History of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
History of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
_______________ Jason W. Briggs.
Jason W. Briggs was baptized in the year 1841, ordained an Elder in 1842, followed Brigham Young till 1846, then preached for and belonged to James J. Strang’s church till 1850; was called an Apostle in the church of William Smith in 1851. He testifies that all these churches taught polygamy, and he left them. In November, 1851, Jason W. Briggs claims that the Lord gave him a revelation which caused him to leave the William Smith church and look for the coming of the seed of Joseph Smith to become president of the church. He sent this revelation around to several places. In June, 1852, he, with a few others, called a conference over which he presided. They resolved to denounce all leaders and wait for the seed of the prophet to come and preside over the church. The next October they had another little conference, Briggs presiding. At this conference they presented to the Lord the question "Is polygamy of God?" They had a revelation that the Lord regarded it as an abomination. The conference of 1853 elected J. W. Briggs president and he was at that conference ordained one of the Twelve Apostles. A committee of three was chosen to select seven men to be ordained Apostles, and Briggs was one of the seven, so that the first Apostles of the Reorganized Church were chosen by men and not by revelation.
Nothing of special importance transpired until 1860, when Joseph Smith was chosen and ordained president of the Reorganized Church. Briggs does not appear to have attended that conference. Z. H. Gurley was president of the conference, and presented Joseph Smith, the church. J. W. Briggs was present at the June conference of that year. At this time he was made president of the Apostolic Quorum, and retained that position till he left the church in 1886. Ch. Hist., Vol. 3, pages 737-742.
Now this great man, after being the leading man in the reorganization for many years, and the first church historian and perhaps the strongest man that ever occupied in the Reorganized church, left it, stepping first from the first presidency of the church, to the Apostolic Quorum, and from that out into the world apart from Mormonism where he died in 1889.
Before his death he testified that, he "heard about the revelation of polygamy while in Nauvoo in 1842," that was before the last revelation was given by Smith on that subject. He said further, "I was in Nauvoo in 1843, the year it was found necessary to legalize polygamy by a revelation." "No, I have no doubt as to the authorship of that so-called revelation of July 12th, 1843. It has all the earmarks to identify it as the production of the mouthpiece of those days." Joseph Smith is called the ’mouth-piece.’Doctrine and Covenants19. See Record, page 349-505, and later in a letter to J. T. Clark, Feb. 13, 1888.
Here we have the man who had the first revelation regarding the Reorganization, the First President of it, the First President of the Apostolic Quorum becoming convinced that Joseph Smith had the revelation on polygamy, and other evils existing in the church, so much so that he left it and died out of the church.
William Marks.
William Marks joined the church sometime before 1837, as the history states that he was a member of the High Council that year. In 1839 he was chosen President of the Nauvoo State. He had some trouble with Joseph Smith and Joseph wrote insinuating that Marks was a traitor to him and the church. Mill. Star, Vol. 22, page 631.
Marks was rejected as president of the Nauvoo State in October, 1844. When the church split after the death of Joseph he went with Sidney Rigdon into his church. He soon left Rigdon’s church and wrote a letter to the Times and Seasons, Vol. 10, page 115, affirming that he had been deceived by Rigdon, and testifying that Brigham Young and the Twelve were the proper persons to lead the church. In 1846 he was counselor to James J. Strang in his church. In 1849 Strang rebuked him by revelation for his bad conduct. See Gosp. Herald, Vol. 5, page 17. He retained his position as one of the first presidency in the Strangite Church till 1850, or after. He next leaves Strang, and we find him with a faction organized by Charles B. Thompson. He soon left the Thompson church, and we find him in 1855, a member of the church organized by Apostle John E. Page. He left that church and then joined the Reorganized Church in 1859. When Joseph Smith came into the church in 1860, William Marks assisted to ordain him President of the High Priesthood, President of the Church, Prophet, Seer and Revelator. Marks was ordained Counselor to President Joseph Smith. He retained that position till his death which occurred in 1872. Ch. Hist., Vol. 3, pages 721-726.
William Marks admits that polygamy was taught and practiced in the church to an alarming degree during the lifetime of Joseph Smith, and that the Lord revealed to him, that the church had become corrupt by departing from the true principles and doctrines of Christ, and that it would be disorganized. He also states that just before Joseph Smith was killed, that Smith came to him, had a long talk to him about polygamy, stating that polygamy would prove the overthrow of the church, and suggested methods by which the practice should be abandoned by the church. This statement implicating Smith on the polygamy question is recorded in Herald, Vol. 1, pages 25-26, 1860.
