Bushman biog: Sylvester Smith - cougarguard.com — unofficial BYU Cougars / LDS sports, football, basketball forum and message board

MikeWaters · 01-01-2006, 03:38 PM

I found the account of Sylvester Smith during and after Zion's march interesting.

He and Joseph Smith got into a few sharp disagreements, with JS apparently threatening to assault him at least once, and likely twice.

SS then reported JS's behavior as unbecoming of a prophet to the council in Kirtland, who then considered the matter over a couple of sessions.

SS was basically forced to sign a retraction, which he did begrudgingly, after having first refused.

SS later served in a couple of high callings, including clerk (or secretary, can't remember) to JS.

The part I find interesting is that can you imagine someone in this day saying that GBH or an apostle had acted in an inappropriate way, and then have this seriously considered? And then to be given a calling of high responsibility?

We live in an era when people do not even oppose people being put into callings. Whereas the early church seems rough and tumble to me, the modern church is much less so.

Debate and common consent in such a large organization, I'm afraid, have become a distant tradition, and not a current practice.

All-American · 01-01-2006, 06:30 PM

There was a funny situation in my home ward regarding accepting callings.

A sister in the ward was extended the calling of Primary Pianist. She accepted without a word of protest, as expected. Turns out, she doesn't know how to play the piano at all. She decided she would start taking piano lessons (which she couldn't afford to do) instead of asking the bishop to take his pick of 40% of the ward that already knows how to play. There was still a lot of concern over what to do with her-- if she were to be released so soon after receiving a calling, would she feel like she had failed God?

J. Golden Kimball once said that if God didn't have a sense of humor, "he wouldn't have made a lot of you."

ute4ever · 01-01-2006, 09:46 PM

Another thing in the church that has changed over time, divorcees are no longer taboo. The EQP in my 18-30 singles ward is divorced. Back in the day, the stake presidency would yank the temple recommends of the newly separated/divorced for a while, no questions asked.

01-01-2006, 03:38 PM	#1
MikeWaters Demiurge Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 36,365	Bushman biog: Sylvester Smith I found the account of Sylvester Smith during and after Zion's march interesting. He and Joseph Smith got into a few sharp disagreements, with JS apparently threatening to assault him at least once, and likely twice. SS then reported JS's behavior as unbecoming of a prophet to the council in Kirtland, who then considered the matter over a couple of sessions. SS was basically forced to sign a retraction, which he did begrudgingly, after having first refused. SS later served in a couple of high callings, including clerk (or secretary, can't remember) to JS. The part I find interesting is that can you imagine someone in this day saying that GBH or an apostle had acted in an inappropriate way, and then have this seriously considered? And then to be given a calling of high responsibility? We live in an era when people do not even oppose people being put into callings. Whereas the early church seems rough and tumble to me, the modern church is much less so. Debate and common consent in such a large organization, I'm afraid, have become a distant tradition, and not a current practice.

01-01-2006, 06:30 PM	#2
All-American Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 3,420	There was a funny situation in my home ward regarding accepting callings. A sister in the ward was extended the calling of Primary Pianist. She accepted without a word of protest, as expected. Turns out, she doesn't know how to play the piano at all. She decided she would start taking piano lessons (which she couldn't afford to do) instead of asking the bishop to take his pick of 40% of the ward that already knows how to play. There was still a lot of concern over what to do with her-- if she were to be released so soon after receiving a calling, would she feel like she had failed God? J. Golden Kimball once said that if God didn't have a sense of humor, "he wouldn't have made a lot of you."

01-01-2006, 09:46 PM	#3
ute4ever I must not tell lies Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 5,103	Another thing in the church that has changed over time, divorcees are no longer taboo. The EQP in my 18-30 singles ward is divorced. Back in the day, the stake presidency would yank the temple recommends of the newly separated/divorced for a while, no questions asked.