Conference met pursuant to appointment, on Saturday the sixth of April, 1844

Present, President Joseph Smith, Hyrum Smith, Sidney Rigdon and William Marks.

Of the twelve, Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball, Willard Richards, Wilford Woodruff, John Taylor, and George A. Smith.

The members of the High Council, an immense number of elders, and an innumerable concourse of people.

Saturday, April 6, 1844.

Presidents Joseph, and Hyrum Smith came to the stand at 1-4 past 10 o'clock, when the meeting was called to order by elder Brigham Young. The choir sung a hymn, after which President Joseph Smith rose to state to the congregation the nature of the business which would have to come before them. He stated that it had been expected by some that the little petty difficulties which have existed, would be brought up and investigated before this conference, but it will not be the case; these things are of too trivial a nature to occupy the attention of so large a body. I intend to give you some instruction on the principles of eternal truth, but will defer it until others have spoken, in consequence of the weakness of my lungs. The elders will give you instruction, and then, (if necessary) will offer such corrections as may be proper to fill up the interstices. Those who feel desirous of sowing the seeds of discord will be disappointed, on this occasion. It is our purpose to build up, and establish the principles of righteousness, and not to break down and destroy. The great Jehovah has ever been with me, and the wisdom of God will direct me in the seventh hour; I feel in closer communion, and better standing with God than ever I felt before in my life, and I am glad of this opportunity to appear in your midst. I thank God for the glorious day that he has given us. In as large a congregation, it is necessary that the greatest order and decorum be observed; I request this at your hands, and believe that you will all keep good order.

Prayer was offered by W. W. Phelps, after which the choir sung a hymn.

[ Sidney Rigdon's April 6th morning address ]

Elder Sidney Rigdon then rose and said, It is with no ordinary degree of satisfaction, I enjoy this privilege this morning; want of health, and other circumstances have kept me in silence for nearly the last five years. It can hardly be expected, that when the violence of sickness having used its influence, and the seeds of disease have so long preyed upon me, that I can rise before this congregation. I am now come forth from a bed of sickness, and have enough of strength left to appear here for the first time in my true character. I have not come before a conference for the last five years in my true character. I shall consider this important privilege sacred in my family history, during life. I hardly promise myself lungs to make this congregation hear me, I shall do the best I can, and the greatest can do no more. -- The circumstances by which we are now surrounded points out the principles of my discourse -- the history of this church which I have known from its infancy: my text is, "Behold the church of God of the last days." I do not know that I can find it in the bible; I do not think it necessary to have Paul to make a text for me; I can make a text for myself;

I recollect in the year 1830, I met the whole church of Christ in a little old log house about 20 feet square, near Waterloo, N. Y. and we began to talk about the kingdom of God as if we had the world at our command; we talked with great confidence, and talked big things, although we were not many people, we had big feelings; we knew fourteen years ago that the church would become as large as it is to-day; we were as big then as we shall ever be; we began to talk like men in authority and power -- we looked upon the men of the earth as grasshoppers; if we did not see this people, we saw by vision, the church of God a thousand times larger: and when men would come in, they would say we wanted to upset the government, although we were not enough to well man a farm, or meet a woman with a milk pail; all the elders, all the members, met in conference, in a room 20 feet square.

I recollect elder Phelps being put in jail for reading the Book of Mormon. He came to see us, and expressed great astonishment, and left us apparently pondering in his heart; he afterward came to Kirtland, Ohio, and said he was a convert. Many things were taught, believed, and preached, then, which have since come to pass; we knew the whole world would laugh at us, so we concealed ourselves; and there was much excitement about our secret meetings, charging us with designs against the government, and with laying plans to get money, &c. which never existed in the heads of anyone else, and if we had talked in public, we should have been ridiculed more than we were, the world being entirely ignorant of the testimony of the prophets and without knowledge of what God was about to do; treated all we said with pretended contempt, and much ridicule; and had they have heard all we said, it would have made it worse for us; we talked about the people coming as doves to the windows, that all nations should flock unto it; that they should come bending to the standard of Jesus, saying, our fathers have taught falsehood, and things in which there is no profit; and of whole nations being born in one day; we talked such big things that men could not bear them, and they not only ridiculed us for what we did say in public, but threatened and inflicted much personal abuse, and had they heard all we said, their violence would have been insupportable. God had great things to say for the salvation of the world, which, if they had been told to the public, would have brought persecution upon us unto death; so we were obliged to retire to our secret chambers, and commune ourselves with God. [He here referred to the prayer of elder Phelps concerning our having arrived at the age to choose our own guardian.]

