Origin of the 'Reorganized' Church and the Question of Succession

by Joseph Fielding Smith

Succession in the Presidency of the Church.

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An Address Delivered in the Weber Stake Tabernacle, Ogden, Sunday, April 28, 1907, by Elder Joseph F. Smith, Jr.

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A short time ago I was invited to address the Saints from this stand on the subject of "The Origin of the Reorganized Church." It has been thought by some that it would be wise to continue the subject and therefore I have been invited to address you this afternoon on the question of Succession in the Presidency of the Church. In doing so, I desire it to be understood that I have no feeling of animosity towards those of a different faith; but so much has been said on the other side of this question, and so little in our defense, that I feel it important to deal with this subject.

The testimony on which members of the so-called "Reorganized" Church base their contention that Joseph, son of the Prophet Joseph Smith, should have succeeded his father in the Presidency of the Church is as follows:

1. That it is his right by the law of lineage—that the office of president of the High Priesthood descends from father to the first born son.

2. That it is his right by appointment of his father.

3. That he was properly ordained by those holding the authority to preach and administer in the ordinances of the gospel.

We shall take these questions up and consider them and will refer to the passages in the Doctrine and Covenants that are used by these people, together with other passages that they do not use, and we will see just how much there is in them in support of their position.

We will first consider the statement that the Prophet was to choose his successor. The passages referred to in support of this are in the Doctrine and Covenants as follows: Sections 28:6-7, 35:18, and 43:2-5. These I shall read to you. I cannot stop now to explain the circumstances under which these revelations were given, and take it for granted that you will consider that matter for yourselves. The first of these was given to Oliver Cowdery and I read, beginning with the 4th verse:

"And if thou art led at any time by the Comforter, to speak or teach, or at all times by the way of commandment unto the Church, thou mayest do it. But thou shalt not write by way of commandment, but by wisdom; and thou shalt not command him who is at thy head, and at the head of the Church, for I have given him the keys of the mysteries, and the revelations which are sealed, until I shall appoint unto them another in his stead."

You see, the Lord was to appoint another.

The passage in section 35 is as follows:

"And I have sent forth the fulnesss of my Gospel by the hand of my servant Joseph; and in weakness have I blessed him, and I have given unto him the keys of the mystery of those things which have been sealed, even things which were from the foundation of the world, and the things which shall come from this time until the time of my coming, IF HE ABIDE IN ME, AND IF NOT, ANOTHER WILL I PLANT IN HIS STEAD. Wherefore, watch over him that his faith fail not, and it shall be given by the Comforter, the Holy Ghost, that knoweth all things."

The third passage is as follows, beginning with the first verse:

"O hearken, ye Elders of my Church, and give an ear to the word which I shall speak unto you; for behold verily, verily, I say unto you, that ye have received a commandment for a law unto my Church, through him whom I have appointed unto you, to receive commandments and revelations from my hand.

"And this ye shall know assuredly that there is none other appointed unto you to receive commandments and revelations until he be taken, if he abide in me. But verily, verily, I say unto you, that none else shall be appointed unto this gift except it be through him, FOR IF IT BE TAKEN FROM HIM, he shall not have power except to appoint another in his stead; and this shall be a law unto you, that ye receive not the teachings of any that shall come before you as revelations or commandments; and this I give unto you that you may not be deceived, that you may know they are not of me."

These revelations, extracts from which I have read, were all given between September, 1830, and the first of March, 1831. At that time the Church was less than one year old, and was not fully organized with its various officers as we have it today. The quorums of Apostles and Seventies were not called till 1835—over four years subsequent to these revelations. When they were given the Prophet Joseph was young and inexperienced, and this law was laid down for the government of the Church as it existed at that time, as these revelations clearly indicate. You will notice from these passages, that the Lord was to choose another in the Prophet's stead in case of his removal through transgression, or for any other cause, during that incipient stage of the history of the Church. It was necessary at that time that some provision be made for the perpetuity of the prophetic office, in case that Joseph Smith should not prove faithful to the great trust in the days of his preparation and qualification, and before he became thoroughly seasoned and fitted for this important calling. In such an emergency the power of necessity must have been conferred by Joseph Smith on his successor, for he held the keys; therefore, the Lord declared that in case of the prophet's transgression or removal, he would still retain the power in that case to ordain his successor and to confer upon such successor, whom the Lord was to choose, the keys and authority that had been conferred upon him.

