![]() ![]() Speaking to the Prophet, Oliver Cowdery, and David Whitmer (at Fayette) as early as June, 1829, the Lord said to Oliver Cowdery regarding the written word:īehold, I have manifested unto you, by my Spirit in many instances, that the things which you have written are true wherefore you know that they are true. So, we might leave this whole discussion here except that there are some collateral matters involved in the problem that it may not be entirely amiss to consider.įrom the earliest days of the Church the Lord has given commandments and bestowed blessings that involved the operation of the principle behind our main question-the determination of whether our brethren, when they speak, are “moved upon by the Holy Ghost.” ![]() Let every man and woman know, by the whisperings of the Spirit of God to themselves, whether their leaders are walking in the path the Lord dictates, or not. 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. 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. ![]() Were your faith concentrated upon the proper object, your confidence unshaken, your lives pure and holy, every one fulfilling the duties of his or her calling according to the Priesthood and capacity bestowed upon you, you would be filled with the Holy Ghost, and it would be as impossible for any man to deceive and lead you to destruction as for a feather to remain unconsumed in the midst of intense heat. We might here profitably repeat what Brother Brigham preached. In a way, this completely shifts the responsibility from them to us to determine when they so speak. ![]() I have given some thought to this question, and the answer thereto so far as I can determine, is: We can tell when the speakers are “moved upon by the Holy Ghost” only when we, ourselves, are “moved upon by the Holy Ghost.” The question is, how shall we know when the things they have spoken were said as they were “moved upon by the Holy Ghost?” No exceptions are given to this rule or principle. The very words of the revelation recognize that the Brethren may speak when they are not “moved upon by the Holy Ghost,” yet only when they do so speak, as so “moved upon,” is what they say Scripture. After addressing a word first to Orson Hyde, the Lord continued:Īnd, behold, and lo, this is an ensample unto all those who were ordained unto this priesthood, whose mission is appointed unto them to go forth-Īnd this is the ensample unto them, that they shall speak as they are moved upon by the Holy Ghost.Īnd whatsoever they shall speak when moved upon by the Holy Ghost shall be scripture, shall be the will of the Lord, shall be the mind of the Lord, shall be the word of the Lord, shall be the voice of the Lord, and the power of God unto salvation. McLellin, who were to engage in missionary work. I assume the scripture behind this question is the declaration of the Lord in a revelation given through Joseph primarily to Orson Hyde, Luke S. When Are the Writings and Sermons of Church Leaders entitled to the claim of being scripture? ![]()
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