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Source: Church History Vol. 4 Chapter 42 Page: 731 (~1830)

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731 of the United States the claims of the Reorganized Church touching the innovation of polygamy by certain parties claiming to be Latter Day Saints. This work was entered upon in December, 1881, by the committee and completed and due report made to the first annual conference held at Independence, Missouri, on April 6, 1882. During the session of the conference in 1882, at Independence, E. L. Kelley was ordained an elder of the church, also a counselor to George A. Blakeslee, presiding bishop of the church. This position he continued to fill until the death of Bishop Blakeslee, September 20, 1890. His work of teaching and urging the fulfilling of the law relating to finances in connection with the Bishop was not without considerable opposition and criticism from numbers of the Saints and eldership for a time, so much so, that in the May following the annual conference of 1885, he was seriously considering the situation as to whether he was not too persistent in contending for his exposition of the law touching temporalities, and was contemplating resigning his office as counselor to the Bishop, when he was spoken to by the Spirit according to his report of the experience, as follows:

"I have called you to teach the law contained in the Book of Doctrine and Covenants, and it is my will that you do this. You will also be called to fill more important positions of trust than you now hold."

This will doubtless explain in some degree at least, why he has not hesitated to present and urge what he has believed to be the law of God to govern the church.

Upon the death of Bishop Blakeslee in 1890, he was appointed acting Bishop by the First Presidency of the church until the ensuing annual conference. On the 10th day of April, 1891, he was called and ordained to the office of Presiding Bishop of the church (having first been ordained a high priest), which position he occupies at the present time. His counselors in the Bishopric, George H. Hilliard and E. A. Blakeslee, were called, elected, and ordained at the same conference and have also continued to act in these offices. He has also acted as president of the Herald Publishing House since May, 1891. On the 9th of April, 1897,

(page 731)

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