1. Serious objection is raised to this line of argument by the author
of the "defense," who attempts to place me in a false position by
imputing to me expressions that are not here conveyed. Had he been
honest in his argument he would have fairly presented what I have
had to say; but this he has studiously avoided throughout his reply.
Here he argues that the provisions in these revelations regarding
a "successor" were not limited in their scope, but were to be
carried out during the life of Joseph Smith. I respectfully call
his attention to an editorial in the _Saints' Herald_ of August 18,
1888. At that time Joseph Smith, his president, and William W. Blair,
counselor, were the editors of the _Herald_. The article is called
"_The Power to Perpetuate the Church_." After quoting these passages
the author--presumably the editor, or his assistant, for it is an
editorial--continues:
(d) "The authority to ordain is given unto the Church.
(e) " 'Verily, I say unto you, the keys of this kingdom shall never be
taken from you, while thou art in the world, neither in the world to
come; nevertheless, through you shall the oracles be given to another;
yea, even unto the Church.'
(f) "This language was addressed to Joseph Smith, the one who had been
appointed of God to hold and exercise the gift to receive commandments
and revelations for the Church, two full years after it was said
through him _that if he fell away he should have power only to appoint
one in his stead_. The saying is preceded by the statement that the
sins of Joseph Smith had been forgiven him, and he should bear the keys
from thenceforth.
(g) "Joseph Smith was taken away dying a martyr, of which death he was
conscious and made preparation before it occurred. He was not accused
of the Lord of transgression and the gift that had been conferred
upon him taken from him; nor was there a command given him to appoint
another in his stead because he had been unworthy and the Lord proposed
to depose him from his office. _It was only in the event of the gift
being taken from him that he was to so appoint another. This event did
not occur_. * * *
"If Joseph Smith had been adjudged unworthy to longer bear the "keys"
and exercise the "gift," which had been conferred upon him, he was
under obligation to declare it, at the command of God, and to designate
who the Lord had ordained to act in his stead. _The fact that no such
declaration was made_, is strong proof that no command came from God,
and _no one was so designated to act in his stead_ while he was still
living. This proof is made stronger still by the declaration made by
Joseph Smith just before his death: "I go as a lamb to the slaughter."
(h) "If Joseph Smith continued to abide in Christ, which all must admit
that he did, in that case the gift conferred was to continue with him;
not only in the present world, the life of the flesh, but the keys were
to remain with him in the world to come. But that no harm could come
to the Church, and the elders be put in possession of a key to the
situation in case Joseph Smith should be taken, _they were told that
there was no one other than he appointed until he was taken, and that
when this should occur the oracles should be given to the Church_.
(k) "The command, 'Nevertheless through you shall the oracles be given
unto the Church,' is equivalent to the saying, Until Joseph Smith be
taken he shall continue to act in the office unto which he is called,
and shall continue to exercise the gifts conferred upon him; but
when he is taken, _then_ the oracles and the power conferred in them
_are lodged with, or in the Church_, to be exercised and observed in
accordance with the revelations and commandments given to and accepted
by the Church, from God through him, up to the time he should be taken."
The writer then quotes sec. 87, paragraph 5, Reorganite Doctrine and
Covenants, and continues:
(n) "This commandment was given to Joseph Smith, Sidney Rigdon and
Frederick G. Williams. The latter died before Joseph Smith did; and
whatever may have been the rights of Sidney Rigdon at the death of
Joseph Smith, he was not permitted to stand in Joseph's stead nor act
as his successor. This confirms the thought that Joseph was to continue
in the exercise of the gift conferred upon him, during his life, and
_was not to be compelled to appoint another in his stead_." (My italics
throughout.)
We concur.
2. Of this the "defense" says: "Our friend's idea is that 'the order
of this priesthood;' refers to the office of evangelist in particular
rather than to the Melchizedek priesthood in general, although the
latter is under consideration not only on the page from which the
quotation is taken, but also on the following page and on the two
preceding."
It does refer to the priesthood of the evangelist, and only by a
deliberate twisting of the Scriptures can it be made to apply to the
Melchizedek Priesthood in general; it does not read that way. In the
verses preceding the _offices_ of the priesthood have been defined also
the duties of the officers. The paragraphs immediately preceding speak
of the High Councils.
Verse 38 declares that the traveling High Council shall call upon the
Seventy when they need assistance, then verse 39 says it is the duty of
the Twelve to ordain evangelical ministers. From and including verse
40 to 57, is parenthetical and is explanatory of the office of the
Evangelist. Verse 58 continues: "It is the duty of the Twelve, _also_
to ordain and set in order _all other officers_ in the Church. Only
by misconstruing the revelation can this be given the appearance of
applying to the Melchizedek Priesthood.
The critic says: "If it said 'this _office_ of the Priesthood,' there
might be some shadow of reason in his contention, but it does not."
Is our friend not aware of the fact that the office of the Evangelist
(Patriarch) is spoken of as an order of Priesthood? The Lord said
pertaining to Hyrum Smith: "That my servant Hyrum may take the office
of _Priesthood_ and Patriarch which was appointed unto him by his
father, by blessing and also by right." (Sec. 124:91). And in the
blessing of Hyrum by his brother Joseph at Kirtland: "He shall stand
in the tracks of his father, and be numbered among those who hold the
right of Patriarchal _Priesthood_, even the Evangelical _Priesthood_
and power shall be upon him." It is spoken of as an order of
Priesthood, although a part of the Melchizedek Priesthood, just as the
Levitical is spoken of as an order, included in the Aaronic Priesthood.
3. The "defense" writer says: "There is not a scrap of evidence that
Moses confirmed upon Joshua a particle of Priesthood--merely the civil
leadership" The Scriptures say: "And Joshua the son of Nun was full
of the spirit of wisdom; _for Moses had laid his hands upon him_;
and the children of Israel hearkened unto him, and did as the Lord
commanded Moses." (Deut. 34:9). He may, of course, quibble because it
does not say he gave him "the priesthood" when he laid hands upon him;
but surely he did not lay hands on Joshua merely to give him civil
leadership. It was by the power of the Priesthood that he led Israel
and commanded the sun and moon, he could have done it by no other
power. In regard to the others mentioned here who were ordained, the
"defender" is absolutely silent.
4. Of this argument and the testimony that follows the "defense" writer
remains silent, the editor of the Herald, however, takes exception
to the statement that Lyman Wight was at the meeting on the 8th of
August, having refused to attend. He says: "Heber C. Kimball and George
Miller came to his house, in her presence, (L. Wight's oldest daughter)
with a summons from Brigham Young to appear, which he declined to do,
declaring that the Twelve were usurping authority. This resulted in a
personal encounter during which Miller was forcibly evicted from the
room by Wight and Kimball followed without awaiting the enforcement of
the order."
If Lyman Wight refused to attend that meeting then he is incompetent
to say that the Apostles were usurping authority, for he knew nothing
about it. Moreover, if this statement is true it merely shows the
bitter apostate spirit manifested by Lyman Wight at that time. It
was his duty to meet with the Twelve and if things were not going as
he thought they should he had the privilege of stating his feelings;
this he refused to do, if the statement is correct. His hasty
unchristian-like action and sulking in his house does not redound to
the credit of the man.