If we had told the people what our eyes behold this day, we should not be believed; but the rascals would have shed our blood, if we had only told them what we believed. There we sat in secret and beheld the glorious visions, and powers of the kingdom of heaven, pass and repass; we had not a mighty congregation to shelter us -- if a mob came upon us, we had to run and hide ourselves to save our lives. The time has now come to tell you why we had secret meetings. We were maturing plans fourteen years ago which we can now tell; were we maturing plans to corrupt the world, to destroy the peace of society? Let fourteen years experience of the church tell the story. The church never would have been here, if we had not done as we did in secret. The cry of false prophet and imposter rolled upon us. I do not know that anything has taken place in the history of this church, which we did not then believe; it was written upon our hearts, and never could be taken away; it was indelibly engraved, no power beneath yonder heavens could obliterate it. This was the period when God laid the foundation of the church, and he laid it firmly, truly, and upon eternal truth. If any man says it is not the work of God, I know they lie. -- Some of you who know you have a house, how long would it take to make you reason yourself into a belief that you have no house, where you now reside with your family? Neither have we any power whereby we can ever persuade ourselves, that this is not the church of God. We do not care who sinks or swims, or opposes; but we know here is the church of God, and I have authority before God for saying so. I have the testimony of Jesus which is the spirit of prophesy; I have slept with it, I have walked with it; the idea has never been out of my heart for a moment, and I will reap the glory of it when I leave this world. I defy men and hell, and devils to put it out of my heart: I defy all, and will triumph in spite of them.

I know God, I have gazed upon the glory of God, the throne, visions and glories of God, and the visions of eternity in days gone by. What is a man of God to do, when he sees all the madness, wrath and follies of our persecutors. He will do as God does; he will sit and laugh; one breath from the nostrils of God would blow them out of existence to hell. These were the beginning of good days; shut up in a room, eating nothing but dry johnny cake and buttermilk; every man who had a little farm, or clothes, sold them and distributed what he had among the rest, and did the best they could. I had nothing to eat, nothing to wear, and yet it was the beginning of good days. Some say I want plenty to eat, plenty to drink, plenty to wear and a good house to live in, and say they, then I will believe; but God will not give it, until you have proved yourselves to him. No wonder then that we should be joyful to-day. If the people will do as they are told, I will tell you what to do. Get the visions of heaven, and seek not what you shall eat or what you shall drink, but seek the will of God; get into the presence of God, and then you will have johnny cake and milk and water no more. Would you not be astonished if even now we should tell the glories and the privileges of the saints of God to you, and to the world, we should be ridiculed; and no wonder we shut it up in secret; if we were to tell you when Jehovah looked on, lo it is beauty, it is heaven, it is felicity to look on; I should marvel if it were otherwise; if a man tells you one glory or one message, he is learning another at the same time. Do not be astonished then if we even yet have secret meetings; asking God for things for your benefit. Do not be afraid, go back to the commencement of this church, and see what was concocted then; there was no evil concocted when we first held secret meetings, and it is the same now; has God forgotten to be gracious? To be merciful to mankind? Did he ever concoct anything that was devilish for mankind? He could not do it, I never am afraid of God or man concocting any thing to hurt me, I have faith to detect man, even if he did; I would ask God to detect them, and would hold them fast before he should do it. I am not afraid of men or devils. I have none of those fears, jealousies, dreads, forebodings, surmisings, &c.: I put my trust in God, and whatever God does for me, is only for my salvation. A man is a bad teamster who runs his team in the worst road. [And showed how much like the gospel.] What I have already said, is only to prepare the way. [Here five of the Pottowattomie tribe appeared with their interpreter, and were assisted to the stand by the president.]

I am going to tell of something that surprised me at the beginning of the church; I have handled, and heard, seen and known things which I have not yet told. After the church began to grow, it was favored with monstrous wise men; they had so much wisdom that they could dispute what God said, and what his servant said. They were opposed to virtue; they would say they had revelations and visions, and were as certain that God had given it, as I was that the devil had. He referred to the children of Israel who were sniveling and murmuring about their leeks and onions, &c. &c., and so it is in these last days, some men are always yelling about what the church believes, and opposing every good thing. I want devils to gratify themselves, and if howling, yelling, pelping, will do you any good; do it till you are all damned. If calling us devils, &c., will do you any good, let us have the whole of it, and you can then go on your way to hell without a grunt. We hear these things ever since the church existed, they have come up with us, they have had so much more wisdom, they knew all about the kingdom before God revealed it; and they know all things before they are heard; they understand more than God knows. We gather of all kinds, if we get all nations, we get all wisdom, all cunning, and every thing else. The sectarians cannot be as wise as we are, for they have only got the plans of man for salvation, but we have got man's plans, the devil's plans and the best of all, we have God's plan. I do not know whether there are any of these wise men here this morning; I have merely given this as part of the history of this church.

