Without Disclosing My True Identity
and Emma never spoke of the incident to anyone. Gause was officially excommunicated,^25
and the history of Joseph’s earliest counselor ended.
Finding More Counselors
Now the question should be considered as to why Joseph did not make Hyrum one
of his counselor’s in the beginning. It wasn’t until 1837 that Hyrum was finally given a
significant role in the Church, but then only as an “Assistant Counselor” to his brother.
Joseph tried as long as he could to keep his dear brother unassociated with church
leadership, knowing full well where the Church was headed. Hyrum was privy to the
hidden turmoil his younger brother had for giving in to the will of the people; although he
never really understood the true reason for which Joseph did so.
Joseph’s intent in giving the people what they wanted also allowed the people to
choose their own leaders. And it was not until the members of the Church used their free
will and their vote to get what they desired in November of 1837, that Joseph was finally
forced to make Hyrum his “Second Counselor,” just two months after his appointment as
“Assistant Counselor.” Previously, in 1833, Frederick G. Williams had replaced Gause in the
First Presidency, but with the position of “Second Counselor.” Sidney Rigdon had been
formally appointed as Joseph’s “First Counselor”^26 that same day. Now, in 1837, the people
refused by their vote to sustain Williams as a member of the First Presidency and Hyrum
became the “Second Counselor.”
Joseph never wanted his beloved brother involved in the politics of a religious
authority that was given to the people, for the people, by the people—with no other useful
purpose than to fully allow the people to stumble. He never wanted Hyrum or any other
member of his immediate family associated with a cause that he knew was far from the will
of God. Rather, it was what “God hath done [so] that they may stumble...that by the
stumbling of the Jews [LDS/Mormons] they will reject the stone [words of Christ] upon
which they might build and have safe foundation.”^27
By the time the Church of Christ was in its eighth year (1837), it was already a slowly
sinking ship. There was so much stumbling and dissension going on in the Church at
Kirtland, Ohio, that it really didn’t matter anymore who served in what position. It was in
September of 1837 that Joseph, along with making Hyrum an Assistant Counselor, also
made his father and Uncle John Smith (Joseph, Sr.’s younger brother) Assistant Counselors.
Joseph did not do this so that any of his family members could advise him on matters
pertinent to keeping a sinking ship afloat, but so that the church could be justified in
throwing out a life raft to his relatives in the form of a stipend for their church service.^28
More on George Fox, “Wrought Upon” by the “Spirit of God”
The conversion of Jesse Gause and Sidney Rigdon gives profound evidence of the
powerful influence that the Book of Mormon had initially on those who read it with a sincere
heart and real intent.^29 However, both early and modern members of the LDS/Mormon
Church have subsequently stumbled on many of the book’s passages. For example, consider
the following verses:
And it came to pass that I looked and beheld many waters; and they divided
the Gentiles” from the seed of my brethren. And it came to pass that the angel