Part 5

Thus far in the story of the Restoration two important facts appear. Nothing is done in haste; the acts of the restoration are brought about in a slow, deliberate manner. There is no excitement, no frenzy, at any moment. Moreover, this third, important step--which confirms the two before it--is attested by eleven reputable witnesses. Their testimony has never been impeached. Many of them died outside the pale of the Church. Yet, on their death-beds, they affirmed stoutly as ever that their testimonies were true.[C]

[Footnote C: For a further discussion of the testimony of the witnesses see chapter XX.]

VII.

THE LESSER PRIESTHOOD.

When Martin Luther, after years of serious meditation in the monastery, became convinced of the doctrine of justification by faith, he proceeded to promulgate that doctrine among his countrymen. When, later, he became aroused by the monstrous traffic in indulgences, and through the indignation then aroused, finally led in a general revolt against the Catholic church, he proceeded with his friends to organize a new church. A large part of Teutonic Europe came under the influence of Luther's teaching.

It is noteworthy, however, that Martin Luther did not receive, nor did he apparently expect to receive, revelation from God. After years of the severest rigor, he came finally no longer to rely on his own "good works," but to trust in "justification by faith" alone. Yet, there had been given--either to him, or to another--no revelation revising or changing the well-known doctrine that faith without works is dead. Through a righteous indignation at the reckless claims made by the hawkers of indulgences, Luther was led to protest against the wicked practice of the Catholic church, and finally to establish a church of his own. Yet, he had received no special commission to institute the Church of Christ. His protest against the Catholic church was unquestionably well taken; but he had received no appointment to establish a new church. The only authority he possessed was that bestowed upon him as a priest by the church from which he seceded. The church bearing his name is therefore man-appointed.

So it is also with all the Protestant creeds. As with Martin Luther, so it was with John Calvin, and the Presbyterian church; so it was with Henry VIII., "the English Pope," and "the Church of England as by law established;" so it was with Wesley who organized the independent sect of Methodists; and so it was with all the religious reformers from the first to the last. They recognized evils in the mother church. They appreciated the necessity of reform. But no one of them received divine appointment to accomplish the work they endeavored to do. Indeed, they held no authority whatever, except such authority as had been conferred upon them by the church which they declared to be apostate, and that authority certainly could not be called divine.

Judging then, from the many examples set before the time of Joseph Smith, we are justified in saying that he, too, might have organized an independent church of his own. He, too, recognized the evils in the Christian sects. He, too, felt the need of reform. Moreover, he had received divine manifestations; he had been told that the churches of the world were all corrupt, and he had translated by divine inspiration a volume of sacred records attested by eleven men of good repute. And moreover, still, the heavenly being who had visited him had specifically told him that God had a great work for him to do. Notwithstanding these many manifestations, however, Joseph Smith made no attempt to establish a new church, or to reform those churches already established. He had received no commission so to do. As yet, he had been given no authority to act in God's stead.

It was, not until the fifteenth day of May, 1829, that the young Prophet received authority to officiate in some of the ordinances of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Joseph Smith and his scribe, Oliver Cowdery, had been engaged as usual on the translation of the sacred plates. On that day, they happened upon a passage referring to baptism. Since they knew nothing of the ordinance they became eager to understand. They went out into the wood to pray for light. Together they knelt upon the sod. United in their one great desire, they pleaded with the God of heaven to give them understanding. "While we were thus employed," writes the Prophet in his simple way, "praying and calling upon the Lord, a messenger from heaven descended in a cloud of light, and having laid his hands upon us, he ordained us, saying:

"Upon you my fellow servants, in the name of Messiah, I confer the Priesthood of Aaron, which holds the keys of the ministering of angels, and of the gospel of repentance, and of baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; and this shall never be taken again from the earth, until the sons of Levi do offer again an offering unto the Lord in righteousness."[A]

[Footnote A: "History of the Church," Vol. I, p. 15.]

The messenger who appeared thus to Joseph and Oliver said that he was John the Baptist, and that he held the keys of the Aaronic priesthood from the dispensation of Christ. He explained further that this priesthood had not the power of laying on hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost. He commanded them to baptize each other, and to re-ordain each other after the pattern set them by him. Immediately Joseph and Oliver went to attend to the holy ordinance. First the Prophet baptized Oliver, then Oliver baptized the Prophet. The Prophet then laid his hands upon Oliver's head and ordained him to the Aaronic priesthood; and afterwards, Oliver ordained the Prophet. Both of them received thereupon glorious manifestations from heaven. They prophesied of things that were to be. They were filled with the Holy Ghost. And thus was consummated another act in the story of the Restoration.

