Origin of the 'Reorganized' Church and the Question of SuccessionSmith, Joseph Fielding
History
Origin of the 'Reorganized' Church and the Question of Succession
Smith, Joseph Fielding
Latter Day Saint churches -- Government; Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints -- Government
It is unnecessary here to quote the evidence proving that Joseph Smith
received _all things_ pertaining to the Priesthood of the Lord's house
and conferred them on the heads of the Apostles, for that is given
in another place, and has often been recorded. It is, therefore,
sufficient to say that shortly before his death he conferred upon the
heads of the Apostles all the _keys and Priesthood_ the Lord had given
him, and this was done by command of the Lord. We will merely refer to
the testimony of Orson Hyde which with other testimonies is given in
this book. Said Brother Hyde:
"Before I went east on the 4th of April last, we were in council
with Brother Joseph almost every day for weeks, said Brother Joseph
in one of those councils, 'There is something going to happen; I
don't know what it is, but the Lord bids me to hasten and give you
your endowment before the Temple is finished.' He conducted us
through every ordinance of the Holy Priesthood, and when he had
gone through with all the ordinances, he rejoiced very much, and
said, 'Now, if they kill me, you have got all the keys, and all
the ordinances, and you can confer them upon others, and the hosts
of Satan will not be able to tear down the kingdom, as fast as you
will be able to build it up.'" (Times and Seasons, 5:651).
"Have any such revelations been received? they cry. Name them. Where
are they and what are they?" Yes, these revelations have been received.
They were revealed to Joseph Smith[4] and from him to the Apostles,
and by the Apostles they have been given to the faithful Saints in the
Temples of the Lord; both at Nauvoo and here in Utah. "_Name them?_"
No, I shall not name them nor tell what they are. Why? because if the
Lord kept some things hid from the world since before the foundation of
the world, pertaining to the dispensation of the fulnesss of times, and
has revealed them now unto _His Church_, I have no authority to reveal
them to the world. Moreover, I am--like every other member of the
Church--"laid under a strict command, not to impart only according to
the portion of His word, which He doth grant unto the children of men."
Should I reveal these things, because of the hardness of your hearts
you would not receive them, therefore, you shall receive but the lesser
portion of the word, to your condemnation. If you will not hear Moses
and the Prophets, neither will you though one arose from the dead.
REVELATION.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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