Therefore, they reason that "young Joseph" should be President of the Church. Let us see—the fact of the matter is: Hyrum Smith, the oldest living brother of the Prophet, obtained the birthright from his father. Joseph acknowledged that his brother Hyrum should receive the birthright, for "it was the right of patriarchal priesthood, even the evangelical priesthood, that was conferred upon the first born, and not the presidency of the church." Furthermore, in proof that Hyrum Smith received the birthright, we quote the following revelation:
"And again, verily I say unto you, Let my servant William be appointed, ordained, and anointed, as a counselor unto my servant Joseph, in the room of my servant Hyrum, that my servant Hyrum may take the office of Priesthood and Patriarch, which was appointed unto him by his father, by blessing and also BY RIGHT." (Doc. & Cov., sec. 124: 91; Reorganized edition, sec. 107:29.)
Furthermore, in Hyrum Smith's patriarchal blessing given by his father, we read: "I now ask my Heavenly Father in the name of Jesus Christ to bless thee with the same blessings with which Jacob blessed his son Joseph," etc. In I Chronicles, chapter 5, we are told that Joseph (son of Jacob) received the birthright.
However, the fact that Hyrum Smith received the birthright from his father would in no wise make him president of the church; for the patriarchal priesthood and the presidency of the church are two different things, and further, the descendants of Joseph Smith and those of Hyrum Smith "stand before God, as do all other men, assured of honor or dishonor, exaltation or degradation, according to their individual works."
It is further claimed that the president of this organization was called to be president of the church by revelation in 1841, which reads as follows:
"And now I say unto you as pertaining to my boarding house which I have commanded you to build for the boarding of strangers, let it be built unto my name, and let my name be named upon it, and let my servant Joseph, and his house have place therein, from generation to generation; For this anointing have I put upon his head, that his blessing shall also be put upon the head of his posterity after him, And as I said unto Abraham concerning the kindreds of the earth, even so I say unto my servant Joseph, in thee and in thy seed shall the kindred of the earth be blessed." (Doc. & Cov., sec.125:56-59; Reorganized edition, sec. 107:18.)
It seems almost unnecessary for comment or explanation as to the meaning of this passage. The Lord gives commandment to build a house in which the Prophet and his family are to have a home, and his posterity after him from generation to generation. It was this anointing that the Lord put upon the Prophet's head, that he and his posterity should enjoy the blessing of a home in this house, known as the "Nauvoo House." An inheritance in this house is the subject of this passage, and not one word to indicate that the posterity of the Prophet should have the right to the Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
As a conclusion in respect to the law of lineage, we quote the following words of the Prophet Joseph Smith, which should silence all controversy on this subject:
"The Melchisedek Priesthood holds the right from Eternal God, and NOT BY DESCENT FROM FATHER AND MOTHER, and that Priesthood is eternal as God himself, having neither beginning of days or end of life." (Mil. Star, vol. 22, p. 55.)
Thinking, perhaps the Reorganization officials may question the authority of our quotation from the Millennial Star in 1860, we will verify the same by quoting the following passage from the inspired translation of "The Holy Scriptures" published by the Reorganized Church: