In connection with this subject, Reorganites also claim that Brigham
Young went astray and apostatized because he declared that Jesus
Christ was not begotten of the Holy Ghost. Reorganites claim that He
was begotten of the Holy Ghost, and they make the statement that the
Scriptures so teach. But they do err not understanding the Scriptures.
They tell us the Book of Mormon states that Jesus was begotten of the
Holy Ghost. I challenge the statement; the Book of Mormon teaches no
such thing! Neither does the Bible. It is true there is one passage
that states so but we must consider it in the light of other passages
with which it is in conflict. The Book of Mormon says:
"And behold, He shall be born of Mary at Jerusalem * * she being a
virgin, a precious and chosen vessel, who shall be overshadowed,
and conceive _by the power_ of the Holy Ghost."
With this Luke agrees:
"Then said Mary unto the angel; How can this be?
"And the angel answered and said unto her, of the Holy Ghost,
and _the power of the Highest_. Therefore also, that holy child
that shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.--Luke
1:34-35).
In Matthew it reads "of the Holy Ghost" which evidently means "power of
the Holy Ghost," to agree with the Book of Mormon and with Luke.
If Reorganites are correct then Jesus is not the Only Begotten Son of
the Father, but the Son of the Holy Ghost. This will not do for it
conflicts with the Scriptures. The Prophet taught that the Father,
Son and Holy Ghost were three separate personages, and that Jesus was
the Only Begotten of the Father. In the Book of Genesis, (Inspired
Scriptures) Jesus is spoken of throughout as the _Only Begotten of
the Father_ not less than _twelve_ times and in the Book of Mormon
at least five times and a great number of times in the Doctrine and
Covenants (see section 76:23, 25, 35, 57) and in these Scriptures He is
spoken of as the Son of God innumerable times. Now, if He is the _Only
Begotten_ of the Father in the flesh, He must be the Son of the Father
and not the Son of the Holy Ghost. Yet, to be consistent, Reorganites
must claim that Jesus is the Son of the Holy Ghost and not the Son of
God the Father. Their alternative--if it can be called such--must be,
then, the stand of Mr. William H. Kelley, the "president" of their
"apostles," who in a written statement in answer to the question put to
him by the writer, September 10, 1903: "You say that Jesus Christ the
Son of God was begotten of the Holy Ghost. Is He the Son of the Holy
Ghost?"
Mr. Kelley signed his answer as follows: "_I do not know_. Wm. H.
Kelley."
Just think of this for a moment. Here is a man professing to be the
Chief of the Special Witnesses for Christ, declaring that he does not
know whether Jesus is the Son of God the Father or the Son of the Holy
Ghost. And the Savior declared it so plainly that He was the Son of
the Father, His Only Begotten, and was so acknowledged by the Father
throughout the Scriptures. "And this is life eternal, that they might
know Thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent."
John 17:3. Again we prove that _they_ have departed from the Scriptures
and the teachings and revelations of the Prophet Joseph Smith. Why do
they make this error? Because they do not understand the Scriptures and
fail to recognize the fact that all things that the Father doeth are
done by the _power of the Holy Ghost_.