The Fulness of the Priesthood

T HEFULNESS OF THE PRIESTHOOD. BY A. A. RAMSEYER. In the May number of the Improvement Era, Joseph Smith, the president of the Reorganized church, makes the assertion that he knows "of no revelation on the subject of the fulness of the priesthood other than the written articles of Joseph Smith,published in the Book of Doctrine and Covenants, and dated September 1 and 6, 1842, in respect to the baptism for the dead at Nauvoo, which some have called revelations; but there is nothing in themselves to indicate that they are revelations. These articles refer only to baptism for the dead." Any ordinary reader of the book of Doctrine and Covenants knows that this subject, the fulness of the priesthood, is very clearly mentioned in the revelation given to Joseph Smith, at Nauvoo, on January 19, 1841 (section 124, page 432). The Lord, speaking to Joseph the Prophet, commanded him to make a solemn proclamation of his gospel to all the nations of the earth, and to invite them to come with their gold and silver, their precious stones and their antiquities, and all the precious things of the earth, to build a house to his name. At that time, the Kirtland temple had been completed, dedicated, and accepted of the Lord, who had condescended to come and speak to his servants. Moses, Elias and Elijah came also, and committed unto Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery the keys of their dispansations. Yet, with all these glorious powers conferred upon Joseph, the Lord declared that There is not a place found on earth that he may come and restore

: again that which was lost unto you, or which he hath taken away, even the fulness of the priesthood. For a baptismal font there is not upon the earth, that they, my Saints, may be baptized for those who are dead. For this ordinanoe belongeth to my house, and cannot be acceptable to me, only in the days of your poverty, wherein ye are not able to build a house unto me (sec. 120: 28-30). After telling his people that he will grant them a sufficient time to build a temple, and during this time their baptisms shall be acceptable unto him, the Lord adds: For verily I say unto you, that after you have had sufficient time to build a house to me, wherein the ordinance of baptizing for the dead belongeth, and for which the same was instituted from before the foundation of the world, your baptisms for your dead cannot be acceptable unto me, For therein are the keys of the holy priesthood, ordained that you may receive power and glory (sec. 124: 33, 34, page 433). Not only were baptisms for the dead to be performed in Nauvoo, but the Lord says 36. For it is ordained that in Zion, and in her stakes, and in Jerusalem, those places which I have appointed for refuge, shall be the places for your baptisms for your dead. Hence the Latter-day Saints have built temples wherever they are located, thus complying with the word of the Lord. 37. And again, verily I say unto you, How shall your washings be acceptable unto me, except ye perform them in a house which you have built to my name? 38. For, for this cause I commanded Moses that he should build a tabernacle, that they should bear it with them in the wilderness; and to build a house in the land of promise, that those ordinances might be revealed which had been hid from before the world was. Now the Lord enumerates the ordinances belonging to his house: 39. Therefore, verily, I say unto you, that your anointings and your washings, and your baptisms for the dead, and your solemn assemblies, and your memorials for your sacrifices, by the sons of Levi, and for

THE FULNESS OF THE PRIESTHOOD. 691 your oracles in your most holy places, wherein ye receive conversations, and your statutes and judgments, for the beginning of your revelations and foundation of Zion, and for the glory, honor, and endowment of all her municipals, are ordained by the ordinances of my holy house, which my people are always commanded to build unto my holy name. 40. And, verily I say unto you, let this house be built unto my name, that I may reveal mine ordinances therein unto my people. 41. For I deign to reveal unto my Church, things which have been kept hid from before the foundation of the world, things that pertain to the dispensation of the fulness of times. When the Lord commanded the Saints in Kirtland to build a house to his name, (sec. 95: page 335) he told them to build it not after the manner of the world, but after the manner which he would show unto three — Hyrum Smith, R. Cahoon and Jared Carter. He gave the size of the house and its use, viz., for sacrament offering, for preaching, fasting, praying, and offering their most holy desires unto the Lord, and for the school of the prophets (sec. 95: 13-17, page 336). But as regards the Nauvoo temple, the Lord says, in section 124: 42. And / will show unto my servant Joseph all things pertaining to this house, and the priesthood thereof, and the place whereon it shall be built. Hence the written article of Joseph Smith, viz. sees. 127, 128 (page 448 to 458), which Joseph Smith, the head of the Re-organized church, does not seem to consider revelations, is one of the items or things pertaining to this house (the Nauvoo temple) which had been shown to the Prophet Joseph by the Lord, and can well be accepted as revelation on the subject of baptism for the dead. The Lord's flock knows the voice of the true shepherd. Upon this point the Lord is very plain, for in verse 45 he says: And if my people will hearken unto my voice, and unto the voice of my servants whom I have appointed to lead my people, behold, verily I say unto you, they shall not be maved out of their plase. 46. But if they will not hearken to my voice, nor unto the voice of these men whom I have appointed, they shall not be blest, because they pollute mine holy grounds, and mine holy ordinances, and charters, and my holy words which I give unto them (sec. 124: 130).

