Origin of the "Reorganized" Church and the Question of Succession
By Elder Joseph F. Smith, Jr.
Salt Lake City
1909
INTRODUCTION.
During the summer of 1906 and continuing until the summer of 1907, a number of Reorganite ministers who were engaged in missionary work in Salt Lake City and Ogden, were greatly encouraged by one or two apostates and the local anti-"Mormon" press. Their method of proselyting was of the usual nature, a tirade of abuse and false accusation hurled at the authorities of the Church. Encouraged by the anti-"Mormon" help, they became extremely vindictive in their references to President Brigham Young and the present Church authorities. Their sermons were so bitter and malignant—which has been the character of most of their work from the beginning, in Utah—that they raised considerable protest from many respectable citizens. Even non-"Mormons" declared that in no other community would such vicious attacks be tolerated. It appeared at times that these missionaries were attempting to provoke the "Mormon" people to some act of violence, that it might be seized upon and published to the world through the anti-"Mormon" press that they had been mobbed, and thus capital for their cause be made of it. Fortunately they were not molested to the credit of the people so constantly abused. One of these meetings was attended by a prominent gentleman from the East who was somewhat acquainted with Utah and her people, he said, in conversation with the writer a few days later, that never in his experience has he witnessed such a thing before. "If that fellow"—referring to a Reorganite who has since been promoted in his church—"should come to our town and abuse the ministers of our church, calling them murderers, thieves and liars, as he did Brigham Young and your churchmen, we would kick him off the streets."
While this agitation was going on, a number of the young people of Ogden appealed to their stake presidency asking that some reply to those assaults be made for the benefit of those who were not grounded in the faith, and in danger of being deceived. Acting on this request the presidency of the Weber Stake invited the writer to speak along these lines in the Ogden Tabernacle. The invitation was accepted and two discourses were delivered, the first, March 10, 1907, on the subject of the "Origin of the Reorganized Church," and the other April 28, 1907, on the question of "Succession." These remarks were subsequently published in the Deseret News, and many requests were received asking that they be published in pamphlet form, where they could be preserved by those who had to meet the ministers of the "Reorganization." An edition was therefore published in the summer of 1907, which has been disposed of, evidently without supplying the demand, for in the summer of 1909 the orders for the pamphlet were so great that is was deemed necessary to issue a second edition. In the meantime a reply appeared in the Saints' Herald, commencing with the issue of June 30, and ending that of July 21, 1909. This reply will be remembered more for the unfair way matters were treated and the fact that the greater part of the evidence was left untouched, than for any merit in the argument presented. Wherever it was deemed necessary, for the sake of those who may be deceived, answers are given in this work in footnote references to the argument set forth in the Reorganite "defense." However, there was nothing presented in the "defense" that really required any reply; by reading carefully the discourses mentioned, the ordinary reader can readily perceive the trickery, deception and sophistry, of the Reorganite reply.
Part one of this book contains the discourse delivered in Ogden on the "Origin of the 'Reorganized' Church;" part two contains the discourse on the "Succession in the Presidency," and part three deals with the most prominent differences existing between the Church and the "Reorganization," wherein they accuse us of departing from the doctrines of the Prophet Joseph Smith. This matter in part three is added by request of a number of parties who have had to meet the sophistry of the Reorganite missionaries.
This book is not put forth to replace any other work, neither with the idea that it will turn Reorganite ministers from the folly of their ways; but with the hope that some honest soul who have been deceived may see the light and embrace the truth, and that the feet of the weak may be strengthened in the path of righteousness that they may not falter on their way. Neither is it intended to be an exhaustive treatise in of the subjects it contains; the idea has been in the main, to present matters that have not been treated elsewhere.—J. F. S., Jr.
ORIGIN OF THE "REORGANIZED" CHURCH.
The Question of Rejection—Salvation for the Dead
* * * * *
Remarks made in the Weber Stake Tabernacle, Ogden City, March 10, 1907, by Elder Joseph F. Smith, Jr.
* * * * *
My beloved brethren and sisters and friends: The great majority of you who are assembled here today are, without doubt, members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and I suppose that most of you have a divine testimony of the truth of this latter-day work—the Gospel of Christ—which we have received. To you who have a testimony, my remarks shall not be addressed particularly, but if you will bear with me in what I have to say that I may be led to say something that will strengthen the faith of those who may be weak, or that will encourage those who have no faith at all, I will feel amply paid.
I am not here for the purpose of assailing any man for his religion, for we Latter-day Saints hold that every man is entitled to his religious views and should have the privilege of worshiping according to the dictates of his conscience, let him worship, how, where, or what he may. And we will protect him in this right. But we are opposed to the custom adopted by certain men who travel through the settlements of our people abusing the authorities of the Church, distorting our doctrines and defaming the dead, for the purpose of destroying the faith and confidence of the Latter-day Saints. Therefore in treating the subject of the "Reorganized" Church this afternoon, it will be in the spirit of self-defense.
We will first consider the statement made by the senior senator from Michigan, Mr. Burrows, in his speech delivered in the United States Senate on the 11th of last December. After stating that the membership of the Church at the martyrdom in 1844, was 50,000 adherents, he continues:
"The death of Joseph Smith in 1844, carried dismay and demoralization throughout the entire membership of the Mormon Church, scattering its adherents in divers directions and for the time being seemed to presage the complete overthrow and dissolution of the organization. Recovering, however, from the shock, the scattered bands soon reappeared in various parts of the country and promulgated their doctrines with increased zeal, and set to work to reassemble and reorganize their scattered forces, resulting finally in the formation of what is now known and recognized as the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, with headquarters at Lamoni, Iowa, and presided over by Joseph Smith, a son of the prophet."
He continues:
"During this period of disintegration one Brigham Young, who had identified himself with the 'Mormon Organization' as early as 1832, a man of indomitable will and undaunted courage, bold and unscrupulous, seized upon the occasion of the demoralization incident to the death of the prophet to place himself at the head of some 5,000 Mormons, and marching over desert and mountain, established himself with his adherents in the valley of Salt Lake, July 24, 1847, then Mexican territory, where he undoubtedly indulged the hope that the new doctrine of polygamy about to be publicly proclaimed by him might be promulgated with impunity and practiced and maintained without interference by the United States."[1]
Now, this is not true. The senior senator from Michigan has here stated the position of the "Reorganized" Church as capably and clearly as any member of that sect could possibly have done, and in exactly the same way that they have stated it for the past forty-seven years. Why he was led to make such a statement he best may know, but it shows the careful coaching that he has received by members of the "Reorganized" Church in their opposition to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
In a pamphlet published by that organization in 1864, the following appears:
"The greater portion of the Church did not follow this Brigham Young, and in obedience to the revelation in relation to gathering, remained around about the land of Zion, waiting for the Lord to again reveal Himself; and today where there is one Saint who was in the Church in the days of Joseph the martyr, now associated with Brigham Young, there are ten of those old members standing aloof or rejoicing under the administration of the word of the Lord through his son Joseph."
SAINTS FOLLOWED PRESIDENT YOUNG.
And this is not true. Now I intend to show that at the martyrdom the Latter-day Saints followed President Brigham Young and the Twelve. And too, in accordance with divine revelation. For we learn in the Doctrine and Covenants that the quorum of Apostles is equal in authority with the First Presidency and it is their right to take the lead of Church affairs and the presidency in the absence of the First Presidency, or when that quorum is invaded by the death of the President of the Church.
At the time of the martyrdom the Church in and about Nauvoo, the headquarters, numbered not to exceed 20,000 souls. This information is based on the best possible authority. And while this was not all the Church membership in the United States, it was the great bulk of the Saints, as the following will show:
In the Times and Seasons, volume 2, page 274, in a "Proclamation to the Saints scattered abroad," and signed by the Presidency Joseph Smith, Sidney Rigdon, and Hyrum Smith, dated January 15, 1841, we read the following:
"The population of our city is increasing with unparalleled rapidity, numbering more than 3,000 inhabitants. Every facility is offered in the city and adjacent country, in Hancock county, for the successful prosecution of the mechanical arts, and the pleasing pursuits of agriculture. The waters of the Mississippi can be successfully used for manufacturing purposes, to an almost unlimited extent.
"Having been instrumental in the hands of our Heavenly Father in laying a foundation for the gathering of Zion, we would say, let all those who appreciate the blessings of the Gospel, and realize the importance of obeying the commandments of heaven, who have been blessed of heaven with the possession of this world's goods, first prepare for the general gathering, let them dispose of their effects as fast as circumstances will possibly admit, without making too great sacrifice, and remove to our city and county—establish and build up manufactories in the city, purchase and cultivate farms in the county—this will secure our permanent inheritance, and prepare the way for the gathering of the poor. This is agreeable to the order of heaven, and the only principle on which the gathering can be effected—let the rich, then, and all who can assist in establishing this place, make every preparation to come on without delay, and strengthen our hands, and assist in promoting the happiness of the Saints. This cannot be too forcibly impressed on the minds of all, and the elders are hereby instructed to proclaim this word in all places where the Saints reside, in their public administrations, for this is according to the instructions we have received from the Lord."
Now, this shows that the Saints "scattered abroad" were commanded of the Lord to gather at Nauvoo and in Hancock county, Illinois. It will go without saying that all the faithful Latter-day Saints would take advantage of this commandment and therefore the faithful Saints, or the great majority of them would soon be located at Nauvoo. Again in this same volume, page 434, we find another proclamation to the Saints abroad, signed by President Joseph Smith, in which he says:
"The First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, anxious to promote the prosperity of said Church, feel it their duty to call upon the Saints who reside out of this county to make preparations to come in, without delay. This is important and should be attended to by all who feel an interest in the prosperity of this the corner stone of Zion. Here the Temple must be raised, the university be built, and other edifices erected which are necessary for the great work of the last days; and which can only be done by a concentration of energy and enterprise. Let it therefore be understood, that all the stakes, excepting those in this county and in Lee county, Iowa, are discontinued, and the Saints instructed to settle in this county as soon as circumstances will permit."
This was on May 24, 1841, and we find in the same volume, page 520, an epistle from the Twelve to the "Saints scattered abroad," in which the following is found:
"We say to all Saints who desire to do the will of heaven, arise, and tarry not, but come up hither to the places of gathering as speedily as possible, for the time is rapidly approaching when the Saints will have occasion to regret that they have so long neglected to assemble themselves together and stand in holy places awaiting those tremendous events which are so rapidly approaching the nations of the earth.
"It will be recollected that in a recent communication from the First Presidency, all places of gathering are discontinued, excepting Hancock county, Ill., and Zarahemla in Lee county, I. T., opposite Nauvoo."
At the conference of the Church held in October, 1841, Almon W. Babbitt was disfellowshipped for persuading Saints who were emigrating to Nauvoo to remain and build up Kirtland, Ohio, as the minutes say, "until such time as he shall make satisfaction." This shows how important this doctrine of gathering was. Therefore the great bulk of the Latter-day Saints, at the time of the martyrdom, were located at Nauvoo and its vicinity.
It is in order now to show that these Latter-day Saints sustained President Brigham Young and the Twelve.
On the 8th day of August, following the martyrdom, a special conference was held in Nauvoo at which time the claims of Sidney Rigdon and the rightful claim of the Twelve Apostles were presented for the vote of the Latter-day Saints. At this conference President Young, in addressing the Saints said:
"I will ask you as quorums, Do you want Brother Rigdon to stand forward as your leader, your guide, your spokesman? President Rigdon wants me to bring up the other question first, and that is, Does the Church want, and is it their only desire to sustain the Twelve as the First Presidency of this people? * * * * All that are in favor of this, in all the congregation of the Saints manifest it by holding up the right hand. (There was a universal vote.) If there are any of the contrary mind, every man and every woman who does not want the Twelve to preside, lift up your hands in like manner, (no hands up.) This supersedes the other question, and trying it by quorums." (History of the Church, Aug. 8, 1844.)
Also at the general conference held the following October the Apostles were again unanimously sustained by the vote of the Church as the presiding quorum and Presidency of the Church. (Times and Seasons, 5:692). Mark you this was by the unanimous vote of the Saints.[2]
Now, in the exodus from Nauvoo these Saints—the great bulk of the Church, continued to be true and faithful and followed the Twelve Apostles.
Governor Thomas Ford, in his "History of Illinois," states that in 1846 there were 16,000 Church members with the Twelve on the plains of Iowa, while the 1,000 that remained, a small remnant, were those who were unable to sell their property, or who having no property to sell, were unable to get away. (History of "Reorganized" Church iii:164). And this remnant followed as soon as they were able.
