Joseph F. Smith, while testifying in the Reed Smoot hearing, claims he had not received a revelation as head of the Church.
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- Meeting Minutes / Notes
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Testimony of Joseph F. Smith, Proceedings before the Committee on Privileges and Elections of the United States Senate in the Matter of the Protests Against the Right of Hon. Reed Smoot, a Senator from the State of Utah, to Hold His Seat, 4 vols. (Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1904), 1:99
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- Government Printing Office
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Senator HOAR. I speak of the revelations given to the head of the Church. Is that a fundamental doctrine of Mormonism?
Mr. SMITH. Yes, Sir.
Senator HOAR. Does or does not a person who does not believe that a revelation is given through the head of the church comes from God reject a fundamental principle of Mormonism?
Mr. SMITH. He does; always if the revelation is a divine revelation from God.
Senator HOAR. It always is, is it not? It comes through the head of the church?
Mr. SMITH. When it is divine, it always is; when it is divine, most decidedly.
The CHAIRMAN. I do not quite understand that—"when it is divine." You have revelations do you not?
Mr. SMITH. I have never pretended to nor do I profess to have revelations. I never said I had a revelation except so far as God has shown to me that so-called Mormonism is God's divine truth; that is all.
The CHAIRMAN. You say that was shown to you by God?
Mr. SMITH. By inspiration.
The CHAIRMAN. How by inspiration; does it comes in the shape of a vision?
Mr. SMITH. "The things of God knoweth no man, but the spirit of God;" and I can not tell you any more than that I received that knowledge and that testimony is by the spirit of God.
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