Priesthood Restoration

Mormon History 1830-1844

Priesthood Restoration


Chronological order of known references. The Book of Mormon refers to the High Priesthood and the offices of teacher, priest, elder, and high priest, though only high priests are specifically mentioned with regard to the High Priesthood. Priesthood does not seem to be associated with the other offices. Other documents from 1829 to 1832 refer to authority, but not priesthood. Offices of apostle, priest, and teacher are discussed in 1829 documents.
1810		Melchizedek / Aaronic precursor
		It seems likely that Joseph's concept of dual priesthood came directly from James Gray's A Dissertation, on the Coincidence Between the Priesthoods of Jesus Christ & Melchisedec (Philadelphia, 1810). Joseph was familiar with Gray's works.		No Man 1st ed., 11 Gray's Priesthoods
		Samuel Harrison Smith owned a signed copy of Gray's Mediatorial Reign of the Son of God (Baltimore, 1821), now in Special Collections at BYU. "Samuel Smith's Book February 20th 1830" appears on the title page.

1829		Oliver on authority (precursor of priesthood)
Oliver's authority		A commandment from God unto Oliver how he should build up his church & the manner thereof—Saying Oliver listen to the voice of Christ your Lord & your God & your Redeemer & write the words which I shall command you concerning my Church my Gospel my Rock & my Salvation. … Now therefore whosoiever [sic] repenteth & humbleth himself before me & desireth to be baptized in my name shall ye baptize them Behold ye shall go down & stand in the water & in my name shall ye baptize them And now behold these are the words which ye shall say calling them by name saying Having authority given me of Jesus Christ I baptize you in the name of the Father & of the Son & of the Holy Ghost Amen And then shall ye immerse them in the water & come forth again out of the water & after this manner shall ye baptize in my name.		¶ Articles of the Church of Christ

1830		Oliver's authority
December 7		Mr. Oliver Cowdery has his commission directly from the God of heaven, and that he has his credentials, written and signed by the hand of Jesus Christ, with whom he has personally conversed, and as such, said Cowd[e]ry claims that he and his associates are the only persons on earth who are qualified to administer in his name. By this authority, they proclaim to the world, that all who do not believe their testimony, and be baptized by them for the remission of sins, and come under the imposition of their hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost, … must be forever miserable, let their life have been what it may.		PT, Dec. 7, 1830. Source

1831		Authority
February 14		Mormon missionaries proclaimed that there had been no religion in the world for 1500 years,—that no one had been authorized to preach and teach for that period,—that Joseph Smith had now received a commission from God for that purpose. … Smith (they affirmed) had seen God frequently and personally—Cowdery and his friends had frequent interviews with angels. … Smith was continually receiving new revelations, and it would probably take him 1000 years to complete them—commissions and papers were exhibited, said to be signed by Christ himself!!!		Palmyra Reflector, Feb. 14, 1831. Source

		High Priesthood conferred
June 3 or 4		Joseph Smith ordains Lyman Wight to the High Priesthood—the first such ordination. Lyman ordains Joseph. Each ordain others.		¶ Lyman's Vision and the Man of Sin

		High Priesthood power to seal
October 25		Br. Joseph Smith jr. said that the order of the Highpriesthood is that they have power given them to seal up the Saints unto eternal life. And said it was the privilege of every Elder present to be ordained to the Highpriesthood.		¶ Minutes of October 25–26, 1831

		Indifference
October 26		Sidney Rigdon chastises elders ordained to the High Priesthood the previous evening, "saying that the Lord was not well pleased with some of them because of their indifference to be ordained to that office, exhortation to faith and obedience setting forth the power of that office."		¶ Minutes of October 25–26, 1831

1832		Restored by angels
July Priesthood restored by angels		thirdly the reception of the holy Priesthood by the ministring of Aangels to administer the letter of the Gospel— <—the Law and commandments as they were given unto him—> and the ordinencs,		¶ Joseph's 1832 History, [July–Nov.] 1832 Black: in the hand of Frederick G. Williams
Order of the Son		forthly a confirmation and reception of the high Priesthood after the holy order of the son of the living God power and ordinence from on high to preach the Gospel in the administration and demonstration of the spirit
Keys		the Kees of the Kingdom of God confered upon him and the continuation of the blessings of God to him &c—

		Holy Priesthood lineage always with church
September (D&C 84)		Line of authority in Holy Priesthood from Moses back to Adam.		¶ D&C 84:6–16
Holy Priesthood continues with church	17	Which priesthood [High Priesthood] continueth in the church of God in all generations, and is without beginning of days or end of years.		¶ D&C 84
Holy Priesthood continues with church	17	Which priesthood continueth in the church of God in all generations, and is without beginning of days or end of years.
Priesthood of Aaron	18	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.
Greater priesthood	19	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.
Power of godliness	20	Therefore, in the ordinances thereof, the power of godliness is manifest.
Ordinances	21	And without the ordinances thereof, and the authority of the priesthood, the power of godliness is not manifest unto men in the flesh;
See God	22	For without this no man can see the face of God, even the Father, and live.
Moses: see God	23	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;
Israel hardened hearts	24	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 fulness of his glory.
Holy Priesthood taken	25	Therefore, he took Moses out of their midst, and the Holy Priesthood also;
Lesser priesthood continued Ministering angels	26	And the lesser priesthood continued, which priesthood holdeth the key of the ministering of angels and the preparatory gospel;
Repentance, baptism, carnal commandments	27	Which gospel is the gospel of repentance and of baptism, and the remission of sins, and the law of carnal commandments, which the Lord in his wrath caused to continue with the house of Aaron among the children of Israel until John, whom God raised up, being filled with the Holy Ghost from his mother's womb.