In the census report for 1850—three years after the settlement of Salt Lake valley, we learn that the population of Utah was 11,380, all Mormons. That same year the population of Pottawattomie county, Iowa, was 7,828, all Mormons, the Latter-day Saints at Kanesville. Thus we see that 19,208 members of the Church who had followed President Brigham Young in the exodus from Nauvoo, were located at these two places. And that is not all, there were other settlements of the Saints at Garden Grove, Mount Pisgah, St. Louis, and other places where temporary settlements for the Saints were formed during that exodus. These also later gathered to Utah. Thus we see that almost the entire membership of the Church as it stood in 1844, is accounted for in the following of President Brigham Young and the Twelve. That the Church was not threatened with dissolution the following statistics will show—I have not at hand the increase of membership of the Church during that period in the United States, but the increase in Great Britain is as follows: In the year 1844, the population of the Church in the British Isles was 7,797. Six years after the martyrdom—December, 1850—that membership had increased to 30,747. This does not show much of a dissolution or falling away.
WHO FORSOOK THE CHURCH?
I do not intend to convey the idea that there was not a falling away, an apostasy, at the time of the martyrdom and the exodus from Nauvoo, for there were many who forsook the cause, but compared with the Church membership, they were but few. Who were they? Did the faithful Saints forsake the Church at that time? Did those who risked their lives—who were shot with the Prophet and Patriarch forsake the Church? No! We do not find the faithful Latter-day Saints, who had the Gospel rooted in their hearts turning away. Then who were those who forsook the cause? I will tell you.
In the parable of the sower the Savior said:
"Behold a sower went forth to sow; and when he sowed some seed fell by the wayside, and the fowls came and devoured them up. Some fell upon stony places where they had not much earth; and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth; and when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away."
In explaining this parable He said:
"But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it; yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while; for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended."
These were they who forsook the Church in the exodus from Nauvoo. Not the faithful who had been tried and proved and not found wanting, who had an abiding testimony of the truth. Now, let us see what Gen. Thomas L. Kane has to say on this subject. He visited Nauvoo about this time and also the camps of Israel. In the postscript to the second edition of his lecture on "The Mormons" he says, page 86:
"The Mormons as I saw them, though a majority, were but a portion of the Church as it flourished in Illinois. When the persecution triumphed there, and no alternative remained for the steadfast in the faith but the flight out of Egypt into the wilderness, as it was termed, all their fair weather friends forsook them." * * * * *
"So the Mormons have been as it were, broken and screened by calamity. Their designing leaders have left them to seek after fortunes elsewhere. Those that remain of the old stock are the masses, always honest in the main and sincere even in delusion; and their guides are a few tried and trusty men, little initiated in the plotting of synagogues, and more noted for services rendered than bounties received. They are the men whom I saw on the prairie trail, sharing sorrow with the sorrowful, and poverty with the poor; the chief of them all, a man of rare natural endowment, to whose masterly guidance they are mainly indebted for their present prosperity, driving his own ox team and carrying his sick child in his arms."
We have the statement of Sidney Rigdon, one of those who forsook the cause. It is found in his Messenger and Advocate for June, 1846, pages 474-5, and a portion of his statement I will now read:
"Their camp [that is the camp of the exiles, the pioneers] is in the western part of Iowa, some 200 miles west of Nauvoo. Their situation according to our informant, is as miserable as it well could be. Their stock of provisions they took with them, is getting fast reduced, so much so, that they can proceed no further; neither can they go back. They are there without shelter, other than tents and wagons, and their tents so indifferent that they will not shed the rain, which has been incessantly falling since their arrival. In this awful condition is to be found the aged and infirm, the mother and tender infant. When our informant left, they were going to fence in some 300 or 400 acres of land, for the purpose of raising a crop of corn to try and preserve life. The remains of their furniture, which in part consists of beds and bedding, they are sending off to Missouri to exchange for corn and bacon to sustain life. * * * * This said Young professed to be a follower of Christ, and hold communion with Him, and to receive revelations from Him; but where are his pretensions now? He has got, according to our informant, some 800 or 1,000 people far into the wilds, without food, without shelter, and himself being judge, without object. * * * A state of wretchedness beyond this is not easily conceived of. Our informant says when he left, which was some three weeks since [and I may add that it is quite evident from this account why he left] the mud, by reason of the incessant rains, was six inches deep round their camp."
I suppose that there are some present this afternoon who realize the hardships through which the pioneers had to pass that tried men's souls and that only the faithful were able to endure.
I have now shown that the great majority of the Latter-day Saints followed President Brigham Young and were true to the Church. We get a good idea of the number who scattered from the testimony of William W. Blair.
FEW JOINED REORGANITES.
Of the members of the Church who were in fellowship in 1844-6, the "Reorganized" Church has received no more, and likely less than 1,000 converts, which fact shows that the apostasy was not so great in 1844-6 as has been stated by the Senator from Michigan and members of the "Reorganization." This statement is based on the testimony of William W. Blair, one of the original members of the "Reorganized" Church, as he testified before the United States court of appeals for the Western district of Missouri, in 1894, in the temple lot suit, which was for the possession of property in the hands of the "Church of Christ," or "Hedrickites."
Before that court Mr. Blair, who was for many years a member of the presidency of the "Reorganized" Church, testified that "1,000 was probably too high an estimate for the members of the original Church, that had joined the 'Reorganized' Church." He could "approximately say," that 1,000 had joined the "Reorganized" Church, and "possibly that estimate was too large." (Record pp. 180, 181).
ORIGIN OF "REORGANIZED" CHURCH.
We will now consider the origin of this "Reorganized" Church. Many people have been lead to believe that this society had its origin at the martyrdom, or immediately following the martyrdom. But this is not the fact. Properly it did not come into existence until 1860—16 years after the martyrdom, but the two men who were mainly responsible for the organization commenced their work in 1852-3. These men were Jason W. Briggs and Zenas H. Gurley. Perhaps a brief outline of their lives would be interesting.
Jason W. Briggs who was really the founder of the "Reorganized" Church, or, who perhaps did more than any other one man to bring about that sect, was born June 25, 1821, at Pompey, Onondaga county, N. Y. It is said he joined the Church at Potosi, Wis., about 1841, but most of the history of this man we get through the records of the "reorganization." His home was at Beloit, Wis., from 1842 to 1854.[3] He remained with the Church under the leadership of President Young and the Twelve until the year 1846 (Reorg. Hist., 3:737). It is interesting to note in this regard that the exodus commenced February 4, 1846, so we are quite safe in saying that this man was one of "the fair weather friends."
After the exodus he joined James J. Strang, and in his organization labored in the ministry quite extensively (Reorganite History 3; 737), filling short missions to various parts of New York and in Wisconsin.
In September of 1849, with B. G. Wright, he organized the Waukesha branch of Mr. Strang's church (Hist. Reorganized Church, 3; 737-8). Now, remember this was in September, 1849, and the organization of this branch was in the Strangite church. About this same time he also organized the Beloit branch for the same organization.[4]
In 1850 he left Mr. Strang's organization and joined with William Smith, who had himself been a follower of Mr. Strang until excommunicated from that organization. In William Smith's church Mr. Briggs accepted the position of "apostle;" but at the time of the disintegration of William Smith's church in 1851, he withdrew, and in 1852 joined with Zenas H. Gurley. These two men then organized what was called at the time the "New Organization of the Church," but today known as the "Reorganized" Church.
In 1886, together with the family of Zenas H. Gurley,[5] Mr. Briggs withdrew from the "Reorganization," which he had begotten. (Saints' Herald, 33; 248-9). His reasons for withdrawing we will consider later.
Zenas H. Gurley was more active in the Church previous to the martyrdom. He was ordained a Seventy in Nauvoo in 1844, and when the Twenty-first quorum of Seventy was organized, April 6, 1845, he was chosen as the senior president, he being the oldest of the presidents chosen. He was a native of New York state, born May 29, 1801, and was therefore 43 years of age in 1844.
We know something about this man's career between the martyrdom and the exodus from the minutes of this quorum of Seventy. And as this record contains some very interesting items I will read a few of them here. In the minutes of November 2, 1845, we read:
"President Zenas H. Gurley apologized for his absence the two last meetings. He then enlarged upon the subject (i. e., the subject before the quorum). He said he had received the assurance of an addition of power of the Priesthood upon every accession of authority he had received. We ought to be the best men living in consideration of our privileges as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, enlightened as it was with divine revelation, He exhorted the brethren not to aspire but to rise upon their own merits and to visit the poor in their afflictions."
In the minutes of November 9, we are informed that President Erastus H. Derby, one of the presidents of that quorum, said:
"Brother Brigham advised and counseled the Saints to get ready for emigration in May, 1846. If he (Derby) possessed the wealth of the whole nation he would not stay behind the Church going into the wilderness."
Immediately following these remarks, Zenas H. Gurley arose and said, as the minutes read, that "He confirmed the same." That is, he too would rather forsake the wealth of the whole nation than fail to go with the Church into the wilderness. Then continuing his remarks, he said:
"Small prototypes of great national events were given by command of God, by the ancient prophets, and the like would probably nowadays distinguish what God is about to do in the earth. * * * Certain characters have been elected from before time to fulfill certain purposes in the earth, called though they were from all nations, tongues, and ranks. * * * The order of free masonry was outrageously violated by the people of Hancock; but the pledges, obligations and vows of the Latter-day Saints would, if adhered to, exalt them to thrones dominions and power."
This was in relation to temple work. On the 21st of December, 1845, he said:
"He remembered forcibly the sayings of the first presidents of Seventy, that we should so live that no charge can be brought against us. A few years ago the men in high standing in this Church (the Twelve) were as little as we are. They obtained their exaltation by patient submission to right, and minding their own business. * * * There are many young men in this quorum able to travel a great way. You will be called on to go, also to receive your endowment. Keep always meek and a teachable spirit. The willow always bends in the breeze and is also firm in the root. Though many have gone out from the Church."—now remember this—"YET it increases as fast as ever and evinces to the world as great affinity and identity to the eternal plan of Jehovah as ever it did."
This does not sound much like a falling away or a dissolution of the Church, does it? And this is the testimony of Zenas H. Gurley given before he left the Church. Again, on the 3rd of January, 1846, the minutes say:
"Zenas H. Gurley enlarged on the subject of liberally donating to the Church necessities. God said He has so shaped the scheme of salvation as that to be saved and appear approved of God, we must sacrifice of all that we possess. * * He felt filled with the Spirit. The course the Church is pursuing has been spoken of by Jesus Christ and the holy prophets of olden time."
There is his endorsement of the course of the Church. And on January 10, 1846:
"Zenas H. Gurley arose and said that the presidents of the quorum had received their endowment."
Continuing he said—mark you, he was one of those presidents:
"He observed that it was remarkable for an unusual outpouring of the Holy Spirit. He felt for the quorum that they should receive their endowment. The Church authorities, the quorum of Seventy in succession, to furnish the people engaged in the endowment, one day each, and he wanted the quorum (Twenty-first) to acquit themselves from every obligation."
It may be interesting to know that this man and his wife were endowed in the Temple January 6, 1846. Here is the testimony of Zenas H. Gurley in relation to the Temple ceremonies when he was in full fellowship in the Church and was in possession of the spirit of his calling. At that time he declared most emphatically that on that occasion the Spirit of the Lord was unusual in its outpouring. If that is true and he could testify to it then, there cannot be anything so very bad in these glorious privileges of which he testified. In later years when he had lost the spirit of the Gospel and was fighting the work he had formerly upheld, he denounced in bitterness these sacred ordinances that he on this occasion sanctioned. His former testimony is the one that is consistent.
On the 17th of January, 1846, the minutes say:
"President Zenas H. Gurley arose and said * * The business before the meeting was the arranging for a donation for the benefit of those of the Priesthood engaged in the Temple. (Not on the Temple but in it). He beautifully observed that it was his design, and also his council's to exalt the Twenty-first quorum, and the quorum should reciprocally return the favor; give support and influence towards its welfare."
Then on the 25th of the same month:
"President Zenas H. Gurley arose and said that the business before the meeting was to select persons to receive their endowment. He had received direction to select 10 or 12 to go in the Temple. He desired the brethren not to think it was partiality to make this selection. The most important point to be considered was to learn obedience. This was the principle taught by Jesus Christ."
He then proceeded to name the brethren for this purpose, and continuing his remarks he said:
"The Saints who have passed through the trials of the Church were generally rooted and grounded in love and have a witness in their hearts or they would not have remained."
And I say amen to that. I wish with all my soul that Zenas H. Gurley had been one of them for his own sake, for it was but 10 days after he made this utterance, that the exodus from Nauvoo began, and this is the last reference we have of Zenas H. Gurley while connected with the Church! What became of him? "Because he had no root he withered away." The terrible trials the Saints were forced to undergo in the wilderness were too great for him; he could not stand the test. And while he had declared that he would go with the Saints even if it required that he should sacrifice the wealth of the whole nation, when put to the actual test, his heart failed him and he sought safety in flight, he sought his life, but lost the life eternal!
