Brigham Young chosen to lead Mormon Church
After Joseph Smith the founder and prophet of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints or Mormonism and his brother Hyrum were murdered by an angry mob in an Illinois prison six weeks earlier Elder Brigham Young is chosen to be the Mormon Churchs next leader.The decision made in Nauvoo Ill.on the Mississippi River was not without conflict.Sidney Rigdon then 53 Smiths first counselor in the First Presidency and a long-time Mormon leader who had been with the church almost since its origins wanted the role.
Pleading his case to the gathering of saints which numbered 6000 by some accounts his stance was made without consulting the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles one of the governing bodies of the church who were still traveling from across the nation to gather at Nauvoo.As the lone survivor of the First Presidency Rigdon submitted he was the rightful leader to succeed Smith.As Rigdon a highly regarded orator and preacher prepared to call for a vote Young then 43 a former carpenter from Vermont turned president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles dismissed Rigdons claim to the leadership.
Young argued the quorums power and authority equaled that of the First Presidency and one of its members should lead the church.Youngs speech in which by some accounts he transfigured into Smith sounding and looking just like the slain prophet won him the vote.Facing repeated conflict he soon relocated his group of Latter-day Saints to Utah arriving in Salt Lake City on July 24 1847 and was officially ordained the second president of the Mormon Church in December 1847.
