Concerning Wilford Woodruff’s teachings during a meeting in the President’s Office:
Prest Woodruff said that at the
time the above charge was given by the prophet that he stood on his feet three
and one half hours, and that he (Woodruff) to the day of his death should not
forget charge of the prophet as it was still ringing in his ears. Prest.
Woodruff stated that God had sealed upon Joseph every Key that had ever been
bestowed upon man since the days of Adam and that Joseph had sealed all of the
keys and powers upon the twelve that he had ever received.
Among other things stated
by Prest Woodruff, he stated; that the Apostleship was the highest
office any man could be ordained to, and that he would always hold his office
unless his priesthood was forfeited; that some men had thought that Apostles
had no business in the stakes of Zion and that they should be out in the world
preaching the gospel, that China, Japan or some other place instead of home was
where they should be; that if he were the President of the Church that he would
desire it understood that where he was not, that there the apostles presided.
...
He desired to place himself right
and if he was not right wished to be set right; stated that we would need seven
of our quorum to transact business legally in the sight of heaven; stated that
the eyes of God and all heaven were upon us and that we had a great work to do
which reached into the heavens and was not confined to this world, and that we
were working for something of greater importance than the riches of this world.
He had felt strong desires that our temples might be preserved from our enemies
and had prayed earnestly to God that they might not be defiled and his hopes
and faith were that they would be protected. He said he much preferred to stand
with his brethren of the quorum than to have two Counselors chosen and stand
with them as the President of the Church He desired that all of the financial
affairs of Prest John Taylor should be audited and that a new set of books
should be opened for his administration.
If we were to organize the First
Presidency that would not take away any of the authority of a man holding the
apostleship. (Heber J. Grant, Journal, August 3, 1887, in The Diaries of
Heber J. Grant, 1880-1845 Abridged, comp. D. Michael Quinn [Digital Edition;
Salt Lake City, 2015])
