“The next grievous error which crept into the church was in ordaining high priests in June, 1831. This error was introduced at the instigation of Sydney Rigdon. The office of high priest was never spoken of, and never thought of being established in the church until Rigdon came in. Remember that we had been preaching from August, 1829, until June, 1831 -almost two years- and had baptized about 2,000 members into the Church of Christ, and had not one high priest. During 1829, several times we were told by Brother Joseph [Smith, Jr.] that an elder was the highest office in the church.”

David Whitmer, An Address to all Believers in Christ (Richmond, MO: Self-Published, 1887), 35.