		Aaronic priesthood and his seed
September Priesthood of Aaron		Conferred on "Aaron and his seed … [and] abideth forever with the priesthood which is after the holiest order of God."		¶ D&C 84

		Oath and covenant of the priesthood
Two priesthoods Spirit sanctifies	33	For whoso is faithful unto the obtaining these two priesthoods of which I have spoken, and the magnifying their calling, are sanctified by the Spirit unto the renewing of their bodies.		¶ D&C 84
Church and kingdom	34	They become the sons of Moses and of Aaron and the seed of Abraham, and the church and kingdom, and the elect of God.
Receive priesthood, receive the Lord	35	And also all they who receive this priesthood receive me, saith the Lord;
	36	For he that receiveth my servants receiveth me;
Receive the Father	37	And he that receiveth me receiveth my Father;
Father's kingdom	38	And he that receiveth my Father receiveth my Father's kingdom; therefore all that my Father hath shall be given unto him.
Oath and covenant	39	And this is according to the oath and covenant which belongeth to the priesthood.
	40	Therefore, all those who receive the priesthood, receive this oath and covenant of my Father, which he cannot break, neither can it be moved.
No forgiveness for covenant breakers	41	But whoso breaketh this covenant after he hath received it, and altogether turneth therefrom, shall not have forgiveness of sins in this world nor in the world to come.
Voice confirms priesthood Angels have charge	42	And wo unto all those who come not unto this priesthood which ye have received, which I now confirm upon you who are present this day, by mine own voice out of the heavens; and even I have given the heavenly hosts and mine angels charge concerning you.

		Smith family lineage
Dec. 6, 1832 Priesthood through Smith lineage		thus saith the Lord unto you with whom the priesthood hath continued through the lineage of your fathers, for ye are lawful heirs according to the flesh and have been hid from the world with Christ in God therefore blessed are ye if ye continue in my goodness, a light unto the Gentiles and th<r>ough this Priesthood a savior unto my people Israel the Lord hath said it		¶ KRB, 32 // D&C 86:10–11.

1833		Angel in the bush, apostles
Prophesied by Joseph of old Lesser priesthood by angel in the bush Holy priesthood by apostles		These blessings shall come upon him [Oliver Cowdery] according to the blessings of the prophecy of Joseph in ancient days, which he said should come upon the Seer of the last days, [9] and the Scribe that should sit with him, and that should be ordained with him, by the hand of the angel in the bush, unto the lesser priesthood, and after receive the holy priesthood under the hands of those who had been held in reserve for a long season, even those who received it under the hand of the Messiah, while he should dwell in the flesh, upon the earth, and should receive the blessings with him, even the Seer of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, saith he, even Joseph of old, by his hand, even God.		¶ Blessing of Oliver Cowdery

1834		Angel
February 12, 1834 Office conferred by angels		Following the organization of the Kirtland high council Joseph says, "I shall now endeavor to set forth before this council, the dignity of the office which has been conferred upon me by the ministering of the Angel of God, by his own will and by the voice of this Church."		Kirtland council in Early documents, 1:32–33.

		Aaronic, High Priesthood
April 20–21, 1834 Aaronic / High Priesthoods		[Joseph, at a conference in Norton, Ohio] He then gave a relation of obtaining and translating the Book of Mormon, the revelation of the priesthood of Aaron, the organization of the Church in the year 1830, the revelation of the high priesthood, and the gift of the Holy Spirit poured out upon the Church, &c.		¶ Minutes of Apr. 20–21, 1834

		Oliver
Sept. 7, 1834	¶	Norton, Medina co. Ohio, Sabbath evening, September 7, 1834.		MA 1, no. 1 (Oct. 1834), 13–16. ¶ Oliver's History of the Church
[Aaronic] restored by angel		… On a sudden, as from the midst of eternity, the voice of the Redeemer spake peace to us, while the veil was parted and the angel of God came down clothed with glory, and delivered the anxiously looked for message, and the keys of the gospel of repentance!—What joy! what wonder! what amazement! … We listened—we gazed—we admired! 'Twas the voice of the angel from glory—'twas a message from the Most High! and as we heard we rejoiced, while his love enkindled upon our souls, and we were rapt in the vision of the Almighty! Where was room for doubt? No where: uncertainty had fled, doubt had sunk, no more to rise, while fiction and deception had fled forever!
Sons of Levi		But, dear brother think, further think for a moment, what joy filled our hearts and with what surprise we must have bowed, (for who would not have bowed [16] the knee for such a blessing?) when we received under his hand the holy priesthood, as he said, "upon you my fellow servants, in the name of Messiah I confer this priesthood and this authority, which shall remain upon earth, that the sons of Levi may yet offer an offering unto the Lord in righteousness!" …
	¶	… The assurance that we were in the presence of an angel; the certainty that we heard the voice of Jesus, and the truth unsullied as it flowed from a pure personage, dictated by the will of God, is to me, past description …

