Most of the apostles were in the Eastern States on missions at the time of the martyrdom. Only two were at Nauvoo, and one of them seriously wounded. As soon as Sidney Rigdon heard of the death of Joseph and Hyrum Smith, he hastened to Nauvoo, where he arrived Saturday, August 3, 1844. Elders Parley P. Pratt and George A. Smith had arrived a few days before. The apostles invited Sidney Rigdon to meet with them the following morning, at eight o'clock at the home of John Taylor, where they might discuss the affairs of the Church, which Sidney Rigdon promised to do. Instead of doing so he met with William Marks and a few others, and endeavored to lay plans for the appointment of a trustee-in-trust and a "guardian" for the Church, before others of the apostles could arrive. At ten o'clock a public meeting was held and Sidney Rigdon preached declaring that a "guardian" must be appointed, "to build up the Church unto Joseph," and stating that he, Sidney, was the identical man spoken of by the ancient prophets to do the work they had spoken of in prophecy. Another meeting was held in the afternoon, at which Elder William Marks, president of the Nauvoo Stake, announced that there would be a special meeting of the Church on Thursday, August 8th, "for the purpose of choosing a guardian." Sidney Rigdon had requested that the meeting be held on the 6th, but William Marks announced it for the 8th, which was providential, for President Brigham Young and most of the other apostles arrived in Nauvoo on the evening of the 6th. The next morning the apostles held a council meeting at the home of Elder Taylor. At four o'clock the apostles met with the high council of Nauvoo and the high priests. Sidney Rigdon was invited to express his views. He spoke at some length, relating a vision he claimed to have had, and stating that there could be no successor to Joseph Smith, but that the Church must be built up to him. He, Sidney, had been called to be a spokesman to Joseph Smith, and he proposed to be a guardian to the Church, if the people would receive him. President Young's Remarks President Brigham Young said he did not care who presided over the Church, but one thing he would have to know and that was what the Lord said about it. "Joseph conferred upon our heads," he said, "all the keys and powers belonging to the apostleship which he himself held before he was taken away, and no man or set of men can get between Joseph and the twelve in this world or in the world to come. How often has Joseph said to the twelve: 'I have laid the foundation and you must build thereon, for upon your shoulders the kingdom rests.'" The Special Meeting of Thursday, the 8th of August