Succession in the Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
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Succession in the Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints - B. H. Roberts
SUCCESSION IN THE PRESIDENCY OF THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS
..................
B. H. Roberts
SCRIPTURA PRESS
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Copyright © 2016 by B. H. Roberts
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
PREFACE.
SUCCESSION IN THE PRESIDENCY OF THE CHURCH.: I.
II.
III.
IV.
V.
VI.
VII.
VIII.
IX.
Succession in the Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
By
B. H. Roberts
Succession in the Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
Published by Scriptura Press
New York City, NY
First published circa 2016
Copyright © Scriptura Press, 2015
All rights reserved
Except in the United States of America, this book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, re-sold, hired out, or otherwise circulated without the publisher’s prior consent in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.
About Scriptura Press
Scriptura Press is a Christian company that makes Christian works available and affordable to all. We are a non-denominational publishing group that shares the teachings of the Scripture, whether in the form of sermons or histories of the Church.
PREFACE.
..................
THE FACT THAT MANY HONEST people in the United States and other countries are being led astray by the pretensions of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,
or Josephite Church,
as it is more commonly called, must justify the publication of this work. My desire to preserve from error those not acquainted with the order of the priesthood of God, and the facts of church history in the great dispensation of the last days, has been the incentive which prompted me to write it. Moreover, though the facts of church history which of themselves disprove the claims of the Josephite Church,
are abundant, yet are they scattered through the church works in such a manner as to make it exceedingly difficult for the Elders of the church to consult them; and, therefore, the writer believes he is doing a service to those Elders who are and shall hereafter be engaged in the ministry, especially to those who travel in the localities where they will come in contact with Josephite
pretensions—by publishing this treatise on the SUCCESSION IN THE PRESIDENCY OF THE CHURCH.
I have endeavored to treat the theme on as broad a basis as possible, and have avoided technical disputes with our opponents, which only serve to burden the subject with matter that is not only unprofitable in itself, but wearying to the patience of the reader. Nor does the successful issue of our argument demand that we stop to contend over every error, either in history or argument, made by Josephites.
Did we attempt it, our task would be endless. An attorney being called upon to explain why his absent client should not be punished for contempt of court, told the judge he could assign several good reasons for the absence of his client—reasons which he hoped and believed would clear him, even in the opinion of the judge, of any intention to treat the court with disrespect. You may name them,
gruffly said the judge. Well, then, your honor, in the first place my client is dead; and in the second place—
Never mind your ‘in the second place,’
said the judge, if the man is dead that is sufficient—the court dismisses the case.
So with this controversy; there being a few leading facts of church history, and a principle or two connected with the order of the priesthood which, if considered in the light of right reason, dispose of all the claims made by Josephites,
it is not necessary to consider their quibbles and all the details of their sophistry.
The writer is under deep obligation to acknowledge assistance he has received from a number of prominent brethren; to some for placing at his disposal books and papers, and to others for reading the work from the manuscript and greatly improving it by their invaluable suggestions. The brethren who have thus rendered me assistance are too numerous to mention by name, and it would be unfair to name a few only, when the writer is indebted to so many and to each equally. The consciousness of having assisted in a work which is designed to carry enlightenment to many in regard to so important a matter as the subject of this writing, will reward them for their labors.
SUCCESSION IN THE PRESIDENCY OF THE CHURCH.: I.
..................
ALL THAT WANT TO DRAW away a party from the Church after them, let them do it if they can, but they will not prosper.[A]
[Footnote A: From Brigham Young’s speech, at a special Conference in
Nauvoo, August 8th, 1844, the conference being convened to consider
the claims of Sidney Rigdon to be the Guardian of the Church.—Mill.
Star, Vol. XXV, p. 216.]
