The Life of John Taylor: Third President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day SaintsRoberts, B. H. (Brigham Henry)
History
The Life of John Taylor: Third President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
Roberts, B. H. (Brigham Henry)
Latter Day Saint churches; Taylor, John, 1808-1887
In March of the following year, Elder Taylor visited Kirtland, and
there met the Prophet Joseph Smith, who entertained him at his house
and gave him many items of information pertaining to the work of the
Lord in this dispensation. At that time there was a bitter spirit of
apostasy rife in Kirtland. A number in the quorum of the Twelve were
disaffected towards the Prophet, and the Church seemed on the point
of disintegration. Among others, Parley P. Pratt was floundering in
darkness, and coming to Elder Taylor told him of some things wherein
he considered the Prophet Joseph in error. To his remarks Elder Taylor
replied:
"I am surprised to hear you speak so, Brother Parley. Before you left
Canada you bore a strong testimony to Joseph Smith being a Prophet of
God, and to the truth of the work he has inaugurated; and you said you
knew these things by revelation, and the gift of the Holy Ghost. You
gave to me a strict charge to the effect that though you or an angel
from heaven was to declare anything else I was not to believe it.
Now Brother Parley, it is not man that I am following, but the Lord.
The principles you taught me led me to Him, and I now have the same
testimony that you then rejoiced in. If the work was true six months
ago, it is true today; if Joseph Smith was then a prophet, he is now a
prophet."
To the honor of Parley, be it said, he sought no further to lead Elder
Taylor astray; nor did he use much argument in the first place. "He
with many others," says Elder Taylor, "were passing under a dark cloud;
he soon made all right with the Prophet Joseph, and was restored to
full fellowship."
It was about this time that Elder Taylor first came prominently before
the Church. The apostates met frequently in the temple, and on one of
these occasions, on a Sunday--the Prophet Joseph was absent--Warren
Parrish made a violent attack upon the character of the Prophet, which
was warmly sustained by many of those present. Towards the close of the
meeting, Elder Taylor asked the privilege of speaking. It was granted
him. He referred, in opening his remarks, to the ancient Israelites,
and to their murmurings against God and Moses, and then asked:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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