I am disposed to give some reasons why salvation only belongs to the kingdom of God, and to that alone. I will endeavor to show you why salvation belongs to us more peculiarly, in contradistinction of all other bodies; will this be clear enough? I discover one thing, mankind have labored under one universal mistake about this, viz: Salvation was distinct from government; i. e.; that I can build a church without government, and that thing have power to save me. When God sets up a system of salvation, he sets up a system of government; when I speak of government I mean what I say; I mean a government that shall rule over temporal and spiritual affairs. Every man is a government of himself, and infringe upon no government. A man is not an honorable man if he is not above all law, and above government. I see in our town we have need of government, some study law, only for the purpose of seeing how many feuds, how many broils they can kick up, how much they can disturb the peace of the public, without breaking the law, and then say: "I know my rights and will have them;" "I did not know it was the marshal, or I would not have done it." He is no gentleman, gentlemen would not insult a poor man in the street, but would bow to him, as much as those who appear more respectable. No marshal, or any one else should pull me up; we ought to live a great way within the circle of the laws of the land. I would live far above all law. The law of God is far more righteous than the laws of the land; the laws of God are far above the laws of the land. The kingdom of God does not interfere with the laws of the land, but keeps itself by its own laws.

(To be Continued)

CONFERENCE  MINUTES.
Continuation of last April's Conference.

(Elder Rigdon here stopped to refresh himself. The choir sung a hymn.)

Elder John Taylor being called upon to address the congregation, said, It gives me pleasure to meet and associate with so large an assemblage of the saints....

(view Taylor's text, below)

The choir, by request sung 'the red man,' after prayer by elder J. P. Green, the meeting was adjourned for one hour.

April 6th, 1844, afternoon.

The president arrived at the stand at 1/2 past 2 o'clock, P. M. The choir sung a hymn, after which prayer by elder J. P. Green, when the choir sung another hymn. Elder Rigdon resumed his history of the Church of Christ.

(For the want of room we postpone president Rigdon's remarks for the present.)

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Note: Rigdon's April 6th afternoon address at the 1844 Nauvoo Spring Conference was never published: See below for partial transcripts taken down by Apostle Wilford Woodruff, supplemented with excerpts from Thomas Bullock's notes.

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NOTES  FROM  LDS  APOSTLE WILFORD WOODRUFF'S  DIARY Rigdon's April 6th p.m. talk, according to Wilford Woodruff's original notes (which he subsequently recompiled)

At 2 oclok the conference Assembled & [Sidney Rigdon] resumed his subject.

Said we were discusing in the morning service upon the History of the Church of Jesus Christ. Its a miserable man that could not manufactor his own tex[t]. I have known many a sermon spoiled by a bad tex[t]. The Church of Jesus Christ then -- The H[e]ights of testimony, & amount of evidence that many of those have had that have fallen away has been of such a nature that when they say they dont believe this work to be true they lie. The things that were done in secret in the begining are now seen openly and [there] is nothing secret now but what all will know in time to come.

I am aware [there] is many things I did not hint at, I will speak of them now, I have seen the time when the Presidency of the Church sitting now before me, were locked up with me in secret places waiting upon God. We did not go out at all but to eat &c. But it was soon found out, & a mob came saying God damn you to Hell, & threatend our lives. It was at this time we sat for hours in the Visions of heaven around the throne of God & gazed upon the seenes of Eternity.

(Bullock records: "[We] had been locked up for weeks and had no time only to eat... weeks seeking God with prayer and fasting... bandittis came to the place -- some 20 or 30 men came rushing to the place cursing & blaspheming. This was the reason why we were shut up. They never cease[d] their warfare")

One evening a Mexican called upon us & he went out armed to see a dozen armed men in the corner of the fence. He wanted to shoot them.

(Bullock records: "A gentleman from Mexico having heard rumors of the Mormons came to see us[.] One night he went out of my house and found in the fence one after another a dozen men -- he returned into the house in fury and got his pistols and said he would kill them but they r[a]n away.")

