this terrible tragedy until we received an account of their death some time
afterwards. We were then informed that the Prophets of God were slain.
We returned to Nauvoo. It has been repeated to you here to-night what
was done at that conference in Nauvoo. I do not know whether there is
any one present here to-night but myself who was there at the conference
—there are but few living who were present on that occasion. Brigham
stepped forth as a leader of Israel, as has been said here to-night by
Brother Roberts, and Sidney Rigdon also tried to get the Presidency; but
when his name was put to a vote before the conference of the Latter-day
Saints, and they were asked if they wanted him as their leader, as their
president, as their guardian to lead them, to guide them and direct them
to the celestial kingdom, Brigham said: "All who do, raise your right
hand," and I did not see a hand raised in his favor in that congregation.

He (Brigham) then asked if they wanted the Twelve Apostles to step
forth and magnify their calling and build up the Church and establish the
kingdom of God in all the earth—"All who do, raise your right hand,"
and almost every soul in that congregation voted; and when Brigham
Young arose and commenced speaking, as has been said, if my eyes had
not been so I could see, if I had not seen him with my own eyes, there is
no one that could have convinced me that it was not Joseph Smith speak-
ing. It was as the voice and face of Jeseph Smith; and any one can tes-
tify to this who was acquainted with these two men.

Several men have claimed authority to lead the Church, but the Prophet
Joseph never conferred any such authority upon any man. The keys of
the Presidency after his death were held by the Twelve Apostles, and by
them only, until the Council of the First Presidency was reorganized.

I name these things to show that the Lord has put His mark of approval
upon the acts of the Apostles who followed the Prophet Joseph Smith in
the establishment of this great work upon the earth; and the Priesthood
shall continue here and the work increase until Jesus Christ shall come in
the clouds of heaven.

I wish here to ask a question. How has every man who has gone on his
own authority and left the Church and undertaken to build up the Church,
succeeded? How has he prospered, how has he done? Why, just as they
did who tried to establish "Strangism," and "Rigdonism," and every
other "ism" that has ever arisen. They have gone overboard. The
power and influence of God have not been with them; the Priesthood has
not been with them; the Lord has not called them to do that work; they
tried, and the result has been a failure—a complete failure every time.

On the other hand, how has He prospered and blessed those who have
gone forth to the nations of the earth and declared the Gospel of Christ
to the millions upon millions of their fellow men? Why, He has prospered
and blessed them richly, and opened their way to success. Who are they
who have gone forth to the nations of the earth and who have visited the
islands of the sea, and have accomplished this great work of gathering,
built cities and reclaimed the desert? Not those who tried to lead differ-
ent factions from the Church, not those who were ambitious to lead the
people of God; but it has been the Elders of Israel, those who have re-

this terrible tragedy until we received an account of their death some time afterwards. We were then informed that the Prophets of God were slain. We returned to Nauvoo. It has been repeated to you here to-night what was done at that conference in Nauvoo. I do not know whether there is any one present here to-night but myself who was there at the conference —there are but few living who were present on that occasion. Brigham stepped forth as a leader of Israel, as has been said here to-night by Brother Roberts, and Sidney Rigdon also tried to get the Presidency; but when his name was put to a vote before the conference of the Latter-day Saints, and they were asked if they wanted him as their leader, as their president, as their guardian to lead them, to guide them and direct them to the celestial kingdom, Brigham said: "All who do, raise your right hand," and I did not see a hand raised in his favor in that congregation.

He (Brigham) then asked if they wanted the Twelve Apostles to step forth and magnify their calling and build up the Church and establish the kingdom of God in all the earth—"All who do, raise your right hand," and almost every soul in that congregation voted; and when Brigham Young arose and commenced speaking, as has been said, if my eyes had not been so I could see, if I had not seen him with my own eyes, there is no one that could have convinced me that it was not Joseph Smith speaking. It was as the voice and face of Jeseph Smith; and any one can testify to this who was acquainted with these two men.

Several men have claimed authority to lead the Church, but the Prophet Joseph never conferred any such authority upon any man. The keys of the Presidency after his death were held by the Twelve Apostles, and by them only, until the Council of the First Presidency was reorganized.

I name these things to show that the Lord has put His mark of approval upon the acts of the Apostles who followed the Prophet Joseph Smith in the establishment of this great work upon the earth; and the Priesthood shall continue here and the work increase until Jesus Christ shall come in the clouds of heaven.

I wish here to ask a question. How has every man who has gone on his own authority and left the Church and undertaken to build up the Church, succeeded? How has he prospered, how has he done? Why, just as they did who tried to establish "Strangism," and "Rigdonism," and every other "ism" that has ever arisen. They have gone overboard. The power and influence of God have not been with them; the Priesthood has not been with them; the Lord has not called them to do that work; they tried, and the result has been a failure—a complete failure every time.

On the other hand, how has He prospered and blessed those who have gone forth to the nations of the earth and declared the Gospel of Christ to the millions upon millions of their fellow men? Why, He has prospered and blessed them richly, and opened their way to success. Who are they who have gone forth to the nations of the earth and who have visited the islands of the sea, and have accomplished this great work of gathering, built cities and reclaimed the desert? Not those who tried to lead different factions from the Church, not those who were ambitious to lead the people of God; but it has been the Elders of Israel, those who have re-