You asked me a question the last time
we met ehich I was not prepared to answer at the time it was given.
I have gibven the subject some thought and reflection and I now feel
prepared to answer the question according to my views. You asked
me if I knew any reason in case of the death of the President of
the Church why the Twelve Apostles should not choose some other
person to be the President of the Church instead of the Twelve
President of the Twelve Apostles. I think I do know of several good
sound reasons which I will now give you. In the first place there
are two or three plain truths which are eternal, everlasting, un-
changeable, and immovable as the pillars of heaven (as far as
this dispensation is concerned) which have been established by the
revelation of God through the mouth of the Prophet Joseph Smith.
These truths stare us in the face. First, when the President of
the Church dies, who then is the presiding authority of the Church?
It is the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles (ordained and organized by
the revelations of God and none else). Then while these Twelve
Apostles preside over the Church, who is the President of the Church[?]
It is the President of the Twelve Apostles. And he is virtually as
much the President of the Church while presiding over Twelve men as
he is when organized into the Presidency of the Church and presid-
ing over two men. And this principle has been carried out now for
57 years, ever since the organization of the Church. When Joseph
Smith the Prophet was martyred, the Twelve Apostles stepped forth
as the presiding authority of the Church, as ordained of God, with Brigham Young at their head to preside over the Church and direct
its affairs. And when the Twelve Apostles came to organize the
First Presidency, which of the Twelve stepped forth to claim the
right to preside over Brigham Young? Notone, nor any other man
except Sidney Rigdon, an apostate. Why did Brigham Young claim the
right of the Presidency? Because he was the President of the
Church while presiding over Twelve men as two men. When President
Young died who was the presiding authority of the Church? The
Twelve Apostles and noneelse. And who was the President of the
Church? John Taylor. Why? Because he was the President of the
Twelve Apostles. And when the Twelve Apostles came to organize the
First Presidency again, which of the Twelve Apostles wasmovedupon
to claim the right to preside over the Church above John Taylor?
Such a thing did enter into the heart of one of the Twelve
Apostles, nor any other man, except Daniel H. Wlells, and he said he
had a revelation that Joseph F. Smith was the man to preside over
the Church. There was not one of the Twelve Apostles believed a
word of it, and Brother George Q. Cannon was the most opposed to it
of any man in the Quorum of the Twelve. Because President John
Taylor was the President of the Twelve Apostles, and he had been
virtually the President of the Church since the death of Brigham
Young. (Now if Brother Cannon has become converted from this
theory, or any of the Twelve, they certainly must have some very
strong reasons for it. ()
Now, Brother Grant, I have given you
one of the reasons why I consider the President of the Twelve should
be the President of the church in case of the death of the Presi-
You asked me a question the last time
we met ehich I was not prepared to answer at the time it was given.
I have given the subject some thought and reflection and I now feel
prepared to answer the question according to my views. You asked
me if I knew any reason in case of the death of the President of
the Church why the Twelve Apostles should not choose some other
person to be the President of the Church instead of the
President of the Twelve Apostles. I think I do know of several good
sound reasons which I will now give you. In the first place there
are two or three plain truths which are eternal, everlasting, unchangeable, and immovable as the pillars of heaven (as far as
this dispensation is concerned) which have been established by the
revelation of God through the mouth of the Prophet Joseph Smith.
These truths stare us in the face. First, when the President of
the Church dies, who then is the presiding authority of the Church?
It is the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles (ordained and organized by
the revelations of God and none else). Then while these Twelve
Apostles preside over the Church, who is the President of the Church?
It is the President of the Twelve Apostles. And he is virtually as
much the President of the Church while presiding over Twelve men as
he is when organized into the Presidency of the Church and presiding over two men. And this principle has been carried out now for
57 years, ever since the organization of the Church. When Joseph
Smith the Prophet was martyred, the Twelve Apostles stepped forth
as the presiding authority of the Church, as ordained of God, with
Brigham Young at their head to preside over the Church and direct
its affairs. And when the Twelve Apostles came to organize the
First Presidency, which of the Twelve stepped forth to claim the
right to preside over Brigham Young? Notone, nor any other man
except Sidney Rigdon, an apostate. Why did Brigham Young claim the
right of the Presidency? Because he was the President of the
Church while presiding over Twelve men as two men. When President
Young died who was the presiding authority of the Church? The
Twelve Apostles and noneelse. And who was the President of the
Church? John Taylor. Why? Because he was the President of the
Twelve Apostles. And when the Twelve Apostles came to organize the
First Presidency again, which of the Twelve Apostles wasmovedupon
to claim the right to preside over the Church above John Taylor?
Such a thing did enter into the heart of one of the Twelve
Apostles, nor any other man, except Daniel H. Wells, and he said he
had a revelation that Joseph F. Smith was the man to preside over
the Church. There was not one of the Twelve Apostles believed a
word of it, and Brother George Q. Cannon was the most opposed to it
of any man in the Quorum of the Twelve. Because President John
Taylor was the President of the Twelve Apostles, and he had been
virtually the President of the Church since the death of Brigham
Young. (Now if Brother Cannon has become converted from this
theory, or any of the Twelve, they certainly must have some very
strong reasons for it.)
Now, Brother Grant, I have given you
one of the reasons why I consider the President of the Twelve should
be the President of the church in case of the death of the Presi-