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
"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."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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