Excerpt: 1886 Priesthood Succession

The 1886 Revelation to John Taylor.

By Nathan & Robert R. Openshaw

1886 was a difficult year for the Church. 

A great number of Latter-day Saints were convicted of polygamy, and a great many of them, including Apostle Lorenzo Snow, were put in jail.  Some of the Saints who had previously fled to Canada found themselves no longer safe, as it now became against the law there as well.  Two thousand Mormon women involved in plural marriages protested the government's persecution against their husbands, but were largely ignored. Ironically, this was during the same year the statue of liberty was erected; however, it seemed that Mormons weren't entitled to such liberty, freedom and justice as the rest of the Americans were. Even Church President John Taylor had to go into hiding as there was a price on his head for his capture; and his picture (along with George Q. Cannons’) was featured on wanted posters throughout the territory. 

Despite being out of the public's eye, John Taylor still had an important role and mission to fulfill as God's prophet; and even though the United States and many of the Saints had forsaken him, the Lord was mindful of him, and he found refuge in the homes of a few trusted Saints.  John Taylor had faced persecution and death before at the hands of the mob that killed Joseph Smith, but as the Lord revealed to Wilford Woodruff half a decade before Taylor went into hiding, “I have preserved my servant John Taylor for a wise purpose in me.” This book tells the story of how he fulfilled that prophesy, of those who witnessed it, the evidences of what took place, and addresses the accusations since made against these events.

Lorin C. Woolley’s Account 

While the brethren were at the Carlisle residence [in Murray] in May or June of 1886, letters began to come to President John Taylor from such men as John Sharp1, Horace Eldredge, William Jennings, John T. Caine, Abraham Hatch, President Cluff and many other leading men from all over the Church, asking the leaders to do something, as the Gentiles were talking of confiscating their property in connection with the property of the Church. 

These letters not only came from those who were living in the Plural Marriage relation, but also from prominent men who were presiding in various offices of the Church who were not living in that relation. They all urged that something be done to satisfy the Gentiles so that their property would not be confiscated. 

George Q. Cannon, on his own initiative, selected a committee comprising of himself, Hyrum B. Clawson, Franklin S. Richards, John T. Caine and James Jack to get up a statement or Manifesto that would meet the objections urged by the brethren above named. They met from time to time to discuss the situation. From the White home, where President Taylor and companions stopped, after leaving the Carlisle home, they came out to Father's. George Q. Cannon would go and consult with the brethren of the committee, I taking him back and forth each day. [Some were insisting that the Church issue some kind of edict to be used in Congress, concerning the surrendering of Plural Marriage, and that if some policy were not adopted to relieve the strain the government would force the Church to surrender. Much was said in their deliberations for and against some edict or manifesto that had been prepared.] 

On September 26, 1886, George Q. Cannon, Hyrum B. Clawson, Franklin S. Richards, and others, met with President John Taylor at my father's residence at Centerville, Davis County, Utah, and presented a document for President Taylor's consideration. 

President John Taylor

I had just got back from a three days' trip, during most of which time I had been in the saddle, and being greatly fatigued, I had retired to rest. Between one and two o'clock P. M., Brother Bateman came and woke me up and asked me to be at my father's home where a Manifesto was to be discussed. I went there and found there were congregated Samuel Bateman, Charles H. Wilkins, L. John Nuttall, Charles Birrell, George Q. Cannon, Franklin S. Richards and Hyrum B. Clawson. 

We discussed the proposed Manifesto at length, but we were unable to become united in the discussion. Finally George Q. Cannon suggested that President Taylor take the matter up with the Lord and decide the same the next day. [President Taylor replied:  “Do you think that I would decide on such an important matter as that without taking it to the Lord and get His decision and final word on the matter?”]

Brothers Clawson and Richards, were taken back to Salt Lake. That evening I was called to act as guard during the first part of the night, notwithstanding the fact that I was greatly fatigued on account of the three days' trip I had just completed. 

[Two were usually selected each night, and they took turns standing guard to protect the President from trespass or approaching danger. Exceptional activity was exercised by the U.S. Federal Officers in their prosecutions of the Mormon people on account of their family relations in supposed violation of the Federal Laws.] 

The brethren retired to bed soon after nine o'clock. The sleeping rooms were inspected by the guard as was the custom. [Soon after our watch began, Charles H. Birrell reclined on a pallet and went to sleep. President Taylor had entered the south room to retire for the night.] President Taylor's room had no outside door. The windows were heavily screened.

Sometime after the brethren retired and while I was reading the Doctrine and Covenants, I was suddenly attracted to a light appearing under the door leading to President Taylor's room, and was at once startled to hear the voices of men talking there. There were three distinct voices. I was bewildered because it was my duty to keep people out of that room and evidently someone had entered without my knowing it. I made a hasty examination and found the door leading to the room bolted as usual. I then examined the outside of the house and found all the window screens intact. While examining the last window, and feeling greatly agitated, a voice spoke to me, saying, “Can't you feel the Spirit? Why should you worry?” 

At this I returned to my post and continued to hear the voices in the room. They were so audible that although I did not see the parties I could place their positions in the room from the sound of the voices. The three voices continued until about midnight, when one of them left, and the other two continued. One of them I recognized as President John Taylor's voice. I called Charles Birrell and we both sat up until eight o'clock the next morning. 

[The conversation was carried on all night between President Taylor and the visitor, and never discontinued until the day began to dawn – when it ceased and the light disappeared. ... My father came into the room where we were on watch ...]

When President Taylor came out of his room about eight o'clock of the morning of September 27, 1886, we could scarcely look at him on account of the brightness of his personage. [His countenance was very bright and could be seen for several hours after.] He stated, “Brethren, I have had a very pleasant conversation all night with Brother Joseph.”2 (Joseph Smith) I said, “Boss, who is the man that was there until midnight?” 

He asked, “What do you know about it, Lorin?” I told him all about my experience. He said, “Brother Lorin, that was your Lord.”

You can find the complete book here.

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