Zenos H. Gurley.
Zenos H. Gurley, was baptized in Canada in 1838, ordained an Elder same year. Some claim he was ordained a Seventy, but the records do not show this. After the death of Joseph Smith, Gurley investigated the claims of the various leaders, and accepted those of James J. Strang, and traveled extensively for that church. Late in 1850 he preached a funeral sermon in Yellowstone, Wisconsin. This was the first Latter Day Saint sermon preached in that County. He baptized a number, and formed a branch of the Strangite church there. Years after they were the first to make a move towards the reorganization of the church. The history shows that the Strangites were then practicing polygamy. A number of the Yellowstone branch, in the absence of Gurley, passed a resolution refusing to adopt polygamy or follow those who were practicing it. This was published in the Point Tribune in Galena. Gurley returned, called them together and said: "What are you going to do next?!’ He could not shake them in their resolution to protest against polygamy, so he suggested to take it to the Lord in prayer, the result was the branch rejected Strang’s church and stood apart from all churches looking for the coming of the seed of Joseph Smith.
Gurley met J. W. Briggs and they with others organized what is now known as the Reorganized Church. It was first called the "New Organization." Gurley was ordained an Apostle of the New Organization in 1853 by J. W. Briggs, and others. He presided at the conference in 1860, when Joseph Smith was ordained and appointed President and Prophet of the Reorganization, he assisting in that organization. He (Gurley) died in 1871. His family remained with the church for some years, his son Zenos became an apostle and was regarded as one of the strong pillars of the church, but in time the family, with others of the first organizers, left the church. Apostle Gurley and the family left the reorganized Church when President Briggs left it in the year 1886. Apostle Gurley printed a pamphlet exposing the church in which he makes some damaging statements. He claims that his father was an over-ardent admirer of the "Choice Seer"; that he would not oppose him in anything; states that baptism for the dead and polygamy was revealed to the church in 1841, and that his father believed these doctrines just as fervently as any part of the gospel. He gives as authority for the introduction of baptism of the dead and polygamy, Tract on Polygamy, page 8, or T. & S., Vol. 5, page 715. After Smith’s death he prepared to follow Brigham Young to Utah, but his wife opposed him and he was prevented from going by his horses dying, so that he could not make the trip. He then left Brighamism and joined the Strangite church, moving to Voree and then Yellowstone, Wis., where they rejected polygamy and made ready for the coming of Joseph to take his father’s place. The son and apostle, after leaving the reorganized church, exposes the hypocrisy and deception of the reorganized church in publishing visions and revelations regarding the coming of Young Joseph, when they knew that those revelations had failed in part. They publish the parts that refer to the coming of young Joseph, but not the parts that were proven false at the time resulting in the poverty of many because they trusted in them and obeyed the directions there till they lost all they had. I refer to one from the, Gurley expose. The Reorganization publishes with great flourish that Julia Gurley, the daughter of Z. H. Gurley and sister of the late Apostle, when fifteen years of age, hearing her father talk of the coming of Young Joseph, professed to have a revelation saying, "It is his right by lineage." She further had revealed to her the place where her father and others should "dig for lead," her father and others were then mining. She said: "In the name of God it is there." They say, "She was almost carried to the spot, they sunk the shaft, spent their pile of money, lost all, then the spirit informed her that it was three feet to the north. They tried and failed, then came another revelation from the Lord given in great power, "Dig another fifteen feet to the north, and behold it is there." Gurley states that the family and others sunk their all in the rock shaft. The reader will see that Gurley claims that these revelations on mining were the same revelations that told of young Joseph’s coming. The church quotes the part referring to Joseph, but is silent as to the mining part is manifestly dishonest. The old statement is recalled, "The truth half told is the worst lie in the world," and so we have but to wait for a time and every one of the Gurley family became disgusted with the lying and deception and false revelations of Mormonism and left the church. Think of these three men above referred to and ask yourself the question how much truth is the Reorganization built upon? For full account, read Z. H. Gurley, Jr read History of Reorganization.
William W. Blair.