When the Prophet Joseph Smith fell a martyr at Carthage, Illinois, on the 27th of June, 1844, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was deprived of its President. As that was a condition which had never existed before in this dispensation, and one that the church had not anticipated, the question very naturally arose: Upon what person or quorum devolved the responsibility of leadership—of Presidency? It is a matter of astonishment that so many arose as claimants for the position; but it reveals the vanity and weakness of human nature which in its love of power looks clear beyond the responsibilities in the case, and seeks only for that position which exalts its possessor above his fellows.
Among the many who claimed to be the legal successor to the prophet Joseph, and, indeed, the first, was Sidney Rigdon, the only remaining counselor in the First Presidency. Hyrum Smith, the other counselor to the prophet, had nobly suffered martyrdom with him at Carthage. At the time of the martyrdom of Presidents Joseph and Hyrum Smith, Sidney Rigdon was living at Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, presiding over the branch of the church and preaching the gospel at that place. He had removed from Nauvoo to Pittsburg, in opposition to a revelation from God which required him to make his home in Nauvoo, and stand in his office and calling of counselor and spokesman to the prophet Joseph.[A]
[Footnote A: The revelation was given 19th January, 1841.—Doc. and
Cov., Sec. cxxiv 103-106.]
The truth is that from the expulsion of the saints from Missouri in 1838-9, Sidney Rigdon had been of but little service either to the church or to the prophet as a counselor. He was a man of admitted ability as an orator, but lacked discretion; a man of fervid imagination, but of inferior judgment; ambitious of place and honor, but without that steadiness of purpose and other qualities of soul which in time secure them. In the early years of the church he suffered much for the cause of God, but he also complained much; especially was this the case in respect to the hardships he endured in Missouri; and subsequently of his poverty and illness at Nauvoo. This habit of complaining doubtless did much to deprive him of the spirit of the Lord; for at times it bordered upon blasphemy. More than once he was heard to say that Jesus Christ was a fool in suffering as compared with himself! Having lost, in part at least, the spirit of the Lord, his interest in the church and its work waned, and after the settlement at Nauvoo he was seldom seen in the councils of the priesthood. Moreover, it was known that he was in sympathy and even in communication with some of the avowed enemies of Joseph, among others with that arch traitor, John C. Bennett, who was plotting the overthrow of both Joseph and the church. It was doubtless these considerations which led Joseph to make an effort to get rid of Sidney Rigdon as counselor, at the October conference in 1843.
On that occasion the prophet represented to the church that such had been the course of Sidney Rigdon that he considered it no longer his duty to sustain him as his counselor. Hyrum Smith, however, pleaded the cause of his fellow counselor, and so strongly urged the saints to deal mercifully with Sidney Rigdon, that when the question of sustaining him was presented to the conference, the saints voted in his favor. I have thrown him off my shoulders, and you have again put him on me,
said Joseph. You may carry him, but I will not.
And so confident was he that Sidney Rigdon would continue to fail in the performance of his duty, that he ordained Elder Amasa Lyman to succeed him, both as counselor and spokesman. Some of the Elders did not understand how Elder Lyman could be ordained to succeed Elder Rigdon, as the church had voted to try him another year. Elder Joseph Smith was requested to give an explanation. ‘Why,’ said he, ‘by the same rule that Samuel anointed David to be king over Israel, while Saul was yet crowned. Please read the 16th chapter of I Samuel.’ Elder Smith’s explanation, though short, proved a quietus to all their rising conjectures.
[A]
[Footnote A: Tract on Sidney Rigdon, by Jedediah M. Grant, pp. 15, 16.]
Notwithstanding all his fair promises of amendment, Sidney Rigdon continued neglectful of his high duties, and if for a time his old-time enthusiasm revived—as it seemed to at the April conference following, it was as the flickering flame of a tallow dip, only—not the steady rays of the ever-shining sun. He longed to return to the east; and notwithstanding the word of the Lord commanding him to make his home at Nauvoo, he frequently talked with Joseph about going to Pittsburg to live, and finally obtained his consent to go there, and take his family with him. He was instructed to preach, write and build up the church in that city.
Such was the standing and course of the man who after the martyrdom of the prophet Joseph was the first to