On the 31st of January the following was received:
"There are no provisions as revelations as law to the Church for the organization of more than seven quorums of Seventy; for that reason we do not recognize as valid any of the ordinations in Nauvoo in 1844-5 beyond those of the first seven quorums; and our teaching is that the number is necessarily limited by direct provision of the law."
Thus you see, the president of the "Reorganization" repudiates the Priesthood of the very man who "ordained" him to the office which he pretends to hold. In conclusion let me add that these men did not hold the keys of the kingdom and therefore could not bestow them on another. The organization to which they belong is not the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and all the laying on of hands that they can practice from now till dooms day, will not give one single soul the Priesthood of God, for that can only come through the proper channel—the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. An ordination in the "Reorganized" Church is of no more effect than is an ordination in the Methodist, Presbyterian, or Catholic church, for those officiating do not hold the Priesthood, and are not recognized of God. The Prophet did bestow the keys of the kingdom upon the head of Brigham Young and with him his associates, the Twelve, as we have shown with a multitude of unimpeachable testimony. If it was necessary for all the prophets from Adam to Peter, James and John to confer their keys upon the head of Joseph Smith (See D. & C., 110 and 128 sections), notwithstanding he has been ordained to the Priesthood by angels, then in all reason we must hold that it is necessary for him to bestow the same power and keys of the kingdom on others which the evidence shows that he did. The men who ordained Joseph Smith of the "Reorganization" were not regularly ordained and did not hold the keys of the kingdom. The Apostles constituted the second quorum in the Church and were sustained in their calling as the First Presidency of the Church by the vote of the people August 8, 1844, and again at the fall conference in October of that same year.
I call the attention of the Latter-day Saints once more to the fact previously mentioned (section 43:4-6) that there is but one at a time who holds the keys and the right to receive revelation for the Church, and that man is the President of the Church. And when the First Presidency is disorganized through the death of the President, then, according to revelation, the Twelve Apostles become the presiding quorum of the Church, and then, if the Lord has any revelations to give to His people they will come through the proper channels—the President of the Twelve. If we will keep this in mind it will be a key to us as the Lord intended that it should be, by which we may gage and weigh the pretended revelations of men. When we see this man, or that man, or perhaps that woman, or child, giving revelations as was the case in the "Reorganized" Church when Jason W. Briggs, Zenas H. Gurley, Henry H. Deam and the daughter of Zenas H. Gurley, received "revelations" bearing on the organization of their cult, we will know assuredly that these things are not of God. The Lord will never ignore the presiding officer and quorum of the Church, for he respects authority, as He requires us to respect authority. And it will always be a key to us, if we will bear it in mind, that whenever He has a revelation or commandment to give to His people that it will come through the presiding officer of the Church. This is plainly taught in the revelations.
If there is within the sound of my voice one soul who has not received a testimony of this work, and that Brigham Young was the right man in the right place, and the rightful successor, and so on down to the present day, then I say to you, when you go home go before the Lord in the spirit of repentance, and humility, and prayer, and ask Him in faith for that knowledge and He will hear your prayers. There is no reason why any man should be deceived, for the Lord has promised us that we shall receive if we ask and if we knock it shall be opened unto us. By keeping the commandments of God, all men may know of this work that it is true. If you will do this, then when these deceivers and pretenders, these men who delight in destroying your faith, come to you saying that you are in the dark, you can say to them, get behind me, for I will not be deceived by you. I know we have the truth, that this is the work of the Lord, that Jesus is the Redeemer of the world, and that Joseph Smith was a Prophet of God and was called to stand at the head of this dispensation, and those keys and that position he will ever hold. He was not a fallen Prophet, but died a martyr to this work. May God bless you. Amen.
Footnotes
[1.] Serious objection is raised to this line of argument by the author of the "defense," who attempts to place me in a false position by imputing to me expressions that are not here conveyed. Had he been honest in his argument he would have fairly presented what I have had to say; but this he has studiously avoided throughout his reply. Here he argues that the provisions in these revelations regarding a "successor" were not limited in their scope, but were to be carried out during the life of Joseph Smith. I respectfully call his attention to an editorial in the Saints' Herald of August 18, 1888. At that time Joseph Smith, his president, and William W. Blair, counselor, were the editors of the Herald. The article is called "The Power to Perpetuate the Church." After quoting these passages the author—presumably the editor, or his assistant, for it is an editorial—continues:
(d) "The authority to ordain is given unto the Church.
(e) " '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.'
(f) "This language was addressed to Joseph Smith, the one who had been appointed of God to hold and exercise the gift to receive commandments and revelations for the Church, two full years after it was said through him that if he fell away he should have power only to appoint one in his stead. The saying is preceded by the statement that the sins of Joseph Smith had been forgiven him, and he should bear the keys from thenceforth.