And what was this Priesthood restored by the heavenly messenger, John the Baptist? Priesthood is the authority to act in God's stead. Since the powers of God are infinite, so also must His priesthood be infinite. Therefore, what a man may or may not do in representing God, will depend upon the degree of authority he has received from the Great Master. One who has been commissioned with great authority may undertake great responsibilities for God; whereas one who has been commissioned with but little, can do but little. The principle of authority will not permit a man to attempt responsibilities greater than his priesthood, though he may feel himself otherwise competent to do them fully as well as does the man who holds the necessary authority. Thus divine authority--or priesthood--becomes a power highly to be respected.

Now, the Holy Priesthood has two divisions--the Lesser and the Greater. It was the Lesser Priesthood that John the Baptist conferred upon Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery. It is also called the Aaronic Priesthood since Aaron was the great representative of old bearing this authority. The powers and limitations of this division of priesthood--or Divine Authority--are indicated in the words of ordination and the instructions of John the Baptist to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery.

First, the Priesthood of Aaron holds the keys of the ministering of angels. One who has received this degree of authority has the right to receive revelation and instruction from the angels of heaven. They may minister to him, inspire him, and guide him, in his labors. Moreover, the authority of this priesthood may call down upon man the ministration of holy angels when it shall be necessary so to do.

Secondly, the Priesthood of Aaron holds the keys of the gospel of repentance. One who holds this degree of authority may cry repentance to his fellowmen. He may preach the Gospel of Jesus to them that they may follow in His ways.

Moreover, the Priesthood of Aaron holds the keys of baptism by immersion for the remission of sins. The preaching of one having authority may be effective. Those hearing it may be converted. They may confess their past sins and repent of them with a Godly sorrow. It becomes necessary then to administer the ordinance of baptism to them. This, one who holds the authority of the Aaronic priesthood may do. By virtue of the delegated power which he holds, he may lead the candidate for baptism into the water, and immerse him in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.

Finally, the Priesthood of Aaron may be said to hold the keys of all temporal ministrations. Those holding this authority may look after the needs of the poor, and the afflicted. They may care for the temporal welfare of the Church. They may attend to such duties as will make for the peace and comfort of worshipers. And they may attend to the sacred ordinance of the sacrament, or the Lord's Supper.

Now, what is the significance of this glorious vision of John the Baptist? It means, first, that man must have authority to act for God; secondly, that the religious world in the time of this vision had no authority to act for God. It is unreasonable to suppose that any one should presume, without authority, to take another's place in the business affairs of this world; or that any one would, without protest, permit another to usurp his place and authority in the business transactions of this world. And if this is so with finite men, how much more unready will the God of heaven be to approve His creatures' usurping His power and authority? How displeasing will it not be to him that one to whom He has never delegated authority of any kind or degree, shall presume to represent Him, and officiate in His name? Certainly God will no more recognize the acts of men who arrogate authority and dominion, than will an earthly monarch.

But the Priesthood held by men of old is not possessed by the sectarian churches of today. The Lesser, or Aaronic, Priesthood finds no place in their creeds. John the Baptist would have had no need to ordain Joseph and Oliver, had the Aaronic Priesthood been held by anyone on earth. All those who assumed, then, to organize churches, both before and after the appearance of John the Baptist in this age of the world, did so without the necessary authority. These two men--Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery--were the only mortals on earth at that time who held any degree of Priesthood--Divine Authority--from God. And the priesthood that they held did not yet give them power to organize the Church of Christ or to confer the Holy Ghost.

These facts are apparent, then: In answer to earnest prayer, a heavenly being giving his name as John the Baptist appeared to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery; he conferred upon them the Aaronic Priesthood, which holds certain definite keys, or powers; the possession of Priesthood--or Divine Authority--is absolutely necessary to one who would officiate in God's stead; the religious world at large has lost entirely the Aaronic Priesthood; with this order of Priesthood conferred upon them Joseph and Oliver became authorized to perform certain duties for God; but even now they could not officiate in the higher ordinances of the Gospel, therefore they could not yet establish the Church of Christ with authority.

VIII.

THE HIGHER PRIESTHOOD.

