B.H. Roberts - Revelation, Inspiration, and Church Admin.

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

And now, young people, thus anchored in the faith, and thus organized, we ask you to join the organizations in your wards, to heed the advice of the President of the Church, to affiliate with your quorums, with your auxiliary organizations, in your fast meetings, and there in these local groups express your thoughts, express your doubts, seek after the truth, apply measures that will appeal to those of your associates, and when you prove those measures to be effective and satisfying to the soul, then can the central organizations take those measures and adapt them to the whole as a universal benefit. In that way, and in that way only, will progress and efficiency be fostered. Don't stand out on the sidelines, and say, "This quorum is not doing its work," but get into the quorum and help it do its work. That is the way which God intends people to work in this Church, and it offers to you one of the best opportunities in the world.

-David O. McKay, Conference Report April 1934, pp. 23-24.

Lowell Bennion - On Institutionalism

There is always the danger that the fraternity will work to enhance itself rather than to serve its members; that the army will perpetuate itself and its own interest above service to the country...Religion does not always escape this limitation of institutions.  If leaders are not careful, the church becomes the end and the people the means of building and supporting it.

Lowell Bennion, Religion and the Pursuit of Truth pg. 95-96

Men have a perfect right to claim authority from God.  Granted his existence, there ar egood reasons to believet hat he would call and authorize men to be his servants on earth.  Authority implies a legal or rightful command without which orderly social action is quite impossible.  The principle of authoritarianism, by contrast, discounts man's ability to rule himself and advocates in principle the right of men to rule over their fellow men.  In this system of government authority is not looked upon as a necessary means of achieving desirable human goals, but rather as an end in itself.  In political science a dictatorshp is authoritarian; in religion any action that is carried out simply by reason of one's office and calling, with no regard for the value of that action in terms of religious purpose and principle, may be called authoritarian.

Lowell Bennion, Religion and the Pursuit of Truth pg. 116