Succession in the Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints

by B. H. Roberts

WILLIAM MARKS.[B]

NAUVOO, Dec. 9, 1844.

[Footnote A: Italics are mine, R.]

[Footnote B: Times and Seasons, Vol. V, p. 742.]

This is that same William Marks who after this testimony became the associate of James J. Strang and subsequently was the chief man in ordaining "young Joseph" to be President of the church. He is a type of the character of men who founded the "Reorganized church."

This completes our direct testimony that the keys of authority and power held by the prophet Joseph were not taken from the earth by him, but that he had given them to another, "even to the church," the authority to exercise the powers thereof, after his death, more especially belonging to the Twelve as the highest general presiding quorum in the church in case of the absence, destruction or rejection of the First Presidency. Let it be remembered that all the keys of priesthood which the prophet Joseph held were given to the Twelve; and they from time to time, as occasions required, have given those keys of authority to other worthy men; and thus all the authority, keys of priesthood, and heavenly powers conferred upon the prophet Joseph have been preserved unto the church, and are with it to this day.

The array of testimony presented, taken in connection with the law of the church as given in the revelations of God, clearly demonstrates that the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was not disorganized at the death of the prophets Joseph and Hyrum; that such a thing was never contemplated in the work of God in this dispensation; and since the church has never been disorganized, any organization claiming to be the "Reorganized church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints" is a counterfeit, and writes fraud in the very title of it.

Now that we draw to the close of our consideration of the claims of this "Reorganized church," we cannot point to its destruction as we have done in the case of Sidney Rigdon's church, William Smith's church and James J. Strang's church; for the Reorganized church still exists. But its doom is written as distinctly as that of the other false churches that we have seen crumble to pieces into shapeless heaps of ruin. It is only a question of time with regard to its failure. MENE, MENE, TEKEL, is written upon its walls—God hath numbered thy kingdom—weighed in the balances—found wanting!

IX.

If any man thinks he has influence among this people to lead away a party, let him try it, and he will find out that there is power with the Apostles which will carry them off victorious through all the world, and build up and defend the church and kingdom of God.[A]