Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1900-07-14

the UtIlNIIlMAllE VI MS ANNANN ANNf
am sure the universal testimony would
be. II called for that every man thus
appointed and set apart has been made
capable of hllng his Office and calling
to the acceptance OF the Lord, to the
satisfaction OF his brethren, and to
his own happiness. When Presidents OF
conferences are appointed the same
spirit and power follows them.
We see the same effect al home. Let
a man be ordained TO the office OF q
Bishop, or a Bishops counselor. or
High Counselor, and in every instance,
II he be a faithful man, the spirit, pow
er and gifts OF his Office Will rest upon
him. He win be filled with the same
spirit which Inspires the Prophet OF
God and those associated with him,
SO with an Apostle. Let the Lord
select O man out OF the body
OF the people and make him an
Apostle, and what a change takes
place! The spirit OF the Apostleship
rests upon him. the gifts OF that
Priesthood and calling descend upon
him, and he becomes q changed man
In consequence OF the bestowal Of those
powers upon him He receives au-
thorlty; he enjoys the spirit Of reve-
latiOn: he is upheld by the people as
a Prophet Seer and Revelator II
he be a faithful man, he receives the
gift and power OF a Prophet and
Reyelator. and perhaps Of Seer
These are his rights. because he has
been ordained to that office; and God
has promised that II men will serve
and obey Him In all things, He Will
give them the necessary power and
gifts
SUCCESSION IN THE PRESIDENCY.
While the Prophet Joseph Smith
lived no one supposed that any other
man could be found who would have
power to lead the Church. The great
bulk Of the Church believed he would
live til Jesus should come, and when
he was martyred every heart was
filed with sorrow. Who could take
his place? Who could hold the keys2
Who could lead the people2 Confu-
sion 20 a certain extent relgned In the
midst OF the people. But all the keys
and authority which Joseph had re-
ceived from various angels, he had
conferred upon others before his death.
These men held the same authority,
therefore. that the Prophet did. but
because II was not necessary for them
10 exercise It. they did not appear 10
possess Il. After Joseph was killed,
and the occasion arose, then the man
who held the keys he being the senior
Apostle and the one who presided over
the quorum OF the Twelve. arose. filed
with the same power. and with the
same gifts--at least, with a great
many Of them. Men vary in their or
CARNATIONS Joseph possessed gifts
that no man In this age possessed.
Brigham Young having n different or
ganzauon had gifts which the Prophet
Joseph did not have. and he arose In
the power OF his Priesthood and calling,
with the authority to stand as the
senior Apostle, at the head Of the
Church and 10 declare the word OF God
10 the people. When he appeared before
the people they could see that he pos
sessed the authority and the power.
And the Twelve We're with him. The
revelation SAYS that the Twelve are
equal In authority and power TO the
three Presidents" and the Severity
form a quorum equal In authority to
that OF the Twelve" But the Twelve
are equal 10 the First Presidency only
when the First Presidency are absent;
and II the First Presidency and Twelve
were absent, the Seventy would be
equal, At the time / am speaking Of.
the First Presidency We're absent.
Joseph had been slain. one Of his
counselors had apostatized, and the
other was not as he should be- There
fore there was no First Presidency. IL
fell then TO the quorum Of the Twelve
TO preside for they held the authority
equal 10 the First Presidency and the
First Presidency were absent. The quo
rum Of the Twelve has no right to pre-
side when the First Presidency Is there.
Brigham Young stepped forward with
| the Twelve and took the presidency Of
the Church. And through his unwill-
| ingness 10 push himself forward, the
! Twelve governed the Church for three
| years. But the Church Is not perfectly
| organized unless there Is First Pres
! ldency and a Twelve. and a Seventy.
Now every one Of the Twelve held the
same powers as the Prophet Joseph. but
they had no right 10 exercise them only
| In their own place and station. No one
| Of them could rise up and exercise the
| authority Of leading the Church. AS the
| Lord has plainly revealed, there Is only
1 one man on earth at time who has the
| right TO hold the keys and TO preside,
though others may have equal power.
authority and ordination, and be equal
| In every other respect. Only one man Is
| called 70 lead. There were twelve men
| with Brigham. but Brigham held the
/ keys He was the senior Apostle
! tie. and had the right TO exercise that
authority. When the First Pres
! idency was organized he still.
with his counselons, had the right TO
| preside over the Church.
| mention these things TO show you
/ that there Is power attending ordin-
I alton and setting apart. We can see II
I from the head Of the Church % the last
/ man ordained 20 the Priesthood, every
/ man In his calling, according to his
/ falthfulness and the Priesthood that he
holds, and all having a claim on the
| Spirit Of God.
REVELATION TO LEAD THE
CHURCH,
President Young passed away. Presi-
/ dent Taylor then. being the senior