The next reference we have of him in the minutes of the Twenty-first quorum is in 1855, where the statement is made that he had fled from the Church and was associated with James J. Strang. Of his connection with Mr. Strang, I prefer to read to you the account from the history of the "Reorganized" Church, for you know then we will have it correct. On page 744 of volume three we have the following:
"After the death of Joseph Smith, Elder Gurley investigated the claims of the various leaders, and finally accepted those of James J. Strang as being the most reasonable. A letter written by him from Gananoque, Canada West, November 6, 1849, and published in Gospel Herald, volume 4, page 187, indicates that he was then on a mission to Canada in the interest of the organization under Strang. On January 1, 1850, he again wrote from Landsdown, Upper Canada, still engaged in the same work.
"A letter written January 10, 1850, from Pittsburg, Canada West, manifested zeal in his work."
We have already shown how he manifested great zeal in his work in the Twenty-first quorum before he left the Church. But to continue:
"March 15, 1850 he wrote from St. Lawrence, New York, that he was assisting Brother Silsby in organizing the brethren and helping them in getting ready for Beaver. He was present at a conference held at Voree, Wisconsin, June 1 and 2, 1850, and in these minutes we find this entry: 'Brother Z. H. Gurley was'—
Then there is an ellipsis, no doubt it would be interesting to know what follows, and the account continues—
'sent to the northeastern parts of Wisconsin, on the presentation of President Strang.'"
Now, please note carefully what follows:
"It was probably while on the mission thus appointed that Elder Gurley raised up the Yellowstone branch, the members of which helped to form the nucleus of the Reorganization."—Page 744-5.
We have already seen that Jason W. Briggs raised up the Waukesha branch of the Strangite church in 1849, also that he raised up the Beloit branch for the same organization, and now we have the admission fatal to their organization, that the Yellowstone branch was also raised up to Mr. James J. Strang. These branches you see became the nucleus of the "Reorganization." They were not connected with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, according to their own admission, but were organized for the Church of James J. Strang. Yet, mark you, these Strangite branches were admitted into what was called the "New organization," or the "Reorganization," on their original baptisms.[6] It is quite evident that the "Reorganization" is the offspring of the church of this man James J. Strang.
Now let us return to Jason W. Briggs. In Mr. Heman C. Smith's "True Succession," pages 134-135, we have an alleged revelation that this man received that was the cause of the coming together of the so-called "Reorganized" Church. I have already told you that he was the most important man in this movement, if not the father of it. The "revelation" is as follows:
"Therefore, let the elders whom I have ordained by the hand of my servant Joseph, or by the hand of those ordained by him, resist not this authority, nor faint in the discharge of duty, which is to preach my gospel as revealed in the records of the Jews, and the Book of Mormon, and the Book of Doctrine and Covenants; and cry repentance and remission of sins through obedience to the gospel, and I will sustain them, and give them my Spirit; and in mine own due time will I call upon the seed of Joseph Smith, and will bring one forth, and he shall be mighty and strong, and he shall preside over the High Priesthood of my Church; and then shall the quorums assemble, and the pure in heart shall gather, and Zion shall be reinhabited, as I said unto my servant Joseph Smith."
WHY BRIGGS SECEDED.
In this alleged revelation we have this man teaching lineal Priesthood or the right of succession from father to son. We also have him teaching the literal gathering to Zion of the honest in heart. We will now see what his reasons were for withdrawing from the "Reorganized" Church. We find on pages 248-249 of volume 33 of the Saints' Herald that the reasons why this man withdrew from the "Reorganization" with the family of Zenas H. Gurley, were as follows:
That he could not believe in:
(1) "The literal gathering of the Church into Jackson and the adjoining counties in the state of Missouri (or any one or more places) known as a local Zion."
(2) "Temple building and ceremonial endowments therein."
(3) "Baptism for the dead."
(4) "Tithing as a law applicable to the Church."
(5) "The law of consecration by which individuals are made legal heirs to the Kingdom of Zion."
(6) "A sole mouthpiece of God to the Church."
(7) "The plenary inspiration of and consequent absolute authority of what are called the sacred books."
(8) "The doctrine of 'cursing our enemies,' and of 'avenging God upon them to the third and fourth generations.'"
(9) "To the foregoing may be added the revelation of January 19, 1841, section 107 D. & C., (124 our edition), which enjoins upon the Church the building of a hotel, called the 'Lord's boarding-house,' for Joseph Smith and posterity to dwell in from generation to generation, as also the promise contained therein, viz: 'And as I said unto Abraham concerning the kindreds of the earth, even so I say to my servant Joseph, in thee and thy seed shall the kindreds of the earth be blessed."
"This coupled with the provisions in section 43, that 'none else should or could receive revelation for the Church' and the provision of section 19, that the Church shall receive Joseph's words and commands the same as if from God's own mouth,—establish in our judgment a lineal descent of authority, equivalent to an imperial dynasty, which is foreign to the spirit and genius of the Gospel of Christ."
This communication was dated March 28, 1886, and was signed by Jason W. Briggs, (president of their apostles); Zenas H. Gurley, (a member of that quorum); Gracie Gurley, Margaret Gurley, Edwin H. Gurley, Mida Gurley.
We see that this Mr. Briggs repudiated the fundamental portions of his alleged revelation. In the "revelation" he teaches the gathering, but here he says he does not believe in the gathering, either to Jackson county or to any other place to be known as a local Zion. In his "revelation" he teaches lineal Priesthood, but when he withdraws from the church one reason was that he could not believe in "a sole mouth-piece of God to the Church," and in an "imperial dynasty," which he erroneously thought was taught in the revelation. Thus he repudiates his "revelation," denies the divine mission of the Prophet Joseph Smith, and repudiates the standard works of the Church.[7] Unstable to the last, this man would not rest content in this organization which he was such a potent instrument in bringing into existence.[8]
There is another thing in his so-called "revelation" that is interesting. He declares that the Lord would raise up one of the seed of Joseph Smith who would be mighty and strong. Now, evidently this refers to Joseph Smith, president of that organization. Joseph Smith of the "Reorganized" Church declares that he is not the one mighty and strong and the "Reorganized" Church has backed him up by resolution in that conclusion.[9]
QUESTION OF REJECTION.
We now come to the question of the rejection of the Church. Our friends tell us that the Church was rejected for the reason that they failed to complete the Nauvoo Temple "in the sufficient time granted by the Lord." They say that the Temple was not finished. The president of the "Reorganization" has made the following statement in this connection:
"The basement was fitted for occupation and the baptismal font was ready for use. The auditorium on the first floor was completed sufficiently to be seated and occupied for assembly purposes. The stairway on the south side was completed for use. The auditorium on the second floor, the stairway on the north side, nor any other portion of the building except those above named were completed; though the small rooms above the second floor auditorium were used by President Young and the resident Church authorities for various purposes." (History of Reorganized Church, 2:562).
His brother Alexander makes a similar statement.
In reply to this it is only necessary to say that it made no difference whether the Temple was finished or not. The revelation of January 19, 1841, provided,
"That when I (the Lord) give a commandment to any of the sons of men, to do a work unto my name, and those sons of men go with all their might, and with all they have, to perform that work, and cease not their diligence, and their enemies come upon them, and hinder them from performing that work; behold, it behooveth me to require that work no more at the hands of those sons of men, but to accept of their offerings:
"And the iniquity and transgression of my holy laws and commandments, I will visit upon the heads of those who hindered my work, unto the third and fourth generation, so long as they repent not, and hate me, saith the Lord God.
"Therefore for this cause have I accepted the offerings of those whom I commanded to build up a city and a house unto my name, in Jackson county, Missouri, and were hindered by their enemies, saith the Lord your God:
"And I will answer judgment, wrath, and indignation, wailing and anguish and gnashing of teeth upon their heads, unto the third and fourth generation, so long as they repent not and hate me, saith the Lord your God.
"And this I make an example unto you for your consolation concerning all those who have been commanded to do a work, and have been hindered by the hands of their enemies, and by oppression saith the Lord your God."[10]
No sane man will dare say that the Saints were not hindered by their enemies in the building of the Nauvoo Temple, both before and after the martyrdom. Nevertheless, I maintain that they were diligent in their labors as the following references will show, furthermore that the Temple was completed. In the Times and Seasons, volume 3, page 775, is to be found an editorial written by the Prophet Joseph in which he says:
"This noble edifice is progressing with great rapidity; strenuous exertions are being made on every hand to facilitate its erection; and materials of all kinds are in great state of forwardness. * * * *
"While the busy multitudes have thus been engaged in their several avocations, performing their daily labor, and working one-tenth of their time, others have not been less forward in bringing in their tithings and consecrations for the same great object. Never since the formation of this Church was laid have we seen manifested a greater willingness to comply with the requisitions of Jehovah; a more ardent desire to do the will of God; more strenuous exertions used, or greater sacrifices made, then there have been since the Lord said: Let the Temple be built by the tithing of my people. It seemed as though the spirit of enterprise, philanthropy, and obedience rested simultaneously upon old and young; and brethren and sisters, boys and girls, and even strangers, who were not in the Church, united with an unprecedented liberality in the accomplishment of this great work; nor could the widow in many instances, be prevented, out of her scanty pittance, from throwing in her two mites."
This was written in May, 1842. Remember the date, for I will have occasion to refer to this again before we are through.
This editorial reveals to us what is meant by laboring with your might and "to cease not their diligence." The Lord did not require all the time of the Saints to be devoted on that building, but a tithing—one-tenth of their time or means. That is all He required of them in order that they should fulfill the commandment. This is also set forth in the second vol. of the Times and Seasons, page 567, and in vol., 3 pages 938-9, but I take it for granted that the reference given is sufficient to cover this ground.
TEMPLE BUILT BY SACRIFICE.
Let us here pause a moment and see what it took to build the Temple. That structure cost more than one million dollars; the Saints were poor, and a great deal of the time the Temple was in course of erection they were harassed by their enemies. The Prophet Joseph was forced into exile to avoid his enemies who tried to drag him to Missouri, and therefore he could not devote his personal attention to the building of the Temple as he otherwise would have done; and in this way the work was retarded to some degree by the enemies of the people. Moreover, the building of that structure was not like building one today. The Saints could not order their timber from the lumber yard in a state of preparation for the Temple. There were no iron foundries from which they could obtain the required metal properly prepared; but on the contrary, every detail had to be performed by the Saints. The timber had to be hewed in the far off forests of Wisconsin, carried to Nauvoo, and cut into boards and for the various uses of the Temple. The stone had to be cut and polished from the quarries, and the whole work had to be supplied out of the tithing of the people. If the Lord had required all of their time how would they have supported their families? Of course, He could have cared for them, but it was but the tenth, mark you, of their time and means that was required. And yet some of our friends complain that the Temple was not completed inside of six months! Naturally under these conditions it would take a number of years to complete the building.
We have seen that the Saints were diligent up to May, 1842.[11] Let us now see if they did not continue their diligence. Of course, there were some who were not diligent; but not of the faithful, not of those who followed the Twelve. At the April conference, 1844, the Patriarch Hyrum Smith, addressing the Saints, said:
"I am one of the committee (i. e., Temple committee); the committee tell me the quarry is blockaded, it is filled with rock, the stone cutters are wanting work; come on with your teams as soon as conference is over. It is not necessary for me to tell who will come and do it; I will prophesy that you will do it. There is not one in the city but that will do right if they know it, only one or two exceptions, and they are not worth notice; God will take care of them, and if He doesn't, the devil will." (T. & S., 5:597).
Now, I know that Hyrum Smith was a prophet of God, the Lord declared it, and his prophecy did not fail. This shows the willingness of the Saints to do this work as late as 1844.
In a communication to the Times and Seasons, October 13, 1844, signed "C," we have the following:
"The Temple is rising even faster than could have been anticipated, and has a very imposing appearance."
Again on page 744, of volume 5, Times and Seasons, (December 15, 1844), this is stated:
"The Temple has progressed with greater rapidity since the death of Joseph and Hyrum than ever it had done before; and things in this city never looked more prosperous."
And in an editorial in this same paper of May 15, 1845:
"The Temple progresses rapidly and the Saints being united (as we have heretofore said), are industrious, frugal and determined."
Then in the Times and Seasons, volume 6, page 926:
"After a little more than four years of hard labor, in truly troublesome times, and not, too, without the loss of the best blood in the Church, on the morning of the 24th ult. (April, 1845), at a little past 6, a goodly number of Saints had the honor, and glory to witness the capstone of the Temple laid in its place."
In a letter from Elder John Taylor to Joseph Cain (Mill. Star, 8:31), we find this:
"My feelings were very peculiar while standing in the font, which is of stone, and passing through the rooms when I thought how the Saints had labored and striven to complete the building."
