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In this section we illustrate that the doctrine embodied by the above commonly heard statement in LDS-dom was never taught by the prophet of this dispensation: neither by Joseph Smith, nor by any of his contemporaries who learned of the fullness of the gospel under his instruction. This doctrine was promulgated much later on, well after the time when devastating changes signifying apostasy were becoming entrenched into the minds and practices of the leaders and members of the LDS church. We also describe how the above false doctrinal notion violates some basic principles of the plan of salvation and of the Lord's intentions regarding the establishment of Zion.
While we revere and love the Prophet Joseph Smith, as being the prophet of the Dispensation, and a very special chosen vessel among the "Noble and Great Ones," of those sent to the earth to be the Lord's leaders, the Lord repeatedly warned Joseph in the earlier part of his work that he was not infallible, and that he could fall. The point being, no prophet or servant of the Lord, no matter how important or exalted his calling is beyond the point where he might fall into disfavor of the Lord through pride, sin, or disobedience. Observe the following verses in the D&C from the Lord that indicate even the Prophet Joseph could have fallen into error and possible lost his prophetic calling if he had not been very careful:
For although a man may have many revelations, and have power to do many mighty works, yet if he boasts in his own strength, and sets at naught the counsels of God, and follows after the dictates of his own will and carnal desires, he must fall and incur the vengeance of a just God upon him.
Behold, you have been entrusted with these things, but how strict were your commandments; and remember also the promises which were made to you, if you did not transgress them.
And behold, how oft you have transgressed the commandments and the laws of God, and have gone on in the persuasions of men.
For, behold, you should not have feared man more than God. Although men set at naught the counsels of God, and despise his words-
Yet you should have been faithful; and he would have extended his arm and supported you against all the fiery darts of the adversary; and he would have been with you in every time of trouble.
Behold, thou art Joseph, and thou wast chosen to do the work of the Lord, but because of transgression, if thou art not aware thou wilt fall. (D&C 3:4-9)
And I have sent forth the fullness of my gospel by the hand of my servant Joseph; and in weakness have I blessed him;
And I have given unto him the keys of the mystery of those things which have been sealed, even things which were from the foundation of the world, and the things which shall come from this time until the time of my coming, if he abide in me, and if not, another will I plant in his stead. (D&C 35:17-18)
And this ye shall know assuredly--that there is none other [than Joseph Smith] appointed unto you to receive commandments and revelations until he be taken, if he abide in me.
But verily, verily, I say unto you, that none else shall be appointed unto this gift except it be through him; for if it be taken from him he shall not have power except to appoint another in his stead. (D&C 43:3-4)
If the Prophet Joseph Smith was liable to falling and being replaced, how can any of his successors lay claim to being less immune to sin and falling from any prophetic calling?
The operative principle here is AGENCY. Even though a man may be called in person by God himself, that man may still use his agency to choose good or evil. Even Lucifer or the "Son of the Morning" fell from a very exalted position in his progression. For God to violate the agency of a man through offering an unconditional promise to others of his continual faithfulness, even of a high prophet, would frustrate the plan of salvation and support Lucifer's rather than Christ's plan.
This principle works also on the level of the general membership the church of God, not just the individual leaders. If the collective members and leaders of the church decide to follow the philosophies and teachings of men, justifying actions not approved of the Lord, and setting at naught the teachings and commandments of the Lord, how can this people remain in good stead with God?
The prophet Jeremiah addresses this issue in the verses below, where he states that the favor or disfavor of a nation in the eyes of God is more dependent on their actions and righteousness rather than on any "promise" that some feel the Lord might have pronounced in their behalf:
At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, and to pull down, and to destroy it;
If that nation, against whom I have pronounced, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them.
And at what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it;
If it do evil in my sight, that it obey not my voice, then I will repent of the good, wherewith I said I would benefit them. (Jeremiah 18:7-10)
Since the Lord declared in different places in the D&C that even the Prophet Joseph might have fallen through unrighteousness, did the Lord offer any plan or recourse in the D&C for managing the affairs of the temporal kingdom in the event the high leadership of his church might transgress?
