Difference Between President of the Church and the Lord's Anointed


Elder Orson F. Whitney, Conference Report, April 1907, Afternoon Session., p.112

"The Prophet Joseph Smith, who was sustained in the beginning as the President of this Church, did not make himself the President. GOD CHOSE HIM TO BE HIS PROPHET (office of Lord's anointed), AND THE PEOPLE SUSTAINED HIM AS THEIR PRESIDENT (two separate actions for two separate offices in the Priesthood). Yes, this man who had looked upon the face of the Father and the Son, who had communed with angels, who had had revealed to him the "sacred record" long "concealed," concerning which we have been singing, who had received the imposition of hands by holy angels, conferring upon him the priesthood-the Aaronic priesthood, which empowered him to preach faith and repentance and to baptize for the remission of sins, and the Melchisedek priesthood, which empowered him to bestow the Holy Ghost upon those who had been baptized,-after all these wonderful exhibitions of the power of God, this man and his associate, Oliver Cowdery, were required to submit their names to a little congregation on the 6th day of April, 1830, when this Church was organized, that it might be seen whether or not those assembled-a little over thirty in number-would sustain them as their leaders. They were sustained, and thus became the first and second elders of the Church. But the query arises, Suppose they had not been sustained? Suppose that little flock had voted against, instead of for, Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery, what would have been the consequence? Would it have taken from those two elders the priesthood which God had conferred upon them (before any church was organized)? Would it have taken away the gifts which He had given them? Would it have blotted out the fact that the dispensation of the fulness of times had been opened by the personal appearing of the Father and the Son to Joseph Smith? Would it have reconsigned that sacred record to the Hill Cumorah? Would the work have gone backward from that hour? Not at all. It would have had this effect, and this only: that little congregation would have been without the gifts and powers that God had conferred upon those men. It could not have been the Church of God. It would have been a body without a head. The priesthood would have been separated from the people. The Prophet, just before going to his death, speaking to the Nauvoo Legion and denouncing mob violence, said to them, "Will you stand by me in the vindication of these great principles which God has committed to my care?" And they threw up their hands and shouted "Yes!" The Prophet replied, "It is well. You are a good people, and I am willing to lay down my life for you. Had you done otherwise, I should have gone out there (pointing to the west) and should have raised up a mightier people." This shows what would have resulted had that little flock, the Church of God, on the 6th of April, 1830, rejected Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery as their leaders (and now the One Mighty and Strong, saith the Lord concerning the larger flock presently, which the BOM calls "the great and abominable church¹). They could have gone anywhere on earth, where men and women would have been willing to receive them, and could have built up the Church and Kingdom. But God recognizes the rights of His people, along with the rights of His priesthood, which are His own rights. God and His people constitute this Church, and these men who have been chosen to be the teachers, the counselors, the leaders are the Lord's servants, His representatives, the instruments and agents through whom He acts, to guide and bless His people. (Elder Orson F. Whitney., Conference Report, April 1907, Afternoon Session., p.112)

Brigham Young; Journal of Discourses, 26 vols., 1:, p.133
 

footnote 1: 2 Nephi 28:17 - 21

"Perhaps it may make some of you stumble, were I to ask you a question-Does a man's being a Prophet in this Church prove that he shall be the President of it? I answer, no! A man may be a Prophet, Seer, and Revelator, and it may have nothing to do with his being the President of the Church. Suffice it to say, that Joseph was the President of the Church, as long as he lived: the people chose to have it so. He always filled that responsible station, by the voice of the people. Can you find any revelation appointing him the President of the Church? The keys of the Priesthood were committed to Joseph, to build up the Kingdom of God on the earth, and were not to be taken from him in time or in eternity; but when he was called to preside over the Church, it was by the voice of the people; though he held the keys of the Priesthood, independent of their voice." (i.e. He wore two hats, one as President of the Church, chosen by the people of the Church, and one as Lord's anointed (and there is never but one at any one time on the earth) chosen by the Lord, independent of the vote of the Church.)

"Let this Church which is called the Kingdom of God on the earth. We will summons the First Presidency, the Twelve, the High Council, the Bishopric, and all the Elders of Israel, suppose we summons them to appear here, and here declare that it is right to mingle our seed, with the black race of Cain, that they shall come in with us and be partakers with us of all the blessings that God has given to us. on that very day and hour we should do so, the Priesthood is taken from this church and kingdom and god leaves us to our fate. The moment we consent to mingle with the seed of Cain, the Church must go to destruction. We should receive the curse which has been placed upon the seed of Cain, and never more be numbered with the children of Adam who are heirs to the Priesthood until that curse be removed." Brigham Young Addresses, Ms D, 1234, Box 48, Folder 3, dated Feb. 5, 1852, located in the LDS Historical Dept. SLC, UT

And now I ask you, where did the Priesthood go when it was taken from the Church? Why, it went into the deserts of Baja, Mexico, of course, and yours truely has them, independent of your voice, by damn!! Ha! Ha!

37 They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; 38 (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and [in] mountains, and [in] dens and caves of the earth.

(Heb 11:37-38)