I will read a few passages contained in a modern revelation, given
through the prophet Joseph Smith, on the 22nd and the 23rd days of
September, 1832—
And the Lord confirmed a priesthood also upon Aaron and his seed,
throughout all their generations, which priesthood also continueth and
abideth forever with the priesthood which is after the holiest order
of God.
And this greater priesthood administereth the gospel and holdeth the
key of the mysteries of the kingdom, even the key of the knowledge of
God.
Therefore, in the ordinances thereof, the power of godliness is
manifested.
And without the ordinances thereof, and the authority of the
priesthood, the power of godliness is not manifest unto men in the
flesh;
For without this no man can see the face of God, even the Father, and
live.
Now this Moses plainly taught to the children of Israel in the
wilderness, and sought diligently to sanctify his people that they
might behold the face of God;
But they hardened their hearts and could not endure his presence;
therefore, the Lord in his wrath, for his anger was kindled against
them, swore that they should not enter into his rest while in the
wilderness, which rest is the fullness of his glory.
Therefore, he took Moses out of their midst, and the holy priesthood also;
And the lesser priesthood continued, which priesthood holdeth the key
of the ministering of angels and the preparatory gospel.
It is not my design this morning to speak very lengthily, but it is my
great desire, during the time I may speak, that I may have the faith
and prayers of all the Latter-day Saints present, and of every person
who desires to be edified and instructed. It is also my desire that I
may have a portion of the Holy Spirit to rest upon me, that the words
which I may speak may be instructive and edifying to those who hear.
That is the object of speaking, the object of hearing—to be edified.
From the passages I have read, we learn that God, in all ages of the
world, has had a Priesthood on the earth, that is, a Priesthood after
the order of his Son, sometimes called the Priesthood after the order
of Melchizedek; and that connected with this Priesthood, in all
dispensations, there is a lesser Priesthood, called sometimes the
Priesthood after the order of Aaron, or the Aaronic Priesthood, which
is merely an appendage to the higher Priesthood of Melchizedek; in
other words, it is included in the Priesthood of Melchizedek. It is
more especially called the lesser Priesthood, because those holding
it, and being in possession of no higher authority, can only obtain a
certain portion or measure of the blessings that the Lord has in
store for his people; it can proceed so far and no farther; it is
limited in its nature, its power, its ordinances and its ministry. But
when combined with the higher Priesthood after the order of
Melchizedek, it then can receive all the blessings that are ordained
of the Almighty to be bestowed upon his people in any dispensation.
Like unto the Melchizedek Priesthood, it is everlasting in its nature,
not given for time alone, to be exercised here for a few years upon
the earth and then cease, but it continues forever, with the
Priesthood which is after the holiest order of God.
The higher Priesthood after the order of the Son of God, we are told,
in a modern revelation, holds the power to commune with the Church of
the Firstborn that are in heaven, and that too not in a spiritual
sense alone; or, as some would infer, to commune with them without
receiving any revelation, to commune with them without beholding their
personages; but in the literal sense, even the same as one man
communes with another. It holds not only the power of the ministration
of holy angels to be seen personally, but also the power of beholding
the face of God the Father, that through the power and manifestations
of the spirit of God and of his angels we may be prepared to enter
into the presence of God the Father in the world to come, and enjoy
continual communion with him, and be crowned with the glory of the
celestial kingdom, to stand in our place and calling to all eternity,
in connection with all those who hold the Priesthood in the eternal
worlds.
The Priesthood of Aaron, being an appendage to the higher Priesthood,
has power to administer in temporal ordinances, such as that
of baptism for remission of sins, the administration of the Lord's
Supper, and in attending to temporal things for the benefit of the
people of God. Among the privileges that are granted to this lesser
Priesthood is to hold communion with holy angels that may be sent down
from heaven.
In the early days of this Church the Lord, through a revelation, set
forth the various appendages of the higher Priesthood, the duties of
its several offices and their callings; also how they should
officiate, and what ordinances they were permitted to administer, and
what was not permitted to be administered by those holding it.