And in the Times and Seasons, volume 6, page 1017:
"On Sunday, the 5th of October (1845) through the indefatigable exertions, unceasing industry, and heaven blessed labors, in the midst of trials, tribulations, poverty, and worldly obstacles, solemnized, in some instances, by death, about 5,000 Saints had the inexpressible joy and great gratification to meet for the first time in the house of the Lord in the city of Joseph (Nauvoo). From mites and tithing, millions had risen up to the glory of God, as a Temple where the children of the last kingdom, could come together and praise the Lord."
There are other passages; but these ought to suffice on this point of the diligence of the Saints. But some one will say, all this testimony is from those who are interested—from your friends. Should we take the testimony of our enemies, those who are interested in our downfall, and who are not acquainted with these facts? However, I will add the testimony of one who hoped that the Temple would not be finished. In the Messenger and Advocate of June, 1846, published by Sidney Rigdon, I quote the following:
"That people [the Saints with Brigham Young] were told that they would not finish that Temple which THEY were building. They were told that they would get the roof on, and do some of the inside work, but never would finish it."
Now mark this; he adds:
"No people ever labored harder to prove the above declaration false. No pains were spared; but where has it terminated? Just as we said it would."
Here we have the testimony of Sidney Rigdon, who opposed the Twelve and the Church and the building of that Temple. Yet he says they were diligent, but when he says it was not completed, he spoke too soon. This article was written just shortly after the exodus commenced, and at that time the Temple was not quite finished; but it was finished before all the Saints' left Nauvoo.
I suppose that it is unnecessary to continue this branch of the subject any further, but since our Church members have to meet the sophistry on the part of the elders of the "Reorganization," we will.
NAUVOO TEMPLE COMPLETED.
In proof that the Temple was completed I present the following evidence. In the Times and Seasons, volume 6, page 1017, we find the following:
"It certainly afforded a holy satisfaction to think that since the 6th of April, 1841, when the first stone was laid, amidst the most straightened circumstances, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has witnessed their bread cast upon waters; or more properly their obedience to the commandments of the Lord appear in the tangible form of a Temple, entirely enclosed, windows in, with temporary floors, pulpits, and seats to accommodate so many persons preparatory to a general conference."
And on page 1018:
"The font and the other parts of the Temple will be in readiness in a few days to commence the administration of holy ordinances of endowment, for which the faithful have long diligently labored and fervently prayed, desiring above all things to see the beauty of the Lord and inquire in His holy Temple."
Now, this was given in October, 1845, and we learn that the font—that is the permanent font, which replaced the former and temporary one—also the other parts of the Temple would be in readiness in a few days to commence the administration of holy ordinances. I wish now to refer to another reference from the writings of the president of the "Reorganization." I have already read where he declares that the font and the first floor above the basement and one stairway, also the basement, were completed. He reaffirms that in the following from an editorial in the Saints' Herald of February 17, 1904:
"Work continued to be done on the Temple until the fall of 1845, possibly until the summer of 1846"—you see he is not quite sure about it—"but the building was never finished; and whatever ordinances were performed in it took place in rooms not wholly finished."
Now note this particularly:
"The north stairway, the second or upper auditorium, and the attic were entirely incompleted."
We will now examine the Times and Seasons of January 20, 1846, and see what his testimony is worth. Here on page 1096 occurs the following:
"January thus far has been mild, which, in the midst of our preparations for an exodus next spring, has given an excellent time to finish the Temple. Nothing has appeared so much like a finish of that holy edifice as the present."
Now, I want to call your attention to this which immediately follows:
"The ATTIC story was finished in December."
That is in December 1845. You will remember that the president of the Reorganization declares that the attic was "entirely incompleted." But to continue the quotation:
"And if the Lord continues to favor us, the first story above the basement will be completed ready for meeting, in the month of February. The font, standing upon 12 stone oxen, is about ready, and the floor of the story is laid, so that all speculation about the Temple of God at Nauvoo, must cease."
Now the temporary floors were laid in October, 1845, so these floors must have been the permanent ones, and while the temporary finishing in October was for the purpose of fitting the building for the ordinances, this finishing was permanent.
Here is an interesting feature about the testimony of this man. The parts of the Temple which the president of the "Reorganized" Church says were completed—finished, the Times and Seasons here states would not be finished for a few days, or till February, but the part of the building which he says was "entirely incompleted," is here declared to have been finished in the past December, 1845. I shall not dispute with him the fact that the parts which he says were finished, were completed, for they were; but what does his testimony amount to as evidence when confronted with the statement of the Times and Seasons? Simply nothing; more than to prove that he knew nothing about it at all. Now which shall we believe? The Times and Seasons, published at the time, or the president of the "Reorganization," who made his statement some 40 years later? Remember if he admits that the Temple was finished his whole structure crumbles to the ground—it's bound to crumble anyway sooner or later, for it is built upon the sand.
Elder John Taylor, in an address to the Saints in England, published in the Millennial Star of November, 1846, (vol. 8:97) has this to say:
"Time alone can unfold this to many, but to us it has been manifested long ago, years before the Temple WAS COMPLETED, and long before the martyrdom of our Prophet and Patriarch."
Here he declares that the Temple was completed. Now our friends quote from the remarks of President Brigham Young delivered at the dedication of the St. George Temple to the effect that up to that time the Saints had never had the privilege of completing and enjoying a Temple. I call your attention to the fact that President Brigham Young left Nauvoo before the Temple was finished. He left in February, 1846, and a great portion of the Latter-day Saints were expelled from that city before they had the privilege of receiving the ordinances of the house of God, therefore President Young was correct when he said we had not up to that time had the privilege of completing and enjoying one. But I will now call your attention to the statement of President Young's made in October, 1863, (News, 13:96). Said he,
"We have already built two Temples, one at Kirtland, Ohio, and one at Nauvoo, Illinois. * * * God commanded us to build the Nauvoo Temple, and we built it, and performed our duty pretty well. There are elders present here today who labored on that house with not a shoe to their foot, or pantaloons that would cover their limbs, or a shirt to cover their arms.
"We performed the work, and performed it WITHIN THE TIME WHICH THE LORD GAVE US TO DO IT IN. Apostates said that we never could perform that work, but through the blessing of God it was completed and accepted of Him. Apostates never build Temples unto God, but the Saints are called to do this work."
The Nauvoo Temple was publicly dedicated May 1, 1846, by Elder Orson Hyde, and the following day about 3,000 Saints met in the building in a public service. It is most likely that the greater number of these Saints were also at the dedication. It is not reasonable to suppose that this building was dedicated until it was finished, for each part had been dedicated as it was finished, and the dedication on the 1st of May, 1846, was of the entire structure.[12]
THE REVELATION ON TEMPLE WORK.
I have now shown that the Temple was completed; that the Saints were diligent in their labors, and they were also hindered by their enemies. I now reaffirm what has previously been said; that it made no difference, so far as the Church and its authority is concerned, even if the Temple had not been completed, or finished, in the technical sense of that word. Some of the embellishments, the ornamentations and fixtures, may not have been placed in the building according to the original intention, and in that technical sense the building may not have been "finished completely." But if so, what difference would it make? The Lord, thank heaven, is not as technical and peevish as men are, or woe be unto all of us. The revelation does not say that the Church would be rejected with its dead if every identical board and plank or fixture was not in the building according to the original design. The thing the revelation does require is that a place be prepared, or built, where the Lord could reveal the Priesthood and its ordinances which had been taken away or that had not been restored. And, too, if the temporary floors had not been replaced by the permanent floors, the Lord could and would have revealed Himself to the Saints and would have accepted of their offering. Now let's see just what the revelation does say about this matter. Beginning at verse 25.
"25. And again, verily I say unto you, let all my Saints come from afar;
26. And send ye swift messengers, yea, chosen messengers, and say unto them; come ye, with all your gold, and your silver, and your precious stones, and with all your antiquities; and with all who have knowledge of antiquities, that will come, may come, and bring the box tree, and the fir tree, and the pine tree, together with all the precious trees of the earth;
27. And with iron, with copper, and with brass, and with zinc, and with all your precious things of the earth, and build a house to my name, for the most High to dwell therein;
28. For there is not a place found on earth that he may come and restore again that which was lost unto you, or which he hath taken away, even the fulnesss of the Priesthood;
29. For a baptismal font there is not upon the earth, that they, my Saints, may be baptized for those who are dead;
30. For this ordinance belongeth to my house, and cannot be acceptable to me, only in the days of your poverty, wherein ye are not able to build a house unto me.
31. But I command you, all ye my Saints, to build a house unto me; and I grant unto you a sufficient time to build a house unto me, and during this time your baptisms shall be acceptable unto me.
32. But behold, at the end of this appointment, your baptisms for your dead shall not be acceptable unto me; and if you do not these things at the end of the appointment, ye shall be rejected as a church, with your dead, saith the Lord your God.
33. For verily I say unto you, that after you have had sufficient time to build a house to me, wherein the ordinance of baptizing for the dead belongeth, and for which the same was instituted from before the foundation of the world, your baptisms for your dead cannot be acceptable unto me.
34. For therein (that is in Temples) are the keys of the Holy Priesthood ordained that you may receive honor and glory.
35. And after this time, your baptisms for the dead, by those who are scattered abroad, are not acceptable unto me, saith the Lord.
36. For it is ordained that in Zion, and in her stakes, and in Jerusalem, those places which I have appointed for refuge, shall be the places for your baptisms for your dead.
37. And again, verily I say unto you, How shall your washings be acceptable unto me, except ye perform them in a house which you have built to my name?
38. For, for this cause I commanded Moses that he should build a tabernacle, that they should bear it with them in the wilderness, and to build a house in the land of promise that those ordinances might be revealed which had been hid from before the world was;
39. Therefore, verily I say unto you, that your anointings and your washings, and your baptisms for the dead, and your solemn assemblies, and your memorials for your sacrifices, by the sons of Levi, and for your oracles in your most holy places, wherein you receive conversations, and your statutes and judgments, for the beginning of the revelation and foundation of Zion, and for the glory, honor, and endowment of all her municipals, are ordained by the ordinance of my holy house, which my people are always commanded to build unto my holy name."
I have read quite extensively from this revelation, now let us examine and see just what is meant. At the time this revelation was given the Saints were baptizing in the Mississippi river for their dead, this was a special privilege that the Lord granted them in their poverty and while they could prepare a place in the Temple for that ordinance. He declares that while that place was being built He would accept of their baptisms in the river, but just as soon as a place could be prepared in the Temple baptisms for the dead in the river should cease. Now you will notice that verse 31 reads:
"But I command you, all ye my Saints, to build a house unto me; and I grant unto you a sufficient time to build a house unto me."
Now I wish you to note what follows:
"And during this time your baptisms shall be acceptable unto me."
I take it that this means that the Lord would accept of their baptisms in the river until they could prepare a place where the ordinance could be attended to properly, and that He would not discontinue river baptisms until they had had sufficient time to build such a place. I want to read what the president of the "Reorganized" Church has to say on this point. Said he:
"Baptisms for the dead was a permissive rite."
Of course I do not agree with him that it was a permissive rite, but to continue the quotation:
"Baptism for the dead was a permissive rite; or to write more plainly, the Church was permitted by the Lord to baptize for the dead under certain rules."
Here is the rule:
"By terms stated in the revelation this permissive rite could be performed and would be acceptable if performed in the river while the time given the Church in which the Temple should be built was passing. After the completion of the Temple, baptisms for the dead were to be performed in it." (Saints' Herald, February 17, 1904).
We are certainly safe in saying that the Lord would not break His promise, therefore if we can discover a time when baptisms were discontinued in the river it will be a sign that the sufficient time had expired, so far as baptisms in the river for the dead were concerned. I turn to the minutes of the October conference, 1841, and read from the remarks on baptism for the dead delivered by the Prophet on the third day as follows:
"There shall be no more baptisms for the dead until the ordinance can be attended to in the font of the Lord's house; and the Church shall not hold another general conference, until they can meet in said house. For thus saith the Lord!" (Times and Seasons, Vol. II., page 578).
Remember this was in October, 1841—six months after the first stone of the Temple was laid. Was the Temple finished? No. Was the Church then rejected with its dead? Verily no! for this was 1841, and I have already referred you to the editorial of the Prophet's of May, 1842, wherein he says that never since the formation, or foundation, of the Church was laid, have the Saints been so willing to comply with the requisitions of Jehovah, and manifested a more ardent desire to do the will of God, than in the building of that Temple. Therefore they could not have been rejected. Yet the sufficient time was up.[13] What must we then conclude? That the Temple had progressed so far that baptisms could be performed in it for the dead in accordance with the revelation, and it did not depend altogether, you will see, on the complete finishing of the building; and as the rooms were finished one by one and dedicated, they too, could be used for the ordinances of the Temple until the whole Temple was built.
