Thursday, April 18, 2024

Thomas A. Clawson, Journal, April 12, 1912: Joseph F. Smith on Adam-God and the Privileged Position of the Standard Works in Determining Doctrine

  

[Regarding the statement on Adam God:] Pres[iden]t Jos[eph] F. Smith then said that he was in full accord with what Pres[iden]t [Charles W.] Penrose had said and that Pres[iden]t Brigham Young when he delivered that sermon only expressed his own views and that they were not corobirated [sic] by the word of the Lord in the Standard works of the Church The Bible Book of Mormon, Pearl of Great Price and Doctrine and Covenants were voted upon by the Church convened in a Conference and organized in various Quorums of the Priesthood who voted by Quorums after which the body of the Church were asked to vote to sustain the above books as the Standards of the Church. This first vote was taken by the Church when they were in the East It was again take[n] in the same manor [sic] here in Salt Lake in the year.

 

Now all doctrine if it can’t be established by these standards is not to be taught or prom[u]lgated by members. That those Patriarchs who persisted in teaching these things and did not stop when told to do so should be handled by their Bishops and their names sent up to the High Councils for further action and be cut off. He also spoke upon the doctrine contained in King Folletts funeral when persons who reported this discourse gave forth the idea that children who died would be resurrected as little children never growing any more but remaining as when they were laid down. In this he said that the Prophet did not teach such doctrine but he had the affidavits of three or more witnesses who heard him say “The mothers would take up their little ones as they were laid down and that they would have the joy of seeing them grown to the full stature of their spirits.[”] (Thomas A. Clawson, Journal, April 8, 1912, in Minutes of the Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1835-1951 [rev. ed.; Salt Lake City, 2020])