[Upon the Twelve returning to Nauvoo after Joseph Smith's death]
4 P.M. Meeting of the Twelve apostles, High Council, & High Priests /at the/ Seventies Hall Prest. William Marks Prayed. Prest. B. Young called upon Prest. Rigdon to make a statement to the church concerning his message to the Saints, and the /vision &/ revelation he had received, inasmuch as the leading authorities of Prest Rigdon stated that [said] 'The object of this mission was [is] to visit the Saints, and offer Myself to them as a Guardian: I had a vision at Pittsburgh June 27, this was presented to my mind not as an open vision, but rather a continuation of the vision mentioned in the Book of Doc. & Cov., it was shewn to me that this church mus be built up to Joseph, and that all the blessings we recieve must come through him. I have been ordained a spokesman to Joseph, and I must come to Nauvoo and see that the church was governed in a proper manner. Joseph sustains the same relationship to this church as he ever has always done, no man can be the successor of Joseph. The kingdom is to be built up to Jesus Christ through Joseph, there must be Revelation still. The matryred Prophet is still the head of this church, every Quorum should stand as you have stood in your washings and consecrations. I have been consecrated a spokesman to Joseph and I was commanded to speak for him'the church is not disorganized, tho' our head is gone....
Prest. B. Young followed with a few said H I do not care who leads the Church, even tho it were Ann Lee but one thing I must know, and that is what God says about it. I have the keys and the means of obtaining the mind of God on the subject. I know there are those in our midst who seek the lives of the Twelve, as they did the lives of Joseph and Hyrum. We shall ordain others a nd give the fulness of the Priesthood so that if we are killed the fulness of the Priesthood may remain. Joseph conferred upon our heads all the keys and powers belonging to the Apostleship, which he himself held before he was taken away, and no man or set of men can get between Joseph and the Twelve in this world or the world to come. How often has Joseph said to the Twelve, Ihave laid the foundation; and you must build thereon, for upon your shoulders the kingdom rests. The Twelve as a Quorum will not be permitted to tarry here long, they will go away abroad and bear off the kingdom to the nations of the earth, and baptize the people faster than mobs can kill them off..
[Minutes, as quoted in Minutes of the Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1910-1951, Privately Published, Salt Lake City, Utah 2010]
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