Afterwards the mob came in & broke the door, took me & drag[g]d me out through the streets by my heels with my head pounding over the frozen ground. Another company took president Smith, & tar & featherd him. They tried to turn Aquiphertos down our our throats. This is the reason why we were in secret under lock & key,

(Bullock records: "A mob of 20 or 30 ruffians came damming & roaring against us -- our houses were surrounded ... At last there got some hundreds of them ...they broke into my house[,] drag[ged] me out of my bed -- out of the door my head beating on the floor. [T]hey drag[ge]d me over the wood pile[,] and on they went my head thumping on the frozen ground, after which they threw tar and feathers on me -- and endeavored to throw aqua fortes in my face but I turned my face and it missed me.")
(Alternative reconstruction of Bullard's shorthand, by Mark L. Staker: "I was dragged out of my bed, was put on a large wood pile -- some were putting it on me. My head went thump thump upon the hard frozen ground -- they then threw a quantity of pitch upon me and when they attempted to throw some thing else on me I fell and the next morning when I went to the same place I found it was a quantity of aqua fortis [nitric acid] that they were going to throw on me.")

Now if you will let us work openly we will not work in secret. We will work openly as much as you want. I think I have said enough already to show that the Church has come up through great tribulation. Let this suffice then upon this subject.

Their[e] is men standing in your midst who are not afraid of men or devels & men whos[e] mouths cannol be stop[p]ed unless you take their lives. For they will speak in defence of the innocent of virtue & truth while they live.

Their[e] is men in your midst who have learned their[e] is a great God who can do as he pleases -- take up the Hills as a little thing, & such men do not fear death. They know about Heaven. They have seen it & know all about it.

Their[e] is men in your midst which you must sustain or go to Hell. Save them & you save yourselves. Reject them & you go to Hell. We are 14 years of age now. Ch[o]use your guardeen and when you get to be 21 then do business for youselves. You can save yourselves or Damn yourselves.

You have just men among you & the reason is because God has taught them chose & ordained them & this is the reason why they are so.

You have men in your midst who will not turn to the right hand or left. If you are in their path you must get out. You cannot co[u]rt by favor or we[a]lth or any thing els[e]. They do not ask poleticians, kings or people for favor. They ask God for it alone. If the world make them rich or poor they never ask for it. The man whom God has raised up to lay the foundation of this work is placed in such a situation that he cannot fall and he is so lovely that I cannot get mad at him.

This is an important part in the History of the Church. The cry of some is I shall not get office if these men are not put down. Well God intended to keep them fearing. When God sets up his kingdom He will sustain it above all laws & kingdoms of the world & the world has no power over the kingdom of God. The laws will be so strict that the world will make to try to ketch the saints that it will hang themselves by the wholesale. We want to build up the Laws of God in Hancock Co. I dont care anything about all the laws in the world for I will live above them. God teaches his servants to respects kings Gov[ernorsl Presidents, & men in authority. But I have a right to proclaim myself a king and priest unto the most High God. Yet I will not transgresss your laws. But dont do as they did in Missouri -- kill people because they would not break the law.

I dont want any office in this goverment for I am determined to be a king in the kingdom of God. What be king in heaven and quarrel about the office of constable on earth?

The kingdom of God may rise up in the midst of the kingdoms of the world and live above all laws, and not be a law abiding man, I will live above all law. I will pay my taxes & obey all requirments that the goverment has upon me. The reason we was mob[bed] in Mo was because we would not have any thing to do with the laws. We did not break any. We lived above them so they sent a mob upon us. The kingdom of God to the world would be a light in a dark place. The kingdom of God could be set up in any kingdom or country & not break the law but live above it.

Conference adjourned till tomorrow morning,

At two o'clock, P. M., Patriarch Hyrum Smith arrived at the stand, and said he wanted to speak something about the Temple....

(view Hyrum Smith's text, below)

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Note: Rigdon's April 7th morning address at the 1844 Nauvoo Spring Conference was never published: See below for partial transcripts taken down by Apostle Wilford Woodruff, supplemented with excerpts from Thomas Bullock's notes.

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NOTES  FROM  LDS  APOSTLE WILFORD WOODRUFF'S  DIARY Rigdon's April 7th a. m. talk, according to Woodruff, with supplementary additions by Thomas Bullock

April 7th Sunday -- The sun ple[a]sent air calm & serene & a vast multitude of about twenty thousand souls assembled together. After singing and prayers president Rigdon arose & said:

our borders are enlarged this morning, I shall preach from the same tex[t]we preached from yesterday. The Church of Jesus Christ, the Kingdom of God, the le[a]ven, the little stone spoken of by Daniel &c. The testimony given would let the kingdom of God exist in any goverment Monarchiel or Republican. We intend to show why salvation belongs to this Church ownly.

