Letter to John E. Rogerson, 18 April 1888
Mr. John E. Rogerson
Mancos
Dear Brother:
In your favor lately received by me you asked, in substance, the following
question: Has the President of the stake or his Counselors the authority to
confirm on a man who has been cut off the Church and is afterwards re-
baptized, all his former blessings, ordinations and sealings; or is this
authority vested only in the President of the Church or the Twelve Apostles?
In reply I will say that the yes of this authority are keys of this authority
are vested in one man only at a time of the earth, but when it is deemed
proper to confer such blessings on a repentant man who has been received again
into the Church by baptism, he who holds the keys can authorize anyone possessing
the apostleship or High Priesthood to reconfer the blessings, sealings, endowments
and priesthood the man formerly possessed and enjoyed. Should the man have
held the Office of a Seventy it is deemed more consistent, with good order, that
one of the Twelve or a President of the Seventies officiate when his priesthood
is reconfirmed upon him. If the man has been guilty of any gross infraction of
the laws of God it is not deemed desirable to re-impose too many responsibilities
on him until he has proven his worthiness by his work and conversation, and
then by permission of the General Authorities of the Church.
With kind regards, I am
Your Brother,
Wilford Woodruff
