It is strange that intelligent persons who clearly perceive the necessity of valid authority in human affairs, should imagine that it is not necessary in divine affairs; that while no earthly potentate would be expected to pay the slightest attention to proceedings of any pretended representative of a nation or ruler, the Eternal Monarch of the universe must needs honor the acts of any individual of a devotional cast of mind, who chooses to perform ceremonies and ordinances in His great name. A man may have such faith in God as to obtain choice blessings, behold visions, receive heavenly gifts, and lay hold upon extraordinary spiritual powers, and yet have no right to administer any ordinance in the name of the Lord. Man cannot acquire this authority; it must be conferred upon him in the appointed way. In every age when the Almighty has had a church or organized body of true worshipers on earth, He has sent among them men who were authorized by Him to act in His name. Of such were Noah, Melchisedec, Abraham, Moses, Elijah, Peter, James and John, and many others. They were not only endowed with the Holy Ghost, but were also appointed and set apart to administer needful rites in God's stead. What they sealed on earth by this authority was sealed in heaven, and what they loosed on earth was loosed in heaven. In other words, what they performed, as directed of God, was accepted by Him and was of the same force as though attended to by Him in person. Any authority less than this is the same as no authority. This delegated power from God to man is called the Priesthood. Sometimes this term is used in reference to the men who hold this authority. Properly speaking, however, it relates to the office rather than the person. Melchisedec was a great high priest, and the authority he held was eternal in its nature; without beginning of days or end of life. It did not depend upon lineage either of father or mother, and it is written that he who holds it in faithfulness "abideth a priest continually;" that is, he retains it in this world, and also in the world to come. Aaron received a Priesthood which was of another order, and that ran in a family line, descending from father to son, and was subordinate to the higher Priesthood after the order of Melchisedec. John the Baptist held and administered the Aaronic or lesser Priesthood, but Jesus received and acted in the Melchisedec or higher Priesthood. So John could baptize the repentant for the remission of sins, but could not confer the Holy Ghost as Jesus did. In like manner, Philip, acting in the lesser Priesthood, could baptize the people of Samaria, but had to send for Peter or some other apostle acting in the higher Priesthood, to come down and lay hands upon them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost.