Lorenzo Snow, during a sermon in the Salt Lake Temple, teaches that Joseph and other Church leaders, himself included, are not infallible or impeccable, but have been entrusted to act with God's authority.

Date
Jan 7, 1898
Type
Personal Journal / Diary
Source
Lorenzo Snow
LDS
Hearsay
Scribed Verbatim
Reference

George Q. Cannon, Journal, January 7, 1898

Scribe/Publisher
George Q. Cannon
People
Lorenzo Snow, Joseph Smith, Jr., Heber C. Kimball
Audience
N/A
Transcription

"For instance, I can support an apostle in this Church; I can support the President of this Church; I can support his first counselor and I can support his second counselor, and yet know there were many weaknesses that pertain to those men which I did not feel to approve of, and yet I can fellowship them. I can fellowship the President of the Church if he does not know everything I know, or everything he ought to know, or if he does things which I may not think he ought to do. I saw Joseph Smith the Prophet do things which I did not think he ought to do, things which I thought the Lord would not approve of; and yet when I saw the weaknesses and imperfections in him I thank God that He would put upon a man who had these imperfections the power and authority which he placed upon him. I respected Joseph Smith and I was pleased to see those weaknesses for I knew I myself had weakness and I thought there was a chance for me. These weaknesses I knew were in Joseph Smith and these weaknesses I knew were in Heber C. Kimball but my knowing this did not impair them in my estimation. I thanked God I saw these imperfections."

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