The following are representative examples of Michael/Adam being differentiated from God (the Father) in early LDS literature, showing that the “Adam-God” doctrine that necessitates the one-to-one identification of God (the Father) with the person of Adam(Michael) violates a most basic law of logic, the identity of indiscernibles.
That the teaching was not official LDS doctrine can be seen in many areas, not the least is that there was no unanimous consent about it even during Brigham Young’s time:
In trying all matters of doctrine, to make a decision valid, it is necessary to obtain a unanimous voice, faith, and decision. In the capacity of a Quorum, the three First Presidents must be one in their voice-the Twelve Apostles must be unanimous in their voice, to obtain a righteous decision upon any matter that may come before them, as you may read in the Doctrine and Covenants. The Seventies may decide upon the same principle. Whenever you see these Quorums unanimous in their declaration, you may set it down as true. (Journal of Discourses, 9:91-92 [Brigham Young])
For a more thorough discussion, see the late Matthew Brown’s paper on this issue.
Collected Discourses Vol. 4, p.70
And again, the voice of God in the chamber of old father Whitmer, in Fayette, Seneca County, and at sundry times, and in divers places through all the travels and tribulations of this Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. And the voice of Michael, the arch-angel; the voice of Gabriel, and of Raphael, and of divers angels, from Michael or Adam, down to the present time, all declaring their dispensation, their rights, their keys, their honors, their majesty and glory, and the power of their Priesthood; giving line upon line, precept upon precept; here a little, and there a little—giving us consolation by holding forth that which is to come, confirming our hope. (Wilford Woodruff)
Conference Report, October 1902, p.82
We believe that there are gods, as the Savior quoted. He repeated what was written in the law, and He did not say it was wrong, but used it as an argument against them. While, however, we believe, as the scripture states, that there are more gods, to us where is but one God. We worship the God that created the heavens and the earth. We worship the same God that came to our first parents in the Garden of Eden. In the revelation contained in Section 106 of the Book of D&C the Lord speaks concerning Adam-ondi-Ahman, "the place where Adam shall come to visit his people, or the Ancient of days shall sit, as spoken of by Daniel the prophet." In the 107th section, the Lord speaks of Adam as "Michael, the Prince, the Archangel," and says that he shall be a prince over the nations for ever. We may with perfect propriety call him prince, the ancient of days, or even God in the meaning of the words of Christ, which I have Just quoted; but we do not worship him, we worship the same God that he worshipped. When our missionaries are met with these sophistries and with isolated extracts from sermons, we say to them that anything that is a tenet of our religion must come through revelation and be sustained by the Church, and they need not do battle for anything outside of the works that have been accepted by the Church as a body. When men come with extracts from sermons, let them bring the whole sermon, so that the context can be taken to see what was the meaning of the preacher, and not bring a few isolated passages whose meaning can be twisted and distorted to something opposite to what was trio tended. Our brethren have a right to ask for this. They can defend the principles they teach by the revelations of God as contained in the Bible, the Book of Mormon, the Book of D&C, and the Pearl of Great Price, the standard works of the Church; outside of these they need not go. Many of our Elders, when they go out into the world, have never heard of the things that are brought up against us, because they are not doctrines believed or taught here. In regard to the young man who lately committed a fearful deed, in New York, and the charge that the teachings of Mormonism had caused him to do it, I am safe in saying that the young man never heard at home in Zion a single thing taught by the people here in regard to the horrible doctrine attributed to us by the world, called "Blood atonement," for nothing is taught either in private or in public that would lead to such a dreadful crime. It is only out in the world where we are accused of holding such views. I have alluded to the arguments brought against us and the works considered by us as standards in order that our missionaries may not feel at a loss what to do. They know the works which have been accepted by the Church; they can read the word of God unto His people, both ancient and modern, and let them plant themselves firmly thereon. God bless you all. Amen. (Anthon H. Lund)
Journal of Discourses, vol. 5, p.331-32
Their belief reminds me that brother Joseph B. Nobles once told a Methodist priest, after hearing him describe his god, that the god they worshipped was the "Mormons'" Devil—a being without a body, whereas our God has a body, parts, and passions. The Devil was cursed and sent down from heaven. He has no body of his own; therefore he is constantly endeavouring to obtain possession of the tabernacles belonging to others. Some have grumbled because I believe our God to be so near to us as Father Adam. There are many who know that doctrine to be true. Where was Michael in the creation of this earth? Did he have a mission to the earth? He did. Where was he? In the Grand Council, and performed the mission assigned him there. Now, if it should happen that we have to pay tribute to Father Adam, what a humiliating circumstance it would be! Just wait till you pass Joseph Smith; and after Joseph lets you pass him, you will find Peter; and after you pass the Apostles and many of the Prophets, you will find Abraham, and he will say, "I have the keys, and except you do thus and so, you cannot pass;" and after a while you come to Jesus; and when you at length meet Father Adam, how strange it will appear to year present notions. If we can pass Joseph and have him say, "Here; you have been faithful, good boys; I hold the keys of this dispensation; I will let you pass;" then we shall be very glad to see the white locks of Father Adam. But those are ideas which do not concern us at present, although it is written in the Bible —"This is eternal life, to know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent." (Brigham Young)