Are we right in our conclusion that a font had been built? Yes, a temporary font had been built in the basement of the Temple—a temporary one—but obviously one that answered the requirements of the revelation. Moreover, in this temporary font, which was used by the command of the Lord through the Prophet Joseph Smith, baptisms for the dead were performed from November, 1841, until it was replaced by the permanent font, and then these baptisms continued in that until the Saints were driven from Nauvoo.
BAPTISMS FOR THE DEAD OBLIGATORY.
We will now examine the thirty-second verse; it is:
"But behold, at the end of this appointment, your baptisms for your dead shall not be acceptable unto me."
That means, of course, the baptisms in the river shall not be acceptable after the font is built. But listen to this:
"And if you do not these things at the END OF THE APPOINTMENT ye shall be rejected as a church, with your dead, saith the Lord your God."
If you do not do what things? Does it mean if you do not build the Temple at the END of the appointment? That would be absurd. It means, if you do not perform your baptisms for your dead and the ordinances for the dead at the end—not the beginning, but the end—of the appointment, then will you be rejected with your dead. So you see it was not the failure to finish the attic, or to carve figures in the woodwork, or embellish the building by placing pictures on the walls, or painting them; it was not for this that the Church was to be rejected; but it was to be rejected with its dead if it failed to perform the work in the Temple for the dead when the opportunity was afforded. Now let us see if this view is not in harmony with other Scriptures. I turn to the second section of the Doctrine and Covenants. Here the angel says:
"Behold, I will reveal unto you the Priesthood, by the hand of Elijah the prophet, before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.
"And he shall plant in the hearts of the children the promises made to the fathers, and the hearts of the children shall turn to their fathers.
"If it were not so, the whole earth would be UTTERLY WASTED AT ITS COMING."
Why would the earth be wasted? Simply because if there is not a welding link between the fathers and the children—which is the work for the dead—then we will all stand rejected; the whole work of God will fail and be utterly wasted. Such a condition of course, shall not be. When Elijah restored this Priesthood, he said that the time spoken of had fully come, and that the dreadful day of the Lord was near, even at the doors.
Let us now see what Joseph Smith had to say in relation to this. Speaking of the baptism and salvation for the dead, he said:
"The GREATEST RESPONSIBILITY in this world that God has laid upon us, is to seek after our dead. The apostle says they without us cannot be made perfect. Now I will speak of them: I say to you, Paul, you cannot be perfect without us; it is necessary that those who have gone before, and those who come after us should have salvation in common with us, and thus hath God made it OBLIGATORY to man. Hence God said He would send Elijah." (Times and Seasons, 6:616).
Moreover, at the conference held October, 1841, to which I have already referred, the prophet said this:
"Baptism for the dead is the only way that men can appear as saviors on Mount Zion. The proclamation of the first principles of the gospel was a means of salvation to men individually, and it was the truth, not men, that saved them; but men by actively engaging in rites of salvation substitutionally, become instrumental in bringing multitudes of their kin into the Kingdom of God."
"This doctrine"—that is, baptism for the dead—"he said, presents in a clear light the wisdom and mercy of God, in preparing an ordinance for the salvation of the dead, being baptized by proxy, their names recorded in heaven, and they judged according to the deeds done in the body."
Now here comes the most important statement.
—"This doctrine was the BURDEN OF THE SCRIPTURES. Those Saints who NEGLECT it in behalf of their deceased relatives, do it at the PERIL OF THEIR OWN SALVATION."
There we have the key to the whole situation. If we neglect the salvation of our dead when we have the opportunity to save them, then we ourselves will be rejected, and that is just what the revelation of January 19, 1841, says. In the Doctrine and Covenants, Section 128, verse 5, we are told that baptism for the dead was prepared from before the foundation of the world, "for the salvation of the dead," mark this, "WHO SHOULD DIE WITHOUT A KNOWLEDGE OF THE GOSPEL!" And in verse 15:
"And now, my dearly beloved brethren and sisters, let me assure you that these are principles in relation to the dead and the living that cannot be lightly passed over, as pertaining to our salvation, as Paul says concerning the fathers, 'that they without us cannot be made perfect, neither can we without our dead be made perfect.'"
Here we have it in this revelation that if we do not save our dead we cannot ourselves be saved, therefore if we neglect their salvation, we ourselves will be rejected. Now verse 18:
"It is sufficient to know * * * that the earth will be smitten with a curse, UNLESS there is a welding link of some kind or other, between the fathers and the children, upon some subject or other, and behold what is that subject? IT IS THE BAPTISM FOR THE DEAD. For we without them cannot be made perfect; neither can they without us be made perfect. Neither can they nor we be made perfect without those who have died in the Gospel also; for it is necessary in the ushering in of the dispensation of the fulnesss of times, which dispensation is now beginning to usher in, that a whole and complete and perfect union and welding together of dispensations, and keys, and powers, and glories, should take place, and be revealed, from the days of Adam even to the present time; and not only this, but those things which never have been revealed from the foundation of the world, but have been kept hid from the wise and prudent shall be revealed unto babes and sucklings in this the dispensation of the fulness of times."
SALVATION FOR THE DEAD IMPORTANT.
Now, is it not plain to see how important this doctrine is, and why the Saints were to be rejected? But they were not rejected for they performed the baptisms for their dead, and are today performing the baptisms and the ordinances for and in behalf of their dead. Therefore they are not rejected. Again, the Prophet says that the Saints have not too much time to save and redeem their dead, and gather their living relatives together that they may be saved also, before the earth will be smitten, as revealed by Malachi. Therefore it is quite evident why the Lord permitted them to baptize in the river, and not wait until those ordinances could be performed in the Temple, and why He was so anxious that they should hurry and prepare a place in the Temple, where they could be performed in accordance with the plan from before the foundation of the world.
Here is another statement that I wish to refer to. In an editorial in the Times and Seasons written by the Prophet, in volume 3, pages 759-761, where he is speaking of the remarks made by the Savior to the Jews, that upon them should come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth from the blood of righteous Abel, unto the blood of Zacharias, son of Barachias, who was slain between the Temple and the altar, Joseph the Prophet declares in most emphatic terms that the reason why this blood was to come upon these Jews was, that:
"They possessed greater privileges than any other generation, not only as pertaining to themselves but to their dead, their sin was greater as they not only neglected their own salvation but that of their progenitors, and hence their blood was required at their hands."
Now, if these Jews were to answer for the blood of their progenitors because they neglected the salvation of their dead, then, may we not ask; will not we have to answer for the blood of our dead if we neglect these ordinances in their behalf? It matters not even if we have been baptized and have had hands laid on our heads for the reception of the Holy Ghost; if we wilfully neglect the salvation of our dead, then also we shall stand rejected of the Lord because we have rejected our dead; and just so sure their blood will be required at our hands.
Now, what is the attitude of the "Reorganized" Church in relation to the salvation of the dead, the neglect of which the Church—yes, and also the individual—was to stand rejected of the Lord? I have here a copy of a resolution that was passed by the general conference of that sect in 1886, at the time that Mr. Briggs withdrew. This resolution is in reply to his charge that he could not accept the principle of "baptism for the dead." Here it is:
"That as to the alleged Temple building and ceremonial endowments therein, that we know of no Temple building, except as edifices wherein to worship God, and no endowment except the endowment of the Holy Spirit of the kind experienced by the early Saints on Pentecost day."
"'Baptism for the dead' referred to belongs to those local questions of which the body has said by resolution:
"'That the commandments of a local character, given to the first organization of the Church are binding on the Reorganization only so far as they are either reiterated or referred to as binding by commandment to this church. And that principle has neither been reiterated nor referred to as a commandment."
Just think of that! They declare that we were rejected because we failed to build a house where these ordinances were to be performed, and yet they actually have the audacity to say that the work of salvation for the dead is not binding on them because it has not been reiterated or referred to as a commandment binding on them. Now is that consistent? They call it a local commandment, yet we have seen that this commandment was the burden of the Scriptures and the greatest responsibility that God has placed upon us, and we are obliged to save our dead if we would ourselves be saved. And yet, this commandment without which the whole earth was to be utterly wasted and destroyed—this eternal commandment that had been prepared before the foundation of the world—is not binding on them! "A local commandment!" "A permissive rite!" My friends, from the teachings of Joseph Smith the Prophet, which I have presented, you may well judge which is the Church "rejected with its dead."[14]
Footnotes
[1.] This statement that the Latter-day Saints were endeavoring to get beyond the jurisdiction of the United States, which is repeated so often by anti-"Mormon" writers and speakers, including many devotees of the "Reorganization," who vainly attempt to prove the disloyalty of the Saints, is rather astonishing in the face of the facts of history. The exodus to the Rocky Mountains was undertaken of necessity, as it was from Missouri to Illinois, because the Saints had been ruthlessly driven from their homes by armed mobocrats. Notwithstanding this, the Church came to the Rocky Mountains because the Lord willed it so, for He permitted the expulsion from Nauvoo that His purposes might be fulfilled. The Prophet Joseph Smith, as early as 1842, received a revelation declaring that the Saints would be driven to these valleys. That revelation is found in the history of the Church for Saturday, August 6, 1842. Our friends the Reorganites, have themselves testified in their more sober moments to the truth of this grand prediction. In a history published by them in 1880, and which they said was "the aim of the publishers to place within the reach of those who cared to know, a more correct standard from which to determine the character and work of Joseph Smith, the founder, under divine direction, of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints," "And is the cheapest book published by the (Reorganized) Church." They record the following:
"Just at this time (1842) also occurred Joseph's first marked prophecy, on record, concerning the removal of the Saints to the Rocky Mountains. Says the Record:
"Saturday 6th, (August, 1842). Passed over the river to Montrose, Iowa, in company with General Adams, Colonel Brewer, and others, and witnessed the installation of the officers of the Rising Sun Lodge of Ancient York Masons, at Montrose, by General James Adams, Deputy Grand Master of Illinois. While the Deputy Grand Master was engaged in giving the requisite instructions to the Master Elect, I had a conversation with a number of brethren, in the shade of the building, on the subject of our persecutions in Missouri, and the constant annoyance which has followed us since we were driven from the State. I prophesied that the Saints would continue to suffer much affliction, and would be driven to the Rocky Mountains, many would apostatize, others would be put to death by our persecutors, or lose their lives in consequence of exposure or disease, and some would live to go and assist in making settlements and building cities, and see the Saints become a mighty people in the midst of the Rocky Mountains."
"The exodus is a great historic fact. It would do violence to history to expunge this record. The Twelve, however, may have shaped the record thus to fit their own events. It is not even affirmed that Joseph gave such a revelation to the Church; but the historical landmark, pointing to the Rocky Mountains, is this prophecy to his Masonic brethren, on the 6th of August, 1842, just about five years before the feet of the pioneers emerged from the last mountain gorge into the beautiful valley of the Great Salt Lake." (Tullidge's Life of Joseph Smith, Lamoni edition, page 398-9).
In February 1844 a company was selected to go and explore Oregon and California (Utah then being a portion of what was called "Upper California,") for the purpose of selecting a site where the Saints could build a city. The minutes of this meeting say: "At a meeting of the Twelve, at the Mayor's office, Nauvoo, February 21, 1844, seven o'clock, p. m., Brigham Young, Parley P. Pratt, Orson Pratt, Wilford Woodruff, John Taylor, George A. Smith, Willard Richards and four others being present, called by previous notice, by instruction of President Joseph Smith on the 20th instant, for the purpose of selecting a company to explore Oregon and California, and select a site for a new city for the Saints."
Jonathan Dunham, Phineas H. Young, David D. Yearsley and David Fullmer, volunteered to go; and Alphonzo Young, James Emmett, George D. Watt, and Daniel Spencer were requested to go. These brethren were requested to meet with the council on the following Friday evening at the Assembly Room, and the history of the Prophet continues: "Met with the Twelve in the Assembly Room (Friday 23rd) concerning the Oregon and California Exploring Expedition; Hyrum and Sidney present. I told them I wanted an exploration of all that mountain country. Perhaps it would be best to go direct to Santa Fe. Send twenty-five men: let them preach the Gospel wherever they go. Let that man go that can raise $500, a good horse and mule, a double-barrel gun, one barrel rifle, and the other smooth bore, a saddle and bridle, a pair of revolving pistols, bowie-knife, and a good saber. Appoint a leader, and let him beat up for volunteers. I want every man that goes to be a king and a priest. When he gets on the mountains he may want to talk with his God; when with the savage nations have power to govern, etc. If we don't get volunteers wait until after the election."