(Bullock records: "[Elder] Rigdon said on looking over the congregation he observed it to be vastly larger than yesterday... [profound silence therein] all may hear -- Shall not be as explicit as yesterday. Shall pursue the same subject from the same text -- The Church of Christ, the kingdom of heaven of God of [the book of] Daniel ")

The kingdom of God is a goverment that exerciseing its ownly power in ev[e]ry respect it holds a place on the mind, not by force of arms but; by free will because they want to do the will of God & it is accomplished by truth itself that is manifest from Heaven by intelligence that He sees in heaven and it is power in itself. It is on this principle that power rests.

(Bullock records: "Yesterday established [one] fact... the peculiar characteristics which establishes it -- a kingdom -- They would not only be in [danger] but would be [entitled] to the protection of [king] [Intend] to [take a short] view of the reason why salavaton belongs to this k{ingdom} and to this only -- soley to this [rule] of government [and] this [only]. We rest upon the principle that this [kingdom] of heaven is actually a government. It enters into the very feeling[s], disposition and desires of a [sincere breast?] It has its own way of exercising it[s] authority -- and has the most certain way to effect its purposes... is [a voluntary] [one] not by force of arms... [It's] this that gives it power over every other kingdom.")

The Lord begins to teach a man what he can do and if he never would know what he was taught he never would know what he could do.

(Bullock records: "It is in the [exalted] principal of intelligence -- makes men acquainted with themselves -- God, angels -- and every thing in heave] and earth. [Thus... th[e] [kingdom] gains its influence... Salvation what is it -- upon which principle[s] is [man] [saved?] -- He has got the principle in himself -- God begins to teach him what is in him -- In accomplishing this man is much tried. If he never had [any] conflict with Satan... he never would know he had power to fight him. If it was not for these trials men would sit down and let the devil overcome them.")

No people can comprehend it but the Church of God. Then one of the main things in the kingdom of God is to let a man know what to do, what glory kingdom & power he can gain. Man is taught a principle that when it enters the mind it has a power over death, plagues, sickness, the gift of miracles. This is one great evidence of the work the power of God. This then [is] the kingdom of God.

(Bullock records: "He never knows what power he has got till God [teaches?]. No people [know] this power but the people of the [kingdom of God]. No other government has this power -- or teaches this principle.... power of the [Kingdom of Heaven] is to teach man what power, privileges &c they [have] and he gives them victory and eternal life -- [communications?] between the kingdoms -- Another thing has been told to him, that man has a principle in him that rises above all things -- takes power over everything -- heard it said many times -- astonishing that man should say it is impossible to [work] miracles -- [It's] living under the influence of this power that makes us believe it. ")

All religions then that there is in the world that has not these things has a tendency to do hurt instead of doing good for it teaches those things are done away. God has said he would take all the kingdoms of the world out of the way, he would break in peases & subdue & he would teach the kings and all powers the way that they may have a chance.

(Bullock records: "No other kingdom has power to save men Be [they] religious or evil... All religions then that do not put men in possession of this power have a tendency to [blind] man and prevent his [obtaining]... This is the reason that the Lord promise[d] to set up a [Kingdom as] the [Lord] says -- he had promised to restore [it] -- he would do it and remove all false governments -- [atheist] [civil] [religious] [and] [political]. He would call upon the kings, priests, nobles to hear his voice when he would teach men the ways of [light] and truth. No other organization wher[e] power unto salvation ever existed, only in the [Kingdom of God].")

We say then [there] is no power any wh[e]re els[e] unto salvation. Isaiah said the wilderness should blossom as the rose the lame leap, the blind see. We have got this power here yet the world says it is an imposition.

[Bullock records: "Salvation is the complete victory over every thing. The prophet said the vallies [shall] blossom as the rose &c. When he looks at salvation it [seems?] he has got it hear and he can't find it any where else and yet men say he is deceived. The wilderness shall blossom &c because our God shall come as a recompense &c.")

When He comes, He will save you. The lame shall leap, deaf hear blind see. He will come so you need not have sickness or lameness. But man has proclaimed salvation in the earth. When we exercise the keys of the kingdom of God who can oppose it? Not war with the sword but with another power. The world has always been sheding blood, I proclaim peace not war, & this is what he calls the kingdom. Has not the kingdom of God a right to extend in any part of the world to do good. Beat swords into plow shares & spears into pruning hooks, & it shall be a kingdom of glory, peace, & salvation.

