Our challenge:

As we listen to oft-quoted phrases, many people take them as facts without finding a source. Once we find a source and validate the quote, then we get the chance to discern the signal from the noise. We could start to recognize the signal with the following questions;

• What does the quote mean in context?
• What words in the quote are taken as givens or facts that may not be as clear cut?
• How does the quote fit into the more extensive experience of the speaker’s life and our lives?

I have heard a few people interpret the quote from Wilford Woodruff about leading the Church astray as an implicit statement that the prophet is infallible in his prophetic utterances. However, that interpretation cannot be accurate in the prophetic context, the experience of Wilford Woodruff, and my life experience. I would like discern the signal from the noise in the below quote.

The Lord will never permit me or any other man who stands as President of this Church to lead you astray. It is not in the programme. It is not in the mind of God. If I were to attempt that, the Lord would remove me out of my place, and so He will any other man who attempts to lead the children of men astray from the oracles of God and from their duty" Official Declaration 1, “Excerpts from Three Addresses by President Wilford Woodruff Regarding the Manifesto”.

This concept has been rephrased by Harold B. Lee¹ and Gordon B. Hinckley² in different talks. In 1994, then counselor President Hinckley directly challenged a paper given by now excommunicated Janice Allred³ around this topic. She appears to have been challenging the prophets and the promise given by Wilford Woodruff. President Hinckley responded in a regional conference that, ‘Our peace, safety, and salvation lie in following the prophet.’ I agree with President Hinckley.

Let’s look at the concepts in this quote and make sure we understand that the prophets are the Lord’s agents, that He has given them stewardship, and that He will honor their work. This honor, which we often call Priesthood keys, does not mean that they are infallible.

Lead astray or Lead to Zion

Prophetic leadership with priesthood keys will not lead us astray. However, we need to define the term ’lead astray’ carefully. Joseph B. Wirthlin provides a great definition of the term lead astray. He says that it is ’to beguile or deceive.’ Then he describes one that does not lead astray is a ‘person of innocence, honest intent, and pure motives’ that conforms their ‘daily actions to the principle of integrity.’ ⁴ Websters 1828 dictionary describes astray as a ‘wandering from the path of rectitude, from duty and happiness.’

If we strain, we might be able to make the words above imply something about infallibility. However, I don’t see that concept in the above description. I see intent described. I understand being lead astray as being led by those with mal-intent or those that intend to bring us off the path of happiness. With this concept of lead astray in our minds, can we review a couple of quotes?

Elder Kimball articulates these points in the following quote.

This Church will never go astray; the Quorum of the Twelve will never lead you into bypaths: it never has and never will. There could be individuals who would falter; there will never be a majority of the Council of the Twelve on the wrong side at any time The Lord has chosen them; he has given them specific responsibilities. And those people who stand close to them will be safe. And conversely, whenever one begins to go his own way in opposition to authority, he is in grave danger. I would not say that those leaders whom the Lord chooses are necessarily the most brilliant, nor the most highly trained, but they are the chosen, and when chosen of the Lord they are his recognized authority, and the people who stay close to them have safety. - Spencer W. Kimball, Be Valiant -

Oliver Cowdery shares a great quote on his return from a 10 year apostasy. He describes not being lead astray as being ‘in deep water … pursuing [our] journey with safety’ as he exhorted the Saints to follow the authority of the Holy Priesthood, which he assured them was with the Twelve Apostles. He said;

When the Saints follow the main channel of the stream, they find themselves in deep water and always right, pursuing their journey with safety; but when they turned aside into sloughs and bayous, they are left to flounder in the mud and are lost, for the Angel of God said unto Joseph in my hearing that this Priesthood shall remain on the earth until the end. D&C 13:1 - George A. Smith, Organization of the Church, Etc. -

George A Smith has a more extended quote comparing being lead astray to losing priesthood authority or falling off the path that leads to a community of Zion.⁵ I think that this concept of the prophets keeping us on the road to Zion is the one to keep in our minds. God will support us in our journey to Zion. He has given the prophets the authority to guide the Church through deep waters. As they are ’not necessarily the most brilliant or most highly trained’ they may not take us on a direct path to Zion, but it will be a continuously improving path that is our safest course. They are chosen to be the shipmasters, and God will allow them and us to navigate the deep waters. However, the navigation is up to us as His agents. We should also note that deep waters provide for a group to move quickly and safely if we stay together. However, deep waters are dangerous and still need to be navigated.