William Blair was baptized by William Smith. He remained in that faction till the summer of 1852, when he left Smith’s church because of its corruption. This William Smith was a brother of the original prophet, Joseph Smith, was an apostle in the first church, quarreled with Joseph, denounced him, threatened to expose Mormonism, was a drunkard, gave the prophet a severe thrashing, but he knew too much about the foundation of Mormonism, and so Joseph patched it up with him. After the death of his brother, he was ordained patriarch in the church of Brigham Young, but soon was cut off for his bad conduct and then he formed a church of his own and had several wives, three of them died in Utah, having left him. Blair could not stand for his conduct so left him, and associated himself with Baneemyism under Thompson. After a while he left them and started in with the church organized by John E. Page, a former apostle of the first church. Soon left them and finally drifted into the Reorganization church, being baptized by Z. H. Gurley, and ordained an apostle. In 1873 he was ordained one of the First Presidency, he held that position till his death which occurred April 18th, 1896. Ch. Hist., Vol. 3, pages 726-731. Pres. Blair confessed that Joseph Smith had the revelation on Polygamy, but did not make it public. Herald 1860, page 64.
Samuel Powers.
Samuel Powers was baptized by Z. H. Gurley in 1852, was ordained a seventy in 1854, ordained an apostle in 1855. He assisted to ordain Joseph Smith in 1860, died 1873.
I have carefully followed the history of the leaders and organizers of the Reorganized church, and those who ordained Joseph Smith to be prophet, seer, revelator and sole mouth piece to the church and president of the church in April, 1860. Let us make a hurried recapitulation:
First -- J. W. Briggs was an Elder in the first church, held office in the four polygamist churches, under Joseph Smith, then Brigham Young, J. J. Strang and William Smith; became president of the Reorganized church, then president of the quorum of Apostle, then left the church and wrote extensively against it. Pray tell me what authority did he hold from God to organize a church? He admits he had no authority by leaving the church and denouncing it.
Second -- William Marks admits the church during the life time of Smith was corrupt and that polygamy was going to destroy it. He was very prominent in the following churches: Rigdon, Brigham Young, J. J. Strang, Thompson, John E. Page, then joined the Reorganized church and became one of the first presidency and ordained Joseph Smith. In the name of consistency, who will say that a man holding priesthood in several polygamist Mormon churches, seven different churches, held the true priesthood all through that murky stream of pollution and lust. If Joseph Smith’s ordination as a prophet of God cannot find any cleaner and more solid foundation that the man Marks, who was a traitor to his father and a backslider from all these churches, then he is to be pitied. No sane man will admit he held priesthood authority through all that dirt, and moreover the revelation accepted by the Reorganization, as given in answer to prayer by Angels during their conference, shows clearly that the ordinations which took place in these corrupt churches were not, accepted of God. Tullidge Hist., page 595. If these Angels told the truth, then Marks held no more priesthood than Judas Iscariot, or Brigham Young, or William Smith after they fell.
Third -- Zenos H. Gurley was ordained in the first church. His son says he accepted baptism of the dead and polygamy in 1841, under Joseph Smith, followed Young for a time, then J. J. Strang and endorsed polygamy under Strang, then denounced it and helped to organize the new church and ordain Joseph Smith successor to his father. May I ask, what priesthood could he hold or confer, after believing the doctrine of polygamy under Smith, Young and Strang. His son shows that he was deceived by the false revelations regarding both young Joseph and the digging for lead, and that the family finally left the church, denounced both the first and the Reorganization.
Fourth -- W. W. Blair never was a member of the first church, if the Reorganized angel story be correct that those ordained in the factions hold no priesthood, then Blair held no priesthood. The angel is said to have denounced William Smith, the man who baptized him, he was polygamist, he left the William Smith church, joined the Thompson church, then the Page church and then was baptized into the Reorganized church, and assisted to ordain Joseph Smith. No authority there.
Fifth -- Samuel Powers never belonged to the first church" and was baptized into one of the factions, and God’s angel to the Reorganized church refused to acknowledge the authority of those in the factions. Powers had no authority from God to assist in the ordination of Joseph Smith.
We need follow the Reorganization leaders no further and shall now direct our attention to the claim made for Joseph Smith, the son of the founder of the original church, as prophet, seer, revelator and president of the church of Christ upon the earth.
Joseph Smith the Second
Now let us examine the claims of young Joseph to the prophetic office and presidency of the church, perhaps we can discover that he has authority as God’s prophet, seer, revelator and the church president.
First -- The claims made that he was called to that position when a boy through his father by blessing, revelation and anointing.
