First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

“ Several men have claimed authority to lead the Church, but the Prophet Joseph never conferred any such authority upon any of them. The keys of the Presidency after his death were held by the Twelve Apostles, and by them only, until the Council of the First Presidency was reorganized. ”

“ My proposition is, my share of the kingdom, and if you will publish in the Neighbor and Times and Seasons the true state of the case in regard to my office as Patriarch over the whole Church, this will give me a right to visit all branches of the Church, and intrude on no man's rights; and further to attend to all of the ordinances of God, no man being my head, I will reconcile all difficulties, and Elder Young can stand as the President of the Church, and by my most hearty wish and consent. ”

“ I have always held, and do hold, and trust I always shall hold, that it is wrong for one man to exercise all the authority and power of presidency in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I dare not assume such a responsibility, and I will not, so long as I can have men like these (pointing to Presidents Winder and Lund) to stand by and counsel with me in the labors we have to perform, and in doing all those things that shall tend to the peace, advancement and happiness of the people of God and the building up of Zion. ”

“ On the 8th of the following November, Elder Woodruff gave in his journal some statements from President Young relative to the order of the Church and family government. "If Brothers Kimball and Wells wish to be united with me, they should go with me and follow me. It is not my place to follow them. So with the Twelve, they must follow the Presidency. The seventies and high priests must follow the Twelve and so on throughout the Church. ”

“ He stands here as the representative of God to the people, as the President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. ”

“ He is not a man of many words but is ever winning because of his constant mind. He shall ever have a place in my heart, and is ever entitled to my confidence. He is perfectly upright and honest and seeks with all his heart to magnify his Presidency in the Church of Christ, but often fails because of lack of confidence in himself. ”

“ He is living in you, every one. May you live true to Him as our honorable President has done. He is ninety years old, and it is because he has kept himself pure and unspotted from the world, that he has lived in the world and yet not of the world, in himself and with God, as His Prophet, that he is honored now. May God preserve his life to these children here, and may they from generation to generation observe his counsel. May every blessing be with the honorable President of this great movement; and I hope that our President will live long, and that God's love will rest upon him. ”

“ As much as is said against Christians sitting in the Presidential chair of the government, they are the only suitable persons to rule, and should be taught of the Lord by dreams and visions. But after all the hue and cry about "Church and State," there has not been a President, nor a Governor, in our day, but what has been controlled, more or less, by priests who deny revelation, believe not in visions, and receive not the ministration of angels. ”

“ There is one way in which the Presidency of this Church can rise, but it would be greatly to the injury of the body, and I will tell you how. If you will go to work and reject them, you will see them rise quickly, but you will also see this body go down to death and hell, while the Priesthood of this Church would go to heaven. You can liberate them in this way, but not in any other except through obedience, unless that Presidency rises up and cuts you off. They can do that, for they have as much power to cut you off as you have to reject them. ”

“ It is proper for them to use all necessary diligence and fidelity, and to plainly and intelligently, and with prayer and faith, go forth as messengers to the nations, as the legates of the skies, clothed upon with authority from the God of Heaven, even the authority of the Holy Priesthood, which is after the order of the Son of God, which is after the order of Melchisedek, which is after the power of an endless life. ”

“ Meeting convened according to adjournment, a hymn was sung and prayer offered by the moderator.
W. W. Phelps was nominated for an assistant president for this branch of the Church by President Joseph Smith, Jun.
Brother Phelps rose and made certain remarks on the subject of the charges referred to above by way of confession, whereupon the vote was put by President Rigdon and passed unanimously.
Elders John Murdock, Solomon Hancock, Elias Higbee, Calvin Bebee, John M. Hinkle, Thomas Grover, and Simeon Carter were unanimously chosen High Councilors. ”