| 74 Olive Branch, have dissented from this church and have acted in open and direct violation of the order and faith of the church.
"And whereas, they have been faithfully admonished and labored with, both in private and in public, and still persist in their opposition to the church.
"Resolved, therefore, that their names, which are as follows: Austin Cowles, I. E. Bishop, David Purdun, William Carr, Charles Wood, Lemon Copley, Joseph Robinson, Norman G. Brimhall, Sheldon Hurd, be erased from the general church record.
"Resolved, that we approve of the course adopted and pursued by President Hazen Aldrich, at the General Assembly, which met in the temple at Kirtland, Lake County, Ohio, on the 23d day of June, 1849."-Olive Branch, vol. 2, p. 50.
There were several other claimants for leadership which we but casually mention. Of the most of them we have no publications representing and do not think proper to relate what rumor says regarding their positions, as that is often conflicting and unreliable.
WILLIAM BICKERTON.
William Bickerton for a time had quite a large following, the most of whom settled in Pennsylvania. There is a settlement of them now near Fayetteville, Pennsylvania, under the presidency of William Cadman. Mr. Bickerton's followers also formed a settlement at St. John, Kansas, where some of them now remain.
William Bickerton was not a member of the church during the lifetime of Joseph Smith, but was converted to the faith under Sidney Rigdon, in 1845. From a pamphlet called the Ensign, published by Mr. Bickerton and others at Pittsburg [Pittsburgh], Pennsylvania, in 1863, we glean the following items. He says:-
"I entered the church under Elder Rigdon's organization. I was called by the Holy Spirit to be an elder. I received ordination, and the power of God came down and sealed that office upon me. I went forward preaching to all that would
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