Second -- That the position is his by lineage or birthright.
Third -- That he was called by revelation through himself.
Fourth -- That he was ordained by those holding legal authority.
We shall examine these four claims in their order named:
First-- That he was called to that position when a boy through his father, by revelation, prophecy, anointing and blessing. If he was we will show that he knew nothing about it, or if he did he had no faith in it, and second that the leaders of the church knew nothing about it, and no one said anything about it for years.
Joseph Smith, speaking of his approaching death to Stephen Markham said: "I want Hyrum to live to lead the church but he is determined not to leave me." Tullidge Hist of Joseph, page 491. Question, why did he not tell the people then that his son was consecrated to that position. Joseph and Hyrum were killed, leaving Sidney Rigdon of the Presidency. He should have known it if Joseph was to take his father’s place, but Rigdon claimed it as his right, and when Young and the Twelve cut him off the church, he organized one of his own. Not a word of young Joseph being the successor of his father. Brigham Young was President of the Apostolic quorum, he knew nothing of young Joseph’s claim, and was made President of the church, and the Apostles of Joseph’s day, several of them in turn, became president of the church, every one of them ignoring any statement regarding young Joseph.
James J. Strang and a host of others, laid claim to be Joseph Smith’s successor and organized churches galore, not one of them claimed to know of the claim set up by the Reorganized church.
David Whitmer became president of two different factions, but lived many years and never recognized the claim of young Joseph. He declared that Joseph Smith ordained him to be his successor. Strang claimed his appointment direct from Joseph Smith. Whitmer’s address, page 55. The Smith family had no respect for young Joseph’s claim. Lucy Smith, the mother of the first Joseph, and grandmother of the second Joseph, published a vision given her by the Lord showing her that William Smith, her son, and the brother of Joseph the first and the uncle of Joseph the second, had the legal right to the presidency, and he accordingly organized a church and was president of it till it was wrecked on the rock of polygamy. Succession to Presidency, page 20. Hyrum Smith’s sons had no faith in the claim of young Joseph, both followed Brigham Young, and Joseph F. Smith became president of the Utah Mormon church, having six wives.’ Not a single apostle of the old church ever recognized Joseph’s claim and came into the Reorganized church, but his uncle William, the man cut off from the Brigham Young church, and who started a church of his own, went into polygamy and finally staggered into the Reorganized church to die. He proved by his life that it was an afterthought. Why was it that from 1844 to 1860 the wife of Joseph the first, and mother of Joseph the second, is not on record as to Joseph designating his son to the prophet office, through the years she is silent.
Joseph when speaking of a blessing received by his father, says "before the death of my father and Uncle Hyrum, ’I was blessed by the first in the presence of quite a number of then prominent Elders in the church, this blessing being confirmed just prior to the tragedy at Carthage." Joseph the Prophet, page 744. That he may have been blessed is admitted, but that he was called, ordained, or appointed to be a prophet, seer, revelator, or president of the church is not hinted at by him and his word which I shall give as published by him, will show that for many years he never had an idea that he would have anything to do with Mormonism, to say nothing of being the president of the church and a prophet of God.
There is a story told by Lyman Wight, to the effect that Joseph Smith blessed his son Joseph, but the man contradicts his own statement. At one time he says the child was blessed by his father "in Liberty jail," Mo. Reorganized Successor, page 3. When telling the story again, he says he received this blessing "shortly after we came out of jail." Here we have the blessing given while in jail, and then he says it is "shortly after we came out of jail." Northern Islander, July, 1855, Successor to Presidency, page 50.
Query-If Wight knew this in 1839, why was he silent in 1844 when the matter was discussed in Nauvoo, why did he wait till 1855 to make his statement, and why contradict himself as to the place and time. And lastly, why did he collect a band together himself and introduce polygamy and practice it, and die outside of the Josephite church, if he knew that young Joseph was the rightful successor. Why did he not join the Reorganization? We must conclude that he contradicted statements together with his failure to support young Joseph, but to make a gathering of his own together with his having fallen into polygamy, destroys his testimony. No one confirms the testimony of Wight. Two others were with Wight and the Smiths in Liberty jail at the time, Baldwin and McRae. They told much that went on in the jail, but neither of them say one word about this purported blessing, but if he was blessed by his father in 1838-9, it is to be remembered that the church believes in the blessing of children and Joseph was about six years old at the time. There is no evidence, even if he were blessed, that he was ordained prophet, seer, and president of the church, so the story of Lyman Wight falls by its own weight.
