E66: Sidney Rigdon, the Mormon, Part Two

**Bryan Buchanan** (0:04)
When we left you last, we were just getting to the part where Sidney Rigdon meets up with the Mormons. In part two, we're going to dive into Sidney's interactions with the Mormons, making a case for his claim to Mormon leadership after Joseph Smith is murdered in Carthage.

**Lindsay Hansen Park** (0:17)
If you haven't listened to the previous episode, pause here and go give it a listen. We mentioned last time that there's this theory that Sidney Rigdon helped write the Book of Mormon. Though the theory isn't that compelling to me or to Bryan, based on my own conceptions of Rigdon and the timeline, I just don't think it works.
But it's still good to familiarize yourself with the controversies that are out there.

**Bryan Buchanan** (0:38)
We're gonna jump back into Sidney's story soon, but first a minute for our sponsors.
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**Lindsay Hansen Park** (1:40)
Hi, this is Lindsay Hansen Park.

**Bryan Buchanan** (1:43)
And this is Bryan Buchanan.

**Lindsay Hansen Park** (1:44)
Bringing you the story of Mormonism from the shadow of the Everlasting Hills, straight out of Zion, this isn't your grandpa's Mormon history.

**Bryan Buchanan** (2:11)
This is the tale of Mormon saints and sinners from our roots until present day.

**Lindsay Hansen Park** (2:17)
Gird your loins, lock your hearts, and pay your tithing, because we're bringing you the story of Mormonism in all its paradisiacal glory.

**Bryan Buchanan** (2:25)
It's the Sunstone History Podcast.

**Lindsay Hansen Park** (2:50)
Sidney Rigdon and his little hippie commune congregation got the Book of Mormon in 1830 Rigdon's initial skepticism melted into surefire testimony of the truthfulness of it all.

**Bryan Buchanan** (3:02)
Missionaries from New York, Parley Pratt and Oliver Cowdery, were kind of rocking the Kirtland area with their new message. People began flocking to Kirtland to hear this new message. Some came to argue with the missionaries about the theology. Some came to just hear the message. Others came just for the spectacle.
In either case, those two alone baptized 127 people.

**Lindsay Hansen Park** (3:23)
How much did you guys baptize on your missions? Huh, how many?
So some of the people they baptized were right out of Rigdon's Kirtland congregation. So here's a pro tip to missionaries. If you really want to have a successful time, either have your mission in Hawaii in the 1840s or baptize an entire congregation. Rigdon didn't love that at first, but he soon gets baptized by Cowdery. After the early Mormonism hit the ground running in Kirtland, the hippie family had been brought into Mormonism.
Most of them. Some members of Rigdon's mentor congregation weren't happy their own minister had jumped ship.

**Bryan Buchanan** (3:58)
Yeah, his mentor congregation was like, what the heck dude? We're building you this nice house, you go three miles down the road and get baptized somewhere else? Not cool, man. They responded by filling his spot as minister with MS. Clapp, who was married to Alicia Campbell, who just happened to be the sister of Rigdon's rival, Alexander Campbell.
Ouch.

**Lindsay Hansen Park** (4:17)
The two very happy missionaries, Cowdery and Pratt head back to headquarters and leave Rigdon with the congregation and the Book of Mormon. Soon though, Rigdon would want to meet Joseph Smith, so by the end of 1830, he traveled to Kingdon, near Waterloo, to find the prophet. And when they meet, the prophet greeted him with a revelation.
Behold, verily, verily, I say unto my servant Sidney, I have looked upon thee in thy works, I have heard thy prayers and prepared thee for a great work. Thou art blessed, for thou shalt do great things. Behold, thou wast sent forth even as John to prepare the way before me and before Elijah, which should come, and thou knew it not.

**Bryan Buchanan** (4:58)
If being compared to John the Baptist wasn't enough of an ego boost to Sidney Rigdon, the revelation also encouraged him to help watch over Joseph Smith and help him to be successful. To quote, Terry with him and he shall journey with you, forsake him not, and surely these things shall be fulfilled. And inasmuch as ye do not write, behold it shall be given unto him to prophesy, and thou shalt preach my gospel.