History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Volume 1Smith, Joseph, Jr.
Religion
History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Volume 1
Smith, Joseph, Jr.
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; Smith, Joseph, Jr., 1805-1844
2. The manner in which the man of sin was revealed and the authority of
the Melchizedek Priesthood manifested, is related by John Whitmer, in
his _History of the Church_ (ch. 7). After giving the names of those
who were ordained High Priests the day on which the two powers were
manifested, he says: "Joseph Smith, Jun., prophesied the day previous
that the man of sin would be revealed. While the Lord poured out His
Spirit upon His servants, the devil took a notion to make known his
power. He bound Harvey Whitlock and John Murdock so that they could
not speak, and others were affected but the Lord showed to Joseph, the
seer, the design of the thing; he commanded the devil in the name of
Christ, and he departed, to our joy and comfort."
Parley P. Pratt also alludes to this subject in his _Autobiography:_
"In this conference much instruction was given by President Smith,
who spoke in great power, as he was moved upon by the Holy Ghost; and
the spirit of power and of testimony rested down upon the Elders in a
marvelous manner. Here also were some strange manifestations of false
spirits, which were immediately rebuked." (p. 72.)
3. A misapprehension has arisen in the minds of some respecting the
statement--"The authority of the Melchizedek Priesthood was manifested
and conferred for the first time upon several of the Elders." It has
been supposed that this passage meant that the higher or Melchizedek
Priesthood was now for the first time conferred upon men in this
dispensation. This of course is an error, since even before the
Church was organized, the Apostleship, the highest authority in the
Melchizedek Priesthood, was conferred upon Joseph Smith and Oliver
Cowdery, and very probably upon David Whitmer also (See pp. 40-42,
note.) The Prophet does not mean that the Melchizedek Priesthood was
given for the first time in the Church. It was at this conference,
however, that the special office of High Priest was for the first time
conferred upon men in this dispensation, except in so far as Apostles
are also High Priests (Doctrine and Covenants, sec. 84:63); and of
course as there were men who had been ordained to the apostleship
before this conference of June, 1831, in that manner there had been
High Priests in the Church, but not otherwise.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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