Journal of Discourses Vol. 10, p.235
We have been taught that our Father and God, from whom we sprang, called and appointed his servants to go and organize an earth, and, among the rest, be said to Adam, "You go along also and help all you can; you are going to inhabit it when it is organized, therefore go and assist in the good work." It reads in the Scriptures that the Lord did it, but the true rendering is, that the Almighty sent Jehovah and Michael to do the work. They were also instructed to plant every kind of vegetable, likewise the forest and the fruit trees, and they actually brought from heaven every variety of fruit, of the seeds of vegetables, the seeds of flowers, and planted them in this earth on which we dwell. And I will say more, the spot chosen for the garden of Eden was Jackson County, in the State of Missouri, where Independence now stands; it was occupied in the morn of creation by Adam and his associates who came with him for the express purpose of peopling this earth. (Heber C. Kimball)
Journal of Discourses Vol. 26, pp.128-29
We are here as Jesus was here, not to do our own will, but the will of our Father who sent us. He has placed us here; we have a work to do in our day and generation; and there is nothing of importance connected with any of us only as we are associated with God! and His work, whether it be the President of the Church, the Twelve Apostles, the Presidents of Stakes, the Bishops, or anybody else, and we can only thus be of any service by placing ourselves in a position to act as God dictates us; as He regulates and manipulates the affairs of His Church in the interests of humanity, in behalf of the living and of the dead, in behalf of the world in which we live, and in behalf of those who, have lived before us, and who will live after us. We can none of us do anything only as we are assisted, guided and directed by the Lord. No man ever lived that could. Adam could not. Noah could not. Even Jesus could not. Nor could the Apostles. They were all of them dependent upon the God of Israel to sustain them in all of their acts. And in regard to Adam himself, as we are, so was he very ignorant of many principles until they were revealed to him. And if they were revealed to him they did not originate with him; and so it was with others. We find that Adam was directed of the Lord to do a certain thing—that is, to offer up sacrifices—and when the angel of the Lord came to him and said: "Adam why do you offer up sacrifices?" Adam replied, "I do not know; but the Lord commanded me to do it, and therefore I do it." He did not know what those sacrifices were for until the Lord revealed unto him the doctrine of the atonement and the necessity of the tall of man, and pointed out to him the way and manner to obtain an exaltation. Then he and Eve his wife rejoiced exceedingly at the mercy and kindness of the Almighty, and realized that even in their fall they were placed in a position to obtain a higher glory, and a greater exaltation than they could have done without it. Now, who revealed this to them? The Lord, through the ministering of an holy angel; and in relation to the dealings of God with all of the human family it has been precisely the same. We are told, for instance, that when Adam had lived to a great age—that three years before his death he called together his family—that is, some of the leading branches thereof who held the Holy Priesthood, mentioning the names of many of the more prominent that had received certain peculiar blessings from the hand of God—and there was manifested to him all things that should transpire to his posterity throughout all the future generations of time, and he prophesied of these things; and also upon those who were with him, rested the spirit of prophecy, and he blessed them, and they turned around and blessed him and called him Michael the Archangel, the Prince of Peace, etc. By what spirit then did Adam prophesy, and under what influence was he operating at that time? We are told in Scripture that the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy, and he in common with his sons who were then associated with him were in possession of that spirit which enlightened their minds, unfolded unto them the principles of truth, and revealed unto them the things that would transpire throughout every subsequent period of time. Who manifested these things? The Lord. Who organized the world? The Lord. Who made man upon it? The Lord. Who placed upon it the fowls of the air, the beasts of the field, and the fish of the sea? The Lord. Who sustains all things by his power? The Lord. Who controls the affairs of the world? The Lord. To whom are we indebted for life, for health, and for every blessing that we enjoy? To the Lord. He is the God of the earth, and the giver of every good and perfect gift which we enjoy, and He desires to gather together a people that will observe His laws, that will keep His commandments, that will render obedience to His will, that will submit to His authority, and for this purpose, in different ages of the world, He has introduced the Gospel and has placed man in possession thereof. (John Taylor)
