| 80 had become divided and subdivided into parties and clans, each claiming the true priesthood, the true power and authority to legally administer the ordinances of the house of God.
"But in Kirtland where the character of the church was first changed, where the false name was first given, where the spirit of war was first imbibed by the church, we had risen up, holding no fellowship with any split or division of the parties growing out of or from among those who once held the true priesthood, derived from heaven, by which the Church of Christ was first established; and we by our voluntary act had taken upon us the true name, and were endeavoring to obtain the true Spirit of Christ. We had all been members of the church of Latter Day Saints, or of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. We had all been baptized into some party or other of that work. And during the above mentioned evening the subject of our baptisms was freely talked over. We then argued that our mere vote to call ourselves the Church of Christ did not constitute us such unless we held the true priesthood or ministry of Christ, by which to administer the true ordinances of the house of God, so as to obtain and be actuated by the true spirit of love and peace. Inasmuch as we had been baptized into any other church, we were out of the Church of Christ, we were out of the Church of God; and as there is but one door by which we could enter the true church, and that is baptism and confirmation, consequently we asked ourselves this question, 'Are we in the house or out of doors?' And as honest individuals we were bound to answer, We are not now legal members of the body of Christ, however honest we may have acted in our past experience, because we could not be members of two churches at the same [time] . . .
"The church here had officially acknowledged the Presidency of David Whitmer and had sent to him a letter, mailed the 15th of December, not as some vain persons have supposed to acquaint him with his station and duties, but the object was to advise him of the fact that we had acknowledged him in his standing, and that we by our faith and
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