. . .

Indeed, Joseph Smith and Brigham Young constantly asserted the limitations of their prophetic offices in ways which obviate the straw man erected here by Vlachos. Later, we saw B. R. McConkie frankly asserting the falsity of certain positions of Brigham Young on blood atonement, negro priesthood, eternal progression, and Adam-God. Those familiar with the patterns of biblical prophecy and with the controversy over the LDS Manifesto of 1890 versus the Mormon laws of polygyny will be unsurprised at any of this seeming fluidity. This does not of course provide more than useful perspective. Whether Brigham Young was in fact a prophet of God is a separate issue, which must be dealt with via different means than those so zealously employed by Vlachos, the unofficial views of O. Pratt, O. Hyde, and J. Taylor to the contrary notwithstanding. As Brigham once said: One man's opinion is worth a straw."

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