Monday, November 27, 2023

Joseph F. Smith being Critical of Brigham Young’s Teachings as early as January 6, 1878

  

Bro. Jos. F. Smith addressed the conference. His subject was the priesthood. He advanced ideas which were new to me, that is, for an Elder in Israel to preach. He conveyed the idea that it was by virtue of the High Priesthood that an apostle acted and not by virtue of the apostleship; that the office of an apostle was an appendage and that a man acted in that as he did as a Bishop (if not a literal descendant of Aaron) by virtue of being a High Priest. He also advanced curious, & as I think, unsound ideas about the offices of deacon and Elder and their relationship to the Aaronic and Melchisedec priesthoods. He conveyed the idea also that a revelation or doctrine, to be binding, should be submitted to the various quorums of the priesthood, an idea not <so> incorrect of itself as the manner and spirit in which it was put forth. He dwelt in his positive and emphatic style upon the idea that no one man had the right to enforce his doctrines upon the Church without the sanction and concurrence of the priesthood and people. If he did not have President Brigham Young in his mind, he was unfortunate in his selection of words and in his manner of presenting his thoughts; for I could not help thinking that he had him in his mind. My brother Angus also gathered obtained the same impression. (George Q. Cannon, Journal, January 6, 1878)