Commenting on the non-canonical status of the 26-volume Journal of Discourses, B.H. Roberts wrote the following:
In spite of their status of not being canonical/binding, they do contain a wealth of information (I myself own the entire set in print format). One can read them online here.
Relative to these sermons [Journal of Discourses] I must tell you they represent the individual views of the speakers, and the Church is not responsible for their teachings. Our authorized Church works are the Bible, Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price. In the Church very wide latitude is given to individual belief and opinion, each man being responsible for his views and not the Church; the Church is only responsible for that which she sanctions and approves through the formal actions of her councils. So it may be that errors will be found in the sermons of men, and that in their over zeal unwise expressions will escape them, for all of which the Church is not responsible. (Letter written November 4, 1887, London, Millennial Star 49. 48 [November 28, 1887]; comment in square brackets added)
What about the preface to volume 8 of the JOD that claims they "deservedly ranks at one of the standard works of the Church"? This was ably answered by D. Charles Pyle in his review of the book, Questions to Ask your Mormon Friend:
What did the author of the preface actually mean by this statement? The term standard work has several meanings. One of the meanings is “a work of recognized excellence.” Another is “a work that serves as a basis of weight, measure, value, comparison, or judgment.” A third meaning, closely related to the second, is “a work that is officially approved" (Random House Webster’s College Dictionary, 1991 ed., s.v. “standard works,” especially definitions 21, 22, and 26.) The Journal of Discourses was considered a standard work by some in the sense that it was of recognized excellence?it contained the words of God to mankind and to his servants, as well as commentary on the meaning of the scriptures. At no time, however, was the series considered the same as the official standard works, nor was it ever presented to the general Church body for its acceptance as Church doctrine. Joseph Smith even said, “the hymn book, as a new edition, containing a greater variety of hymns, will be shortly published or printed in this place, which I think will be a standard work" (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, 164), Yet at no time did he ever regard the hymn book as a fundamental source of truth nor as having equal value to the scriptures.