Observe the following passages in Section 107 of the D&C that describe how even a President of the High Priesthood (president of the church) may be put on "trial" for transgression:
And inasmuch as a President of the High Priesthood shall transgress, he shall be had in remembrance before the common council of the church, who shall be assisted by twelve counselors of the High Priesthood;
And their decision upon his head shall be an end of controversy concerning him.
Thus, none shall be exempted from the justice and the laws of God, that all things may be done in order and in solemnity before him, according to truth and righteousness. (D&C 107:82-84)
To be sure we understand that the "President of the High Priesthood" refers to the presiding officer or president of the church, refer to verse 91 of the same section:
And again, the duty of the President of the office of the High Priesthood is to preside over the whole church, and to be like unto Moses- (D&C 107:91)
We stress here that if the Lord did not consider it a possibility that the President of the Church himself could or would "transgress," he would not have made the provision for that eventuality in his revelations to Joseph Smith on how the Kingdom was supposed to be administered. This provision is how a President of the High Priesthood would be "removed" from his place, as we have heard from time to time.
How could a "President of the High Priesthood" transgress? He could transgress by ignoring or violating the instructions that the Lord gave to the leadership of the Kingdom of God on the earth for this dispensation:
To be a voice of warning to the people of the calamities and destructions ahead
To gather the elect and to establish Zion
To preserve sacred principles necessary for exaltation and establishing Zion
To preach the fullness of the Gospel with its attendant doctrines and practices
To not seek the praise of the world, but the decry sin in all its worldly forms
But what about the other leading quorums of the Church? Shouldn't we be assured that they would unitedly make correct choices even if one man were to waver? What did the Lord say? Did he consider this a possibility? Observe the following verse also in D&C 107:
And in case that any decision of these quorums [First Presidency, Quorum of the Twelve, The Seventy] is made in unrighteousness, it may be brought before a general assembly of the several quorums, which constitute the spiritual authorities of the church; otherwise there can be no appeal from their decision. (D&C 107:32)
This says that even the decisions of the leading quorums of the church are subject to review by the general assembly of the several quorums, which are the general priesthood quorums of the general membership of the church. The leadership is indeed accountable to the membership, according to the Lord! To indicate that this was indeed the understanding of this concept in former days, observe the following excerpt from the Comprehensive History of the Church, by LDS historian and scholar, B.H. Roberts:
At the afternoon meeting appointed by Brigham Young and his fellow apostles, the quorums of the priesthood were grouped about the stand in the order of a general assembly of priesthood; that is, the quorums of the Melchizedek priesthood were grouped together as high priests, seventies, elders; and the quorums of the Aaronic priesthood as priests, teachers, deacons. Questions to be settled by vote on such occasions are presented to each of these quorums of priesthood separately; and this general assembly of the quorums constitute the highest spiritual authority of the church. Such a general assembly of the quorums may even pass upon the decisions of the three great presiding councils of the Melchizedek priesthood, the first presidency, the quorum of the apostles, and the first quorum of the seventy, if the decision of these councils are made in unrighteousness. (B. H. Roberts, Comprehensive History of the Church, Vol. 2, Ch. 64, p. 416)
This scripturally-based understanding flies in the face of the present LDS teaching, exemplified by LDS General Authority L. Aldin Porter:
I sat in this tabernacle some years ago as President Joseph Fielding Smith stood at this pulpit. It was the general priesthood meeting of April 1972, the last general conference before President Smith passed away. He said: "There is one thing which we should have exceedingly clear in our minds. Neither the President of the Church, nor the First Presidency, or the united voice of the First Presidency and the Twelve will ever lead the Saints astray or send forth counsel to the world that is contrary to the mind and will of the lord." (L. Aldin Porter, Ensign, Nov. 1994, p. 63)
The above statement of false doctrine contradicts not only the former understanding of the LDS church, but also the Doctrine and Covenants itself, as the Lord himself in his wisdom made allowance for this possible eventuality, and provided the MEMBERSHIP OF THE CHURCH the avenue of recourse in the event a decision EVEN COLLECTIVELY BY THE LEADING QUORUMS is made in unrighteousness.
Why should such a statement of false doctrine by made by the LDS leadership in recent times? It is because departure had indeed been made from the Lord's true precepts, and this was a doctrine to prevent the people even supposing that such a thing had happened! The definition of this action is unrighteous dominion. This is called cover up. According to Section 121 of the D&C, practicing unrighteous dominion is one way for a leader to be relieved automatically of his priesthood.
