Sidney Rigdon and Apostolic Succession

[moksha]

Following the death of Joseph Smith, the majority of the Church followed Brigham Young and his Traveling Quorum of Apostles rather than the next highest member of the First Presidency, Sidney Rigdon.

Was Sidney Rigdon's opposition to the polygamy sex-cult practice the main factor that did him in? Couldn't he see that being a fuddy-duddy moralist adhering to monogamy would set him at odds with the more lusty members of the Traveling Quorum of the Apostles?

[Cnsl1]

Well, fortunately, after about 6 months of debating and indecision, God made Brigham look and talk like Joseph so everyone would know that Brigham was the chosen one.

I'm pretty sure it happened too, because lots of people who were never there said they actually SAW it!

What about that time Joseph talked about a patriarchal succession? Oh, that was just something Emma made up because she just wanted her son to be the new prophet.

But, Sidney Rigdon was the first counselor! Shouldn't he take over now? I guess you never met Sidney... what a boring dweeb.

Brigham brings us women... that was the motto. And some guys who liked him said they heard tell that some other folks bore testimony that Brigham looked and talked like Joseph, so then they said they saw it too, even though they weren't even in the country at the time. False memories at their finest.

[Cnsl1]

I wonder what the church would look like had Sidney taken over.

Probably would have been a little blip in the history of revivalist religions. I think the movement probably needed a strong, dominant personality like Brigham to take Joseph's provocative religious ideas and make them rules. From inspiration to dogged obedience. From a visionary to a ruler. And then.. once the movement became a viable business, it needed a succession of good managers.

Sounds like a good recipe for a solid corporation.

[Not Buying It]

So long as Brigham was alive, there was no way Sidney Rigdon was taking over. Now, honestly, Brigham had a pretty good claim to it based on the fact that Peter, leader of the twelve apostles, took over the New Testament after the Ascension of Christ. But all the same, you think that megalomaniac was going to sit by and let Sidney step into a power vacuum? Sidney was probably lucky to have survived the power struggle - many think Joseph's brother Samuel was poisoned to stop him from leading the Church, and once they got to Utah Brigham was prone to having a man "used up" if he had the audacity to get crossways with him. Besides, Sidney was on the outs with Joseph by then anyway, if he'd just let Joseph have his daughter Nancy like he'd wanted (per the "Happiness is the object and design of our existence" letter - it kills me how no one seems to know where that quote comes from), Sidney might have been in a better position when Joseph died.

[Cnsl1]

Good point about Nancy Rigdon. I'd forgotten that historical tidbit.

You wonder why it took Brigham 6 months to wrest the reins and lead the show.

[Hagoth]

I wonder what the church would look like had Sidney taken over.

Probably something like the Church of Christ (Temple Lot), aka Hedrickites.