 Like the members of the First Presidency and the Twelve, the Assistant President was accepted by the church as a prophet, seer, and revelator.The Assistant President was not ordained to the priesthood office of apostle, but as a holder of all priesthood keys, the authority of apostle was an implied authority of the position.On April 11, 1838, Cowdery was excommunicated from the church by Smith and thereby lost his position as Assistant President.