Produced by the Mormon Texts Project,
http://bencrowder.net/books/mtp. Volunteers: Benjamin
Bytheway, Jean-Michel Carter, Ben Crowder, Meridith Crowder,
Cameron Dixon, Eric Heaps.
By ELDER B. H. ROBERTS,
Author of The Life of John Taylor, Outlines of EcclesiasticalHistory, The Gospel.
The keys of this kingdom shall never be taken from you while thou artin the world, neither in the world to come; nevertheless, through youshall the oracles be given to another—even to the Church,—The Lordto Joseph Smith, Doc. and Cov., sec. xc.
SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH.THE DESERET NEWS PUBLISHING COMPANY.1894.
Copyright applied for
February, 1894.
The fact that many honest people in the United States and othercountries are being led astray by the pretensions of the "ReorganizedChurch of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints," or "Josephite Church,"as it is more commonly called, must justify the publication of thiswork. My desire to preserve from error those not acquainted with theorder of the priesthood of God, and the facts of church history in thegreat dispensation of the last days, has been the incentive whichprompted me to write it. Moreover, though the facts of church historywhich of themselves disprove the claims of the "Josephite Church," areabundant, yet are they scattered through the church works in such amanner as to make it exceedingly difficult for the Elders of thechurch to consult them; and, therefore, the writer believes he isdoing a service to those Elders who are and shall hereafter be engagedin the ministry, especially to those who travel in the localitieswhere they will come in contact with "Josephite" pretensions—bypublishing this treatise on the SUCCESSION IN THE PRESIDENCY OF THECHURCH.
I have endeavored to treat the theme on as broad a basis as possible,and have avoided technical disputes with our opponents, which onlyserve to burden the subject with matter that is not only unprofitablein itself, but wearying to the patience of the reader. Nor does thesuccessful issue of our argument demand that we stop to contend overevery error, either in history or argument, made by "Josephites." Didwe attempt it, our task would be endless. An attorney being calledupon to explain why his absent client should not be punished forcontempt of court, told the judge he could assign several good reasonsfor the absence of his client—reasons which he hoped and believedwould clear him, even in the opinion of the judge, of any intention totreat the court with disrespect. "You may name them," gruffly said thejudge. "Well, then, your honor, in the first place my client is dead;and in the second place—" "Never mind your 'in the second place,'"said the judge, "if the man is dead that is sufficient—the courtdismisses the case." So with this controversy; there being a fewleading facts of church history, and a principle or two connected withthe order of the priesthood which, if considered in the light of rightreason, dispose of all the claims made by "Josephites," it is notnecessary to consider their quibbles and all the details of theirsophistry.
The writer is under deep obligation to acknowledge assistance he hasreceived from a number of prominent brethren; to some for placing athis disposal books and papers, and to others for reading the work fromthe manuscript and greatly impr