Of Bishop Miller, the Lord said:
I say unto you, my servant George Miller is without guile; he may be trusted because of the integrity of his heart; and for the love which he has to my testimony, I, the Lord, love him! I therefore say unto you, I seal upon his head the office of a Bishopric, like unto my servant Edward Partridge, that he may receive the consecrations of mine house, that he may administer blessings upon the heads of the poor of my people, saith the Lord. Let no man despise my servant George, for he shall honor me.[A]
[Footnote A: Doc. and Cov. sec. cxxiv, 20, 21.]
What a splendid prospect was opened before these men! to what heights they could hope to ascend—even to the companionship of God! Here was honor, glory, exaltation held out to them, within their reach; but they pushed it all aside—exchanged it all for the "wo" of them who are cut off from the church of Christ—who are overcome of the world![A] And instead of living among the saints, honored as God's servants, supported by the faith, prayer, love and confidence of the church of Christ, they lived and finally died in wretched obscurity— unwept, unhonored and unsung, their lives and their ending only important as illustrating the truth of the prophetic words of him who said:
[Footnote A: Doc. and Cov. sec. 1, 8.]
All that want to draw away a party from the church after them, let them do it if they can, but they will not prosper!
IV.
But little is heard of James J. Strang in the church until after the death of the prophet Joseph; but that he was a man of considerable intellectual ability there can be no question. Mr. Strang claimed that about ten days before his death the prophet Joseph gave to him a letter containing a revelation appointing him [James J. Strang] to be his successor as President and Prophet of the church. The letter also appointed Mr. Strang's counselor, and commanded the Twelve Apostles to proclaim Voree, Wisconsin, as the gathering place of the saints. Mr. Strang attempted to strengthen his claim to the position of President and Prophet of the church by reference to the revelation which says:
Verily, verily, I say unto you, that ye have received a commandment for a law unto my Church, through him whom I have appointed 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.[A]
[Footnote A: Doc. and Cov., sec. xliii.]