appointment of and it so happened in those
instances that the president of the Twelve Apostles was appointed
President, but it did not follow that that principle would be
followed out hereafter. And the argument was used to sustain it
that Elder Woodruff prophesied at a Conference at that
would yet become president of the Church, and we
would have to deviate from the usual course in order to have that
fulfilled. Now if Elder Woodruff delivered such a prophecy by the
inspiration of the Lord (which I firmly believe he did) it will be
fulfilled as sure as fate, and that too without deviating from the
path marked out by the Lord, and followed by the leaders of the
Church. It was said that that prophecy was recorded. I will also
make a statement, that I, Wilford Woodruff, heard
and BPresident say that they heard say in
their presence and in the presence of others in 1832, the first
time that Joseph Smith ever had an interview with Brigham Young,
he said Brigham Young would yet be the President of the Churlch, and
that was four years before there were any Twelve Apostles chosen,
and no man knew that Brigham Young would ever be an Apostle (unless
God revealed it to the Prophet). And still, after sixteen years
of revelation and change, Brigha, Young was president of the Church,
without turning to the right or left from the path marked out by
the revelation of God. And that prophecy is alrso recorded. And
there was not one chance in ten for that to be fulfilled that there
is for Joseph F. Smith to be president of the Church in the regular
channel of the order of God.
Now Brother , I have given you my reasons for be-
lieving that in case of the death of the President of the Church, it
is the right of the president of the Twelve Apostles to become the
President of the Church, and that the majority of the Twelve
Apostles will so decide until the coming of the Son of Man. Now
Brother Grant if you have any arguments or light outside of what I
have presented as a path for the Twelve Apostles to walk in differ-
ent from what we have followed as a Church, and will forward it to
me, I will give it an investigation. But I will confess I do not
know the reason why Brother George Q. Cannon has brought this sub-
ject up and made it a matter of conversation several times since the
appointment of President Taylor to the Presidency, or that he should
depart from the principles he so strongly advocated in the appoint-
ment of President Taylor. I see no reason why we should be so
anxious to fix up vbridges to cross over, that we may never see in
this life. (It is a bridge I never expect to cross, for I do not
expect to outlive the President of the Church.) And I think we all
have sufficient business on hand to attend to without troubling
ourselves about affairs we may never see. Of course President
Taylor, like all other men, will die some time. When that day
scomes it will be quite time enough for the Quorum of the Twelve
Apostles to attend to organization of the Presidency of the Church.
I will keep a copy of this communication.
I remain your Brother in the Gospel of Christ,
WILFORD WOODRUFF.
appointment of and it so happened in those
instances that the president of the Twelve Apostles was appointed
President, but it did not follow that that principle would be
followed out hereafter. And the argument was used to sustain it
that Elder Woodruff prophesied at a Conference at that
would yet become president of the Church, and we
would have to deviate from the usual course in order to have that
fulfilled. Now if Elder Woodruff delivered such a prophecy by the
inspiration of the Lord (which I firmly believe he did) it will be
fulfilled as sure as fate, and that too without deviating from the
path marked out by the Lord, and followed by the leaders of the
Church. It was said that that prophecy was recorded. I will also
make a statement, that I, Wilford Woodruff, heard
and President say that they heard say in
their presence and in the presence of others in 1832, the first
time that Joseph Smith ever had an interview with Brigham Young,
he said Brigham Young would yet be the President of the Church, and
that was four years before there were any Twelve Apostles chosen,
and no man knew that Brigham Young would ever be an Apostle (unless
God revealed it to the Prophet). And still, after sixteen years
of revelation and change, Brigha, Young was president of the Church,
without turning to the right or left from the path marked out by
the revelation of God. And that prophecy is also recorded. And
there was not one chance in ten for that to be fulfilled that there
is for Joseph F. Smith to be president of the Church in the regular
channel of the order of God.
Now Brother , I have given you my reasons for believing that in case of the death of the President of the Church, it
is the right of the president of the Twelve Apostles to become the
President of the Church, and that the majority of the Twelve
Apostles will so decide until the coming of the Son of Man. Now
Brother Grant if you have any arguments or light outside of what I
have presented as a path for the Twelve Apostles to walk in different from what we have followed as a Church, and will forward it to
me, I will give it an investigation. But I will confess I do not
know the reason why Brother George Q. Cannon has brought this subject up and made it a matter of conversation several times since the
appointment of President Taylor to the Presidency, or that he should
depart from the principles he so strongly advocated in the appointment of President Taylor. I see no reason why we should be so
anxious to fix upbridges to cross over, that we may never see in
this life. (It is a bridge I never expect to cross, for I do not
expect to outlive the President of the Church.) And I think we all
have sufficient business on hand to attend to without troubling
ourselves about affairs we may never see. Of course President
Taylor, like all other men, will die some time. When that day
comes it will be quite time enough for the Quorum of the Twelve
Apostles to attend to organization of the Presidency of the Church.
I will keep a copy of this communication.
I remain your Brother in the Gospel of Christ,
WILFORD WOODRUFF.