room of the Temple being finished, some three hundred or over of the official members of the Church, assembled for the purpose of attending to the ordinances of washing and anointing, and the sacraments, that they might be sanctified before the Lord, and prepared for the reception of the Holy Spirit from on High. Prayer and fasting were attended to, the ordinations and anointings were sealed with great solemnity. The Holy Spirit descended in power as in bye-gone days, when it rested on the disciples at Jerusalem, some spoke with tongues and others prophesied—the visions of Heaven were also opened to some, intelligence burst upon their understanding, enabling them to comprehend things past, present and future. Prosperity again shone on the Church, but not without its usual effect upon Elder R. In the summer and autumn of the same year, his imagination, which had been checked by the before named circumstances of the Church in the East and West, seemed only to have slumbered to increase in strength, it awoke with renewed vigour, reigning predominant over all his other faculties,—carrying him into the unbounded field of conjecture, where he seemed to wander unchecked by reason and unbridled by desire. He commenced lecturing the saints on the subject of getting rich. His flights were so rapid that Elder Smith was unable to keep him within the bounds of reason, many others, also, protested against his course, Elder R. in order to convince the multitude that he was right, expatiated in the most extravagant manner on the following texts of Scripture, applying them to the saints.
”Though shalt lay up gold as dust, and the gold of Ophir as the stones fo the brooks. Yea, the Almighty shall be thy defence and thou shalt have plenty of silver,” Job, 22nd chapter, 22, 25 v. “That our sons may be as plants grown up in their youth, that our daughters may be as corner stones, polished after the similitude of a Palace. That our garners may be full affording all manner of store, that our sheep may bring forth thousands and tens of thousands in our streets,” Psalm, cxliv. “The glory of Lebanon shall come unto thee, the fir tree, the pine tree, and the box together, to beautify the place of my sanctuary and I will make the place of my feet glorious. The sons of them that afflicted thee shall come bending unto thee, and all they that despised thee shall bow themselves down at the soles of thy feet, and they shall call thee the City of the Lord. The Zion of the Holy One of Israel. Whereas thou hast been hated and forsaken so that no man went through thee, I will make thee an eternal excellency, a joy of many generations. Thou shalt also suck the milk of the Gentiles, and shalt suck the breasts of Kings, and thou shalt know that I the Lord am thy Saviour, and thy Redeemer, the Mighty one of Jacob. For brass I will bring gold and for iron I will bring silver, and for wood brass and for stones iron, I will also make thy officers peace, and thine exactors, righteousness.” (Isaiah, 60th chapter from 13th to 17th v.) “But ye shall be named the Priests of the Lord, men shall call you the ministers of our God, ye shall eat the riches of the Gentiles and in their glory shall ye boast yourselves,” Isa. 61c, 6v. “Then Peter began to say unto him, lo we have left all and have followed thee. And Jesus answered and said verily I say unto you. There is no man that has left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake and the Gospels, but he shall receive a hundred fold, now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecution, and in the world to come eternal life.” (Mark, 10. c., 28, 29, 30 v.) “But seek ye first, the Kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.” Matthew, 6th, 33 v.)
His lectures, directed to the passions of the people, caused many in indigent circumstances to imagine themselves rich. His analogies, resemblances, illustrations, paintings, and figures, were superlatively brilliant, and captivating in the extreme, but alas! When a few months had passed away, the found that their riches were like Jonah’s gourd, they had sprung up in a night, and perished in a day.