Now this same revelation (sec. 124) gives the names of the authorities of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, in 1841, viz. Hyrum Smith as presiding patriarch of the Church, Joseph Smith as president over all the Church, with Sidney Rigdon and William Law as counselors, who both apostatized from the Church; as his twelve apostles, the Lord names Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball, Parley P. Pratt, Orson Pratt, Orson Hyde, William Smith, John Taylor, John E. Page, Wilford Woodruff, Willard Richards, George A. Smith, and David Patten (deceased). At the death of Joseph and Hyrum Smith, the twelve, as was their privilege and duty, assumed the authority to lead the Church, according to the revelation on priesthood, which says: The twelve traveling counselors are called to be the twelve apostles, or special witnesses of the name of Christ in all the world; thus differing from other officers in the Church in the duties of their calling. And they form a quorum, equal in authority and power to the three presidents previously mentioned —the First Presidency (sec. 107:22, 23). Two out of the twelve apostatized, while the remaining majority went with all their might to accomplish what Joseph and Hyrum had planned, viz., the exodus from Nauvoo to the Rocky mountains (see testimony of Samuel W. Richards in this regard, in the October number of the Era, for 1904). The majority of the people, according to the counsel of Joseph, followed the twelve, who brought to Utah the Church records, the history of the Church by Joseph Smith, and the still more precious powers and keys of the fulness of the priesthood, obtained in Nauvoo. As early as December 27, 1832, the Lord commanded his people in Kirtland to build a temple (sec. 88: 119, page 318), but owing to their slowness in considering that great commandment, he chided them, and repeated his commandment on June 1, 1833 (sec. 95, page 335), which has been quoted above. Between these two dates, on March 8, 1833, he gave to Joseph Smith a revelation, wherein he promised him that the keys of the kingdom should never be taken from him while in this world nor in the world to come. Nevertheless, through you shall the oracles be given to another; yea, even unto the Church (sec. 90: 3, 4, page 323).

THE FULNESS OF THE PRIESTHOOD. 693 On the 3rd of April, 1836, the Savior appeared to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery, in the Kirtland temple, while Moses, Elias and Elijah conferred upon them the keys of their respective dispensations. But after Oliver Cowdery left the Church, Hyrum Smith received and was crowned with the same blessings and glory and "honor and priesthood that were put upon him that was my servant Oliver Cowdery" (sec. 124:95, page 441). And as Elias had "committed [to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery] the dispensation of the gospel of Abraham, saying that in us [Joseph and Oliver,] and in our seed, all generations after us should be blessed" (sec. 110: 12, page, 405), Hyrum Smith and his posterity were blessed with the same blessings as his brother Joseph and his posterity, those blessings being, of course, like all similar ones, predicated upon their faithfulness. Furthermore, Hyrum Smith at that time, was advanced from the position of counselor to Joseph to that of presiding patriarch of the Church, succeeding his father by blessing, by right, and by appointment. And from this time forth I appoint unto him that he may be a prophet, a seer, and a revelator unto my Church, as well as my servant Joseph, that he may act in concert also with my servant Joseph, who shall show unto him the keys whereby he may ask and receive the oracles for the Church (sec. 124:91-96, page 440, 441: and verse 126, page 444,445). More might be said on this subject, but let this suffice. The grandeur and the importance of the items mentioned can scarcely be estimated. Baptism for the dead, alone, is a theme that can bring tears of joy from even a hardened sinner, if he will but give room to the Spirit of God to touch his heart and turn him after his fathers. The revelation contained in section 124 appears the most important one in the whole Book of Doctrine and Covenants, when read with sincere desire to know and find the truth. But none are so blind as those who will not see, nor so deaf as those who will not hear. Let all the world know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is possessed of all the keys, powers, and authority that were possessed by the prophets of God, in modern or in ancient times, and that the fulness of the priesthood is enjoyed by its honored leaders; for verily their dominion is an