Sidney Rigdon

“ The truth is that from the expulsion of the saints from Missouri in 1838-9, Sidney Rigdon had been of but little service either to the church or to the prophet as a counselor. He was a man of admitted ability as an orator, but lacked discretion; a man of fervid imagination, but of inferior judgment; ambitious of place and honor, but without that steadiness of purpose and other qualities of soul which in time secure them. In the early years of the church he suffered much for the cause of God, but he also complained much ”

“ Elder Hyrum Smith plead with the church, with great earnestness and sympathy, to try Brother Sidney another year; he alluded to the many trying scenes he had passed through with the church and with his brother Joseph; said he, I know that Brother Sidney has not done as he should, but let us forgive him once more, and try him again. His warm appeal to the church caused many a tear to fall, Elder Rigdon made his confession and plead with the church to sustain him, after which Elder H. Smith called on the church to vote, they lifted their hands to try Elder Rigdon another year. ”

“ Sidney Rigdon, orator of the day, stirred with indignation in contemplating the sufferings the saints had endured, allowed his eloquence to carry him beyond the limits of calm wisdom, and many of the words spoken by him on that occasion, though corrected by the Prophet Joseph, were later made use of by the enemies of The Church, to the injury of the saints.
As an example of Elder Rigdon's unwise and intemperate language on the occasion referred to, I quote the following paragraph from his speech:
Our cheeks have been given to the smiters—our heads to those who have plucked off the hair. ”

“ When Sidney Rigdon, in December, 1830, came to the Prophet to inquire of him, the Lord commended him for his past work in the Disciple's ministry, where he had been teaching repentance and faith and baptism in water for the remission of sins; and, now, the burden of the Lord's word in this man, Sidney Rigdon, was simply that hereafter his mission should be enlarged, and he should not only baptize with water but he should baptize now, also, with water and with fire and with the Holy Ghost. No promise of wealth and position ”

“ If Rigdon's connection with Smith in the preparation of the Bible by the use of the "Spaulding manuscript" can be proved, the fraud itself is established. Considerable of the evidence on this point herein brought together is presented at least in new shape, and an adequate sketch of Sidney Rigdon is given for the first time. The probable service of Joachim's "Everlasting Gospel," as suggesting the story of the revelation of the plates, has been hitherto overlooked. ”

“ Parley P. Pratt had belonged to the same church as Sidney Rigdon, and had been sent by his sect on some business to New York state, and while there he heard, and embraced the gospel, was ordained an Elder and immediately sent on this mission. Having been acquainted with Sidney Rigdon, he called on him, presented the Book of Mormon to him as a revelation from God, and before these brethren moved on to the fulfillment of their mission, Sidney Rigdon, with a large number of the members of his church, was baptized. The success of these brethren was immense. ”

“ As a contrast between the two men, Sidney Rigdon and Joseph Smith, I call attention to the fact that after his appointment to go to Washington to petition the general government for a redress of grievances, in behalf of the Saints, Sidney Rigdon had allowed nearly six months to pass away without doing anything; but the ninth day after Joseph was appointed to this mission he was found leaving Commerce with a two-horse carriage, accompanied by Rigdon, Higbee and Orin P. Rockwell, en route for Washington. The Prophet was always prompt in action. ”

“ Sidney Rigdon, I would say, that his late views, opinions, and course, have been so foreign and diverse from that of the late Prophet, and from the faith of the Saints, that he has had but very little influence, except with a few uneasy spirits who were aspiring after something else than doing the will of God. If we have been rightly informed, even that influence is dying away ”

“ All these subsequent events, of such a glorious character, show how distinctly the Lord's hand was manifest in the mission and labors of Sidney Rigdon before he embraced the Gospel. Such instances serve as pointed lessons to the youth of Israel, teaching us to be broad and generous in viewing the labors of those not of us, so that if the hand of Providence is manifest we shall not be oblivious thereto, nor be found in the ranks of those who have not charity. ”

“ Brother Sidney Rigdon, who was at that time a member of the Church, having just arrived from the West, where he embraced the Gospel through the administration of some of the Elders, was requested to act as scribe in writing the revelation from the mouth of the Prophet Joseph. I will read a portion of this revelation:—"And again I say unto you, Let every man esteem his brother as himself; for what man among you having twelve sons, and is no respecter of them, and they serve him obediently, and he saith unto the one, Be thou clothed in robes and sit thou here ”

“ The movements of Joseph Smith and of Sidney Rigdon are too well known to allow of that association taking place, to say nothing of its being kept secret. The distances separating them during those years are too great to be covered by Sidney Rigdon, even if his falsely alleged occasional absences from Ohio were allowed to stand unchallenged. This matter of distance that separated them, together with the slow modes of travel—by carriage or horse-back—badness of roads, etc., seem not to be taken into account at all in the fabrications of Tucker. ”

“ 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. ”

