The
statement of the Savior, recorded in St. John vii: 17, covers the ground in the
broadest light: "If any man will do His will, he shall know of the
doctrine, whether it be of God or whether I speak of myself." This secures
to every true Saint, if he is faithful, protection against imposture, the abuse
of power and the false decisions of man-made councils. In this particular the
Church of Christ is distinguished from all other system and institutions. He
has promised to guide and direct, and that He "doeth nothing, but He
revealeth His secrets unto His servants, the prophets." (Amos iii: 7.)
This does not imply the infallibility of man, but it does imply the promise
that no man or council of men who stand at the head of the church shall have
power to lead the Saints astray. With this assurance, then, the people of God
in every dispensation have been justified in rendering absolute yet intelligent
obedience in the direction of the holy prophets. It is an undeniable fact in
the history of the Saints that obedience to whatever has come, either by
written document or verbally, from the presidency of the church, has been
attended with good results; on the other hand, whosoever has opposed such
council, without repentance, has been followed with evidence of condemnation. (Cowley's
Talks on Doctrine [Chattanooga, Tenn.: Ben E. Rich,
1902], 153-54)