While translating, Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery discovered that the question of baptism for the remission of sins was mentioned several times in the record. This caused them to marvel, for the doctrine of baptism was misunderstood in the world. They concluded to inquire of the Lord for light. On the 15th day of May, 1829, they retired to the woods and prayed for instruction on this question. While thus engaged in prayer a heavenly messenger descended in a cloud of light and said that he was John, known as John the Baptist in the New Testament. He said he acted under the direction of Peter, James and John, who held the keys of the Melchizedek Priesthood, and had been sent to confer on Joseph and Oliver the Aaronic Priesthood, which holds the keys of the temporal Gospel. He laid his hands upon their heads and said: "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." He stated that the Melchizedek Priesthood would soon he conferred upon them and that Joseph Smith should be called the first and Oliver Cowdery the second elder of the Church. Joseph and Oliver Baptized This messenger, after conferring the Priesthood, instructed Joseph and Oliver to go down into the water and baptize each other. After which they were to lay hands upon each other and re-confer the Priesthood which he had bestowed upon them. There are two reasons why they should be commanded to do this thing. First, to confer the Priesthood before baptism, is contrary to the order of the Organized Church, therefore they were commanded to confer the Priesthood upon each other in the regular way, after they were baptized. Second, the angel did for them that which they could not do for themselves. There was no one living in mortality who held the keys of this Priesthood, therefore it was necessary that this messenger, who held the keys of the Aaronic Priesthood in the Dispensation of the Meridian of Time, should be sent to confer this power. It is contrary to the order of heaven for those who have passed beyond the veil to officiate and labor for the living on the earth, only wherein mortal man cannot act, and thereby it becomes necessary for those who have passed through the resurrection to act for them. Otherwise John would have followed the regular order, which is practiced in the Church, and would have first baptized Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery and then conferred upon them the Aaronic Priesthood.