In the days of Abraham, there lived in Palestine a great king and "priest of the most high God," named Melchizedek. Melchizedek was king of Salem. To him Abraham paid tithes of all that he had. Now, Melchizedek was approved of God, and was ordained a high priest after the order of the Son of God; "which order came," we are told, "not by man, nor the will of man; neither by father nor mother; neither by beginning of days nor end of years; but of God."[A] And ever afterwards, Melchizedek was distinguished as a great high priest.

[Footnote A: Holy Scriptures, Inspired Version, Gen. 14:28; Compare Heb. 7:1-3.]

In after years the Priesthood after the Order of the Son of God--the Priesthood that Melchizedek held as a great high priest--came to be named after Melchizedek. In the one hundred tenth psalm, King David bursts forth in triumphant praise of the Lord who is to come. "The Lord hath sworn," he says, "and will not repent, 'Thou art a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.'"[B] Again, a thousand years later, Paul revives the memory of Melchizedek in a remarkable argument for the saving power of the Lord's high-priesthood. "Though he were a Son," writes the great apostle, "yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; and being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him; called of God an high priest after the order of Melchizedek."[C] So, from generation to generation, among the ancients, an order of priesthood called the Priesthood after the Order of Melchizedek was undoubtedly well-known. It was this priesthood--or Divine Authority--by virtue of which Jesus Himself operated. It represented the power delegated to Him from God the Father.

[Footnote B: Psalms 110:4.]

[Footnote C: Read Hebrews, chs. 5, 6. 7.]

Moreover, it was the authority of this same priesthood by virtue of which the apostles of Jesus, and all the divinely-appointed disciples, officiated in Jesus' name. At some time during the second year of His public ministry, Jesus went up into a mountain, and called to Him certain of His disciples. He ordained twelve to be His apostles and special witnesses, and gave them power similar to His own.[D] When the labors of the ministry became too extensive for the twelve alone, the Lord appointed other seventy and sent them two and two into every city.[E] The authority of judgment was committed to the Son; and He appointed to His disciples a kingdom, as His Father had appointed to Him, that they might judge the twelve tribes of Israel.[F] To one of the apostles the Savior gave the keys of the kingdom of heaven, that whatsoever he should bind on earth should be bound in heaven.[G] Afterwards, he gave the same binding and loosing power to all the twelve.[H] Then, after His crucifixion, the Lord appeared again to the eleven and conveyed to them a commission similar to that on which He Himself had acted:

[Footnote D: Mark 3:13-14.]

[Footnote E: Luke 10.]

[Footnote F: Luke 22:29-30.]

[Footnote G: Matt. 16:19.]

[Footnote H: Matt. 18:18.]

"As my father hath sent me, even so send I you."[I]

[Footnote I: John 20:21.]

But the power and priesthood of Jesus was unquestionably that known by the name of Melchizedek. He was called of God, says St. Paul, to that order of priesthood; he was appointed of God "a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek." Then, when He imparted to His chosen disciples the authority that He held Himself, it cannot be otherwise construed than that He conferred upon them the Holy Priesthood after the order of Melchizedek.

What became of that priesthood after the passing of the apostles? During their ministry we have repeated references to the officers divinely appointed to carry on the work of the Church. The apostles themselves, as they traveled from church to church, ordained elders and set apart officers for the continuance of the great gospel work. And, of course, they could impart only what they had received. They had received the Holy Priesthood called after the name of Melchizedek; this priesthood, then, they conferred upon those appointed to preside and to labor in the Church. Indeed, it follows but naturally that one could not rightfully officiate in the Church unless he had been divinely called and appointed by this priesthood.

After the passing of the apostles, however, the Priesthood after the Order of Melchizedek, like that of Aaron, became lost. The officers of the priesthood dropped out one by one. At the present day, neither the Melchizedekian nor the Aaronic Priesthood is recognized in the sectarian world as having existence even, let alone their being essential to the complete organization of the Church. In a time of the restitution of all things, then,--such as was spoken of by the holy prophets--the priesthood after the order of Melchizedek as well as that of Aaron must be restored to the earth.

John the Baptist had promised that the Higher Priesthood should be restored to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery. Not long after his own visitation the promise was fulfilled. Joseph and Oliver were in the wilderness on the Susquehanna river. To them appeared the ancient apostles Peter, James, and John, who declared that they possessed the keys of the kingdom, and of the dispensation of the Fulness of Times. They laid their hands upon Joseph and Oliver, conferred upon them the Holy Priesthood after the order of Melchizedek, ordained them to be apostles and special witnesses of Jesus the Lord, and bestowed upon them the keys of power which they themselves possessed.[J] Therefore, Joseph and Oliver became known as Apostles of Jesus Christ, the first and second elders of the Church.[K] In after years, the Prophet Joseph wrote ecstatically of the event, saying:

[Footnote J: "History of the Church," Vol. I, pp. 40, 41.]

