There seems to be a really big
problem among theorists who go around quoting this leader or that leader of the
Church in what they have said over time, especially recently with all the
quotes stated here on some blogs that use Oliver Cowdery’s comments to “prove”
the hill Cumorah was located in New York.
One of the things these
individuals seem to lack an understanding in is that because someone of
prominence in the Church, including a prophet, gives their own opinion on
something that it is absolute doctrine. As Joseph Smith said, “A prophet is a
prophet only when he is acting as such” (Joseph Smith,
in History of the Church, 5:265).
A question posed by one of our
readers recently asked, “Do you believe that the President of
the Church, when speaking to the Church in his official capacity is infallible?”
According
to Charles W. Penrose, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve (1904-1911), “We do not believe in the infallibility of man. When God
reveals anything it is truth, and truth is infallible. No President of the
Church has claimed infallibility” ("Peculiar
Questions Briefly Answered," Improvement Era 15 no.
11, September 1912). And this is as true today as it was over 100 years ago.
Brigham Young said: “I have known
many times I have preached wrong,” (Brigham Young, in Thomas Bullock minutes, 8
May 1854, Church Historical Department). He also said, “The
great masses of the people neither think nor act for themselves…I see too much
of this gross ignorance among this chosen people of God” (Journal of Discourses
9:295), and also: “Ladies and gentlemen, I exhort you to think for yourselves,
and read your Bibles for yourselves, get the Holy Spirit for yourselves, and
pray for yourselves” (Journal of Discourses 11:107).
We
need to keep in mind that apostles and prophets such as Joseph Smith declare
God’s word, but in addition, we believe men and women generally and even
children can learn from and be guided by divine inspiration in response to
prayer and study of the scriptures. Just as in the days of the ancient
Apostles, members of the Church of Jesus Christ are given the gift of the Holy
Ghost, which facilitates an ongoing communication with their Heavenly Father,
or, in other words, personal revelation (Acts 2:37-38). In this way, the Church
becomes a body of committed, spiritually mature individuals whose faith is not
blind but seeing—informed and confirmed by the Holy Spirit. This is not to say
that every member speaks for the Church or can define its doctrines but that
each can receive divine guidance in dealing with the challenges and opportunities
of his or her own life.
The
problem arises when people hold inerrantist (error free) beliefs about scriptures or
prophets, and assume that the Church has similar views. This leads some (both
critics and members) to assume that prophets are infallible.
As stated above Joseph
Smith himself taught that ‘a prophet was
a prophet only when he was acting as such’ (Joseph Smith, Jr., Teachings of
the Prophet Joseph Smith, selected by Joseph Fielding Smith, Salt Lake City:
Deseret Book Company, 1976, p278). The Church has always taught that its leaders are human
and subject to failings as are all mortals. Only Jesus was perfect, as
explained in this statement from the First Presidency: “The position is not assumed that the men of the New Dispensation —its
prophets, apostles, presidencies, and other leaders—are without faults or
infallible, rather they are treated as men of like passions with their fellow
men.” James R. Clark,
quoting B. H. Roberts, Messages of the First Presidency, edited by James
R. Clark, Vol. 4, Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1970), p. xiv–xv).
Along this line, Brigham Young said:
“I am
more afraid that this people have so much confidence in their leaders that they
will not inquire for themselves of God whether they are led by him. I am
fearful they settle down in a state of blind self–security, trusting their
eternal destiny in the hands of their leaders with a reckless confidence that
in itself would thwart the purposes of God in their salvation, and weaken that
influence they could give to their leaders, did they know for themselves, by
the revelations of Jesus, that they are led in the right way. Let every man and
woman know, by the whispering of the Spirit of God to themselves, whether their
leaders are walking in the path the Lord dictates, or not.”
(Journal of Discourses 9:150; 12 January 1862).
Along
this same line, Harold B. Lee stated the same doctrine and quoted Brigham
Young’s above comment (Harold B. Lee, Stand Ye In
Holy Places, pp. 162–63, "The Prophet, Seer, and Revelator,"
Address delivered to seminary and institute teachers, BYU, 8 July 1964.)
Lucinda Lee “Lu” Dalton, a plural
wife, poet, educator and suffragist writing in the Church's periodical for
women, who defends her religion, calls for the expansion of women’s political
and economic opportunities and asserts that the elevation of women is crucial
to achieving the potential of both sexes, explained: “We consider God, and him
alone, infallible; therefore his revealed word to us cannot be doubted, though
we may be in doubt some times about the knowledge which we obtain from human
sources, and occasionally be obliged to admit that something which we had
considered to be a fact, was really only a theory” (Woman's Exponent, Salt Lake City, 15 July 1882, p.
31).
We understand that the prophets
are not perfect, but they are called of God. They may speak as men, but may
speak scripture as well. Every person may know for themselves whether they
speak the truth through the same power that their revelation is given: the
power of the Holy Ghost.
Dallin H. Oaks explained how the
Lord allows all His children to grow through struggling with problems: “Revelations
from God…are not constant. We believe in continuing revelation, not continuous
revelation. We are often left to work out problems without the dictation or
specific direction of the Spirit. That is part of the experience we must have
in mortality. Fortunately, we are never out of our Savior's sight, and if our
judgment leads us to actions beyond the limits of what is permissible and if we
are listening…the Lord will restrain us by the promptings of his Spirit”
(Teaching and Learning by the Spirit,” Ensign, March 1997, p14).
Unfortunately, some question their faith when they find a statement made by a Church leader
decades ago that seems incongruent with our doctrine. There is an important
principle that governs the doctrine of the Church. The doctrine is taught by
all 15 members of the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve. It is not hidden
in an obscure paragraph of one talk. True principles are taught frequently and
by many, so that our doctrine is not difficult to find.
The leaders of the
Church are honest but imperfect men. Remember the words of Moroni: “Condemn me
not because of mine imperfection, neither my father…but rather give thanks unto
God that he hath made manifest unto you our imperfections, that ye may learn to
be more wise than we have been” (Ether 12:6).
In
a sermon preached a little over a month before he was martyred, Joseph Smith declared,
“I never told you I was perfect—but there is no error in the revelations which
I have taught” (The Words of Joseph Smith, ed. Andrew F. Ehat and Lyndon
W. Cook, 1980, p369).” He warned the Saints against mortal imperfections, he
did not raise himself above them, and they loved him for it. He cautioned a
group of Saints newly arrived in Nauvoo against the tendency to be dissatisfied
if everything was not done perfectly right. “He said he was but a man and they
must not expect him to be perfect,” an associate recorded. “If they expected
perfection from him, he should expect it from them, but if they would bear with
his infirmities and the infirmities of the brethren, he would likewise bear
with their infirmities” (The Papers of Joseph Smith, Volume 2, Journal,
1832–1842, ed. Dean C. Jessee [1992], p489).
(See the next post, “The Concept
of Infallibility – Part II,” in which more comments are added from Church
leaders and doctrine to the point that LDS do not consider their leaders
infallible or perfect men)
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