For
instance, I can support an apostle in this Church; I can support the President
of this Church; I can support his first counselor and I can support his second
counselor, and yet know there were many weaknesses that pertain to those men
which I did not feel to approve of, and yet I can fellowship them. I can
fellowship the President of the Church if he does not know everything I know,
or everything he ought to know, or if he does things which I may not think he
ought to do. I saw Joseph Smith the Prophet do things which I did not think he
ought to do, things which I thought the Lord would not approve of; and yet when
I saw the weaknesses and imperfections in him I thank God that He would put
upon a man who had these imperfections the power and authority which he placed
upon him. I respected Joseph Smith and I was pleased to see those weaknesses
for I knew I myself had weakness and I thought there was a chance for me. These
weaknesses I knew were in Joseph Smith and these weaknesses I knew were in
Heber C. Kimball but my knowing this did not impair them in my estimation. I
thanked God I saw these imperfections. ("Remarks of Lorenzo Snow,
President of the Twelve Apostles, in the Salt Lake Temple," in George Q.
Cannon, Journal, January 7, 1898)
