The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-04-13
ITS TRUTH is DOUBTED.
Dissatisfied Ones Argue That
the Lord Would Not Use
the Word elf"
GREAT UNREST IS CAUSED
Now Come Number of Elders Who
Boldly Discourage Prophet
Worship.

KANSAS CITY, Mo-, April u. The
saints" in session at independence are
just now in peck of trouble. 1t appears
that lengthy revelation purporting to be
from God was received by Joseph Smith
year ago, which made some important dis
closures, and that the twelve, in body,
have not yetindorsed the revelation. Some
membe of the twelve claim to have re-
ceived testimony of God as to the truth OF
the revelation, but others cannot see 1t that
way.
The revelation in dispute says that the
supposed vacancy in the presidency was
not a vacancy in the eyes of God. David
H. Smith, who was the third member of
that body, is not dead, as has been sup
posed by many of the council, but is insane
and now confined in the Illinois asylum
and has been so confined during the last
twenty years. David H. Smith is brother
OF the present president and was ex-
pected to be the successor of Joseph as
head Of the church. A large number of
the church ministry regard the revelation
of last year as an indication on the part.
of Joseph Smith that he did not intend to
receive any revelations filling the vacancy
until his brother died. One popularity OF
the revelation is the reference to the prayer
headed by the church for the patriarch,
Apostle Thomas W. Smith, who was at
that time very i'll. The revelation reads:
'My servant, Thomas W. Smith, is in
my hand, and his bishopric shall be con-
. tfnued for a season. If he fully recover, he
will enter again the work. If l take him
to myself, another will be appointed in his
stead when the quorum is filed"
Many of the elders claim God in his in
finite knowledge would not use the word
''if'' in speaking of the result of the illness
and recovery of his apostle. The same
revelation chides the members of the
church for not placing full confidence in
the Ipresident and his revelations of the
divine will.
The twelve's not having approved this
revelation as of God Is causing much I'M
rest. A number of the elders and min
istry are discouraging prophet worship"
and one of the young elders boldly an
nounced that he was not a worshiper of
the prophet but simply a follower of
Christ and proclaiming his gospel.
a resolution was discussed providing
for the appointment of board of directors
for the Saints College, now building at
Lamont, Iowa A number of the delegates
wanted the college to be exclusively a
saints college, and that no outsiders be
allowed on the board OF directors. The
committee decided to open the college to
all and place two outsiders on the board of
directors. The question of a meeting for
conference in 1886 brought up more oppo-
sitiou. The vote was close but Kirkland,
Ohio, was chosen instead of Lamont, Iowa.
The evening session was protracted and
developed a serious split in the conference.
At the general conference two years ago
there was a resolution introduced stating
that it was the sense of the church that in
the administration of the sacrament the
teachers, deacons and laity were not en-
powered to assist even in the passage of
the plate or cup. 1t was thought at that
time that it was adopted, but the minutes
failed to show it that way, and to-day the
same resolution was again brought for
ward by Apostle Lambert and taken up
for argument.
The venerable counselor of the presi-
dent W. W. Blair, said the views ex-
pressed in the resolution were not in har-
mony with the rules of the church, and
that he was bound to accept the utterances
of the president as the best exposition of
the rules of the church. Where the laws
of the church needed an explanation or ex-
position the chosen man of the church was
the one above all others best prepared to
make plain the meaning of the word.
This brought out the real issues behind
the matter. Was President Smith to rule
and interpret or was the church?
Several of the delegates took sides on
the question, the debate lasting several
hours. When the vote was finally taken
on the resolution it was adopted by vote
of ITO to 20. The president then read the |
list of appointments for the coming year !
1t contained several hundred names and !
included the following: !
Iowa, East Nebraska Minnesota. North |
and South Dakota, North Illinois and
Wisconsin-A. H. Smith, j. R. Lamb bert.
European Mission-James Caffan, G. t. /
Griffith.
The Canadas-J. H. Lake.
Missouri and Kansas-Joseph Luff.
Michigan and Northern Indiana-E. G. !
Briggs.
Rocky Mountain Mission-H. c. Smith !
New England States-W. H. Kelley, with
Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Ohio, Vir-
GINA, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, New
York New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland
and District of Columbia added.
Colorado, East Wyoming, West Ne
braska and New Mexico-G. w. Gillen.