It must also be remembered that the Prophet Joseph, like the prophets of old and even the Savior Himself, had to continue from grace to grace and "increase in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God," and with him, as with the Master, "he received not a fulnesss at first;" but through trials, tribulations, and varied experiences, had to prove his worthiness before God in order that he might hold the keys of the kingdom. It was during this period of preparation that the expression in the revelations quoted were given regarding the appointment of a successor; but later the Lord revealed more of His will, and the Church was established with all the proper officers and quorums for its guidance and perpetuity, when death should remove its President. Moreover, while in these revelations the Lord prepared the means of a successor in case of the transgression or removal of Joseph Smith, later when he had proved himself and evinced before God through his faithfulness that he was worthy of the trust placed in him, the Lord declared that the keys of the kingdom should never be taken from him in the following words:

"Thus saith the Lord, verily, verily, I say unto you my son, thy sins are forgiven thee according to thy petition, for thy prayers and the prayers of thy brethren have come up into my ears; Therefore thou art blessed from henceforth that bear the keys of the kingdom given unto you; which kingdom is coming forth for the last time.

"Verily I say unto you, the keys of this kingdom shall NEVER be taken from you, while thou art in the world, neither in the world to come; nevertheless, through you shall the oracles be given to another, yea, even unto the CHURCH."

I take it as a natural sequence that this law which was given in March, 1833, superseded the provision made in 1830 and winter of 1831, wherein a law was given as a protection to the Church in case of the taking away of the keys from Joseph the Prophet—a contingency that did not arise.^[1] Later in the year 1835, when the Twelve Apostles were chosen and their duties defined, the Lord declared that they were equal with the Presidency as a quorum. That is, in case of the dissolution or destruction of the First Presidency of the Church, the Twelve should succeed to the presidency, and would thus act until such time and place as the Lord revealed that the First Presidency should be again organized. And whenever the First Presidency should be disorganized it would devolve upon the Apostles' quorum to set in order and direct the affairs of the Church. I quote from the one hundred and seventh section.

"And they (that is the Twelve) form a quorum, equal in authority and power to the three Presidents previously mentioned.

"The Seventy are also called to preach the Gospel and to be especial witnesses unto the Gentiles and in all the world. Thus differing from other officers in the Church in the duties of their calling.

"And they form a quorum equal in authority to that of the Twelve special witnesses or Apostles just named."

That is to say: that when the First Presidency is disorganized, the Twelve Apostles become the presiding quorum of the Church until the presidency is again organized, and during that time they are virtually the Presidency of the Church—the presiding quorum. If through some cause—which is not likely to arise—both these quorums should be destroyed then it would devolve on the Seventies to set in order the Church and they would become the presiding quorum. This is the law that God has revealed, and it is the only law and order of the Priesthood that He has revealed for the guidance of the Church in succession. You may search the Doctrine and Covenants from beginning to end and will find no other law of succession.

I think it must be conceded that the Apostles could not be equal in authority with the Presidency when the First Presidency is fully and properly organized. There could not be two heads—or three heads—of equal authority at the same time, for such a thing would lead to confusion. Hence the Apostles are equal, as has been stated in that they have power to assume control of the affairs of the Church when the Presidency is dissolved by the death of the President. This idea was clearly in the mind of the Prophet when on the 16th day of January, 1836, in a special council of the Presidency and the Twelve, he said—This is in the History of the Church, vol. 2, page 374; also the 'Reorganite' history, vol. 2, pages 11-12:

"I next proceeded to explain the duty of the Twelve, and their authority, which is next to the present Presidency, and that the arrangement of the assembly in this place on the 15th instant, in placing the High Council of Kirtland next the Presidency, was because the business to be transacted was business relating to that body in particular, which was to fill the several quorums in Kirtland, not because they were first in office, and that the arrangements were the most judicious that could be made on the occasion; also the Twelve are not subject to any other than the First Presidency; viz., myself, Sidney Rigdon, and Frederick G. Williams, who are now my counselors; and where I am not, there is no First Presidency over the Twelve."

If in such a case, there is no First Presidency over the Twelve, then the Twelve must be the presiding quorum of the Church when the First Presidency is disorganized. Again, at a special conference of the Church held August 16, 1841, we are informed in the minutes that the Prophet addressed the Saints as follows—(T. S., 2. 521.):

"President Joseph Smith now arriving proceeded to state to the conference at considerable length, the object of their present meeting, and in addition to what President Young had stated in the morning, said that the time had come when the Twelve should be called upon to stand in their place next to the First Presidency, and attend to the settling of emigrants and the business of the Church at the stakes and assist to bear off the kingdom victorious to the nations; and as they had been faithful and had borne the burden in the heat of the day that it was right that they should have an opportunity of providing something for themselves and families, and at the same time relieve him so that he might attend to the business of translating.

"Motioned, seconded and carried, that the conference approve of the instructions of President Smith, in relation to the Twelve, and that they proceed accordingly, to attend to the duties of their office."

Therefore it was by right of divine appointment that the Apostles' quorum became the presiding quorum of the Church at the death of the Prophet Joseph Smith.