Is the Journal of Discourses considered an authoritative source of LDS doctrine?
I asked this question so as to have a common place to which to refer when people start quoting from the Journal of Discourses (J.D.). The answer to this question is that, no, the J.D. is not considered an authoritative source of LDS doctrine in and of itself, nor has it ever been. The sermons recorded in the J.D. were recorded by humans using shorthand. The transcripts would then have had to be converted to long hand, but these people did not have the benefit of voice recordings to which to compare their shorthand notes during this process. Additionally, due to the constraints on time, the transcripts were not always checked by the original speaker for accuracy. Because of this, there are numerous noted errors in these records. The J.D. started as a means by which George D. Watt could earn a living. He was the official stenographer for the Church. He had learned shorthand and had been giving his services to the Church on a volunteer basis. As such he also needed a way to earn a living
SHORT ANSWER: Yes WHEN it supports Modern Mormon values and doctrine; and No when it doesn’t. LONG ANSWER: Though never accepted as Mormon canon, the Journal was highly esteemed in its day. The preface to the 8th volume, written by Apostle George Q. Cannon, stated “The Journal of Discourses deservedly ranks as one of the standard works of the Church, and every rightminded Saint will certainly welcome with joy every Number as it comes forth from the press as an additional reflector of ‘the light that shines from Zion’s hill.'”[3] Today, however, the LDS Church has expressed some reservations about the Journal. Below is the current, official position of the church on the issue: “The Journal of Discourses is not an official publication of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It is a compilation of sermons and other materials from the early years of the Church, which were transcribed and then published. It includes practical advice as well as doctrinal discussion, some of which