[Footnote K: Doc. and Cov. 20:2, 3; 18:9.]

"And again, what do we hear? Glad tidings from Cumorah! Moroni, an angel from heaven, declaring the fulfillment of the prophets--the book to be revealed. A voice of the Lord in the wilderness of Fayette, Seneca County, declaring the three witnesses to bear record of the book. The voice of Michael on the banks of the Susquehanna, detecting the devil when he appeared as an angel of light. The voice of Peter, James and John in the wilderness between Harmony, Susquehanna county, and Colesville, Broome county, on the Susquehanna river, declaring themselves as possessing the keys of the kingdom, and of the dispensation of the fulness of times."[L]

[Footnote L: Doc. and Cov. 128:20.]

And Oliver Cowdery, too, bears record of the same marvelous event. He says in a signed statement:

"John the Baptist, holding the keys of the Aaronic Priesthood; Peter, James and John, holding the keys of the Melchizedek Priesthood have also ministered for those who shall be heirs of salvation, and with these administrations, ordained men to the same Priesthood. These Priesthoods with their authority, are now and must continue to be in the body of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. * * * Accept assurances, dear brother, of the unfeigned prayer of him who, in connection with Joseph, the Seer, was blessed with the above administrations."[M]

[Footnote M: "History of the Church," Vol. I, p. 42, footnote.]

This statement was written in 1849, nearly twenty years after the event, and nearly five years after the martyrdom of the Prophet.

And so was consummated another act in the great drama of the Restoration. The chosen prophet, Joseph Smith, and his divinely-appointed associate, Oliver Cowdery, possessed now the higher order of priesthood--the Priesthood after the Order of Melchizedek. After many centuries the priesthood of the great king was restored again to the earth finally, never again to be taken away while the earth shall stand.

How does this Higher Priesthood differ from the Lesser? Briefly, the difference is mainly one of degree. Both are divisions of the great Priesthood after the Order of the Son of God. But the Lesser Priesthood deals with lesser, and temporal things; whereas the Higher Priesthood deals with spiritual things. Says the Lord in a revelation to the Prophet Joseph:

"The power and authority of the Higher, or Melchizedek Priesthood, is to hold the keys of all the spiritual blessings of the Church--to have the privilege of receiving the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven--to have the heavens opened unto them--to commune with the general assembly and Church of the first born, and to enjoy the communion and presence of God the Father, and Jesus, the Mediator of the new covenant."[N]

[Footnote N: Doc. and Cov. 107:18, 19.]

It appears, then, that one holding the Priesthood of Melchizedek may lay on hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost; he may administer to the sick that they may be restored; he may rebuke evil and cast out devils in the name of Jesus the Christ; he may bless, and confirm, and anoint with holy oil; he may, in short, call down the richest blessings of heaven in his administration,--for he holds "the keys of all the spiritual blessings."

He may possess the rights and powers of revelation, to learn the mysteries of heaven, to look into the heavens themselves, and to commune with heavenly beings. He may enjoy the communion, and the very presence of God the Father and of Jesus Christ. Moreover, one holding the Higher Priesthood has power and authority over all the lesser offices of the Church. These are great and wonderful blessings. Yet, they are really no greater than one should expect to find operative in the true Church of Christ. For how can a church fulfill the measure of its existence unless it possess the very powers here ascribed to the Priesthood after the order of Melchizedek?

It is really a matter of wonder that Joseph Smith, an unlearned youth--for he was less than twenty-four years of age at the time of the restoration of the Melchizedekian Priesthood--should have felt himself unauthorized fully to represent God until the two orders of priesthood were conferred upon him. The so-called reformers were nearly all learned men. They knew the scriptures not only in translation but in the original tongue. They knew, too, the history and the customs of Israel and surrounding nations. Of most of these things, Joseph Smith as a young man was ignorant. Yet, the Protestant reformers never once recognized the necessity of possessing the old order of Divine Authority. They read the scriptures and claimed to understand them; some even translated the Holy Bible; yet, not one of them seemed to comprehend the meaning of Priesthood, nor the necessity of Divine Authority. To Joseph Smith alone, of all the modern religious leaders, belongs the credit of waiting till he was commissioned before he attempted to act in God's stead. It is a striking testimony of his divine inspiration.

IX.

THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST.