Adam as Patriarch.--Concerning Adam's patriarchal ministry, we are thus enlightened by Joseph the Seer: "I saw Adam in the valley of Adam-ondi-Ahman. He called together his children and blessed them with a patriarchal blessing. The Lord appeared in their midst, and he (Adam) blessed them all and foretold what should befall them to the latest generation."--("History of the Church," Vol. III, p. 388.) Patriarchal Order and Descent.--Respecting the patriarchal order, the Lord says: "The order of this priesthood was confirmed to be handed down from father to son, and rightly belongs to the literal descendants of the chosen seed, to whom the promises were made. "This order was instituted in the days of Adam, and came down by lineage in the following manner: "From Adam to Seth, who was ordained by Adam at the age of 69 years, and was blessed by him three years previous to his (Adam's) death, and received the promise of God by his father, that his posterity should be the chosen of the Lord, and that they should be preserved unto the end of the earth. "Because he (Seth) was a perfect man, and his likeness was the express likeness of his father's, insomuch that he seemed to be like unto his father in all things, and could be distinguished from him only by his age. "Enos was ordained at the age of 134 years and four months by the hand of Adam. "God called upon Cainan in the wilderness, in the fortieth year of his age, and he met Adam in journeying to the place Shedolamak. He was 87 years old when he received his ordination. "Mahalaleel was 496 years and seven days old when he was ordained by the hand of Adam, who also blessed him. "Jared was 200 years old when he was ordained under the hand of Adam, who also blessed him. "Enoch was 25 years old when he was ordained under the hand of Adam, and he was 65 and Adam blessed him. "And he saw the Lord, and he walked with him, and was before his face continually; and he walked with God 365 years, making him 430 years old when he was translated. "Methuselah was 100 years old when he was ordained under the hand of Adam. "Lamech was 32 years old when he was ordained under the hand of Seth. "Noah was 10 years old when he was ordained under the hand of Methuselah. "Three years previous to the death of Adam, he called Seth, Enos, Cainan, Mahalaleel, Jared, Enoch, and Methuselah, who were all High Priests, with the residue of his posterity who were righteous, into the valley of Adam-ondi-Ahman, and the re bestowed upon them his last blessing. "And the Lord appeared unto them, and they rose up and blessed Adam, and called him Michael, the Prince, the Archangel. "And the Lord administered comfort unto Adam, and said unto him, I have set thee to be at the head--a multitude of nations shall come of thee, and thou art a prince over them for ever.