There is nothing in the doctrines of the Church which makes it necessary to believe that [men are constantly under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit], even...men who are high officials of the Church. When we consider the imperfections of men, their passions and prejudices, that mar the Spirit of God in them, happy is the man who can occasionally ascend to the spiritual heights of inspiration and commune with God!...
We should recognize the fact that we do many things by our own uninspired intelligence for the issues of which we are ourselves responsible...He will help men at need, but I think it improper to assign every word and every act of a man to an inspiration from the Lord. Were that the case, we would have to acknowledge ourselves as being wholly taken possession of by the Lord, being neither permitted to go to the right nor the left only as he guided us. there could then be no error made, nor blunder in judgment; free agency would be taken away, an the development of human intelligence prevented. Hence, I think it a reasonable conclusion to say that constant, nevery varying inspiration is not a factor in the administration of the affairs of the Church; not even good men, though they be prophets or other high officials of the Church, are at all times and in all things inspired of God. it is only occasionally, and at need, that God comes to their aid."
-B.H. Roberts, "Relation of Inspiration and Revelation to Church Government," Improvement Era 8 (March 1905): 362
