Father came to me and I said, Father, have you come? And he said
"yes." I said tell me where you have been. And he said, "I have
been all around here. I have come to you again to tell you one
thing certain, which I have told you many times before. It is my
prayer and the prayers of our sons that you live to take care of
William and my daughters, and see that they have their rights and
standing where they ought to have it." He turned to go away, and I
said I will go with you. He said you must stay.
The following persons were present at the time this vision was
related:
William Smith,
A. Milliken,
W. I. Salisbury,
David Elliott,
Robt. Campbell,
Elias Smith,
Joseph Cain,
Bro. Stringham,
Chas. Kelly,
Bro. McLery,
Mrs. Taylor,
Mrs. Milliken,
Mrs. Salisbury,
Mrs. McLery,
Mrs. Kelly,
Mrs. Sherman.
On June 30th, 1845, at the request of Sister Lucy Smith, seven of the
Twelve, with Bishops Miller and Whitney and Elder Cahoon, met at her
house to talk over these visions in respect to William. Several
members of her family were present. It was also arranged for William
Smith to be present, but he failed to appear. I copy from Elder
Taylor's journal, under date of June 30th:
The conversation was full and free. President Young stated that
William was aiming at power and authority and priesthood that did
not belong to him; that he would sustain William in his office and
calling, but would not allow him to tread upon his or any other
man's neck; that if the Church wanted to have William Smith, he
would mention it to them, and they should have their choice. This,
however, neither the Church, nor the Twelve would consent to; for
if it had been put to them--I do not suppose that twenty would
have voted for him, out of the many thousands there are in the
Church. Mother Smith said he [William] did not want it; she did
not profess to be a revelator only for herself and family, that
she wanted peace, union and harmony. The Twelve all expressed the
same feeling and manifested the greatest kindness to Mother Smith
as did also the bishops.
Though William did not meet with the Twelve, he addressed a letter to
President Brigham Young which was read at the above meeting. After
complaining about the article on Patriarchs, which had appeared in the
_Times and Seasons_, he concludes thus:
"My proposition is, my share of the kingdom, and if you will
publish in the _Neighbor_ and _Times and Seasons_ the true state
of the case in regard to my office as Patriarch over the whole
Church, this will give me a right to visit all branches of the
Church, and intrude on no man's rights; and further to attend to
all of the ordinances of God, no man being my head, I will
reconcile all difficulties, and Elder Young can stand as the
President of the Church, and by my most hearty wish and consent.
This will settle all difficulties and restore peace and good
order, and farther than this, I cannot say, only that I want all
men to understand that my father's family are of the royal blood,
and promised seed, and no man or set of men can take their crown
or place in time nor eternity. Brother Young, the above is my
proposition and will settle all difficulties at once, and these
are my avowed sentiments and no equivocation.