LITMIR.BIZ

      Part I

       Table of Contents

      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, AD, 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

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