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