[Footnote A: Taylor's Journal under date of June 30, 1845.]
To this letter the Twelve wrote an answer before leaving the house of
Mother Smith. In said letter the brethren regretted not having had the
pleasure of meeting William. They had had considerable talk with
"Mother Smith, and find her possessing the best of feelings
towards the whole Church. As to your requests in your letter we
would say: we are perfectly willing and wish to have all things
right, but there are some ordinances in the Church that cannot be
administered by any person out of this place at present, but must
be done here. As to having the right to administer all ordinances
in the world and no one standing at your head, we could not
sanction, because the President of the Church, and each one of our
quorum are amenable to the quorum of which you are a member. But
as to your right to officiate in the office of Patriarch, we say
you have the right to officiate in all the world wherever your lot
may be cast, and no one to dictate or control you excepting the
Twelve, which body of men must preside over the whole Church in
all the world."
The following postscript was added:
"We have read this to Mother Smith, Catherine, Lucy, and Arthur,
and they express their satisfaction with it, as well as those of
the council who are present."[A]
[Footnote A: John Taylor's journal, under date of June 30, 1845.]