160 years ago today - Feb 11, 1861

[Wilford Woodruff]

The Bishop [of south Weber] was in apostacy & was leading away others. They had got a New Prophet to slide out of the Church upon. ...

I then called upon Bishop Richard Cook to speak and requested him to tell us his feelings if he believed in Joseph Morris as a Prophet to tell us so, & to tell us what his feelings were in relation to the Presidency of the Church. ... He then said yes I do Believe in Joseph Morris as a Prophet whom God has raised up to lead this Church & kingdom agreeable to the Revelation in the Doctrins & Covenants which says I will raise up unto you a Prophet like unto Moses &c. I do not Believe that Brigham Young is a prophet or has ever had any revelation or inspiration more than any sectarian Priest, & I believe this Church will ownly be known in name in 10 years unless God does raise up a Prophet." When he Closed some of his party got up & Bore the same testimony.

We then sent for there fals Prophet & Called upon him to speak. He spoke about half an hour. He said Brigham Young was not a prophet & Joseph Smith did not hold the Keys of the Priesthood & was ordained of man while He Joseph Morris was ordained of the Father, & Held six times more keys of the Priesthood than Joseph did. He Said he was the seventh Angel, & much other nonsens he Presented before the Assembly.

When He got through Elder Taylor spoke to the Assembly ... Brigham Young in saying that He did not profess to be a prophet seer & Revelator as Joseph Smith was, was speaking of men being born Natural Prophets & seers. Many have the gift of seeing through seer stones without the Priesthood at all. He had not this gift naturally yet He was an Apostle & the Presidet of the Church & kingdom of God on the Earth and all the Keys of the Holy Priesthood & of Revelation was sealed upon him & the spirit & power of Revelation was upon him daily.

When He Closed I spoke to the people & bore testimony to the truth of what Elder Taylor had said. Morris had been Cut off from the Church twice for Adultery in the Territory, And He had spent about one year with a woman whose husband was Crazy. I told Morris that He was not a Prophet of God Neither was He the Seventh Angels that when the 7th Angel Came to Earth He would not spend the first year of his Mission with a woman whose Husband was Crazy & Commit Adultery with Her. I showed the folly of Richard Cook & others following such a Man.

When I Closed my remarks Morris Denyed of Being with that woman. Bishop West arose & bore testimony that what I had said was true. We then took all the Names of the persons who professed to believe in Joseph Morris as the prophet of God raised up to lead the Church. ....

[ Morris founds his church on Apr 6, 1861 and builds a following of over a thousand former Mormons. On Jun 15, 1862 a territorial posse attacked the Morrisite compound. Morris, his first counselor John Banks and two women were killed. The remaining Morrisites were pacified after facing the posse's cannon.]

[Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]

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