President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

“ President Joseph Fielding Smith, sixth and beloved President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, has without question seen longer service in the Church than has any other living man. For sixty-five years he has been in the active ministry, under a great variety of callings; for fifty-one years he has held the apostolic calling; since 1867 he has been one of the general authorities of the Church; during seventeen years he has been President of the Church. No other man is so beloved in the Church. ”

“ As far as my faith, prayers, influence, and labor will effect anything, they will go to sustain President Young, and in connection with him the Quorum of the Twelve, in holding the keys of the Kingdom of God, as they have been delivered unto them by revelation of Jesus Christ. ”

“ 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. ”

“ In the arrangement of conferences, much wisdom has been displayed in selecting good and faithful men to preside over them men who will do well for the Saints generally, thereby lightening and relieving the anxieties and responsi- bilities of the Presidency as far as possible. My long acquaintance with President Richards gives me the most unqualified confidence in his wisdom, excellence of heart and mind, a.nd entire devotion to the work and service of the Lord, and faithfulness in his honorable position. ”

“ During this conference, Judge Brocchus of the United States court in Utah, requested the privilege of speaking. The request was granted and he proceeded to cast unsavory reflections upon the character of the Saints. This President Young resented in strong terms. In the course of his remarks, the Prophet said to those who were going on missions: "Don't go and tell the people of different denominations that because their sins are not forgiven that they are always going to dwell in hell; for if they are honest, they will have a glory greater than many who carry the gospel to them. ”

“ 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. ”

“ 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. ”

“ I rejoice, beloved brethren, to learn that the same spirit is animating your bosoms, that manifests itself amongst the Saints in Nauvoo. I am fully persuaded that those who were appointed as your presidency in this land; viz, Elders {669} Hedlock, and Ward, have had much of the spirit of wisdom, prudence, and counsel in all their measures in your midst; they have had grace and strength according to their day, and have been faithful over those things committed to their charge. ”

“ He is ready to bless every man in His Church who will magnify His office and calling. He is ready to bestow the gifts and qualifications of that office upon every man according to his diligence and faithfulness before Him. But the idle man, the slothful man, the man that shirks his responsibility, the man that avoids duty, the duty of a Deacon, Teacher, Priest, or Bishop, Elder, Seventy, High Priest, or an Apostle, or one of the First Presidency—every man that does this God will take from him His gifts and His blessings ”

“ The President of the Mormon Church is its moving spirit. He surveys it as a whole, encourages or moderates its energies, according to circumstances, preserves order and regularity, and exercises his paternal influence over every cell of the hive, giving counsel when needed, redressing grievances, preventing false moves, yet leaving to every corporation not only its administrative freedom but its own powers for industrial extension. ”

“ After a hard journey from Winter Quarters of more than one thousand miles, through flats of the Platte River and plateaus of the Black Hills and Rocky Mountains and over the burning sands, and eternal sage regions, willow swails and rocky regions, to gaze upon a valley of such vast extent surrounded with a perfect chain of everlasting mountains covered with eternal snow, with their innumerable peaks like pyramids towering towards heaven, presented at one view to us the grandest scenery and prospect that we could have obtained on earth. ”

“ If we are Presidents of Stakes, we must do our duty, draw nigh to God, and seek for the revelation of His will, that we may know the things we do, and the things whereof we testify. If we are Bishops, we must perform our duties, or we will be moved out of our place. ”

“ And since our feeble words cannot express the love we bear you nor the joy we feel in your presence, we have brought these beauteous messengers of love, ninety roses, whose hearts are laden with the exquisite fragrance from our heavenly home where all is love. ”

“ 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. ”

“ Let every man speak and act and do as though he were a servant of God, as he is, as a son of God; let him do this and rejoice in it. At the same time let him be careful not to be lifted up in pride, not forgetting who he is, but obedient to constituted authority, that authority which God has placed in His Church, and, then, if he do not forget these things, there is nothing to prevent his onward progress. If he be an Elder, if he should have the gifts and power that an Apostle should have, who will be jealous? Certainly no servant of God. ”

“ He will clothe His faithful servants with the power that belongs to the Priesthood in proportion to the diligence and faithfulness in seeking to magnify their calling, and to live near unto their God. ”

“ And I call upon the first President of the Seventies to instruct the various Presidents of Seventies, and they in turn the members of their several quorums, in regard to their duties; and to live themselves so that the spirit of the living God may rest down upon them, that they may indeed be qualified to teach their brethren what their duties are, that they may prepare themselves to magnify them. ”