But what responsibility this puts upon the shoulders of the members! But what if the members also do not shoulder this responsibility if they see a decision made in unrighteousness? What if the members do not know how to discern if a decision is thus made? The only answer to these questions that need be made also comes from the D&C:
I, the Lord, am bound when ye do what I say; but when ye do not what I say, ye have no promise. (D&C 82:10)
If the members do what the Lord says, they will know his will, his righteousness, and they will be able to discern all things, specifically through the keys of revelation taught in the endowment. But if the members do not do what the Lord says, they will be misled with no knowledge and no ability to discern if an unrighteous decision is made by their leaders.
Did the former LDS leaders, and even Joseph Smith himself have any concern about this? Read the following selections from their statements, and see if the LDS church formerly taught that the church would NEVER fail or be led astray:
...for if Zion will not purify herself, so as to be approved of in all things, in His sight, He will seek another people; for His work will go on until Israel is gathered, and they who will not hear His voice, must expect to feel His wrath. (Joseph Smith, TPJS, pg. 18)
Many of this people have broken their covenants... But you cannot do that, for God will cut you off and raise up another people that will carry out His purposes in righteousness, unless you walk up to the line of your duty. (Heber C. Kimball, 28 September 1856, Journals of Discourses, 4:108)
What would be necessary to bring about the result nearest the heart of the opponents of "Mormonism," more properly termed the Gospel of the Son of God? Simply to renounce, abrogate, or apostatize from the New and Everlasting Covenant of Marriage in its fullness ("fullness" means plural marriage). Were the Church to do that as an entirety, God would reject the Saints as a body. The authority of the Priesthood would be withdrawn, with its gifts and powers, and there would be no more heavenly recognition of the ordinances among this people. The heavens would permanently withdraw themselves, and the Lord would raise up another people of greater valor and stability, for His work must, according to His unalterable decrees, go forward. (Charles W. Penrose, Deseret News, April 23, 1885)
If we are afraid to rebuke iniquity, or ashamed to cast it off ourselves, Israel would go to hell, we should be cut off as a people, and the Lord would raise up another; for He is bound to have a people in the last days who will keep His commandments, and magnify their calling, and prove themselves friends of God, and maintain the principles of righteousness, and honor them before God, angels, and men, that His kingdom may be established in purity, and be prepared for the coming of the Messiah; (Wilford Woodruff, 25 February 1855, JD 2:200)
But unless the Saints will so live and so exert themselves that they can preserve the purity of the holy Priesthood among them, the work will be left to other people. (George A. Smith, 3 January 1858, JD 6:161)
There is nothing plainer to my mind than this, that if the Latter-day Saints become luxurious and extravagant; if they love the world and forsake their former purity; if they forsake their frugality and temperance, and the principles which God has revealed unto them, and by the practice of which they are to-day the people that they are; we shall be overthrown as others have been overthrown. (George Q. Cannon, 8 October 1872, JD 15:200)
I do not know but that it would be an utter impossibility to commence and carry out some principles pertaining to Zion right in the midst of this people. They have strayed so far that to get a people who would conform to heavenly laws it may be needful to lead some from the midst of this people and commence anew somewhere in the regions round about in these mountains. (Orson Pratt,9 March 1873, JD 15:361-362)
The above passages specifically refer to the possibility that the Church would be overthrown and an new people raised up if the present LDS Church did not live up to her covenants and live the true Zion principles she was to live. Is the LDS church any closer to Zion today? Hardly. Zion involves Celestial principles as a necessity. That means gathering, consecration, plural marriage, true ordinances, true doctrines, and so forth. Note the following passages where former leaders specifically describe conditions that will bring about the destruction of the church:
...and if we are not sanctified and gathered into the places God has appointed, with all our former professions and our great love for the Bible, we must fall; we cannot stand; we cannot be saved; for God will gather out His Saints from the Gentiles, and then comes desolation and destruction, and none can escape except the pure in heart who are gathered. (Prophet Joseph Smith, DHC 2:52)
When we see the time that we can willingly strike hands and have full fellowship with those who despise the Kingdom of God, know ye then that the Priesthood of the Son of God is out of your possession. Let us be careful how we make friends with and fellowship unrighteousness, lest the curse of God descends heavily upon us. (Brigham Young, JD 10:273)
