I am in continual remembrance of your past works in the upbuilding of the Kingdom of God and of the evils done at the hands of ungodly men, and I would have you remain no longer ignorant of the refuge that God has appointed you, and follow not after any who usurp the authority of God in the Holy City.

Be not unmindful of the flock who know not the true Shepherd, but are following hirelings, among whom are grievous wolves , and they bleat like sheep by day and devour by night. God be praised that some of you have escaped them . I would that none of you go astray but that you all unitedly might follow after the true Shepherd ; lest coming short after escaping the first perils you enter not into your rest.

I beseech you, brethren , that you be not unmindful of the words of the Lord by the mouth of the prophet Joseph; that you be not deceived ; that you receive not the teachings of any that come before you as revelations and commandments, except they come in at the gate and be ordained according to the command of God. (D. & C., sec. xiv , p. 2. )

I wist ye are not ignorant of the office and place of the prophet Joseph, that he was an Elder and an Apostle (D. & C. , ec. xlvi, p . 1) , Prophet, Seer, Revelator, and Translator, called to go before the church as Moses went before Israel . (D.& C. , sec. iii , p. 42.)

Suffer me in all patience to remind you of the law of the Lord which he revealed unto us aforetime that the place of the prophet Joseph should be filled by another (D. & C. , sec. xiv, p. 1, 2 ; sec . xi , p. 4, last clause ; sec . li , p . 2, last clause ; sec. lxxxv, p. 2 ) ; that the appointment of his successor is by revelation from God (D. & C. , sec. v, p . 6 ; sec. xi, p. 4 ) ; and that through Joseph only could that appointment be made (D. & C. , sec . xiv , p. 2 ; sec. xxxv, p . 2 ).

For it is said in one place that if his gift be taken from him he shall not have power except to appoint another in his stead; and in another place it is said, If he abide not in me another will I plant in his stead. And at the organization of the High Council of the church it was written that the President of the church, who is also President of the council, is appointed by revelation. Finally it is said , I have given unto him the keys of the mysteries and revelations which are sealed until I appoint unto them (the church) another in his stead.

By these testimonies and by many more it doth clearly appear that it was the duty of the prophet Joseph before his martyrdom to appoint another to fill his place when he should be removed. If he has not done so then have we no evidence that he was a prophet for what he hath spoken hath not come to pass.

The only rational conclusion which any man can arrive at in view of these testimonies is that in the order of this church the Presidency, with its several gifts, officers, and duties, is perpetual. God having thus organized the church, and the power of the devil having accomplished the martyrdom of two of the chief officers, will any saint teach that satan has changed the order of the church and abolished those officers which God instituted, and by the martyrdom of prophets established a new and better order? I trust not.

I am well aware that Sidney Rigdon claimed his place above the Twelve, and that he sought to do some acts by virtue of his office as one of the First Presidency which were generally very much disapproved of, but though he had a perfect right to officiate in his place he had no right to place himself at the head of the church.

His office as an associate or member of the First Presidency does not constitute him a regular successor to Joseph Smith, the claim in his favor to succeed as the highest surviving officer of the church, not being a claim of an appointment of God by revelation through Joseph Smith to fill his place, which is the only form of appointment known to the law of God.

I am aware, also, that the Twelve claim in their first Apostolic letter after the death of Joseph (Letter of Brigham Young, Aug. 15, 1844, in the Times and Seasons of that date ) to preside over and dictate all the affairs of the church in all the world. And they emphatically charge us, Let no man presume for a moment that his place (Joseph's) will be filled by another. Thus they assumed to abolish the First Presidency of the church and usurp its duties with themselves.

This claim, however , is not only utterly unsupported by any one testimony, but is in many points directly contrary to the word of God. The Twelve are a traveling, and not a local or general , high council, and though they are required to build up the church, and regulate all the affairs thereof in all nations , they are to do so expressly under the direction of the Presidency of the church , agreeable to the institution of Heaven . (D. & C. , sec. iii , p . 12. ) They hold the keys of the opening of the gospel to the nations (D. & C. , sec. iii , p . 13), but the keys of mysteries and revelations belong to Joseph as First President, Prophet , Seer, and so forth, and to his successors regularly appointed by revelation through him. (D. & C., sec. v, p. 10 ; sec. xi , p. 4 ; sec. xiv, p . 1 , 2.) The keys of the kingdom belong to Joseph for time and eternity, but still with a regular succession as to the oracles or gift of receiving revelation for the church. (D. & C. , sec . lxxxv, p. 2.) The Melchisedec priesthood , by its presidency, holds the keys of ordinances and spiritual blessings. (D. & C. , sec. iii, p. 9, 31. ) And in all these things the Twelve are without power, their duties being to open the preaching of the gospel.

