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Show BARREN OP PROPHEOY. When accurate information upon certain cer-tain subjects is wanted tho application of thc inquirer is usually mado to Tho Tribune. And this is coming to be true of investigating Mormons who are seeking for light upon facts connected with their own church. The other day a couple of the more brond-minded men of that religious faith were discussing the leadership of the church, past and present; and one of them contended that there had been no "prophet, seer and rcvclalor" iu the church since thc time of Joseph Smith. These gentlemen wero unable to decide de-cide the matter at the time, for the reason that the- had no access to some of the more rare Mormon works which might tend to shed light upon the disputed dis-puted question. So it was referred lo The Tribune. Upon examination of the Millennial Star, volume 16, page -14 2, wo find a report re-port of a sermon delivered by President Presi-dent Brigham Young in this city on April 7, 1S52. !Iu thc courso of his address, ad-dress, President Young said: ".A person per-son was mentioned today who did not believe that Brigham Young was a prophet, seer and revclator. J wish to ask every member of this whole community, com-munity, if they ever heard him profess to be a prophet, seor and revclator, as Joseph Smith was?" On August 15, ISJ-1, the quorum of tho twelve apostles at Nauvoo issued what, was entitled "An Epistle of the Twelve." It was signed by Brigham Young, who. was then president of the quorum, and it was printed in the Nauvoo Nau-voo Times and Seasons, volume 5, page CIS. In this it is announced: "You arc now without a prophet present with you in the (lesh lo guide you. Let no man presume for a moment that his Joseph's place will be tilled by another, for remember, ho stands iu his own place, and always will." After Brigham came John Taylor. No prophesies arc credited to him, and no rovelations aro recorded as having been received b' Mr. Taylor. Iu respect to tho latter we may possibly note an exception. It was at tho timo when the Federal Government was proceeding lo stop the practico of polygamy iu this Territory, and when in pursuance of Ihat object polygamists were denied the full rights of citizenship. This move appeared to have so roiled John Taylor that he forthwith announced to the poo plo here that he had received a revelation reve-lation to'lhe effect Ihat it was I ho will of tho Lord ijmt all I hose elders who would nol ul once lake unlu themselves plural wives hhould be deprived of the privileges and honors pertaining lo their priesthood, and Ihat where any of these hold eccle.s'uil ieal of"' other ollice ho should be deposed from', that, ollice. I Thai "revelation" was ."-o absurd, how-over, how-over, I hat il ' was never 'printed in' Ihc book of 'JJocTrl'iic'and Covenants; which contains -the ulhors, but wn.1 promulgated promul-gated in pamphlet form. And these pamphlets (he church has bceif gallic-ring up and dcsiryyiiig as fast as .pes si bio since (h:l, limo, Wilford Woodruff followed John Tn.v lor. The only revelation ever received by .Mr. Wi.odrulT is Ihu manifesto of Itittl". .if il, can be called such. As lo what is thought 0f that is illustrated in the wholesale defiance of it within the church which has been testified to by I'roiddonl Joseph V. Smith. Lorenzo Snow succeeded Wilford Woodruff. 'For him lliore is no claim or prophesy or 0f receipt of revelation. revela-tion. There is no question here, wo believe. Joseph l- Smith followed J jorenx.o Snow iu Ihc chief oDieo of tho church. His personal testimony at Washington was lo (ho effect, that he had never prophesied, and that he had novcr ro coived a revelation. So out- of it all Tho Tribimo imagines imag-ines that the disputants who have referred re-ferred tho mat lor to us should be able to decide wliellioj; or not (heir church has had a prophet, seer and revclator to preside over it since the death or Joseph Smith or over, for that matter. |