Now let us hear from young Joseph himself, the claim has been made that he was called by revelation through his father to be prophet, seer and revelator and president of the church to succeed his father. He said, when under oath, "I do not know whether the revelation was given or not, so far as I am concerned I did not, and have not made any such a statement-personally I do not know whether there was or was not such a revelation. No, sir, I did not state that I was ordained by my father. I was not ordained by my father as his successor." Temple lot case, pages 63-79.
Joseph Smith was killed June 27th, 1844, his son Joseph assumed the leadership April 6th, 1860. Let us see what he was doing during these many years. Did his mother say, "Joseph you are to take your father’s place, so prepare." Not a word touching the matter for sixteen years. He worked at farming and made a dead failure of it, he tries storekeeping and failed again, then he took a contract of getting out ties for a railroad and lost what little he had in that. Then he started to study law, but poverty made him abandon that and to use his own words, "I was in debt, and I kept soul and body together by labor and my fees as Justice of the Peace." Joseph the Prophet, page 769.
There is not evidence that he made any profession of religion. He says he studied spiritualism for a time. His mother married a spiritualist, who had no faith in Mormonism, and-never joined the church even when his step-son became president and prophet of the Reorganized church. At last some members of the Utah church came to talk to him and he started to think. James J. Strang came to see him and some of the Elders of the Reorganization called. They were not very well treated, at least those of the Reorganized church. Joseph says, "that they fussed till he came very nearly putting them out of his house." Joseph the Prophet, page 767.
Finally he admits such thoughts as these came to him: "What part in my father’s work, if any, was I to take?" Again, "Is not polygamy against which you object a correct tenet?" Joseph the Prophet, pages 760-761. He says, prior to that, "I had never taken the subject of Mormonism into very serious consideration," and still later the question came to him, "Will I ever have anything to do with Mormonism?" He became convinced of some things after prayer, and concluded that polygamy was not right and that the Salt Lake church was in error and last of all that the little band called the Reorganized church was accepted by the Lord. The reader has doubtless concluded by the above evidence that Joseph Smith had no evidence of having been called or ordained to take his father’s place as the prophet, seer, revelator, translator and president of the Mormon church.
Having settled these questions he wrote to William Marks on March 5th, 1860, saying: "I have concluded to take my father’s place at the head of the Mormon church," and on April 6th of the same year, he was accepted by that little gathering of about one hundred and fifty people, and was ordained as prophet, seer, and revelator, as also president of the church as organized in 1852. Joseph the Prophet, page 773.
While finder oath, young Joseph said, "I claim to be my father’s successor by lineage right, and by his blessing and lastly by the right of selection and appointment. I do not know whether the doctrine of lineal right was a doctrine of the church prior to the death of my father that is a traditional right of the firstborn to what ever may attach to the parent, that right is expressed or understood in such a way that whatever rights I hold or am gifted with by reason of the position I hold, would descend to my oldest son." Temple lot case, pages 80-81.
Now let us have a look at the question of lineage. The claim is made that Joseph being the eldest son of the prophet, the prophetic honors and presidency of the church rightly falls to him. Let us see, Joseph Smith said, "In Hebrews 7-3, in which it is said the Melchisedec priesthood is "without descent." He said, "The Melchisedec Priesthood holds the right from the eternal God and not by descent from father and mother that Priesthood is eternal as God Himself having neither beginning of days nor end of life." Hist of Jos. Smith, Mill. Star, Vol. 22, page 55.
If it is the law of God that the priesthood is to descend from the father to the eldest son, how is it that Joseph Smith was selected as the prophet, in place of his father Joseph? If Joseph the first was selected, Joseph would not have been selected, but Hyrum would have been the successor of his father, thus Joseph the first prophet would have been left out and of course his son would have been left out, and the sons of Hyrum would have been selected. They have ever resented the claim of Joseph Smith’s son, and Joseph F. Smith, the son of Hyrum has occupied till his death in 1918, the position as prophet of the Utah church. But let us take a glance at the Bible history and see if the eldest son was always selected to take the position under the law of lineage.
Genesis 4:2, Abel was the younger son of Adam.
Genesis 11:26, Abraham was the youngest son of Terah.
Genesis 25:26, Jacob is the youngest son of Isaac.
Genesis 35:24, Joseph is the second youngest son of Jacob.