Moreover, it cannot be that the Twelve should dictate all the affairs of the church in all the world, because they not only are under the direction of the First Presidency, but the high council is above them, and they are amenable to it. "The most important business of the church, and the most difficult cases of the church, in as much as there is not satisfaction upon the decision of the Bishop or Judges, it shall be handed over and carried up to the council of the church before the Presidency of the high priesthood; and the Presidency of the council of the high priesthood shall have power to call other high priests, even twelve, to assist as counselors ; and thus the presidency of the high priesthood shall have power to decide upon testimony according to the laws of the church. And after this decision it shall be had in remembrance no more before the Lord, for this is the highest council of the church of God, and a final decision upon spiritual matters. There is not any person belonging to the church who is exempt from this council of the church. (D. & C. sec. iii, p. 35, 36; also sec. v, p. 13.)

Upon what pretense is this claim of the Twelve founded? Upon the trial of Sidney Rigdon, they took pains to state it as strongly as possible, and they make out no more than this, that when Joseph Smith was candidate for President of the United States, and knew by the Spirit that some great thing was to happen, but did not know what it was, he gave them an endowment of ordinances (not the oracles,) and told the that on their shoulders would rest the responsibility. (See trials of S. Rigdon, Times and Seasons, Sept. 15, 1844, page 611, remarks of Orson Hyde.) These ordinances are intended for the whole church-men, women, and children. Will they all have power to dictate all the affairs of the church in all the world then? If not, how do these ordinances give the Apostles that power now? If these ordinances gave certain power to some men, why not to others?

All the Twelve were not present and did not receive these ordinances. Whence their claim of power? Several persons, not of the Twelve, were present and received all these ordinances with such of the Twelve as were there. Why are not they included in the favored number? Joseph survived this meeting some months. Why did not they find out that he had resigned his office and devolved its duties on them, till after he was dead? If his giving an endowment of ordinances, and rolling the responsibility of giving counsel, &c., upon some twenty-five men with their wives, as he commenced a political career, vacated his office and those of his counselors, and superseded the First Presidency and an entire quorum of the church, it is certainly most extraordinary. A very moderate share of common sense, or any acquaintance whatever with the laws of the church, accompanied with integrity of heart, will reject so preposterous a claim at first blush. The responsibility of leading the church by good counsels, in proper order, would devolve on a few of its most influential members, necessarily, whenever Joseph's attention was turned form them, by any means whatever, not in virtue of any offices they might hold, but as leading men. Since the death of Joseph, they have used that responsibility to lead the church from the rock of revelation, out of the true order, and from the place of refuge God had appointed unto them. Thus have a few lead, sanctioned by the votes of Conferences instead of the voice of God, till the destruction which not only lurks in midnight darkness, but stalks boldly at noonday is upon them.

The Twelve have never, in any known publication, claimed, either for themselves or any one of their number, to be First President of the church, or President of the high priesthood. Their claim is to supersede the First Presidency, put the high council which God has made the highest council of the church (D. & C., sec. iii, p. 35), below themselves, and put a bishop over it, where God placed a President (D. & C., sec. iii, p. 9), and finally, that ex officio, as Apostles and not as Presidents of the high priesthood, they are to hold the keys and powers which devolved on the First Presidency and its counselors, and to discontinue the offices of Seer, Revelator, and Translator in the church.

