Saturday, July 15, 2023

Joseph F. Smith on the Powers and Authority of the President of the Church

  

Mr. TAYLER. Will you state briefly with what powers and authority Joseph Smith and all the first presidents succeeding him are endowed?

 

Mr. SMITH: My understanding is that they are endowed with the authority of the holy priesthood.

 

The CHAIRMAN. The authority of what?

 

Mr. SMITH: The holy priesthood, which gives them authority to preach the gospel and administer in all the ordinances of the gospel by authority from God, the gospel being a gospel of repentance of sin, faith in God and in Jesus Christ, his Son, and in the Holy Ghost, and baptism by immersion for the remission of sins, by one holding authority from God to baptize and the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands. This is the authority that is exercised and held laying on of hands. This is the authority that is exercised and held by the president o the church, as we believe. (Proceedings Before the Committee on Privileges and Elections of the United States Senate in the Matter of the Protests Against the Right of Hon. Reed Smoot, a Senator from the State of Utah, to Hold His Seat, 4 vols. [Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1906), 1:94)