(Bullock records: "He will come and save you by placing the K. of H. in your midst. He will come that you may have no more deaf -- [diseased] sick, lame, &c., but that ye may have power to heal them. When we exercise the power of the K. of H. what nation has [any] thing to say against [it]. They shall beat their swords into plowshares. The nations have been at war one with another -- sword has been unsheathed and death scattered over the earth. God proclaims peace, beat their swords &c and learn war no more. This is what God said he would set up in the last days. To cause [man's] [disease] and troubles to cease &c. and bring down upon their heads the [things] heaven has to bestow. [Know] they [------ right] [the--] to set up a [Kingdom] -- Shall be a kingdom of gathering & eternal glory.")

Let no man be alarmed because the Lord said that the kingdom of God should swallow up all other kingdoms. What harm would it do? For all the world would have the same spirit. The Lord said He intended to do by the whole world the same as he has done by us, & this is the thing the world is afraid of. Reflect then. This is as far as I intended to go upon this subject.

(Bullock records: "Let no man be alarmed because God said it should swallow up all [Kingdoms] -- Who would have objections. [-------sying] to the world -- if all the world [were] here and felt the [same] peace... here how many men would [be] killed the next century. The Lord says he intends to serve the whole world as he has served us -- He has given us a pattern -- will [bind] them with the [bonds]... stronger than death. Why is the world afraid of it -- because they do not understand and are not partakers of its blessings ")

A word then upon the Materials to carry on this kingdom. Any man publicans, sinners, scoundrals or any body else could repent & receive the gospel & become a member of the kingdom as well as the good. For when Jesus came He came to call sinners & harlots [came ?] into the kingdom. It dont requir[e] much of an exhertion of the mind.

(Bullock records: "Had a notion to talk a little about the gospel itself. The elementary principle[s] by which God formed materials to build a [Kingdom]... did not require much [wisdom] to comprehend -- and required no more than ordinary [honesty] to obey it. Christ came to save sinners not good folks -- He said [so] for as to get in publicans, sinners, harlots and all kinds -- the thief, liar, scroundral -- he made it large enough for all these")

Much depends however upon the decision of the mind. It depends upon one action or the mind. A man remarked to me he did not belong to a Church, was not worthy. But this is a mistake. Jesus Christ came to save sinners. He saves the unworthy. The Lord will offer a man salvation. He says he is not worth[y]. But what would you want your son to do if he was unworthy? He should return to his father, so with God. He calls to the world to return by Baptism.

(Bullock records: "it does not need a great deal of effort of mind and] gets the decision of man's mind, has more to do with it than men are aware of -- He that believeth &c. What [was] require[d] of the man -- one single act of the mind & one only -- Heard a gentleman say [once] this society [commenced] he was not worthy to belong to any church. The gospel is proclaimed to [meet] this case -- to those who are unworthy -- not to the honest & upright, but to the wicked & unworthy -- When man begins to feel they don't know that God looks upon them as a father looks upon his children. If a father had a profligate son and the father told him to come and he would receive him -- you would say you were not worthy -- What would your heavenly father want you to believe -- which would you want your son to do -- to [receive] just [what] he said -- that he was willing to return to the government of the family.")

He cannot make himself any better but decid[e] with the mind today. Then the Lord begins to teach him the things of God & heaven & I will make you like myself. I will give you my spirit & make you feel like my family, & this is the pivot to [a ?] God. Then decide & go, be baptized. Then you will be in the way of Salvation. If he decide otherwise he will not be any better.

(Bullock records: "God sent out a proclamation in a few words -- He that believeth &c. A man has not got to make himself better as well might the leopard change his skin. All that he can do is to give assent to what God has told him -- [----] must not attempt to pray himself to God lest he pray himself [-------] -- The moment he believes God takes him into his family and deals with him as a son. Hard for men to accept a profligate son but easy for God to do it. The Lord says come my one daughter [aprobated] believe what I tell you -- be baptised -- that I may put you in my family & I will give you my spirit & make you one of my [children] God then begins to teach the whole family. The salvation of every man and woman depends upon one act. If a man decides he will obey the proclamation he decides to be saved but if he decides he is unworthy he decides against himself because he will never be better [than] [when] he made that decision.")

A word upon the spirit. This noble decision of the mind causes angels to rejoice in the Heavens for their[e] is more joy over one sinner that repenteth than over ninety and nine just persons. Ev[e]ry person can do this & no man can do a better work. Let no man say they are unworthy.

(Bullock records: "The Lord says when a man decides to obey God the angels in heaven rejoice -- did you ever think of it. that one decision would make the heavens rejoice -- it is so -- All men possess power in themselves to begin the commencement of their career for eternal glory. You have power in yourselves to make the angels glad when you say you will obey God. The Lord makes no difference between old men and young sinners. The Lord can wash thy soul whiter than thy silver locks. Would [like] men feel it for a moment. He never ever did a greater thing until he did this. This made the heavens rejoice -- It is in the power of all to do it however wicked or corrupt. Let us never as excuse say I am unworthy...")

I wish all the teachers of the day could hear me. I was a Baptist & preached their doctrin[e] & was hampered, & hampered others in my teachings and all the teachers of the day do the same. They may be honest but they teach fals[e] doctrin[es]. They call people to the anxious bench & keep them down untill they will say they are willing to be damned. But I never was willing to be damned.

(Bullock records: "I was once a sectarian preacher a regular baptist & know all [about ?] while I [taught ?] that religion I had an embarassment all the while and never could get it [off ?]. I called upon men to repent & then told them they must get [the] spirit of God & they would go away discouraged. I know the sectarians baptists do not understand. The same difficulty among the Methodists -- Call to [souls] to [gain?] [something] [further] [--------] which God never promise[d]. They [fa---] a [big] pretentious conversion to get clear of the reproach of the world & revel in hypocrisy till they go down to hell -- They [have] [later] got to [---------] because a [lie ?] [decided] by [the] [world] -- Satan has blinded the minds of [the] [world] -- [he hates them] [they must] do something [soon]. He has seen them go down, down, and he has heard them say they were [willing] God should damn them [unreasonable] doctrine What would God have [said] to the little child [dost] [thou] believe Jesus can save you -- go [and] wash away your [sins]. Call upon God to break down the obsticles and let the [men ?] go free and come to the knowledge of salvation. [trust?] every body to see their privilege. All you my friends if you are not saved God will not be to blame. Do you believe that Jesus Christ will [save] you -- He [will] do it if you will obey him.... God will teach man he is a king -- he has power -- ")

The doctrin[e] Peter taught was different from sectarianisms. His doctrin[e] was repent & be baptized & you shall receive the Holy ghost. Take a view of this subject. Look at the spirit of promise. View the congregation on that day. They were stranger[s,] not having a knowledge of salvation. They were strangers to the power of God & did not know that Jesus Christ was crusified &[c] All they knew about it was what Peter told them on the day of Pentecost, (14th vrs of 2 ch. of Acts). The ownly knowledge they had about the Holy Spirit was what Peter taught them by quoting the prophet Joel (37 ver).

(Bullock records: "Will talk a little about the spirit of God. [Heard] a great deal [and] [was] surprised that there should be a [deal] [said] -- [Want] to talk about [as it] was first proclaimed. His promise was repent & be baptised and ]read] [Acts] [&c] In relation to [one point] -- to the [----] of p[----------] -- [there] [S.] [made] for [the people of the [L.] Must give a view of the congregation assembled at that day -- they [were] [entire] strangers & ignorant of the plan of salvation. They did not know [that] faith had anything to do with salvation. Did not know that the Jews had crucified the son of God -- [thought] it was [the] result of drunkeness. That is the kind of congregation. They were dependent upon what Peter said [for?] every thing.")

Now mark this, Peter had defined the spirit of God of the fruits of it be Prophecy, dreams, visions, revelations, &c. Yes this is the spirit of God the spirit of Prophecy, dreams, visions, heal the sick, & all the great things, & I will in the last days pour out my spirit upon all flesh. This is the definition of the Spirit. All were called to be baptized without any exceptions, villians harlots, scoundral[s] and all.

A question. How long would it take the sectarian religion before they would prophecy & have the gifts of the spirit[s] of God? It would take seven eternities to do it for it is on a different scheme. I will come to an anxious bench and get as good a convertion as can be got at an anxious bench. Will I be converted to God? No I will be converted to an anxious bench.

If I had been converted to God I shou;d have been prophesying according to the words of Joel. For he said the spirit of God should be poured out upon all flesh & I believe I am flesh & I believe you are flesh & I believe we are in the last days.