Nothing is more certain than that no law was made at the death of Joseph, or for some years previous, changing the order of the church, or abolishing any of its offices or quorums. Down to the time of his death, it was properly understood by the whole church that he alone received revelations from God, to be taught by way of commandment in the church; that he and his two associates in the Presidency had the chief administration of the affairs of the church, and that they, with the twelve high counselors, were a court or judicatory of final resort in all important cases, and that the Twelve Apostles were the chief traveling elders, and under the direction of the Presidency. And the man who, during the life-time of Joseph, had said that the Twelve were at the head of the church, would have been looked upon either as a reckless and hair-brained liar, or utterly insane. To have held this then was unblushing apostasy. To hold now that they are not so is equally apostasy with the leader sin Nauvoo. Whence is the change? In God or man? does truth thus belie itself?

Why should not the place of Joseph be filled by another ? Says Brigham Young, Because he stands in his own place and always will. ( Apostolic letter, Aug. 15, 1844. ) But in the same paragraph he also says the Twelve Apostles of this dispensation stand in their own places and always will. Brother Young, will not their places be filled by others when they fill the measure of their days ? Then why was Brother Patten's place filled ? Again: Who will be at the head of the church when the Twelve are all fallen asleep? Will not the High Priests and the Seventies all hold their own places? If so, shall any one succeed them? Then where will the priesthood be when the present generation is dead?

But, says some one, God promised Joseph that the keys of the kingdom should never be taken from him in this world, neither in the world to come. Very well. They were never taken from Christ, but his holding them did not prevent Joseph, and in the eternal worlds all who are joint heirs with Jesus Christ will hold them at one and the same time.

Brethren, I exhort you as you look for the coming of the Lord Jesus, follow not after these blinding fables. Set up no more the work of men's hands against the voice of God. Trust not in your own wisdom to improve or alter the law of God. You that have gone astray return to the order o God's house. Let all the quorums take their proper order as God has established them. Let the President who has wandered in darkness return to his proper places which men may offer. Let the Twelve take their place as a traveling high council with the keys of the opening of the gospel to the nations. Let the high councilors give counsel and assistance to the Presidency, which has been called to the high and responsible calling of leading the church to peace and happiness and preparing a people for the coming of the Son of God.

Let the high priests teach the law of God unto the people. Let all the elders learn not to put their faith in some great man and say all is well, but let them buckle on the whole armor of God and stand up bold defenders of truth rather than men.

Now in my weakness and in the infancy of my ministry I call upon you to assist me. It has pleased God to put it into the heart of Joseph to appoint me to receive mysteries and revelations unto this church. And he has been faithful unto the vision and voice of God by sending me his epistle containing the revelation which God gave him, the Lord God confirming the same by sending his angels unto me to charge me with his ministry in the same hour that Joseph was taken away, and by witnessing the same to the brethren in those wonderful works which the brethren here are ready to testify unto you.

Let not my call to you be vain. The destroyer has gone forth among you and has prevailed. You are preparing to resign country and houses and lands to him. Many of you are about to leave the haunts of civilization and of men to go into an unexplored wilderness among savages, and in trackless deserts, to seek a home in the wilds where the foot-print of the white man is not found. The voice of God has not called you to this. His promise has not gone before to prepare a habitation for you. The hears of the Lamanites are not turned unto you, and they will not regard you. When the herd comes the savages shall pursue. The cloud which surrounds by day shall bewilder, and the pillar of fire by night shall consume and reveal you to the destroyer, and the men in whom you trusted when you rejected the promises of God shall leave you early and not be found of you in your greatest need.

Let the oppressed flee for safety unto Voree, and let the gathering of the people be there. Let the evil who have gone to the holy city be rejected and given to the law. Let the Twelve go out and preach the gospel to the nations according to the command of Go, instead of staying at home as a prominent mark to bring cruel enemies to their brethren. Let the filth of Zion be cleansed and her garments of peace put on. Let neither gun nor sword be lifted in defiance, nor rest be taken upon arm of flesh, and the city of our God shall be saved and the Temple of his holiness be unpolluted by the hand of the Gentile.

Causeless the curse has not come, and causeless it shall not fall. They that ask justice let them do it. They that cry out against mobs let them abstain from violence. Those who hate persecution let them regard the rights of others. They that preach God and the gospel let them remember the law and forget not the order which he ha revealed, and their own mouths have proclaimed. Let them not buffet others for changing the ordinances and breaking the everlasting covenant, unless they themselves will abide the word of God.

James J. Strang.

Voree, December 25, 1845.