On this and other occasions shortly following, these volunteered to go: George D. Watt, Samuel Bent, Joseph A. Kelting, David Fullmer, James Emmett, Daniel Spencer, Samuel Rolfe, Daniel Avery, Samuel W. Richards, Almon L. Fuller, Hosea Stout, Thomas S. Edwards, Moses Smith and Rufus Beach. There were also others. It is also a fact that on the evening of June 22, 1844, because of persecution, the Prophet Joseph Smith, his brother Hyrum and a few others crossed the Mississippi river with the intention of going to the Rocky Mountains, beyond the persecutions of their enemies. The following day they were accused of cowardice by false friends who declared that they were fleeing from the flock in time of danger. This falsehood so wounded the Prophet who had stood in the breach from the beginning to protect the Saints, that he returned to Nauvoo, and gave himself up declaring that if his life was of no value to his friends, it was of none to himself. Four days later he suffered martyrdom, sealing his testimony with his blood.
Mr. George Derry, himself a Reorganite, in the Saints' Herald for January 31, 1906, in reply to the editor who doubted that any such intention as a settlement in the West was contemplated by Joseph Smith, wrote the following:
"In reading the article in Saints' Herald, No. 46, 'The Editor at Home,' I got the impression that the writer was in doubt as to the correct statement of S. W. Richards that he was one of twenty-five men that were selected by Joseph Smith, Jr., to go out west to try to find a location for the Saints beyond the reach of mobs—a condition no doubt desirable in those trying times. S. W. Richards was president of the Church in the British Isles while I lived in London. I was president of a branch there and I was often brought in contact with other presiding officers as they met in council every month. The London conference was composed of forty-two branches, was often visited by the president of the mission and his counselors. I well remember S. W. Richards and others making the same statement at one of our monthly meetings, for they frequently dwelt at considerable length on the persecutions and trials of the Saints in that day. I believed the statements then—fifty-three years ago. I have no reason to reject it now. I have never heard it disproved. The testimony of S. W. Richards is as true in 1905 [See Era, Vol. 7, 927] as it was in 1853, that the company was organized. Recording the facts would not add to their truthfulness. I never heard that the company went west, but the company was organized, although conditions were changed.
"In reading of the wonderful manifestations given in Kirtland, I find the following vision seen by Joseph Smith: 'I saw Brigham Young standing in a strange land in the far South and West in a desert place on a rock in the midst of about a dozen men of color. He was preaching to them in their own tongue. I saw the twelve apostles of the Lamb that now are upon the earth standing together in a circle, much fatigued. I finally saw them in the celestial Kingdom of God.'
"The conditions here stated very much resemble the conditions existing in Utah extending four hundred miles south of Salt Lake City. Here is certainly strong indication, if visions are reliable, that Brigham Young with the rest of the apostles would go to a strange land beyond the bounds of civilization. And in view of the mobbings and drivings they had to endure, is it any wonder that they should seek a quiet resting-place? Who shall say there was anything dishonorable in organizing a company by Joseph Smith, Jr., to seek out a quiet resting-place where they could be free to worship God in peace, none to make them afraid? The writer seems to have serious doubts as to the truth of the statements of the two men he met in Salt Lake City, because we have no record of the preparations made. I never heard it stated that the company did go west, because conditions changed, but the fact still remains—the company was formed, firearms and provisions were agreed upon, but as to what happened to change the program we have no record. But that the company was formed under the direction and choice of Joseph Smith is beyond doubt." As early as 1831, the Lord in a revelation (Doc. & Cov. 49:25) declared that "Zion shall flourish upon the hills and rejoice upon the mountains, and shall be assembled together unto the place which I have appointed." When Brigham Young therefore, and the apostles, lead the Church to the valleys of the mountains, it was in fulfillment of the word of the Lord to Joseph Smith, uttered first, in March, 1831, second in August 1842, and moreover, it was but carrying out the design of the Prophet Joseph Smith. When men accuse the Saints of fleeing to the west desiring to get beyond the borders of the United States, and of being disloyal to the American government, they not only place themselves at variance with the facts of history, but utter a miserable falsehood that merits only the severest contempt. In B. H. Roberts' "Succession," pages 109 to 126, a complete array of evidence regarding the exodus as outlined by Joseph Smith may be found.
[2.] In several of the revelations given to the Church in the beginning, the doctrine of common consent is made mandatory. In the revelation of April 6, 1830, the date of the organization of the Church—the Lord says: "The elders are to receive their licenses from other elders, by vote of the Church (branch) to which they belong, or from the conferences." * * * * * No person is to be ordained to any office in this Church, where there is a regularly organized branch of the same, without the vote of that Church." In section 26, verse 2: "All things shall be done by common consent in the Church, by much prayer and faith, for all things ye shall receive by faith." See also Sec. 124:144.
The Saints by vote accepted the Twelve Apostles as the presiding quorum of the Church at this special conference August 8, and again at the regular conference in October. This fact settled the matter of succession according to the revelations. These authorities and their successors, have been sustained at each conference of the Church, twice a year, and at the quarterly conferences of the various stakes four times a year from that day to this. The question of succession was, therefore, settled at Nauvoo when the assembled Saints voted to sustain the Apostles as the presiding quorum of the Church. The attempt of any party or parties, before any other body, to set up the Church and to ordain officers in conflict with the action of the Church on the dates previously mentioned, would be illegally done; just as much so as if in the municipality, state or nation, after the majority of the citizens had elected officers (and that almost unanimously) to serve them, a few disgruntled, defeated, candidates and their sympathizers should appoint another election, hold it by themselves and then declare that the regularly and properly elected officers were rejected and unauthorized to serve. Such a thing in the nation could be no more foolish or absurd than were the attempts of apostates to set up a new organization of the Church from a handful of disgruntled office-seekers and their sympathizers. In one case there would be as much authority as in the other and no more.
But the contention of Reorganites has been, that the apostles assumed authority and powers that did not belong to them. That their duty was in the world and it was the prerogative of the high council of Nauvoo with William Marks and counselors, at their head, to direct the affairs of the Church. They say:
"That the Twelve usurped authority, and assumed privileges and duties after the death of Joseph and Hyrum which did not belong to them, is seen in the fact that their mission and calling was to travel abroad among the branches, and throughout the world, preaching, organizing branches, thus building up the Church outside of Zion and the organized stakes. That such was their mission and calling may be seen in the law of the Church which is further confirmed in the teachings of the martyr as follows:
"'The Twelve will have no right to go into Zion, or any of its stakes, and there undertake to regulate the affairs thereof, where there is a standing high council. But it is their duty to go abroad and regulate all matters relative to the different branches of the Church.' Joseph Smith's History, Mill. Star, Vol. 15, p. 261.
"After the death of Joseph, the Twelve superseded, by their arrogant, despotic acts, the standing high council at the stake of Nauvoo, of both which the late President Wm. Marks was president. And this usurpation thus begun, has been perpetuated till now; entailing darkness, discord, and misrule upon that faction of the Church." (The Successor pp. 14, 15).
Alexander H. Smith, presiding patriarch of the "Reorganized" church, and then one of their "apostles," made the following statement, March 29, 1885, in Salt Lake City:
"At the evening meeting his remarks were directed to the subject of the reorganization of the church, in which he showed why this measure became necessary, and how Brigham Young and the Twelve Apostles usurped the leadership. He quoted from declarations of Joseph Smith and Brigham Young, and the revelations to show what the organization and order of the priesthood were, and how, in case of death of the prophet, the word of the Lord, was to be given to the Saints. It was to be through the high council of the chief or center stake of Zion, in which jurisdiction the Twelve Apostles had no business whatever. Their work and powers extended only to matters beyond the borders of Zion. When the prophet was killed, therefore, the right and duty to rule fell upon the high council at Nauvoo, of which Elder Marks was the president. But Brigham Young and eight others of the Twelve, brushed this order of the priesthood to one side, and seized the reins of government themselves." (Saints' Herald, Vol. 32:342).
This argument set forth in the "Successor" and by Alexander H. Smith, which has been quite universal in the "Reorganized" Church, would not be quite so bad if it was not for a number of insurmountable difficulties and objections that stand in the way. In the first place the objectors fail to state that the powers of the high council and stake presidency at Nauvoo, were limited to the affairs of the stake, and outside of that they held no jurisdiction. Following the martyrdom, the Church was considering matters that affected the whole Church and not merely the stake at Nauvoo. The Twelve Apostles, therefore, assumed by legal right their proper place as the presiding quorum of the Church, and were so sustained. The revelation on Priesthood (sec. 107) says the Twelve Apostles, form a quorum equal in authority with the First Presidency (verse 24) and it was the duty of the Apostles, not only to ordain evangelical ministers (Patriarchs) but also to ordain and set in order all the other officers of the Church, (verse 58). We read that "God hath set some in the Church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers," etc. (I. Cor. 12:28) not first high councils and presidents of Stakes. Neither are the duties of the Apostles confined to their labors out side of the Stakes of Zion.
[3.] If Jason W. Briggs joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints June 6, 1841, and resided in Wisconsin from that time till 1854, he cannot be considered a faithful member of the Church, "who desired to do the will of heaven;" for in remaining at Beloit during all these years he was going contrary to the word of the Lord given to the Prophet in 1841. On January 15th of that year, the Lord said through the Presidency, Joseph Smith, Sidney Rigdon and Hyrum Smith, and on divers other occasions, that the Saints scattered abroad should come to Nauvoo and Hancock county. Here is the command: "Let all those who appreciate the blessings of the Gospel, and realize the importance of obeying the commandments of heaven * * * first prepare for the general gathering. Let them dispose of their effects as fast as circumstances will possibly admit, without making too great sacrifice, and remove to our city and county. * * * This cannot be too forcibly impressed on the minds of all, and the elders are hereby instructed to proclaim this word in all places where the Saints reside in their public ministrations, for this is according to the instructions we have received from the Lord. (My italics.)
Again, on May 24, 1841, the Prophet said this gathering to Hancock and Lee counties was "important and should be attended to by all who feel an interest in the prosperity of this corner stone of Zion," and the Twelve Apostles a short time later, under the direction of the First Presidency, in an epistle to the Saints, said: "We say to all Saints who desire to do the will of heaven, arise, and tarry not, but come up hither to the place of gathering as speedily as possible." (My italics.)
Mr. Briggs visited Nauvoo once in 1843, but again returned to Wisconsin (Reorg. Hist. 3:737) where he lived until 1854, either defying this commandment or else ignoring it, thus proving he was not in harmony with the Presidency of the Church, and was one who did not "desire to do the will of heaven." If he had been faithful he would have gone to Nauvoo and remained there and assisted in the building of the Temple, but he did not do so, was not diligent and went contrary to the "instructions" the Presidency had "received from the Lord." That the Lord would not choose such an unfaithful servant to build up His Church, give him revelations and cause him to stand as president pro tem., in the place of the Seed of Joseph Smith, which Reorganites claim Jason W. Briggs did, is obvious and requires no further comment.
[4.] I have been taken to task for saying that about this time Jason W. Briggs organized the Beloit branch for the Strang organization. Reorganites claim that the Beloit branch was raised up in 1842 or 1843—they don't know just when. For the sake of the argument we will grant that a branch was organized at Beloit in 1842 or 1843. If so, the faithful members of that branch removed to Nauvoo, agreeable to the commandment of the Lord previously quoted. Those who remained at Beloit, like Jason W. Briggs, were not faithful in that they did not "desire to do the will of heaven." And what has been said of Mr. Briggs, will also apply to them. Nevertheless, between 1846 and 1848, Jason W. Briggs organized the Beloit branch for Strang's organization, or else the Reorganite history is at fault. They say that in 1849 the Beloit branch was a Strangite branch, and remained with Mr. Strang until 1850 (Reorg. Hist., 3:737). Most of these members—and they were few—after they left the Strangites joined the organization of William B. Smith's organizations were without authority, so whatever power those unfaithful members had before 1844, they lost when they joined these apostate organizations of Strang, et al. For they could not take power or authority with them. This truth is expressed by an officer of the Reorganized Church who said, at Galland's Grove, Iowa, October 25, 1863: "Whenever individuals claiming authority under the church as organized by the first Joseph, become members of any faction, they immediately become divested of all authority except that received from that faction." (True Saints' Herald, Vol. 4, page 158).
[5.] In a vain effort to blind the readers of the Saints' Herald the "defender" tries to make it appear that I state here that Zenas H. Gurley left the "Reorganized" church; but from the way he writes it, it is evident that he doesn't himself believe that any such attempt was made. Zenas H. Gurley, Sen., died August 28, 1871, and in speaking of his family in 1886—fifteen years later—it is obvious that the reference does not include him. That Mr. Gurley left them when he got on the other side, I have my reasons to believe, but at no time in the entire publication has he been confounded with his son of the same name. The son is mentioned but once and then only incidentally and unavoidably in connection with the withdrawal of Jason W. Briggs from the "Reorganization." The family of Zenas H. Gurley mentioned here consisted of his wife Margaret, sons Zenas H. (who was one of their "Apostles") Edwin H., and their wives. The attempt of the writer of the "defense" to throw dust in the eyes of the readers of the Saints' Herald as he has done here and at many other points, is contemptible.