I will now sum up the testimony. What is a man to preach when they go out? Tell the people to repent quit their iniquity be baptized & you shall receive the Holy ghost, dream dreams, see visions, & prophecy & if they don't tell them this they preach another gospel.

[Note: This is end of the third segment of Rigdon's 3-part conference talk, which he finished up in his April 7th a. m. address. (Photocopies of Woodruff's journal pages and Bullock's notes, from University of Utah's Marriott Library, Special Collections: Manuscripts -- ACC 900, bx. 77)].

(To be continued.)

CONFERENCE  MINUTES.
Continuation of last April's Conference.

The president having arrived; the choir sang a hymn. Elder A. Lyman offered prayer.

The president then arose and called the attention of the congregation upon the subjects which were contemplated in the fore part of the conference. As the wind blows very hard, it will be hardly possible for me to make you all hear unless there is profound attention. It is of the greatest importance, and the most solemn of any that can occupy our attention, and that is, the subject of the dead; on the decease of our brother Follett, who was crushed to death ...

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T&S report of conference minutes continues with King Follett sermon by Joseph Smith on Sunday Apr 7th, 3 PM. This ends the conference excerpts from T&S. A few short T&S excerpts on Rigdon's 1844 Church trial follow:

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Times & Seasons Vol. V, p. 647: "Trial of Elder Rigdon"...

660: ... Sidney's first revelation in Kirtland was telling the people that the kingdom was rent from them, and they might as well all go home for they were rejected. The saints felt very bad and were almost distracted. When brother Joseph came home (who was absent at the time) he called Sidney into council and there told him he had lied in the name of the Lord... The object of Sidney's revelation was to divide the church and scatter it... When he was making his flowery sermon and endeavoring to captivate the people by his eloquence, they looked, and when he had got through, behold they had seen nothing... In our council in the Seventies' Hall, he said that his vision was a continuation of the vision recorded in the book of Doctrine and Covenants. There was however this difference, the one in the Doctrine and Covenants was an open vision, but the vision he received in Pittsburgh: was a mental vision, a vision presented to the mind...

661-662: ... President Rigdon, a man who ought to know better -- who does know better -- has been ordaining men to office that he does not hold himself; and yet he has come to us with a revelation to lead this church... his mind is enveloped in darkness... he is ignorant and blinded by the devil... We have tried him who said he was a prophet, and sent of God with revelations to this church, and found him to be a liar...

663-664: I think enough has been said to make the matter plain... He [Rigdon] has come and lied in the name of the Lord... the devil has blinded his eyes...

667: As to Elder Rigdon's revelations, they are from the same source as Oliver Olney's, Gladden Bishop's, Mr. Strang's, &c. They are from the Devil...

686: ... I never had any confidence in Brother Sidney as a revelator, and why? because I have so repeatedly heard Brother Joseph rebuke him for speaking in the name of the Lord, what was not so... I believe he is an evil designing man. He is dishonest, and he has lied to carry out his theory. He preached one thing one day and the contrary another...

I am aware there are many things I did not hint at [this morning]. I will speak of them now. -- I have seen the time [at Hiram, in 1831] when the Presidency of the Church were locked up for weeks in secret places waiting upon God. We [had no free time and] did not go out [of a room in the Johnson house] at all, [except] to eat [and sleep].

But [our scripture translation work] was soon found out, and a bandit mob of 20 or 30 men came rushing to the place, cursing and blaspheming and saying "God damn you to hell," and threatening our lives.

This was the reason why we were shut up [in the Johnson house]. [But the mobbers] never ceased their warfare against us. It was at this time we sat for hours in the Visions of heaven, around the throne of God, and gazed upon the scenes of Eternity.

A gentleman from Mexico having heard rumors of the Mormons came to see us. One evening he called upon us [at the Johnson farm], and that night he went out of my house and found by the fence [on one edge of the property], one after another, a dozen armed men. The man from Mexico returned into the house in fury and got his pistols and said he would kill [the intruders, who then were] in the corner of the fence.

He wanted to shoot them, but they ran away. [Not long after this] another mob came [at night to my cabin] and broke the door. [These intruders] took me and dragged me by my heels, out of my bed, over a wood-pile and through the street, with my head thumping on the frozen ground, after which they threw tar and feathers on me.

[At about the same time]. another company [of the intruders] took Joseph Smith, and tarred and featherd him. They endeavored to throw aqua fortes in my face but I turned my face and it missed me. They tried to [pour] this aqua fortes down [both] our throats, [but did not succeed]. This is the reason why we were in secret, under lock and key.