I will make a few remarks while the Sacrament is being administered.
It is gratifying to me to be able to state that now all the various
organizations of the Church are provided for. For some time the Twelve
have been operating in the capacity of a First Presidency, and it was
very proper that they should have acted in that capacity. As you heard
Brother Pratt state this morning, in referring to this subject, this
was the course adopted at the time when the Prophet Joseph Smith left
us. The Twelve then stepped forward into the position of the First Presidency, and operated for about three years in that
capacity. And when President Young left us it was thought proper that
the same course should be pursued. The Twelve, I believe, have in this
respect magnified their calling and taken a course that is approved by
the Lord, and I think also by the brethren, judging from the vote
given here today.
Had it not been our duty to have the Church organized fully and
completely in all its departments, I should have much preferred to
have continued with the brethren of the Twelve, speaking of it merely
as a matter of personal feeling. But there are questions arising in
regard to these matters that are not for us to say how they shall be,
or what course shall be pursued. When God has given us an order and
has appointed an organization in his Church, with the various quorums
of Priesthood as presented to us by revelation through the Prophet
Joseph Smith, I do not think that either the First Presidency, the
Twelve, the High Priests, the Seventies, the Bishops, or anybody else,
have a right to change or alter that plan which the Lord has
introduced and established. And as you heard Brother Pratt state this
morning, one duty devolving upon the Twelve is to see that the
churches are organized correctly. And I think they are now thus
organized throughout the land of Zion. The Churches generally are
organized with Presidents of Stakes and their Counselors, with High
Councils, with Bishops and their Counselors, and with the Lesser
Priesthood, according to the order that is given us.
Then we have the High Priests, Seventies and Elders occupying their
places according to their Priesthood, position, and standing in the
Church. And the First Presidency seemed to be the only quorum that was
deficient. And it is impossible for men acquainted with the order of
the Holy Priesthood to ignore this quorum, as it is one of the
principal councils of the Church. While the Twelve stand as a bulwark
ready to protect, defend and maintain, to step forward and carry out
the order of God's Kingdom in times of necessity, such as above
referred to, yet when everything is adjusted and matters assume their
normal condition, then it is proper that the Quorum of the First
Presidency, as well as all other quorums, should occupy the place
assigned it by the Almighty.
These were the suggestions of the Spirit of the Lord to me. I
expressed my feelings to the Twelve, who coincided with me, and,
indeed, several of them had had the same feelings as those with which
I was actuated. It is not with us, or ought not to be, a matter of
place, position, or honor, although it is a great honor to be a
servant of God; it is a great honor to hold the Priesthood of God; but
while it is an honor to be God's servants, holding His Priesthood, it
is not honorable for any man or any set of men to seek for position in
the Holy Priesthood. Jesus said, Ye have not called me, but I have
called you. And as I said before, had I consulted my own personal
feelings, I would have said, things are going on very pleasantly,
smoothly and agreeably; and I have a number of good associates whom I
respect and esteem, as my brethren, and I rejoice in their counsels.
Let things remain as they are. But it is not for me to say, it is not
for you to say, what we would individually prefer, but it is for us
holding the Holy Priesthood; to see that all the organizations of that
Priesthood are pre served intact, and that everything in the
Church and kingdom of God is organized according to the plan which He
has revealed; therefore we have taken the course which you have been
called upon to sanction by your votes today.
I would further remark that I have examined very carefully for some
time past some of those principles you heard read over in the
Priesthood meeting, and which were referred to in part, by Brother
Pratt, this morning. And there are other principles associated with
the Priesthood that we wish and hope to have thoroughly defined; so
that every man will know his true position and the nature of the
calling and responsibility and Priesthood with which he is endowed. It
is very proper and very important that we should comprehend these
things; every man in his place, and every woman in her place; but I
more particularly refer to the Holy Priesthood, that every man may
feel and realize the duties and responsibilities which rest upon him.
