Succession Question for Theology/History Gurus

[Just_A_Guy]

As a deacon, I was told that the Church had a built-in succession program that went all the way down to the individual priesthood quorums. I never seriously questioned that notion until I was on the road this morning driving up to the SL federal courthouse, and a series of questions hit me:

Do the Twelve have their keys of succession by virtue of their office in conjunction with certain scriptures in the D&C? Or do they hold the keys by virtue of the 1843/1844 meeting where Joseph Smith explicitly conferred his keys upon them?

If the latter, does this mean that the Church would have been unable to carry on its work had Joseph died before that meeting?

If so: Have the Twelve ever conferred their keys to the Seventy in the same way that Joseph conferred his keys to the Twelve?

If not (and here's the bottom-line issue for me): If some disaster were to simultaneously take the lives of the First Presidency and the entire Quorum of the Twelve, would the Seventy have the authority to re-form the Quorum of the Twelve and thereby continue the work of the Church? Or would we have to fold up shop and await a new restoration of priesthood keys?

[Moksha]

Perhaps someone mighty and strong like Ben Raines would step forward.

[pam]

OH man oh man oh man. I was just reading about something like this a few days ago. It was something I came across randomly. Now to find it again.

[Hemidakota]

Originally Posted by Just_A_Guy

As a deacon, I was told that the Church had a built-in succession program that went all the way down to the individual priesthood quorums. I never seriously questioned that notion until I was on the road this morning driving up to the SL federal courthouse, and a series of questions hit me:

Do the Twelve have their keys of succession by virtue of their office in conjunction with certain scriptures in the D&C? Or do they hold the keys by virtue of the 1843/1844 meeting where Joseph Smith explicitly conferred his keys upon them?

If the latter, does this mean that the Church would have been unable to carry on its work had Joseph died before that meeting?

If so: Have the Twelve ever conferred their keys to the Seventy in the same way that Joseph conferred his keys to the Twelve?

If not (and here's the bottom-line issue for me): If some disaster were to simultaneously take the lives of the First Presidency and the entire Quorum of the Twelve, would the Seventy have the authority to re-form the Quorum of the Twelve and thereby continue the work of the Church? Or would we have to fold up shop and await a new restoration of priesthood keys?

LDS.org - Ensign Article - The Kingdom of God Will Roll On: Succession in the Presidency

[mnn727]

The first Quorum of the 70 has the authority to run the Church

D&C 107:
22 Of the aMelchizedek Priesthood, three bPresiding High Priests, chosen by the body, appointed and ordained to that office, and cupheld by the confidence, faith, and prayer of the church, form a quorum of the Presidency of the Church.


23 The atwelve traveling councilors are called to be the Twelve bApostles, or special cwitnesses of the name of Christ in all the world—thus differing from other officers in the church in the duties of their calling.


24 And they form a quorum, aequal in authority and power to the three presidents previously mentioned.


25 The aSeventy are also called to bpreach the gospel, and to be especial witnesses unto the Gentiles and in all the world—thus differing from other officers in the church in the duties of their calling.


26 And they form a quorum, equal in aauthority to that of the Twelve special witnesses or Apostles just named.

[pam]

Jesus Christ holds all the keys of the priesthood. He has given His Apostles the keys that are necessary for governing His Church. Only the senior Apostle, the President of the Church, may use (or authorize another person to use) these keys for governing the entire Church (see D&C 43:1–4; 81:2; 132:7).

The President of the Church delegates priesthood keys to other priesthood leaders so they can preside in their areas of responsibility. Priesthood keys are bestowed on presidents of temples, missions, stakes, and districts; bishops; branch presidents; and quorum presidents. A person who serves in one of these positions holds the keys only until he is released. Counselors do not receive keys, but they do receive authority and responsibility by calling and assignment.

I bolded for emphasis.

[Just_A_Guy]

Not trying to be a pain, but . . .

If the Twelve were already, per scripture, "equal in authority" and therefore (by implication) the proper successor, then what was the purpose of the 1843/1844 meeting between Joseph and the 12 where he (apparently) specifically transferred keys to them that they (presumably) had not already held?

[Hemidakota]

Principles of Succession Revealed “Line upon Line”

Like many doctrines, as well as much of the structure and organization of the Church, the principles and procedures of succession in the presidency were revealed “line upon line, precept upon precept” (D&C 98:12; D&C 128:21). At the organization of the Church on 6 April 1830 there were no priesthood quorums or First Presidency. Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery were designated by the Lord and sustained by the Church as Apostles of Jesus Christ and as “first elder” and “second elder,” respectively (see D&C 20:2–3). Less than a year earlier and under the hands of heavenly messengers, they received priesthood authority and the keys of the kingdom essential to the establishment and governance of the kingdom of God on earth (see D&C 13; JS—H 1:68–72).

