Part 11 (1/2)

On March 8th, 1833, the Lord said to Joseph Smith:

Verily, I say unto you, the keys of this kingdom shall never be taken from you, while thou art in the world, neither in the world to come; nevertheless, through you shall the oracles be given unto another yea, _even to the church!_[A]

[Footnote A: The _italics_ are mine. R. Doc. and Cov., sec. xc.]

Joseph and Hyrum, then, did not take with them the ”oracles” of G.o.d necessary to make the church efficient in accomplis.h.i.+ng the work that G.o.d designed it to perform. Though the keys given to the prophet were never to be taken from him, either in this world or that which is to come--though for ever he is to stand as the President of the great dispensation of the fullness of times--yet the keys of authority and power committed to his hands may be given to another, ”even to the church,” not to his posterity, mark you.

This revelation makes it easy to believe that there was inspiration in the declaration of Brigham Young, uttered when he heard for the first time of the martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum. He was at Peterboro, N. H., when the sad intelligence reached him:--

The first thing that I thought of was whether Joseph had taken the keys of the kingdom with him from the earth. Brother Orson Pratt sat on my left, we were both leaning back in our chairs. Bringing my hand down on my knee, I said, _the keys of the kingdom are right here with the church_.[A]

[Footnote A: Brigham Young, quoted by Tullidge. See Life of Brigham Young, p. 106.]

In line also with this revelation under consideration is the testimony of the spirit of G.o.d to Parley P. Pratt. This elder while making his way on foot across the prairies of Illinois towards Nauvoo, bowed down with grief at the loss of Joseph and Hyrum, heard the spirit of G.o.d say:

Lift up your head and rejoice, for behold it is well with my servants Joseph and Hyrum. My servant Joseph still holds the keys of my kingdom in this dispensation, and he shall stand in due time on the earth, in the flesh, and fulfill that to which he is appointed. Go and say to my people in Nauvoo that they shall continue to pursue their daily duties, and take care of themselves, and make no movement in church government to organize or alter anything until the return of the remainder of the quorum of the Twelve; but exhort them that they continue to build up the house of the Lord, which I have commanded them to build in Nauvoo.[A]

[Footnote A: Autobiography P. P. Pratt, p. 361.]

The keys had not been taken from Joseph--he is yet to stand on the earth and fulfill all that is appointed to him--the work which under G.o.d he had founded was to go on, is the significance of this message of the spirit.

A carping criticism may ask: How can Joseph Smith forever stand at the head of the dispensation of the fullness of times, never have the keys of authority thereof taken from him, and yet give those keys or oracles to another, ”even to the church”--how can this thing be? It can be upon the same principle that G.o.d can give his power to men, even the priesthood, and yet not diminish aught from his own power: Upon the same principle that Jesus could say to Peter, ”I give unto you the keys of the kingdom, and whatsoever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven,”[A] and yet Jesus lose nothing in dignity of office, in authority, or the possession of keys. Upon the same principle that Peter, James and John, (whom John the Baptist declared to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery possessed the keys of the priesthood of Melchisedek,) could give the keys of the priesthood of Melchisedek to Joseph Smith, and yet not strip themselves of them. So Joseph Smith could give the keys or oracles of the priesthood to the church and still hold them--giving the keys to the Twelve more especially, and yet stand in his place, without losing one iota of power ever conferred upon him. It is a case where the one possessing keys of power and authority can give and not diminish his own store; but even increase it more abundantly, being made richer the more he gives, when bestowing upon those who are worthy to receive such high things; even as G.o.d increases the ever widening circle of his own power by giving that power--the priesthood--to his faithful sons.

[Footnote A: Matt. xvi.]

It now remains for me to prove that the prophet Joseph did give the ”oracles to another”--and that they remained with the church.

On the 7th of August, 1844, at a meeting of the Twelve Apostles, high council of the Nauvoo stake, and high priests, held in the Seventies'

Hall, in a speech following one made by Sidney Rigdon, Brigham Young, speaking of the Twelve, said:

Joseph conferred upon our heads all the keys and powers belonging to the apostles.h.i.+p which he himself held before he was taken away, and no man or set of men can get between Joseph and the Twelve in this world or the world to come. How often has Joseph said to the Twelve, ”I have laid the foundation and you must build thereon, for upon your shoulders the kingdom rests.”[A]

[Footnote A: Hist. Joseph Smith, _Mill. Star_, Vol. XXV, p. 232.]

In his speech in behalf of the claims of the Twelve Apostles to lead the church, on that memorable day, the 8th of August, 1844, Brigham Young said:

I say unto you that the quorum of the Twelve have the keys of the kingdom of G.o.d in all the world.

... . You[A] cannot appoint a prophet; but if you will let the Twelve remain and act in their place, the keys of the kingdom are with them and they can manage the affairs of the church and direct in all things aright.[B]

[Footnote A: The saints.]

[Footnote B: History of Joseph Smith, _Mill. Star_, p. 215-6.]

Whence this confidence on the part of Brigham Young before the church to make so bold a declaration that the keys of the kingdom were still with the church--held more especially by the Twelve? It arose from the fact that the prophet Joseph had committed those keys to the Twelve.

Elder Woodruff, writing from Salem, Ma.s.s., under date of October 11th, 1844, at a time when the claims of Sidney Rigdon were still agitated, said: