Saturday, July 15, 2023

Reed Smoot on Church Leadership Not Being Guided by Inspiration 24/7

  

The CHAIRMAN. You would obey the command under such conditions?

 

Senator SMOOT. If God spoke to me.

 

Mr. TAYLER. What are the living oracles?

 

Senator SMOOT. As I understand they are men who preach the word—the living oracles are.

 

Mr. TAYLER. The men who preach the Word?

 

Senator SMOOT. Preach under the inspiration of the spirit of our Lord.

 

Mr. TAYLER. They are only oracles when they speak with the inspiration of the Lord?

 

Senator SMOOT. I think so. (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)], 3:278; cf. “There are quite a number of things in the Journal of Discourses that are not accepted by the church” [3:277])