[First Presidency & Quorum of Twelve meeting] Brigham Young was once tried to the very utmost by the Prophet, and for a moment his standing in the Church seemed to tremble in the balance. Wm. Smith, one of the first quorum of apostles in this age had been guilty of adultery and many other sins. The Prophet Joseph instructed Brigham (then the Pres. Of the Twelve) to prefer a charge against the sinner, which was done. Before the time set for the trial, however, Emma Smith talked to Joseph and said the charge preferred against William was with a view to injuring the Smith family. After the trial had begun, Joseph entered the room and was given a seat. The testimony of witnesses concerning the culprit's sins was then continued. After a short time Joseph arose filled with wrath and said, "Bro. Brigham, I will not listen to this abuse of my family a minute longer. I will wade in blood up to my knees before I will do it." This was a supreme moment. A rupture between the two greatest men on earth seemed imminent. But Brigham Young was equal to the danger, and he instantly said, "Bro. Joseph, I withdraw the charge." Thus the angry passions were instantly stilled.
John Taylor also was similarly tested by the then Pres. B. Young at the time the St. George temple was dedicated. The United Order was then a favorite theme of Pres. Young, but in his views John Taylor did not fully coincide. Because of this the latter was most terribly scourged by the tongue of Pres. Young in the temple before all the people. Bro. Taylor was then President of the Twelve. It looked for a time as though these two great men would separate in anger, for Pres. Y. had forbidden John to travel through Kanab and Panguitch Stakes and organize them with Bro. L. Snow, as had been intended, and said he had better return home and make wagons until he knew what was right. Bro. Snow saw the danger and knew the disposition of the two men. He therefore visited Pres. Taylor and after considerable argument induced him to go and visit Pres. Young. They were coolly received at the latter's house, but as soon as Pres. Taylor said, "Bro. Brigham, if I have done or said anything wrong I desire to make it right," every feeling of anger vanished and these two men were reconciled. Thus the Lord will try us wherever we seem to be strong and those who today seem to be very prosperous financially may meet constant reverses until they will be forced to acknowledge that in and of themselves they are nothing. Thus it becomes us to be humble in every particular.
... we clothed in our robes and F. D. Richards prayed as we knelt and Pres. Snow at the altar. We then dressed in our usual clothing and prepared to eat the Lord's Supper in the same manner in which the Prophet Joseph said it was eaten by the Savior and His disciples at Jerusalem, and as Joseph and the brethren did occasionally at Nauvoo; we had several loaves of bread and bottles of wine. The former was broken and we ate and drank till we were fully satisfied. ...
John W. Taylor spoke first... In a vision he saw the place where he had been at work cutting logs gradually lit up by a brilliant light which seemed to emanate from the east. This light continued to increase in intensity and with the increase he seemed to be pushed further away from its source. Finally he clasped his arms around the stump of a tree for the purpose of keeping himself in position. He saw the Son of God appear in the brilliancy of the light and then his hold upon the stump began to slip and he knew that should he release his grasp he would be thrust back with such violence that he would be dashed to pieces. As he was holding with grim desperation, he awoke. His father told him that the interpretation of the dream was that the bright light was the truth which would banish all truth haters from before it, and the tree stump to which he was holding was a similar representation to that of the rod of iron in the Book of Mormon. Bros Taylor related several other manifestations of God's goodness to him in answer to his prayers.
...Bro. John W. Young spoke of his family affairs which had not been and were not now agreeable. In fact, his family troubles (doubtless the suing for a divorce of his favorite wife Luella) during the last three months had done more to humble him than anything else in his whole life. ...
[Source: Abraham H. Cannon Journal Excerpts, http://www.amazon.com/Apostles-Record-Journals-Abraham-1889-1896/dp/B000MFD1K4]
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