| 648 for the truth. I have travelled [traveled] these many years in the midst of poverty and tribulation, and that too with blood in my shoes, month after month to sustain and preach this gospel and build this kingdom; and God forbid that I should turn round and seek to destroy that which I have been laboring to build up.
It is written in the book of Doctrine and Covenants, that the president can be tried before the bishop and twelve high priests, or the high council of the church. There are many present this morning who were present at the organization of the quorum in Kirtland. We have here before us this morning, the high council, and bishop Whitney at their head, and we will try Sidney Rigdon before this council and let them take an action on his case this morning; and then we will present it to the church, and let the church also take an action upon it. I am willing that you should know that my feelings for Sidney Rigdon as a man, as a private citizen, are of the best kind. I have loved that man and always had the very best feelings for him; I have stood in defence [defense] of his life and his house in Kirtland, and have lain on the floor, night after night, and week after week, to defend him. There are those who are following Sidney for whom my heart is grieved, I esteom [esteem] them as good citizens. But when it touches the salvation of the people, I am the man that walks to the line.
I am informed that elder Rigdon is sick; I am also informed that he and his party have had a council this morning, and have concluded not to say anything in their own defence [defense], thinking that would be best for them. I have no idea that elder Rigdon is any more sick than I am: any how, we would have a right to try his case, for he had sufficient notice to prepare himself if he had been disposed. We gave him notice last Tuesday evening, and had it published in the Neighbor, and was he sick he could have sent us to have the case deferred. I heard Elder Rigdon's discourse last Sunday, myself; I heard him pour blessings upon this people in an unbounded degree; I heard him encouraging the building up of this city and the Temple; he said he was one with us, and left his blessing upon the congregation. The congregation says to him: 'go in peace.' I said upon the back of his statements, you see that brother Rigdon is with us. I have not seen that brother Rigdon has been with us since he returned from Pittsburg [Pittsburgh]; I have known that he was not with us in spirit, but I took him at his word. The spirit reveals many things which it would not do to tell the public, until it can be proved. But to come to the point. On Tuesday last, I heard that elder Rigdon had a meeting the night previous, and had ordained men to be prophets, priests and kings. I concluded to go see elder Rigdon, and asked Elder Hyde to go with me. We went into his house, and after the usual compliments, I set [sat] down directly opposite him, and took hold of his hand. I looked him right in the face and asked him if he had a meeting last night, here, in which men were ordained to be prophets, priests and kings? He replied no. We had no meeting here; had we brother Soby?
'Well, did you have a meeting any where, brother Rigdon, in which men were ordained to be prophets, priests and kings?'
'Well, I don't know; did we have a meeting last night, brother Soby? Yes, I believe there was one last night; wasn't there brother Soby, up at your house?'
I saw the disposition of elder Rigdon to conceal the truth and equivocate, and I determined to know the whole secret. I said to him again. 'Elder Rigdon, did you not ordain these men at that meeting last night?'
He replied, 'yes I suppose I did.'
I then asked brother Rigdon, by what authority he ordained prophets, priests and kings?
With a very significant air he replied 'oh, I know about that!'
I will not attempt to describe the feelings I had, nor the look of his countenance, but he equivocated very much. He said there was no meeting here last night, and then finally said, I believe there was a meeting at brother Soby's. I questioned him till he acknowledged that they ordained men to be prophets, priests and kings.
I then asked brother Rigdon; 'do you not think, really, that you hold keys and authority above any man, or set of men in this church, even the Twelve?'
Says he, 'I never taught any such doctrine, did I, brother Soby?'
Says I, 'brother Rigdon, tell me the truth, do you not think so?'
He replied, 'yes I do.'
Says I, 'that tells the whole story. Brother Joseph never undertook such an important business as you are engaged in, without consulting his brethren, and especially the Twelve, if they were present.' I felt delicate in asking elder Rigdon these questions, but I knew it was my duty to find out the secret of the whole matter. To evade answering the questions I put to him, he finally said dont [don't] crowd upon my feelings too much; my feelings are tender, and
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