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Source: Church History Vol. 3 Chapter 38 Page: 741

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741 elsewhere in this volume, called The Restorer. In 1874 and 1875 he was in Utah, where he had charge of missionary work, and edited The Messenger. In consequence of some articles published in The Messenger, supposed to be out of harmony with the faith of the church, the Semiannual Conference of 1877 refused to sustain Elder Briggs. He was subsequently restored; but at the Annual Conference of 1885, the church again refused to sustain. A year later he withdrew from, and did not subsequently affiliate with, the church. His reasons for withdrawing, as stated by himself, while on the witness stand in the Temple Lot suit, were as follows:-

"There was no change In the doctrines of the church that my action was based on in separating from the church. . . . There was nothing changed that I would consider vital at all in the doctrine. A few weeks after I separated, I had an article published in the Saints' Herald, in which I stated these words, substantially, 'that had the decision of the Reorganized Church been made as made in answer to my request to withdraw from the church, there possibly would have been no occasion for my withdrawal.' I did not withdraw because of any change in doctrine, or because anything new was brought in, but it was in the interpretation put upon certain lines of policy and doctrine; and while others were allowed to discuss those lines of policy, I was not permitted to do so, but was shut out."

There was no action of the body restricting Elder Briggs in the discussion of his lines of policy. It was simply a question between him and the editor regarding what would be proper to insert in the columns of the Herald.

He died at Harris, Colorado, January 11, 1899.

Elder Briggs was married December 81, 1844, at Waukesha, Wisconsin, to Miss Louisa Higley. Of this union eleven children were born; viz.: Ether A., born October 24, 1845; died November 5, 1865. Thales L., born March 31 1847, now of Cottage, Hardin County, Iowa. Hortense A, born November 27, 1848; died October 18, 1865. Plutarch H., born December 29, 1850; now of Denver, Colorado Elnora C.. born October 9, 1852: now Mrs. Brown of Denver,

(page 741)

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