It is gratifying to me, and it is no doubt satisfactory to you, to see
the unanimity and oneness of feeling and the united sentiment which
have been manifested in our votes. Those votes being taken first in
their quorum capacity, each quorum having voted affirmatively, then by
the vote of the Presidents of the several quorums united, and
afterwards by the vote of the quorums and people combined, men and
women, among the many thousands assembled who have participated in
this vote, having a full and free opportunity, uncontrolled by any
influence other than the Spirit of God, to express their wishes and
desires, there has not been, from all that we could discover, one
dissenting vote.
You could not find the same unanimity anywhere upon the earth. Union
is a principle that exists in the heavens, and so far as we manifest
this feeling in all sincerity, so far do we exhibit our faith in God,
in His Priesthood, and in His law as revealed to us. For our religion,
our Priesthood and all the blessings and ordinances that we possess
were not given us by any man or any combination of men; it was the
Lord who revealed all of these things or we could not have been in
possession of them. We have had an example here today of the
unanimity which characterizes those possessed of the Spirit of the
Gospel, and it ought to be a pattern for us in all of our affairs.
And now let me refer with pride to my brethren of the Twelve here,
which I do by saying that while they as a quorum held the right by the
vote of the people to act in the capacity of the First Presidency, yet
when they found, as Brother Pratt expressed it this morning, that they
had performed their work, they were willing to withdraw from that
Presidency, and put it in the position that God had directed, and fall
back into the place that they have always held, as the Twelve Apostles
of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I say it is with
pride that I refer to this action and the feeling that prompted it. I
very much question whether you could find the same personal exhibition
of disinterested motives and self-abnegation, and the like readiness
to renounce place and position in deference to principle, among the
same number of men in any other place. They saw the necessity of this
action; a motion was made in that Council; and the vote was
unanimously adopted that the First Presidency be reorganized, and
after wards the brethren to fill this quorum, were selected. The
next step was to present the matter to the Church, and it was laid
before the Priesthood at a meeting, when there were present a
representation of all the important authorities of the Church in the
different Stakes in Zion. After having done that, lest some difficulty
might exist somewhere, it was thought proper to pursue the course
taken today—that each organization of the Priesthood, embracing all
the quorums, should be seated in a quorum capacity by themselves, and
separately have the opportunity of voting freely and fully without
control of any kind, and of expressing their feelings, and finally,
that the whole congregation should have the same opportunity. This is
emphatically the voice of God, and the voice of the people; and this
is the order that the Lord has instituted in Zion, as it was in former
times among Israel. God gave his commandments; they were delivered by
His Prophet to the people and submitted to them, and all Israel said,
Amen. You have all done this by your votes; which vote, so far as we
can learn, has been without a dissenting voice either among the
separate quorums, or in the vote of the combined quorums and people.
Now, continue to be united in everything as you are in this thing, and
God will stand by you from this time henceforth and forever. And any
man who opposes principles of this kind is an enemy of God, an enemy
of the Church and kingdom of God upon the earth, an enemy to the
people of God, and an enemy to the freedom and rights of man. The Lord
has selected a Priesthood that He might among all Israel make known
His mind and will through them, and that they might be His
representatives upon the earth. And while He does this He does not
wish men to be coerced or forced to do things contrary to their will.
But where the Spirit of God is, there is union, harmony and liberty,
and where it is not there is strife, confusion and bondage. Let us
then seek to be one, honor our God, honor our religion, and keep the
commandments of God, and seek to know His will, and then to do it.
I do not know but that I have spoken as long as I ought to. God bless
you; God bless the Twelve; and God bless the Presidents of Stakes and
their associates, and the Seventies and the High Priests, and the
Elders, and the Bishops, and the Lesser Priesthood. And God bless the
Relief Societies, and the Young People's Mutual Improvement
Associations, and all who love and fear God and keep his commandments.
And may God bless the Sunday Schools and the Primary Associations and
the educational interests, and all interested in the welfare of Zion,
as well as all the good and virtuous, the honorable and high-minded
everywhere, who are seeking to promote purity, holiness, and virtue on
the earth. And God bless our singers and all who make music for us;
and may the peace and blessing of God rest upon all Israel. And when
you go to your homes, carry out the principles you have voted for, and
God will bless you and your generations after you; and you shall be
blessed in time, and through all eternity. And I bless you by virtue
of the holy Priesthood, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.