THE ONLY BEGOTTEN OF THE FATHER.
In connection with this subject, Reorganites also claim that Brigham Young went astray and apostatized because he declared that Jesus Christ was not begotten of the Holy Ghost. Reorganites claim that He was begotten of the Holy Ghost, and they make the statement that the Scriptures so teach. But they do err not understanding the Scriptures. They tell us the Book of Mormon states that Jesus was begotten of the Holy Ghost. I challenge the statement; the Book of Mormon teaches no such thing! Neither does the Bible. It is true there is one passage that states so but we must consider it in the light of other passages with which it is in conflict. The Book of Mormon says:
"And behold, He shall be born of Mary at Jerusalem * * she being a virgin, a precious and chosen vessel, who shall be overshadowed, and conceive by the power of the Holy Ghost."
With this Luke agrees:
"Then said Mary unto the angel; How can this be?
"And the angel answered and said unto her, of the Holy Ghost, and the power of the Highest. Therefore also, that holy child that shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.—Luke 1:34-35).
In Matthew it reads "of the Holy Ghost" which evidently means "power of the Holy Ghost," to agree with the Book of Mormon and with Luke.
If Reorganites are correct then Jesus is not the Only Begotten Son of the Father, but the Son of the Holy Ghost. This will not do for it conflicts with the Scriptures. The Prophet taught that the Father, Son and Holy Ghost were three separate personages, and that Jesus was the Only Begotten of the Father. In the Book of Genesis, (Inspired Scriptures) Jesus is spoken of throughout as the Only Begotten of the Father not less than twelve times and in the Book of Mormon at least five times and a great number of times in the Doctrine and Covenants (see section 76:23, 25, 35, 57) and in these Scriptures He is spoken of as the Son of God innumerable times. Now, if He is the Only Begotten of the Father in the flesh, He must be the Son of the Father and not the Son of the Holy Ghost. Yet, to be consistent, Reorganites must claim that Jesus is the Son of the Holy Ghost and not the Son of God the Father. Their alternative—if it can be called such—must be, then, the stand of Mr. William H. Kelley, the "president" of their "apostles," who in a written statement in answer to the question put to him by the writer, September 10, 1903: "You say that Jesus Christ the Son of God was begotten of the Holy Ghost. Is He the Son of the Holy Ghost?"
Mr. Kelley signed his answer as follows: "I do not know. Wm. H. Kelley."
Just think of this for a moment. Here is a man professing to be the Chief of the Special Witnesses for Christ, declaring that he does not know whether Jesus is the Son of God the Father or the Son of the Holy Ghost. And the Savior declared it so plainly that He was the Son of the Father, His Only Begotten, and was so acknowledged by the Father throughout the Scriptures. "And this is life eternal, that they might know Thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent." John 17:3. Again we prove that they have departed from the Scriptures and the teachings and revelations of the Prophet Joseph Smith. Why do they make this error? Because they do not understand the Scriptures and fail to recognize the fact that all things that the Father doeth are done by the power of the Holy Ghost.