. . . I’d like to
emphasize this all-important principle: We, the people living today, could not
receive anything in this world in the way of ordinances, in the way of God’s
laws, in the way of sealings, if we did not have legal administration
continuously in the Church to authorize and perform these works. Charles W.
Penrose, as a member of the First Presidency, has summed up this matter very
nicely for us in the
October Conference Report of 1917, p. 20, “. . . no matter
what may have been taught in olden times in regard to the policy of the Church
of God, no matter that commandments have been given in regard to the administration
of its affairs at other times, we are today under the direction of the living
oracles. The living word of God comes to us through the man that stands at the
head, in preference to anything that has been written aforetime, or spoken in
our own days. Circumstances change, and a change of instruction becomes
necessary. As the different circumstances arise, different policies leads out
in any direction in regard to these matters, we will be perfectly safe in
following him . . . when we have a man as we have now, and as we have had from
the Prophet Joseph down, to lead us and direct us, that is the thing to do,
never mind whether it was done aforetime . . . the Church is organized today by
the gift and power of God, by revelations direct from on high, not taken out of
books. And the power and authority are here, and we should follow our leader,
and what he says is right; he does not vary from the things that God has
revealed . . . this Church is sui generis. It has something to impart its own age and all that we want for our guidance and direction in it will
come through living oracles. Their teachings and philosophy and things
contained in the Old Testament and in the New; but in regard to the policies we
have to change, because circumstances change, that is another thing entirely.
We live in the present and receive instructions suited to the present.”
In analyzing the
seeming inconsistencies that arise from time to time on our contemplations of
Church affairs, we’ll find, upon examining the matter closely, that it is a
difference in administration and not in principle; the principles remain the
same and have done since the days of Adam. But the differences in
administration change from one period to another, and they have a perfect right
to change; for the man who is placed at the head has all the powers necessary
to change them and represents the Lod Himself. The President holds all the keys
and powers of the Kingdom, including the fulness of the sealing power, and is
distinctly called The Lord’s Anointed, The Presiding High Priest, and inherent
in his office is the right and privilege, even duty, when expedient, of
conversing with the Lord face to face. If we could get that fact lodged
securely in our heads, we would never find ourselves guilty of criticizing the
authorities of this Church, particularly the Prophet; for without living
prophets and apostles in the church it would be dead indeed and lacking the
power to seal on earth and in heaven. (Lynn A. McKinlay, Life Eternal [Salt
Lake City: Deseret Book, 1950, 1954], 91-92)
