76 driven out; yet once again I have raised up another like unto Joseph, to lead forth my people; him shall ye hear in all things. I decreed that I would set up an ensign, and raise up a standard. That ensign has been lifted, that standard raised, and now I have called forth my servant William Bickerton to lead forth my people, and they shall go in and out and find pasture, and the world shall know that there is a God in heaven; therefore, touch not mine anointed, saith the Lord; amen."-The Ensign, p. 13.
At a conference held at Greenock, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, July 5-8,1862, the following twelve men were ordained apostles:-
"THOMAS BICKERTON, JOSEPH KNOX,
JAMES BROWN, JOHN NEISH,
JOSEPH ASTIN, ALEXANDER BICKERTON,
JAMES NICHOLS, BENJAMIN MEADOWCROFT,
ARTHUR BICKERTON, WILLIAM CADMAN,
CUMMINGS CHERRY, JOHN DIXON."
-The Ensign, p. 15.
Other ordinations were also performed as follows:--
"Moved by the President, seconded by Counselor Brown, that Elder John Stevenson be called and ordained into the Quorum of the Seventies, and also John Ashton, John Dickerton, William Menzies, James Louttit, John Caldwell, Charles Cowan, John McPherson, James Thompson, Thomas Stevens, and Hugh Scott."-The Ensign, p. 15.
While in conference in January, 1863, a revelation was presented, referred to as follows:-
"Yes, we might fill up pages with an account of the dealings of God towards us as his people; and as he has declared that the world shall know that he has loved us by the power he will make manifest through us, his servants, therefore we hope that all who may read these pages will consider that they are living in the last dispensation, or the dispensation of the fullness of times, when God will gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth, even in him; having made known unto us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself, that while we were assembled in conference again, that his servant William Bickerton shall
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