[6.] In the "defense" that appeared in the Saints' Herald, June 30, 1909, in answer to this, the statement is made that, "Those were received whose original baptisms had been performed either previously to 1844 or by men who held authority previous to 1844." This declaration helps their cause not at all, for whatever authority any of those men who were active in these various "factions" may have held, when in the Church, they could not take it with them, when they withdrew. Moreover, action was taken against them and they were divested of all authority by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, from which their authority came. And what authentic proof have they to offer that these men had authority in the Prophet's day? Zenas H. Gurley, and Jason W. Briggs were confessedly, the two most active and most noted in this work of the "Reorganization." Mr. Gurley, it is true, was senior president of the 21st quorum of Seventy at Nauvoo before he left the Church, having been ordained under the direction of President Joseph Young. He claimed it was by virtue of this office in the Priesthood that he officiated originally in the bringing forth of the "New Organization," in 1852. (True Saints' Herald, Vol. I, page 56). Yet the president of the "Reorganization" himself repudiates that authority. (See section on Succession, subject Properly Ordained?)
It is claimed by the "Reorganization" that Mr. Briggs was an Elder in 1842, but that also is mere sayso, there is no authentic record for it. In proof of this I submit the following correspondence.
Salt Lake City., Feb. 21, 1905.
Mr. Heman C. Smith, Church Historian, Reorganized Church.
Dear Sir: The 3rd volume of the "History of the Reorganized Church," page 737, states that Jason W. Briggs was ordained an Elder in 1842. Will you kindly inform me who ordained him and the date of the ordination; also the authority on which the statement of the ordination is made, and oblige?
Very respectfully,
JOSEPH F. SMITH, JR.
The reply dated Lamoni, Iowa, Feb. 26, 1905, is as follows:
Mr. Joseph F. Smith, Jr. Salt Lake City, U.
Dear Sir: Yours of February 21, is at hand and contents noted.
Replying we will say we are not able to inform you as to who officiated in the ordination of Elder Jason W. Briggs to the office of Elder; nor can we give you the date any nearer than the year 1842.
The authority upon which the statement was made is the sworn statement of Elder Briggs in the Temple Lot Case. See Plaintiff's Abstract, page 393.
Very respectfully,
HEMAN C. SMITH.
In the formation of the "New Organization" (now the "Reorganization") Mr. Briggs acted by virtue of the office of High Priest. Mr. Gurley says they had "two High Priests (Mr. Briggs being one of them) and one senior President of the Seventies." (The Seventy being himself). See True Saints' Herald, Vol. I, page 56. And in the "revelation" given by Mr. Deam it was stated that "It is my will that you respect authority in my Church, therefore let the greatest among you preside at your conference." (True Saints' Herald, Vol. I, p. 55). Mr. Jason W. Briggs was chosen to preside (p. 57). Where did he get his authority as a High Priest by which he had the right to preside? From James J. Strang. The Voree record of conferences, April 8, 1846, contains the following: "Resolved unanimously that Jason W. Briggs be ordained a High Priest. Ordination under the hands of President James J. Strang and William Marks."
[7.] In reply to this the Reorganite "defender" declares that I have not been fair to Mr. Briggs, that if he believed "even one section out of what was in excess of one hundred, both as to its genuineness and authenticity, it would necessarily follow that he believed to an extent in the mission of Joseph Smith through whom it was given, in that case Joseph F. Smith, Jr., could not truthfully use the language he did in describing Briggs' attitude toward the Standard works of the Church." * * * * Mr. Briggs denied the plenary inspiration of the sacred books; but that is neither a denial of the authenticity, or of the partiality of their inspiration."
This is a mere quibble. Mr. Briggs denied the gathering of Israel; temple building and the ceremonial endowments therein; the salvation of the dead through the temple ordinances, which the Prophet Joseph said was "the burden of the Scriptures;" the law of tithing and of consecration, the only law by which Zion could be redeemed and built; the right of Joseph Smith or any other man to be a sole mouthpiece of God to the Church; the plenary inspiration and consequent absolute authority of the Scriptures; and the revelation on temple building. What else he did not believe is not stated; but if there is any fundamental principle in the mission of the Prophet Joseph, or in the Scriptures that he did believe, surely he ought to have full credit for it!
[8.] The writer of the "defense" also very peevishly objects to the statement that Mr. Briggs was unstable to the last. He says: "If unstable and discontented to the last, he could not have been stable and contented for a generation preceding the 'last'. If stable and contented for upwards of thirty years preceding the last (1886,) then Mr. Smith uttered an untruth, then he reflected a falsehood, when he said Briggs was 'unstable' and discontent 'to the last.' Why not tell the truth about him even though an 'apostate?' I see no excuse for reflecting on his stability any part of his life. If he stepped momentarily aside from his path in the early part of his life it was because his north star was obscured by a cloud he could not avoid; but as soon as the cloud disappeared and his guiding star was again visible, he resumed his pathway. No lack of stability there. * * * * Joseph F. Smith, Jr., should tell the truth, even about the dead."
Another quibble. This is rather a severe arraignment to come from a member of the "Reorganized" Church, which organization has been from its beginning so energetic in maligning the leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, both living and dead, accusing them of every wickedness under the sun, even going so far as to accuse President Young of being an accomplice in the death of the Prophet Joseph Smith. (See R. C. Evans, in Toronto Star, of January 28, 1905, and Saints' Herald, Vol. 32:190.)
Well, let us see wherein we have wrongfully accused Mr. Briggs. He joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1841; failed to gather at Nauvoo when commanded; left the Church in 1846 during the exodus, "because he had no root;" joined James J. Strang in 1846 and remained with him until 1850; left Mr. Strang and followed William Smith until 1851; left William Smith and joined with Zenas H. Gurley in the "New Organization of the Church," which finally resulted in the forming of the "Reorganized" Church; remained with this organization until 1886, when he withdrew from it and died at Harris, Colorado, January 11, 1899, rejecting the work he performed in all these organizations. Moreover, he was "ordained" April 8, 1846 to the office of "High Priest" by James J. Strang, and declared that Strang was Joseph Smith's legal successor as this letter will show:
"The following letter was written in answer to one from Mr. Briggs of Wisconsin. His letter is too scurrilous to appear in print, therefore we publish only the reply of Mr. Bacon."
"Beaver Island, July 18th, 1851.
"Mr. Briggs:
"Sir: Some time since I received a letter from you in which you claim to take the liberty to write to me, on the ground that our acquaintance had been such as to forbid personal enmities; and, therefore, you would carry out the precept: 'Do unto others as you would have others do unto you;' and that I was less orthodox in the pretenses of Strang, etc., than some others. * * * * * I will not notice the argument, powerful as it may be, which you assert you have found upon examination, touching the letter of appointment. But what examination can this be, in which you have found out that you spoke that which was not true? When you declared in public congregations, at your own fireside, and at the fireside of your neighbors, that Joseph Smith wrote with his own hand the 'Letter of Appointment' (for you saw him in vision) and your surprise and faith in the 'knocking spirits' of New York, from the fact that they (the spirits) asserted the same?"
He represented the Beloit and Prairie branches of Strang's church at the conference held in October, 1848, (Voree Record) and traveled quite extensively for that cult from 1846 to 1850. When he joined William B. Smith he acknowledged him as Prophet and leader, was ordained by William B. Smith, an "Apostle." After he left William B. Smith and joined Zenas H. Gurley he claimed to have a revelation embodying the very things he repudiated when he withdrew from the "Reorganization."
To Mathias F. Cowley, in the presence of others, Mr. Briggs, a short time before his death in answer to the question whether the "revelation" he received in 1851 was true or not, said: "You know we learn by experience. I would not like to claim it to be a revelation now, but it is just as good as any revelation that was given to Joseph Smith."
Although he remained with the "Reorganized" Church for thirty years, if this record does not show that he was unstable of character at the beginning all the way through and "to the end," pray tell, what does instability mean!
[9.] The members of the "Reorganized" Church in the beginning laid great stress on the statement that the Prophet Joseph Smith was smitten by the shaft of death (D. & C. 85th sec.) for putting forth his hand to steady the ark of God, and that his successor should be the "one mighty and strong," the Lord should send, "holding the sceptre of power in his hand, clothed with light for a covering, whose mouth shall utter words, eternal words; while his bowels shall be a fountain of truth, to set in order the house of God, and to arrange by lot the inheritances of the Saints, whose names are found, and the names of their fathers, and of their children, enrolled in the book of the law of God."
Mr. Briggs in his "revelation" says the Prophet's successor should be one mighty and strong and one of his seed, and for years the claim was made that Joseph Smith the present head of the "Reorganization," was that personage. This is emphatically declared in the "Successor," (revised edition) and in various numbers of the "Saints' Herald" and other of their publications. This is from page 66, Vol. 17, True L. D. S. Herald: "God foreknew the character of sister Emma—that she would be faithful and true to him who had called her—and he elected her to be the mother of the successor of the Martyr—the "one mighty and strong," who is "to set in order the house of God, (i. e., the church; see I. Tim. iii. 15; I. Pet. iv. 17; Heb. iii. 6), and arrange by lot the inheritances of the Saints; the man who shall lead them (the Saints) like as Moses led the children of Israel, (which was by direct revelation from God), and who, when sent of God, would find the Saints in 'bondage,' from which they should be 'led out' by power, (of God) 'and with a stretched out arm.'"
That's the way they formerly gave it; but they have been forced to recede because their president has not come up to this standard of the one spoken of in the Prophet's revelation. Therefore they have, since 1900, resolved:
"Whereas, we have received no divine communication authorizing any particular interpretation of the revelation before us; and as the Reorganized Church has never taken action upon the matter;
"Resolved, that we leave it an open question, to be decided as God may develop His purposes among us, while we acknowledge the leading features in it to be prominently characteristic of Jesus Christ." (From a letter by Joseph Smith of the "Reorganization" in my possession—J. F. S., Jr.)
This is rather a hard jolt to Mr. Briggs' "revelation."
[10.] The Reorganite "defender" says, "Also, we wish Mr. Smith to note, that the Lord in the same connection says, 'If my people will hearken to my voice,' they shall not be moved out of their place. Were they moved? Yes, they were cannonaded from Nauvoo, their enemies scattered them, some of them went to Utah. Was it because they "hearkened," or because they had not hearkened?"
He misinterprets the Scriptures. Thus do they read:
"And if my people will hearken unto my voice, and unto the voice of my servants whom I have appointed to lead my people, behold, verily I say unto you, they shall not be moved out of their place" (verse 45). Who these servants were that the Saints should "hearken" to, the Lord informs us in verses 124 to 129 of this same section. "First, I give unto you Hyrum Smith, to be a Patriarch unto you, * * * I give unto you Joseph Smith, to be a presiding elder over all my Church. * * * I give unto him for counselors my servant Sidney Rigdon, and my servant William Law. * * * * I give unto you my servant Brigham Young, to be a President over the Twelve traveling council, which Twelve hold the keys to open up the authority of my kingdom upon the four corners of the earth, and after that to send my word to every creature; They are—Heber C. Kimball, Parley P. Pratt, Orson Pratt, Orson Hyde, William Smith, John Taylor, John E. Page, Wilford Woodruff, Willard Richards, George A. Smith." These were the general authorities who were to be "hearkened" to. And the people hearkened to the Prophets Joseph and Hyrum Smith until their death, then the right of presidency fell on the shoulders of the Twelve. The faithful Saints "hearkened" to them and helped them to build the Temple. But the unfaithful rejected these servants whom the Lord in this revelation gave to the Church for the Saints to hearken to, departed from Nauvoo, refused to comply with the command of the Lord to build His house, and were consequently moved out of their place in the Church into the "Reorganization." The moving "out of their place" did not refer to the location (Nauvoo) but to their place in the Kingdom of God; or, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. And all who refused to obey this commandment and hearken to these servants were removed from the Church. "But if they will not hearken to my voice, nor unto the voice of these men whom I have appointed, they shall not be blest, because they pollute mine holy grounds, and mine holy ordinances, and charters, and my holy words which I give unto them. And it shall come to pass, That if you build a house unto my name, and do not do the things that I say, (i. e., hearken to "the voice of these men whom I have appointed") I will not perform the oath which I make unto you, neither fulfil the promise which ye expect at my hands, saith the Lord." (verses 46-7).
[11.] The Reorganite response to this is as follows: "Not by any means, no such an indication. We have seen that they were diligent in May 1842—not up to. The corner-stone of the edifice had been laid April 6, 1841, over a year from the date of the quotation. Room for a great deal of lagging between those two periods of time."
"The next quotation is from Hyrum Smith (no reference) at the April Conference, 1844, who speaks of, as Joseph F. Smith [Jr.], puts it, the 'willingness of the Saints to do the work as late as 1844.' Yes, but he does not say they had been willing afforded time up to 1844. From May 1842, to April, 1844, (nearly two years), afforded time to be guilty of lethargy and to falter enough to incur the penalty the fiat of the Lord had fixed."
Such miserable, puerile, balderdash set forth as argument, is disgusting. Nevertheless it is characteristic of the "defense" writer who, throughout, argues in this fashion, failing to present the quotations he attacks for fear his readers will discover his dishonorable methods. He was afraid to present to his readers the quotation from the remarks of Patriarch Hyrum Smith and the quotation from the Prophet wherein he said:
"Never since the formation of this Church was laid have we seen manifest a greater willingness to comply with the requisitions of Jehovah, a more ardent desire to do the will of God; more strenuous exertions used or greater sacrifices made, than have been SINCE the Lord said, LET THE TEMPLE BE BUILT BY THE TITHING OF MY PEOPLE!"
The reasons he did not give these quotations is, that he knew his readers would see his trickery and deception. Then he goes on to argue that the Saints were not diligent in September 1841, because the Lord said at that time: "Let the work of my Temple, and all the works which I have appointed unto you, be continued on and not cease, let your diligence and your perseverance, and patience, and your works be redoubled, and you shall in no wise lose your reward." (My italics). Therefore, he argues, "they were not sufficiently diligent at that time," because they were commanded to redouble their works. "That at least makes one positive break in Mr. Smith's chain of diligence."
Let us see: their works that were to be redoubled were not confined to the building of the Temple, and the context of this revelation (see sec. 127) proves that they were in favor with the Lord and had been diligent and patient and persevering in their works. We have seen too, from the Prophet's own words, that "laboring with their might" meant one-tenth of their time or means—a tithing of the people, which is all the Lord had asked of them, and this could be redoubled without any thought of lethargy or lack of diligence. There is no sense in the Reorganite "defender," being unreasonable, technical and peevish in this matter to win a point for a dilapidated cause. There is sufficient evidence given in this book; and it is not all that could be given by any means, to show that the Saints labored faithfully, diligently, and did all that the Lord required of them until they had completed the Temple; and that, too, while they were being harassed, persecuted, and in every way opposed by their enemies. All these facts the "defender" very carefully avoids.
Another thing. Who was it that failed to be diligent and to labor with their mights in building the Temple? Those scattered members who refused to go to Nauvoo when commanded, and afterwards,—if we may accept Reorganite testimony—became the nucleus of their Church! Those who fled from Nauvoo with James J. Strang, Sidney Rigdon and William Smith; forsaking the Church; refusing to assist in the completion of the Temple; opposing the building of that edifice; even prophesying that it would not be built, and blocking the progress of its erection! Notwithstanding the Lord declared to Parley P. Pratt in a revelation just following the martyrdom—which is accepted by the Reorganites as genuine—"Go and say unto my people (not rejected) in Nauvoo, that they shall continue to pursue their daily duties and take care of themselves, and make no movement in Church government to reorganize or alter anything until the return of the remainder of the quorum of the Twelve (not rejected). But exhort them that they continue to build the House of the Lord which I have commanded them to build in Nauvoo." (My comments and italics). Autobiography of Parley P. Pratt, page 371). Notwithstanding this commandment, some forsook Nauvoo and refused to assist in building the Temple, and these were the ones who afterwards became active members of the "Reorganization." It will take more evidence than a lot of innuendos, accusations, and downright sophistry to prove that the Lord rejected those who labored diligently on the Temple, according to His command, and accepted those who rejected the Temple, and refused to assist in its erection.
[12.] Commenting on this the Reorganite "defender" says: "On page 23 he quotes from Sidney Rigdon, 'In the Messenger and Advocate for June, 1846;' and on next page (24) he says: 'At that time (June, 1846) the temple was not quite finished.' On page 24, not finished in June, and on page 23, finished on May 1st. On which page is he correct?"
If the foregoing criticism was written through ignorance, of course the writer may be excused, for one cannot be expected to furnish reasoning powers to men who lack the capacity to understand a simple fact. But it appears very forcibly that it is a deliberate prevarication, prepared purposely to deceive, and thus shall I look upon it, rather than lay it to his stupidity.
There is no contradiction whatever here, for I did not say, as he gives it: "At this time (June, 1846) the Temple was not quite finished." The reference taken from the letter of Sidney Rigdon, appeared in the Messenger and Advocate of June, 1846, along with a number of other articles written in March, April and May, 1846. Any greenhorn, much less a man of wisdom and intelligence, knows that an article appearing in a monthly magazine is always written before the date of publication of the magazine, and more was this the case in 1846, when the modern improvements and facilities were not to be had by a small country publication. Now, what I did say—which would have been apparent to his readers had he dared to publish the statement of Sidney Rigdon and my comment which proves the diligence of the Saints up to the last—was this: "This article was written just shortly after the exodus commenced, and at that time (i. e., shortly after the exodus commenced) the Temple was not quite finished, but it was finished before all the Saints left Nauvoo." (See context). This harmonizes perfectly with the date of dedication. Moreover, Sidney Rigdon had not been at Nauvoo since before the exodus commenced, which was in February, 1846, not June, and was not prepared to say just what the Saints did after that time.
[13.] In answer to the question, "when was the Church rejected with its dead?" the president of the "Reorganization" in an editorial in the Saints' Herald, February 17, 1905, said: "We are not aware that specific date or time, or any one specific act has been fixed upon as the time and the event when and why the Church was rejected." He then declares that the seed was sown as early as 1843 that finally grew and culminated in the "rejection of the Church."
Mr. Heman C. Smith quotes Lyman Wight (True Succession, p. 74) as follows: "We were to have sufficient time to build that house, [Nauvoo Temple] during which time our baptisms for our dead should be acceptable in the river. If we did not build within this time we were to be rejected as a church, we and our dead together. Both the Temple and baptizing went very leisurely, till the Temple was somewhere in building the second story, when Brother Joseph from the stand announced the alarming declaration that baptism for the dead was no longer acceptable in the river. As much to say the time for building the Temple had passed by, and both we and our dead were rejected together. * * *
"The Church now stands rejected together with their dead. The Church being rejected now stands alienated from her God in every sense of the word."
Mr. Heman C. Smith accepts this statement saying: "What but blind ambition to rule prevented others of the signers [Apostles] from recognizing the consequence so apparent?"
This was written by Lyman Wight in 1851 and was an afterthought on his part, for he continued to work in the ministry until the death of Joseph and Hyrum Smith, without one intimation by word or deed that the Church had been rejected in 1841. Moreover, if the Saints could get the structure of a building that cost a million dollars "somewhere in building the second story" in that time of distress and trouble, within about six months they could not possibly have worked very leisurely, and the Prophet in 1842 praised them for their diligence and zeal. (See page 38).
Another Reorganite writer (A. M. Chase) in the Saints' Herald for June 20, 1906, declares that the Church was rejected in 1841: "When this appointment was ended by revelation, October 3, 1841, and the temple not completed, then all Israel should have known they were 'rejected as a church' with their dead."
It is quite evident that the sufficient time was up on this date, for they were to have the privilege to baptize in the river "while the time was passing" and this privilege of baptizing in the river terminated, October 3, 1841, thus proving that the time had come for baptisms in the Temple. It was not finished and the revelation did not call for it to be finished, and at this time it was built sufficiently for this ordinance to be attended to in the font in the proper way. For that reason the Lord transferred the ordinance of baptism for the dead from the river to the font of the Lord's House. That he had not rejected the Church is evident from this very commandment, for in it the Lord tells them to baptize in the font in the Temple, which He would not have done had they been rejected. If He had rejected them He would have stated so positively in a revelation to the Prophet, for he received several revelations after this event and some of them were concerning baptism for the dead and temple work. (See sections 127 and 128). This commandment given to the Church in 1841 and other revelations subsequently, prove conclusively that the Lord would and did accept of the work for the dead in the Temple, without it being "completely finished," after the privilege to baptize in the river had expired. The thing for which they were to be rejected was the failure to perform these ordinances, after the expiration of river baptisms, and the Saints did not fail to perform the ordinances in the Temple.
[14.] The Reorganite "defender" at this point carefully avoids the evidence and argument presented here, and argues at great length attempting to prove that the Church was rejected because the Lord said He was "about to restore many things to the earth pertaining to the Priesthood." The Lord said: "I deign to reveal unto My Church, things which have been kept hid from before the foundation of the world, things that pertain to the dispensation of the fulnesss of times." The "defender" says these things were not revealed, nor restored to the Church; that no revelations that were kept hid from before the foundation of the world, pertaining to the Priesthood in the dispensation of the fulnesss of times, have been revealed from heaven; therefore the Church was rejected with its dead. He says their Doctrine and Covenants contains no such revelations; that no such revelations are to be found in our edition of the Doctrine and Covenants; and, therefore, he concludes, no such revelations have been given to us, or the Church; so the Church must have been rejected.
He asks me to answer the following questions: "Now let us ask, Mr. Smith: Have any such revelations been received? Name them. Where are they and what are they?"
I have taken this matter up under the head of "Temple Building and Ceremonial Endowments Therein." All that is necessary to say here is this: If the Lord kept things hid from the world since before the foundation thereof was laid and now has revealed them to His people, they are not intended for the world and necessarily will not be found in the written word. Such revelations have been revealed unto the Church in the Temples of the Lord; but I shall not name them. If the Lord saw fit to keep them from the world, yes, and from the dispensations past, He does not intend to reveal them to the world now; neither to the scoffer and the unbeliever in His works. Let our friend read Matthew 7:10-12, as it is given in the Holy Scriptures: "And the mysteries of the kingdom ye shall keep within yourselves; for it is not meet to give that which is holy unto the dogs; neither cast ye your pearls unto swine, lest they trample them under their feet. For the world cannot receive that which ye, yourselves, are not able to bear; wherefore ye shall not give your pearls unto them, lest they turn again and rend you."
Succession in the Presidency of the Church.
* * * * *
An Address Delivered in the Weber Stake Tabernacle, Ogden, Sunday, April 28, 1907, by Elder Joseph F. Smith, Jr.
* * * * *
A short time ago I was invited to address the Saints from this stand on the subject of "The Origin of the Reorganized Church." It has been thought by some that it would be wise to continue the subject and therefore I have been invited to address you this afternoon on the question of Succession in the Presidency of the Church. In doing so, I desire it to be understood that I have no feeling of animosity towards those of a different faith; but so much has been said on the other side of this question, and so little in our defense, that I feel it important to deal with this subject.
The testimony on which members of the so-called "Reorganized" Church base their contention that Joseph, son of the Prophet Joseph Smith, should have succeeded his father in the Presidency of the Church is as follows:
1. That it is his right by the law of lineage—that the office of president of the High Priesthood descends from father to the first born son.
2. That it is his right by appointment of his father.
3. That he was properly ordained by those holding the authority to preach and administer in the ordinances of the gospel.
We shall take these questions up and consider them and will refer to the passages in the Doctrine and Covenants that are used by these people, together with other passages that they do not use, and we will see just how much there is in them in support of their position.
We will first consider the statement that the Prophet was to choose his successor. The passages referred to in support of this are in the Doctrine and Covenants as follows: Sections 28:6-7, 35:18, and 43:2-5. These I shall read to you. I cannot stop now to explain the circumstances under which these revelations were given, and take it for granted that you will consider that matter for yourselves. The first of these was given to Oliver Cowdery and I read, beginning with the 4th verse:
"And if thou art led at any time by the Comforter, to speak or teach, or at all times by the way of commandment unto the Church, thou mayest do it. But thou shalt not write by way of commandment, but by wisdom; and thou shalt not command him who is at thy head, and at the head of the Church, for I have given him the keys of the mysteries, and the revelations which are sealed, until I shall appoint unto them another in his stead."
You see, the Lord was to appoint another.
The passage in section 35 is as follows:
"And I have sent forth the fulnesss of my Gospel by the hand of my servant Joseph; and in weakness have I blessed him, and I have given unto him the keys of the mystery of those things which have been sealed, even things which were from the foundation of the world, and the things which shall come from this time until the time of my coming, IF HE ABIDE IN ME, AND IF NOT, ANOTHER WILL I PLANT IN HIS STEAD. Wherefore, watch over him that his faith fail not, and it shall be given by the Comforter, the Holy Ghost, that knoweth all things."
The third passage is as follows, beginning with the first verse:
"O hearken, ye Elders of my Church, and give an ear to the word which I shall speak unto you; for behold verily, verily, I say unto you, that ye have received a commandment for a law unto my Church, through him whom I have appointed unto you, 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; and this shall be a law unto you, that ye receive not the teachings of any that shall come before you as revelations or commandments; and this I give unto you that you may not be deceived, that you may know they are not of me."