There is nothing that would so soon weaken my hope and discourage me as to see this people in full fellowship with the world, and receive no more persecution from them because they are one with them. In such an event, we might bid farewell to the Holy Priesthood with all its blessings, privileges, and aids to exaltations, principalities, and powers in the eternities of the Gods. (Brigham Young, April 8, 1862, JD 10:32)
And when the spirit of persecution, the spirit of hatred, of wrath, and malice ceases in the world against this people, it will be the time that this people have apostatized and joined hands with the wicked, and never until then; which I pray may never come. (Brigham Young, JD 4:326-327)
How often has it been taught that if you depend entirely upon the voice, judgment and sagacity of those appointed to lead you, and neglect to enjoy the Spirit for yourselves, how easily you may be led into error, and finally be cast off to the left hand? (Brigham Young, JD 8: 59)
What a pity it would be if we were led by one man to utter destruction! Are you afraid of this? I am more afraid that this people have so much confidence in their leaders that they will not inquire for themselves of God whether they are led by Him. I am fearful they settle down in a state of blind self-security, trusting their eternal destiny in the hands of their leaders with a reckless confidence that in itself would thwart the purposes of God in their salvation, and weaken that influence they could give to their leaders, did they know for themselves, by the revelations of Jesus, that they are led in the right way. Let every man and woman know, by the whispering of the Spirit of God to themselves, whether their leaders are walking in the path the Lord dictates, or not. This has been my exhortation continually. (Brigham Young, JD, 9:151, January 12, 1862)
Why should "prophets" preach contradictory things at different times? According to Brigham Young, it is because some of them at least are not led by the Spirit of Salvation:
Adam, Seth, Enoch, Noah, all the Patriarchs and Prophets, Jesus and the Apostles, and every man that has ever written the word of the Lord, have written the same doctrine upon the same subject; and you never can find that Prophets and Apostles clashed in their doctrines in ancient days: neither will they now, if all would at all times be led by the Spirit of salvation. (Brigham Young, October 7th, 1857, JD 5:329)
If leaders do not lead by the Spirit of Salvation, then they lead by the Spirit of Damnation, or by the spirit of Satan. This will ultimately lead to doctrines and principles not of God, and to apostasy. Brigham Young evidently could see this coming. Observe the following statement by Brigham, which was a promise of FAILURE by the church if they would not believe the revelations which the Lord through Brigham and Joseph tried to teach to the people:
I told the people that if they would not believe the revelations that God had given, He would suffer the Devil to give revelations that they-priests and people-would follow after. . . . I told the people that as true as God lived, if they would not have truth, they would have error sent unto them and they would believe it. (Brigham Young, as quoted in the Deseret News, 8 June 1878)
Even more clear to Brigham in the following quote, he could well see that path that the people of the church were on. In his very last public speech just before he died, Brigham Young uttered the following statement:
And with regard to the conduct of this people-if an angel should come here and speak his feelings as plainly as I do, I think he would say, "O, Latter-day Saints! why don't you see, why don't you open your eyes and behold the great work resting upon you and that you have entered into? You are blind, you are stupid, you are in the dark, in the mist and fog, wandering to and fro like the boat upon the water without sail, rudder or oar; and you know not whither you are going." (Brigham Young, Aug. 19, 1877, Journal of Discourses, 19:93)
The Lord's people will succeed when they cease from relying on what they mistakenly feel are unconditional promises of success or infallibility of the church or its leaders, and start relying on the true confirmations of the Spirit coupled with heeding Gods revealed word. True prophets are always consistent in their teachings and doctrine. All blessings from the Lord are contingent on our obedience to the law upon which it is predicated. If the Lord's Church, priests and people, choose to follow after some other God, then he will not stop them, as He will not violate the agency of any individual. Because this latter-day apostasy of Israel has indeed happened, the Lord has indeed raised up another people as our former-day LDS prophets declared would happen. This we so testify. This people is now building Zion, with all of her celestial principles, laws, and doctrines, and is preparing to greet Savior when He returns. We would urge you to contemplate most seriously and prayerfully what we here declare to you.