Genesis 48:9-20, Ephraim is the youngest son of Joseph.
Exodus 6:20, Moses is the younger son of Amram.
1 Samuel 17:14, David is the youngest son of Jesse.
2 Samuel 12:24, Solomon is among the youngest sons of David.
Having examined the claims, one by one, we find no evidence’ that young Joseph was appointed by revelation through his father. No evidence that he was ordained by his father, no evidence that it was his right by lineage and that none of his own visions or revelations claim that he was called to be a prophet, seer, revelator or president,
Now in the face of all this, we ask where is the evidence from God that Joseph Smith, son of Joseph Smith, was a prophet of God? The several revelations that he has had, have been examined in my work, "Why I left the Latter Day Saint Church." I shall only call attention to these which are said to contain proof that his son Frederick Madison Smith should be the prophet, seer, revelator, translator and president of the church. This son Fred is a fine, big fellow, but who that have known him all through the years have accused him of having religion. He was no worse than many other wild thoughtless boys, and it is said that his conduct was not considered overly religious as a boy on the streets of Lamoni, and that while he attended the different colleges, schools and universities, that he gave evidence of being of the earth, earthly. I personally have known him from his early childhood, have attended church at different places all through the years where he resided, and it is well known that he did not attend church very much. I never heard him bear a testimony, or offer a prayer in a prayer meeting in all the years I have known him, until after his ordination. In the spring of 1897, there was a presentment made to the church by his father which indicated that the sons of the church leaders would be selected to minister in the priesthood.Doctrine and Covenants124:7. This gave an opportunity for some one to suggest the name of President Smith’s son, Fred, for ordination to the holy office of an elder, so they went at it with a rush. Apostle Lamber who was the missionary in charge showed at the conference that such action was contrary to the law, and that the young man in question "had not been an active worker in the church." That was drawing it mildly, and that he had no spiritual evidence of such a call, but the Apostle was snowed under and Fred Smith and Fred Blair were ordained above the protest of the Missionary in charge. This made the said ordination contrary to the law. Apostle Lamber tried hard to go half way in the matter and have him ordained a priest, but he felt strongly in opposition to his ordination as an elder. Just think, dear reader, even the Apostle would permit him an ordination to a priest, without a call from God, so even he thought little of the Priesthood which holds the gift of administration of Angels according to Smith’s revelations. But, to say the least, this young man was ordained to the Melchisedec priesthood, the order said to be after the order of the Son of God, without a call, being the prophet’s son, he won out as against the protest of the Apostle. For a history of the fuss, read Herald of June 23rd, 1897, in which is recorded the Decature District conference and in which the Lambert protest is recorded, pages 401-402.
Now, this is the history of this young man’s entry into the ministry. Years flew by, the young man having little to do in the ministry, no one ever heard him preach at a conference or elsewhere that I ever heard of, for years, but he was the son of the prophet according to their way of thinking; he was to be the successor of his father as prophet, seer, and revelator and president of the church of Christ in all the world, or in the words of the Lord in the revelation to Joseph Smith, "The only true and living church upon the face of the whole earth with which I, the Lord, am well pleased."Doctrine and Covenants1:6. And so, to get him ready, his father said he had a vision in which he seen his son, "sitting with the Presidency." Many of the leading men of the church refused to receive this vision as a revelation from Jesus Christ. This same Apostle Lambert, in the quorum meeting of the Apostles, when the vision was being examined, said in my hearing, "I have watched the revelations coming for more than twenty years. They have been weaker and weaker and weaker, and this one is the weakest of them all."
Apostle Joseph Luff, said in the same meeting, "If that thing (the revelation) came from God, then I have never known anything about the Spirit of God in all my ministry." Apostle G. T. Griffith suggested that we return it to the Prophet and all unite to ask the Lord for more light on the revelation. Apostle Luff sprang to his feet, and with emotion said, "Light, more light! Did you say? My God, man, if I were to ask the Lord anything about it, I would not ask for more light, but for light, for that thing is the darkest thing that has ever be-clouded the face of the church." The same Apostle said to me, when at the Lamoni station, "Richard, I cannot believe a word of that revelation. I would be willing to walk to California on burning stones if the Lord would show me that He gave that message. All I ask is one ray of light, but all is midnight darkness." The revelation was accepted by the conference and the ordination took place.