		Oliver
[Aaronic] restored by angel		First reference to angelic bestowal of priesthood.		¶ Oliver's History of the Church

1835		Joseph
John		John I have sent unto you, my servants, Joseph Smith, jr. and Oliver Cowdery, to ordain you unto this first priesthood which you have received, that you might be called and ordained even as Aaron: …		¶ 1835 D&C 50:2 // D&C 27:8, 12
Peter, James, and John		And also with Peter, and James, and John, whom I have sent unto you, by whom I have ordained you and confirmed you to be apostles and especial witnesses of my name, and bear the keys of your ministry:

1839		Joseph
		1839 Draft History	Manuscript History
Father Whitmer's chamber June 1829		… almost daily we administered the ordinance of baptism for the remission of sins to such as believed. We now became anxious to have that promise ~~which conferred upon us~~ <realized to> us, which the Angel ~~had~~ that conferred upon us the Aaronick Priesthood ~~upon us,~~ viz, that provided we continued faithful, ~~the~~ we should also have the Melchesidec Priesthood, which holds the authority of the laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost,	… almost daily we administered the ordinance of Baptism for the remission of sins, so [to] such as believed. We now became anxious to have that promise realized to us, which the Angel that conferred upon us the Aaronick Priesthood had given us, viz: that provided we continued faithful; we should also have the Melchesidec Priesthood, which holds the authority of the laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost.	Early documents 1:88 // , 27.
		We had for some time made this a subject of humble prayer, and at length we got together in the Chamber of Mr Whitmer's house in order more particularly to seek of the Lord information, and if possible obtain what we now so earnestly desired. We had not been long After some time spent in solemn and fervent prayer, the word of the Lord came unto us, in the Chamber, commanding us, that I should ordain Oliver Cowdery to be an Elder in the Church of Jesus Christ, and that he should ordain me to the same office, and that having been thus ordained, we should th proceed to ordain others to the same office, according as it should be made known unto us, from time to time,	We had for some time made this a subject of humble prayer, and at length we got together in the Chamber of Mr whitmer's house in order more particularly to seek of the Lord what we now so earnestly desired: and here to our unspeakable satisfaction did we realize the truth of the Saviour's promise; "Ask, and you shall recieve, seek, and you shall find, knock and it shall be opened unto you;" for we had not long been engaged in solemn and fervent prayer, when the word of the Lord, came unto us in the Chamber, commanding us; that I should ordain Oliver Cowdery to be an Elder in the Church of Jesus Christ, And that he should ordain me to the same office, ~~accordin~~ and then <to> ordain others as it should be made known unto us, from time to time:
		We also commanding us, that as soon as practicable we should call together all those who had already been baptized by us, to bless bread, and break it with them, also to take wine, bless it, and drink it with them doing all these things in the name of the Lord,	we were however commanded to defer this our ordination untill, such times, as it should be practicable to have our brethren, who had been and who should be baptized, assembled together, when we must have their sanction to our thus proceeding to ordain each other …

1842		Joseph
William E. McLellin disputes angelic restoration	20	And again, What do we hear? …		Book of the Law of the Lord, JS revelations, 321. D&C 128:20–21.
		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 & John, in the wilderness, between Harmony, Susquehanna County, and Colesville, Broom[e] County, on the Susquehanna river, declaring themselves as posessing the keys of the kingdom, and of the dispensation of the fulness of times.
	21	And again, the voice of God in the chamber of old father Whitmer in Fayette, Seneca County …

1882		Addison Everett
Peter, James, and John in 1830?		Peter, James, and John ordain Joseph and Oliver to "the Holy Apostelship" and bestow upon them "the Keys of the Disp<e>nsation of fullness of time" during their flight from a mob after a judge dismisses charges against them of being false prophets. Circumstances suggest 1830.		Everett on Restoration

1885		David Whitmer
David Whitmer disputes angelic restoration		I never heard that an angel had ordained Joseph and Oliver to the Aaronic priesthood until the year 1834 5. or 6—in Ohio. … I do not believe that John the Baptist ever ordained Joseph and Oliver as stated and believed by some, I regard that as an error, a misconception.		David Whitmer, interviewed by Zenas H. Gurley [Jr.], Jan. 14, 1885 qtd. in David Whitmer interviews, 155.
		Everett on Restoration Priesthood Beliefs & Practices Home