Franklin D. Richards: The Apostle Who Endorsed the Late Departure and Then Raced to Bring Help

Franklin Dewey Richards (April 2, 1821 – December 9, 1899) was an Apostle and president of the European Mission when the handcart plan was launched. In December 1855, he published Brigham Young's letter endorsing handcart emigration in the *Millennial Star* along with his own editorial support.

In early September 1856, Richards passed the Willie and Martin Companies on the trail as he and 12 returning missionaries hurried west ahead of them. He knew they were dangerously late. He pressed on to Salt Lake City, arriving on October 4 — and immediately reported the companies' position and peril to Brigham Young.

Young's response was immediate and electrifying. Two days later, at October General Conference, he stood before the congregation and issued the famous rescue call: 'I will tell you all that your faith, religion, and profession of religion, will never save one soul of you in the celestial kingdom of our God, unless you carry out just such principles as I am now teaching you. Go and bring in those people now on the plains.'

Within hours, rescue teams were organized. Within days, wagons loaded with supplies were rolling east into the Wyoming winter. It was one of the largest rescue operations in the history of the American West.

Franklin D. Richards helped compile the Pearl of Great Price while serving in England, served as Church Historian for the last decade of his life, and became president of the Quorum of the Twelve. His son George F. Richards and grandson LeGrand Richards also served in the Twelve — three generations of apostolic service.