It seems that since these revelations were given, the Church, during
its history, has passed through a variety of circumstances, wherein a
perfect organization according to the rules and laws, as laid down by
modern revelation, has not been entered into. Circumstances always did
more or less to alter the condition of the people. Some, by virtue of
their Priesthood have officiated, without being set apart, in certain
callings that pertain to those who should be selected and set apart
for that purpose. Let me here say, for the benefit of those who have
not studied the Doctrine and Covenants of the Church, that if we have
literal descendants of Aaron, they have the birthright, through their
obedience to the Gospel of the Son of God, to the bishopric, which
pertains to the lesser Priesthood. It is the presiding authority over
the lesser Priesthood; they have the right to claim it, and to all the
keys and powers pertaining to it, they have the right to be ordained
and set apart to that calling and to officiate therein, and that too
without the aid of two counselors. That is what we are taught in
modern revelation. But as we have none at present, to our knowledge,
that belong to the seed of Aaron, that has the right to this by
lineage, the Lord has pointed out that those who are ordained to the
higher Priesthood have the right, by virtue of this higher authority,
to administer, when set apart by the First Presidency, or under their
direction and according to their instruction, as Bishops to officiate
in the Presidency of the lower Priesthood. This order has been
followed ever since the Lord revealed these things to this Church. A
Bishop must be ordained to the high Priesthood, and by authority of
that Priesthood he may be set apart as a Bishop to preside over the
lesser Priesthood, to exercise the functions thereof, with the
exception of one condition, that is, he must have two counselors
ordained from among the high Priests of the Church. These three
persons must officiate in relation to all the ordinances that pertain
to the lesser Priesthood, and to administer in temporal things, having
a knowledge of them by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, as we are
taught in the Book of Doctrine and Covenants.
Now what I wish to say in relation to this matter is this—In some
portions of our Territory, instead of this organization having been
carried out in all its perfection, we have acted, in some few
instances, for the time being, by appointing a person to take that
position, when he had not been previously set apart to that special
calling. We might refer to persons in some few of our settlements,
both north and south, who have acted as Bishops by virtue of
appointment only, and not ordination.
I understand now that the Spirit of the Lord has manifested
unto the President of the Church, who is the proper authority, for the
Twelve to go forth and set in order and organize more perfectly the
various Branches that are located throughout all the Territory, and in
the adjoining Territories. And no doubt those few who are acting in
the Bishopric without being ordained will receive their ordination,
and there may be many changes, in order to introduce, in all its
perfection, as far as we have knowledge and understanding, a more
perfect organization throughout the Church in these mountains.
The object of this perfect organization is that we may be entitled to
greater blessings therefrom; that we may be entitled to a greater
fullness of the Holy Spirit; that everything may be dictated according
to the mind and will of God, not only in spiritual things, but also in
regard to our temporal matters; and also that every person may know
his place, that his duties may be assigned to him, and by knowing what
is required, that all may the more diligently seek after the Holy
Ghost to direct them in their positions and callings, and have more
faith, more assurance before God, to obtain confidence before the
heavens, and before the brethren, in order that their ministry may
benefit the people. You are well aware that we have been taught, for
these many years, the great necessity of establishing a union in the
midst of this people. Although we are the most united people upon the
face of the earth, of which we have any knowledge, yet we are far from
that perfection of unity which should characterize the Saints of the
Most High God.
I can see, in this order which the President has laid before us, a
beauty, a consistency, a plan which the Lord has revealed that will
entitle the Latter-day Saints to greater blessings and privileges
through which that union will be brought about which we have so long
desired in our hearts.
We preach and declare to all people that God has raised up a kingdom
to prepare the way before the coming of Christ. We declare to all men,
wherever our missionaries go, that this is the grand preparation for
the coming of our Lord and Savior to reign on the earth. When he does
come, that part of the prayer which he taught us to utter will be
fulfilled, namely, "Thy will be done on earth as it is done in
heaven." Were we permitted to have the veil removed, according to the
hymn just sung, namely that "the veil should be rent in twain," and
were we to behold the order that exists in yonder heavens in the midst
of celestial hosts, we should there see a perfect union—no
dissensions, no bitterness of feeling, no difference of ideas or
opinion in regard to their duties, but all understanding as one, and
all moving as one body to fulfill and accomplish the purposes of
Jehovah.
Now, his will must be done on the earth as is done in heaven, in order
that that prayer which has been offered up by his people ever since it
was revealed, may be fulfilled to the very letter. Hence the great
necessity of the Latter-day Saints preparing themselves by being
united, even as the hosts of heaven are. For remember that the Apostle
Paul says, "that in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might
gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven
and which are on the earth; even in him." If then the General Assembly
and Church of the Firstborn are to come down out of heaven to dwell
on the earth, how important it is that the Latter-day Saints should be prepared to join this grand company, being united as they
are, having no feeling of dissension, no division in their midst, no
evil or corruption of any nature; no covetousness, no feeling of
individuality in regard to wealth, but having all upon the altar ready
to subserve the purposes of the Most high in building up his kingdom
upon the earth.