While there is little historical evidence indicating that Joseph or Oliver had given much thought to who would lead the Church in the case of Joseph’s death, based on the priesthood principles then revealed, Oliver Cowdery could have been considered Joseph’s successor. Oliver was, in fact, the “Assistant President” of the Church and the co-holder of all priesthood keys with Joseph. Even after counselors were called to assist the Prophet Joseph in March 1832 (see D&C 81) and after the formal organization of the First Presidency in March 1833, Oliver continued in his office as “assistant-president to the High and Holy Priesthood” 9 until his excommunication from the Church in 1838.

The Lord revealed to Joseph Smith in 1832 that the keys of the kingdom “belong always unto the Presidency of the High Priesthood” (D&C 81:2). A year later the Lord further revealed that the counselors in the First Presidency “are accounted as equal with [Joseph Smith] in holding the keys of this last kingdom” (D&C 90:6). Two years later the Lord stated that these “three Presiding High Priests … form a quorum of the Presidency of the Church” (D&C 107:22). 10 Despite these revelations, there seems to have been very little known by the Church about succession in the presidency in these early years. But in his wisdom, the Lord continued to organize the Church, reveal essential doctrines of salvation, and lay the foundational principles of succession that would be needed in subsequent years.

In February 1835, guided by previous revelation (see D&C 18:37–38) and a vision from the Lord, Joseph Smith authorized the Three Witnesses to select and ordain the first Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in this dispensation. 11 The role of the Twelve Apostles was clarified to the Church “line upon line.” Initially the Twelve were primarily sent forth as missionaries and to set in order and preside over branches of the Church where there were no local presidencies or “standing high councils” (D&C 107:36).

“They are the Twelve Apostles, who are called to the office of the Travelling High Council, who are to preside over the churches of the Saints, among the Gentiles, where there is no presidency established; and they are to travel and preach among the Gentiles until the Lord shall command them to go to the Jews,” the Prophet Joseph taught. “They are to hold the keys of this ministry, to unlock the door of the Kingdom of heaven unto all nations, and to preach the Gospel to every creature. This is the power, authority, and virtue of their apostleship.” 12

In those early years the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles did not play as prominent a role in Church administration as it does now, nor did the Prophet Joseph rely on the quorum as heavily for counsel as he did other priesthood leaders. There was, in fact, some question in the minds of some as to whether the Twelve Apostles were above the “standing high councils.” A revelation on priesthood had indicated for a period that the “standing high councils” were “equal in authority” with the First Presidency (see D&C 107:36–37). 13 But in January 1836 Joseph clarified the authority of the Twelve when he declared that they stood next to the First Presidency in authority “and are not subject to any other than the first presidency.” 14

The authority of the Twelve and their relationship to the First Presidency was even more firmly established by revelation received by the Prophet Joseph in 1837. In Doctrine and Covenants 112:30–32 [D&C 112:30–32], the Lord declared:

“For unto you, the Twelve, and those, the First Presidency, who are appointed with you to be your counselors and your leaders, is the power of this priesthood given, for the last days and for the last time, in the which is the dispensation of the fulness of times.

“Which power you hold, in connection with all those who have received a dispensation at any time from the beginning of the creation;

“For verily I say unto you, the keys of the dispensation, which ye have received, have come down from the fathers, and last of all, being sent down from heaven unto you.”

The Twelve began to play a more prominent role in Church administration during the Missouri period, especially during the months of incarceration in Liberty Jail of Joseph, Hyrum Smith, Sidney Rigdon, and other leaders. The three senior members of the Twelve—Thomas B. Marsh, David W. Patten, and Brigham Young—were called to preside over the Church in Missouri after the excommunication of David Whitmer and his counselors in the spring of 1838. Later, several of the Twelve played key roles in leading the Saints during the Missouri persecutions.

[Justice]

Originally Posted by Just_A_Guy

Not trying to be a pain, but . . .

If the Twelve were already, per scripture, "equal in authority" and therefore (by implication) the proper successor, then what was the purpose of the 1843/1844 meeting between Joseph and the 12 where he (apparently) specifically transferred keys to them that they (presumably) had not already held?

I take it that that was where the authortiy to preside was passed to them.

[deseretgov]

Well if you study the Succession Crisis you can see that it really wasn't clear right after Joseph Smith died. Most of the church followed James Strang rather than Brigham Young.