When BY called for a (GASP) 'change' in the status/effect-enforcement of the WoW (1851) from a 'guideline' to a commandment... by a sustaining vote 'of the church' (at GC?)...

Didn't that set the example / precedent that changes in the gospel should be 'approved' by membership?

(GASP!) What if they followed that today with changes?

The 1835 Doctrine and Covenants had to be put up
for a vote, at Kirtland, before it became the Holy
Word of Almighty God. Oddly enough, Joe Smith took
that momentous occasion as a good opportunity to go
off on a mission to Detroit, and was absent when all
hands were raised to sustain the section on Mormon
monogamy, etc.

In 1847 Brigham Young stood before the assembled Saints
(or at least those known to be loyal to him) and called
for a unanimous vote on his being raised to the dignity
of President of the High Priesthood, on the principle
of the Voice of the People being the Voice of God.

The Mormon leaders later became more than a bit lax in
calling for this common consent in all things. However,
Oliver Cowdery had already been cut off, at Far West
in 1838, for drinking hot tea on a cold winter's morn,
so... I guess the WoW issue had been more or less
settled way back then (which didn't stop Brigham from
having his breakfast tea each morning in the Lion House).

UD