Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-06-10
SECOND SESSION
OF MURRAY DEBATE
Eades-Curtis Discussion in the
Second Ward Westinghouse
Last Night.
'cLAlM OF YOUNG JOSEPH"
Was the Topic Debated During the
First Hour--Rcorganizc Cham
pion Makes Bitter Remarks.


The second session OF the debate be-
tween j. 4. curtis of the ReorEanized
church and Jacob A. Eados OF the
Church of Jesus Christ OF Latter-day
Saints was held in the Murray Second
ward. last evening. The first hour was
devoted to the claim of young Jo-
seph" to be his fathers rightful
and legal successor. Elder Curtis af-
. firming, and the second hour to the
claims OF the twelve apostles with
Brigham Young at their head, to the
succcssorship as the presiding quorum
of the Church.
Mr. Curtis was the first speaker, af-
firming the first proposition. After
some preliminary remarks he stated
that Elder Fades the night previous
had declared that Zenas III. Gurley
held no priesthood In the original
Church, while II was well known that
he and jason w. Briggs held the priest
hood before the death of the Prophet
Joseph Smith. He declared that
Elder Fades had conveyed the
idea TINT there was no thought of
choosing young Joseph until about
JIG years after the martyrdom. but this
was not the case, for the st. Louis Led
ger had mentioned 1t but n few days
after the death of Joseph and Hyrum
Smith: moreover, that William Smith,
George j. Adams. James Blakeslee
and others had mentioned II as early
as 1876. and William Smith had stood
up In favor of young Joseph and had
proclaimed him to be the successor as
early as 1845. So It was not true that
II was a scheme invented In 1860. The
facts were he said. TINT Joseph Smith
called aud appointed his son at least
three times before the martyrdom.
First In Liberty jei, as testified to by
Lyman Wight, once in public meet
Ing In Nauvoo in the winter just before
the martyrdom, and again as he was
leaving home to go to Carthage In
June, 1874. These events were testi-
fled TO by numerous witnesses. James
Whitehead had declared that young
Joseph had been called and anointed
by his father in Nauvoo at public
meeting.
WHITEHEAD STATEMENT.
His statement Is IN substance as fol-
lows: He recollected meeting held
in Nauyoo In the winter of 1S43, at
which Joseph Smith appointed his
successor. There were present on the
stand at the time, Joseph Smith, who
did the talking, Hyrum Smith. John
Taylor. willard Richards, Ehenezer
Robinson, George j Adams, and 9TH
ers. On this day, Joseph Smith called
his son to the stand and appointed him
as his successor. He was anointed
with oil. and called before the as
semblcd people, James Whitehead.
however. was In error when he said
this was an ordination, he should have
said appointing. The Melchesidek
priesthood, said Mr.. Curtis descends
from father TO son. This Is the state
ment Of the revelation (section 1919,
wherein II Is recorded: THE order OF
this priesthood was confirmed to be
handed down from father to son, and
rightly belongs to the chosen seed to
whom the promises were made. This
refers TO the Melchesidek priesthood,
said Mr.. Curtis, and surely the sons
or Joseph Smith should not be barred
He also quoted several passages from
the Doctrine and Covenants perverting
the meaning as he did in this passage,
In vain attempt 10 show that Joseph
Smiths sons were heirs TO the priest
hood; notably verse 8, section SO; and
the statement in the revelation of Jan.
10, 1S4l, wherein promises were made
through Joseph Smiths seed to the ef-
feet that the generations were to be
blessed through them. This must be
fulfilled" said he, FOR II is a revela-
uon, else Joseph Smith liz a false
prophet" II cannot be fulfilled unless
his seed hold the priesthood, and they
are all In the Reorganization"
The amounting promised In section
l24 did not pertain to the boarding
house, but to the blessing of birthr.rht
conferred on the oldest son. Joseph
Smith Jr, Of the Reorganization, said
be- was baptized by his father and has
never belonged 10 any but the original
Church, This was also true of Jason
w. Brggs, zenas IL, Gurley and 9TH
en- leaders OF the Reorganization,
whose priesthood Elder Fades had
tried 20 destroy. They were never
baptized but once and were always
members on the original Church. and
held the priesthood In the days OF Jo-
feph Smith In conclusion, Mr.. Curtis
stated that Joseph Smith of Lamont.
was the one mighty and strong spoken
or IN the revelation, and he was COM
manded by revelation 10 himself to
join the Reorganized church VIII
Lam Marks was mover cut off from the
Church. and I'm making that statement
Elder Fades had falsihed the record.
He was merely removed as president
OF the high council of the Nauvoo
stake, and had always been follower
Of the true faith and he had promls-
ed great blessings and authOrit, Il, tba