"The shafts of the enemy are always aimed at the head first.
Brother Joseph said some time before he was murdered, 'If I am
taken away, upon you, the Twelve, will rest the responsibility of
leading this people, and do not be bluffed off by any man."--Times
and Seasons, 5: 650.
"Before I went east on the 4th of April last, we were in council
with Brother Joseph almost every day for weeks, said Brother Joseph
in one of those councils, 'There is something going to happen; I
don't know what it is, but the Lord bids me to hasten and give you
your endowment before the Temple is finished.' He conducted us
through every ordinance of the Holy Priesthood, and when he had
gone through with all the ordinances, he rejoiced very much, and
said, 'Now, if they kill me, you have got all the keys, and all
the ordinances and you can confer them upon others, and the hosts
of Satan will not be able to tear down the kingdom, as fast as you
will be able to build it up;' and now, said he, 'on your shoulders
will the responsibility of leading this people rest, for the Lord
is going to let me rest awhile.'"--Times and Seasons, 5: 651.