This, therefore, is the purpose of this more perfect organization
which is being introduced among the Branches throughout the Territory
of Utah; it is to entitle us to these great blessings promised in the
word of God. It is not only to build a Temple, but many Temples, as
the case may require. This is not the only duty of the Latter-day
Saints, although this duty is one of great importance. But then is it
not of still greater importance that we, as a people, when these
Temples are built, and finished, and dedicated, should be prepared to
enter into the courts of the same, to go in there with a perfect
oneness and union of feeling? Can we expect in these holy Temples,
which are to be dedicated and set apart to the name of the Lord, to
receive the blessings promised in Temples, unless we are a people of
one heart and one mind? I think not. I read, in one of the revelations
contained in this book of Doctrine and Covenants, that when God
commanded a Temple to be built in Jackson County, in the State of
Missouri, he made this promise—"Wherefore," said the Lord, "I
commanded the people of that county, and the people around about in
the settlements, to build a Temple unto my name, and inasmuch as my
people build a Temple unto my name, and suffer no unclean thing to
enter into it, that it be not defiled, behold I will come into it; I
will be there, and my glory shall be there. And it shall come to pass,
that every soul that shall come into that Temple, who is pure in
heart, shall see my face." This is one of the promises and privileges
pertaining to the High Priesthood, after the order of the Son of God.
This is one of the blessings, ordained for all dispensations from the
earliest period to the closing up of the last dispensation of the
fullness of times; that is, in all those dispensations the righteous
were to be blessed with the powers, and keys, and blessings of the
High Priesthood. For this purpose, they were to build Temples to his
name. In these Temples, if they were pure in heart, they would have
this privilege of beholding the face of God and without this
Priesthood and the ordinances thereof, no man in the flesh could
behold the face of God the Father and live.
We have accomplished a great work thus far. I feel, in connection with
my brethren, to rejoice exceedingly in the work that the Lord our God
has performed in the earth, through us his people. Truly he hath
fulfilled that prophecy given in 1830—"The decree hath gone forth from
the Father, that mine elect shall be gathered in from the four
quarters of the earth to one place upon the face of the land." This
revelation was given before there was any gathering of the Latter-day
Saints. You are my witnesses, and you are also witnesses to yourselves
that the Lord has fulfilled this to the very letter. His elect from
the four winds have come by thousands, and by tens of thousands, and
have gathered to one place upon the face of this land. What has been
the object of this gathering? It is to learn more perfectly of the
ways of God, which we could not have learned in a scattered condition;
in our native countries, while mixed up with the wicked and
self-righteous. We are now partly isolated; and we have come from the
ends of the earth, that by our united faith we may accomplish that
which we could not have done by our own individual faith alone.
By and by, when this people shall have sanctified themselves before
the Lord, and organized according to the laws and commandments of God,
having been taught by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, and by his
servants that minister in their midst, carrying out the counsels and
teachings they receive, they will become like unto one body, as it is
written in the parable contained in the Book of Mormon, that the Lord
will prune the vineyard, or take some of the branches away and graft
them into another branch, etc.; he will make a change of the branches;
he will prune the trees and dig about them, that the roots and the
tops thereof may be kept equal. Understand that the roots and the tops
thereof shall be made equal, so that the tops and branches may not
overcome the roots by taking strength unto themselves. Why? That the
tree may bring forth that fruit which is the most precious unto the
Lord.
Therefore he is gathering us here, that we may become like unto one
body, being sanctified, and become, as another revelation says, "as
fair as the sun, as clear as the moon, that the banners of my people
may be terrible unto all the nations of the earth." Why terrible?
Because of the power of the Lord which will be in the midst of his
people, because of the manifestations of heaven unto his people,
because the nations will hear that God is indeed in the midst of Zion.
They will hear all these things, and the wicked will fear and tremble.
They will fear because of their iniquity; fear and tremble, because of
their wickedness; fear and tremble, because they have supported all
manner of wickedness and corruption, division and strife, and
abominations of every kind in their midst. Therefore restfulness will
seize upon them, and they will know of a surety that the Lord God is
in the midst of the people of Zion, that his power is there, that his
spirit is there, and that he manifests himself there in great glory.
Amen.