Those who will examine the revelation in question will see that in it the statement is clearly made that the two young men named as being seen with the presidency, Fred Smith and R. C. Evans, was selected "for the purpose that before the presidency should be invaded by death, these younger men should be prepared by association to be of assistance to whom so ever should be chosen as president upon the emergency which should occur.Doctrine and Covenants, Dec. 126, 4-8.
If language is a science to convey ideas, stated in plain language, here is simply this, that Frederick M. Smith and R. C. Evans were selected as two of the Presidency so as to be associated with the venerable president, so that they would learn his methods and when he would he called by death, that these two young men were to assist the man who would be called to be the president. In other words they would be the counselors to the next president and, knowing the way Joseph Smith conducted matters, they would be of great assistance to the inexperienced president, but the old man became nearly stone deaf and for years was totally blind and suffered excruciating pains from other afflictions, and something occurred that God alone knows. That revelation with its provisions, was forgotten, and the young, strong son came into prominence before the almost helpless and decrepit father, deaf and blind and sick. He is said to have revelations that finally placed Frederick M. Smith, his son, as prophet, seer, revelator, translator and president of the church, with much difficulty these revelations passed the body and he was, soon after the death of his father, elected to that position and was accordingly ordained. His grandfather was a despot and an autocrat and polygamist of the first water. If there is any credence to be given to human testimony, his father was a pleasant man to talk to, loved by most men who knew him, quiet and gentle in his manner, a fair preacher, a splendid parliamentarian, he always denounced polygamy. I loved him through forty years of association. I could not agree with all he did, I did not agree with some of his spiritual manifestations, and we had some words over some of them which moved us both to tears. I saw for the last few years when he became blind and deaf and so sorely afflicted, that his son was the power behind the throne and many things that had Joseph’s signature and stamp of approval, I have of late years become doubtful of his having much to do with. I know in some things he submitted for peace sake, and have some reason to believe that in others he knew almost nothing about them. Perhaps his worst mistake was, in a sense pardonable, it is hard for one reading the evidence which convicted his father of being a polygamist, and the author of the infamous revelations on polygamy and concubinage and adultery, to believe that he was not convinced of his father’s guilt. His most close companions and advisers for years both believed and printed that his father was guilty, but Joseph maintained, "I prefer to believe that my father was a good man," yet he did let slip some things that convinced me in the last few years that he knew that his father was a guilty man. See his statement in Joseph the Prophet by Tullidge, pages 798-9. Yet it was his father and perhaps we should not be too hard on a son who would throw the cloak of charity over the misdeeds of his father. In closing, let us take a look at the present prophet, seer and revelator, translator and president of the church. Since his advent in that high station, he has been the chief cause of changing much of the church rules. Rule after rule have been changed to give him almost absolute Power over everything in the church, Sunday School Religion, Ladies’ Auxiliary, and he has the first and last word in the appointment of every officer in the church, the resolutions on co-ordination. Not a man can move without his consent. He claims the right to go into a mission, district or branch, or even a Sunday School and make the changes in every office, he can speak and a man is taken from one end of the earth to the other. The Bishops and Apostles are completely under his domination, in fact, he rules with all the power of the former Czar of Russia. Much could be written upon his autocracy, but let us take a short look at the only attempt he has made to give the church the word of the Lord as Christ’s mouthpiece to the church.
There has been much trouble over Bishop E. L. Kelley’s work in the church and the great body was determined to release him. Several efforts were made to do so, but Smith blocked the wheels. At last, something had to be done, and so he has a revelation, but it looks as if he did not believe it himself for he put it in his pocket and arranged to meet Bishop Blakeslee and his wife in Chicago. Bishop Blakeslee refused to take the position, and then the new prophet came forth with the revelation that he had had some weeks before, calling Bro. McGuire to that position. Just think, God called McGuire to be presiding Bishop, Smith put that revelation in his pocket, spent his money to go to Chicago, tried his level best to persuade Bishop Blakeslee to take the position, as God had selected him in former revelations, he refused. I ask what would Smith have done with his revelation which he hid in his pocket about McGuire, if Blakeslee had accepted the position. Smith must not blame me for not believing in his first attempt to be God’s mouth-piece and give a revelation, for the facts show he did not believe it himself. Herald, April 19, 1906, page 373. His methods from that hour show to me clearly that he is neither a prophet, seer, revelator nor God’s mouth-piece to the church, but is an autocrat, cruel and tricky, and selfish in his methods.
CHAPTER V.