“ This individual resided in Lorrain co., Ohio, and was very intimate with Sidney Rigdon. Rigdon was professedly a Campbellite Baptist preacher. He resided in the county of Geauga, and but a few miles from Kirtland, which afterwards became the head-quarters of the Mormons. About the time that Pratt visited the prophet, and gave in his adhesion to the Mormons, an expedition was fitted out for the Western Country, under the command of Cowdery, to convert the Lamanites, as the western Indians were called by them. The persons sent on this mission were Cowdery, Pratt, Peterson, and Whitmer. ”

“ Dennison died in the Ohio Penitentiary where he was incarcerated for procuring an abortion, which caused death; Joseph soon after located in Kirtland. In Kirtland there were manifestations of evil spirits in high places, which might have been considered more dangerous than the manifestations in the early establishment of the Church. Sidney Rigdon, on one occasion got up to preach, and commenced by saying that the Church and kingdom was rent from them and given to another people. Joseph was absent, when he came home he found Sidney almost like a mad man. ”

“ 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. ”

“ Let no man be afraid to lay down his life for my sake, for whoso layeth down his life for my sake shall find it again, and whoso is not willing to lay down his life for my sake, is not my disciple. It is my will that my servant Sidney Rigdon shall lift up his voice in the congregations in the Eastern Countries in preparing the Churches to keep the commandments which I have given unto them concerning the restoration and redemption of Zion. ”

“ Sidney Rigdon was born near the present village of Library, Allegheny Co., Pa., Feb. 19, 1793; attended in boyhood an ordinary country school; joined the Baptist Church near his home May 31, 1817; studied divinity with a Baptist preacher named Clark in Beaver County, Pa., in the winter of 1818-19, and was licensed to preach; went to Warren, Ohio, where he was ordained, and in the winter of 1821-22 returned to Pittsburg; became pastor of the First Baptist Church there Jan. 28, 1822, and for doctrinal errors was excluded from the Baptist denomination Oct. ”

“ 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. ”

“ 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. ”

“ Elder Rigdon’s plan is to divide the church, although he claims no jurisdiction.
“This wonderful spirit of revelation has fallen on a great many. Here is a revelation come from Michigan, which points out a Mr. Strang, as the one to take the lead of this people. So brother Sidney is not the only man who proposed to have been appointed to lead this church. The devil seems to have set a good many hooks and baited them very nice, that some may be sure to catch. Here is another revelation come from the wonderful town of Appanooce; but the Twelve are so wicked they cannot get it. ”

“ Elder J. Smith counseled him to go and take his family, and write, and preach, and build up the church in that City. He gave Elder Rigdon the same counsel that he gave the other Elders who went to different parts of the “United States,” at or near the same time. ”

“ And again verily I say unto you , if my servant Sidney will serve me and be counselor unto my servant Joseph, let him arise and come up and stand in the office of his calling and humble himself before me, and if he will offer unto me an acceptable offering and acknowledgements, and remain with my people, behold I the Lord your God will heal him that he shall be headed, and he shall lift up his voice again on the mountains and be a spokesman before my face. ”

“ Yet Elder J. Smith was so sure that Elder Rigdon would again break his promise and go astray, that he went and ordained Elder Amasa Lyman to succeed him. Some of the Elders did not understand how Elder Lyman could be ordained to succeed Elder Rigdon, as the church had voted to try him another year. Elder J. Smith was requested to give an explanation; “Why, (said he) , by the same rule that Sam-uel anointed David to be King over Israel while Saul was yet crowned,” please read the 16th chapter of I. Samuel. ”

“ For the last four or five years we have never heard of Sidney’s getting a revelation, but as soon as brother Joseph is out of the way, he can manufacture one to allure the people and destroy them. Now after he has given his testimony to the world; after finding fault with God because he happened to get into jail in Missouri; and because he was poor: yet this is the man that can get such wonderful revelations. Brother Parley and Brigham suffered in Missouri, but did not find fault with God; they don’t get such wonderful things. Now this is the man who has got the keys of conquest ”

“ In times of peace, it ought to be our aim and our object, to strengthen the bonds of the Union by cultivating peace and good will among ourselves. And in times of war, to meet our foes sword in hand, and defend our rights, at the expense of life. For what is life when freedom has fled? It is a name, a bubble; better far sleep with the dead, than be oppressed among the living. ”

“ Having been rocked in the cradle of liberty, and educated in the school of freedom, all our prejudices and prepossessions are deeply rooted in favor of the superlative excellence of a government, from which all our privileges and enjoyments have flown. We are wedded to it by the strongest ties; bound to it by cords as strong as death. To preserve it, aught to be our aim in all our pursuits, to maintain its constitution unviolable, its institutions uncorrupted, its laws unviolated, and its order underanged. ”

“ He continued: honest men may be deceived for a time, but they will generally see their error and turn about. There are some who are strolling off and wanting to make divisions amongst us. Brother Sidney says, “if we go to opposing him he will tell all of our secrets.” But I would say, oh don’t, Brother Sidney! Don’t tell our secret, oh don’t! But if he tells of our secrets, we will tell of his—tit for tat. He has had long visions in Pittsburg revealing to him wonderful iniquity amongst the saints. Now if he knows of so much iniquity, and has got such wonderful power, why don’t he purge it out? ”