Not lead astray is not infallibility in teachings

Wilford Woodruff said that ‘The Lord will never permit me or any other man who stands as President of this Church to lead you astray in 1890. In 1891, President Woodruff and the first presidency officially rejected the previous teachings of President Brigham Young on the Adam-God doctrine. They admonished the church ’to worship … and to always pray to the Father in the name of His Son Jesus Christ’ and George Q. Cannon, as the first counselor in the first presidency, said, ‘it was not necessary that we should [teach] or endorse the doctrine that some men taught that Adam was the Father of Jesus Christ.’ ⁶

So President Woodruff’s statement was made with his firm understanding that the prophet leading us astray was about deep waters and not infallibility in teachings as he recognized Brigham’s fallibility in his teachings on Adam publicly.

God’s servant, an not ours

Finally, Brigham Young shares a direct and to the point quote on following the prophet. Notice how Brigham explains that Joseph held the keys that made him the one that could guide God’s people. Brigham also explains how God may choose to let the prophet commit an error, and that would be the Lord’s choice. The Prophet is God’s servant and not ours. Being in the deep waters does not mean that we are on a party boat of joy and laughter. It means that we are on the ship with the Lord’s servant and the priesthood keys. We may hit rough waters and even make some wrong turns, but we are on the only boat that can take us to Zion.⁷

It was not for me to question whether Joseph was dictated by the Lord at all times and under all circumstances or not. I never had the feeling for one moment, to believe that any man or set of men or beings upon the face of the whole earth had anything to do with him, for he was superior to them all, and held the keys of salvation over them. Had I not thoroughly understood this and believed it, I much doubt whether I should ever have embraced what is called “Mormonism.” He was called of God; God dictated him, and if He had a mind to leave him to himself and let him commit an error, that was no business of mine. And it was not for me to question it, if the Lord was disposed to let Joseph lead the people astray, for He had called him and instructed him to gather Israel and restore the Priesthood and kingdom to them.

It was not my prerogative to call him in question with regard to any act of his life. He was God’s servant, and not mine. He did not belong to the people but to the Lord, and was doing the work of the Lord, and if He should suffer him to lead the people astray, it would be because they ought to be led astray. If He should suffer them to be chastised, and some of them destroyed, it would be because they deserved it, or to accomplish some righteous purpose. That was my faith, and it is my faith still. - Brigham Young -

The signal and the noise (Kepler)

If we are to figure out the signal from the noise, we have to make sure that we are using the tools that can provide accurate measures of truth. Once we have such tools, we have to use them correctly. Finally, we have to have the patience to let the tools work. For many truths in science and the Lord’s kingdom, we need the patience to discern the signal from the noise. This process can take years or even centuries.

Notice in the segment from 19:40 to 22:20 how they identify a possible signal and then need to wait two years to get a final confirmation of the message they observed.

In the segment from 40:40 to 43:00, we see how careful we need to measure truth to be able to discern signals from noise. Once we work in unity and precision, then we can find the facts that we seek. The gospel is no easier or harder than science when it comes to discerning truth.

When we follow the prophets, we are careful to discern the signal from the noise. This noise could come from without the Church, within the Church or even do to the fallibility of our leaders. In all the noise, we do have a repeated promise from the Lord that following the prophets will keep us in the deep waters to the promised land. They are the entrusted captain of the ‘old ship Zion,’ and we can find Zion by discerning the signal from the noise. The promise that the prophets will not lead us astray is a promise that they will always have the keys of the Priesthood - that the beacon signal which guides to Zion will stand out from the noise.

• lds
• principles
• video