FABRICATING THE MORMON PRIESTHOOD
                                            - BY GOD OR BY MAN? -

INTRODUCTION
      One of the unique doctrines of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the Mormons or LDS) is their Aaronic and Melchizedek (1)(This is an endnote) Priesthoods, one of which is held by most male members 12 years and older. The Mormon church teaches that this is their authority from God to act in his name and do his work.(2) The Aaronic Priesthood was allegedly given to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery by John the Baptist on May 15, 1829, and sometime later, but before August 1830, they received the Melchizedek Priesthood from Apostles Peter, James and John.  The exact date for this important event is not known (for more on this see the last part of end note #4).
      There are seven revelations in the Doctrine & Covenants (D&C) (a Mormon Scripture) on these priesthoods. Although five of them were allegedly received before October 1832, one as early as 1823, and one as late as September 1832, none of these five were included in the 1833 Book of Commandments.(3) Two of them did not showup in the D&C until the 1876 edition, three were first included the 1835 edition.

THE PRIESTHOOD IN LDS REVELATION
      The Doctrine and Covenants (1981 edition) has the following about the early history of the LDS priesthoods. These revelations are in their chronological order.

Even though this revelation is dated September 21, 1823 it was not in the 1833 Book of Commandments or the 1835 and 1844 Doctrine and Covenants. It did not get into Scripture until the 1876 D&C and was not approved by the membership until 1880 (Ensign, Dec. 1984, pages 37-39).

A second alleged revelation has:

The first written account of this revelation does not have the phrase the "Priesthood of Aaron."  There is more on this below under "LDS Leaders On The Priesthood" and "Differences In Description."  It also was not included in LDS Scripture until the 1876 D&C even though it is dated May 15, 1829.  It also was not approved by the membership until 1880 (Ensign, Dec. 1984, pages 37-39).

A third alleged revelation has:

This revelation was not in the 1833 Book of Commandments. It is first found in the 1835 D&C, section 50, page 179. There is more on this below under "Historical Evidence."

A fourth alleged revelation has:

The first account of this revelation was in the LDS newspaper Evening and Morning Star, Oct. 1832, page 35. Even then It did not include any of the bolded words. It was not in the 1833 Book of Commandments but was included in the 1835 D&C, section 22, page 147.

A fifth alleged revelation has:

Even though this is dated November 1832 it was not in the 1833 Book of Commandments. It was in the 1835 D&C, section 4, page 89. A sixth alleged revelation has: This was first in the 1835 D&C, section 3, page 82. A seventh alleged revelation has: Note the date this revelation was given and that it includes a summary of the two priesthoods. Also note that there is no support found for these statements in the two early "new Scriptures" of the Mormon church, the Book of Mormon and the 1833 Book of Commandments.

LDS LEADERS ON THE PRIESTHOOD
      William Phelps, as the editor of the Mormon newspaper Evening and Morning Star (Independence, Missouri), provides the first public evidence of the two priesthoods, the Aaronic and Melchizedek.

While not directly named, this is the first apparent mention together of the two LDS priesthoods in an official Mormon publication. The Book of Mormon, in the book of Alma, does mention the "high priesthood," but the "lesser priesthood" is not mentioned at all in the Book of Mormon. Phelps' article does require the reader to know the meaning of "high priesthood" and "lesser priesthood." The priesthood revelations from God were allegedly received in 1823, 1829, 1830, 1831 and September 1832. The  Evening and Morning Star was first published June 1832, so there was a nine-month opportunity to mention all of them sooner than Phelps' article.
      Oliver Cowdery, the only other human participant with Smith in the restoration of the priesthood,(8) as the editor of a Mormon newspaper in Kirtland, Ohio (near present day Cleveland) said: The reliability of this statement by Mr. Cowdery is supported by an earlier statement in this same paper. DIFFERENCES IN DESCRIPTIONS
      Now compare the statement just above by Oliver Cowdery on the priesthood to the following LDS Scripture:

"I confer the Priesthood of Aaron" is not the same as "I confer this priesthood and this authority." As will be shown below, Oliver Cowdery's quotation is consistent with the claim of David Whittmer, another top leader in the early Mormon church.

HISTORICAL EVIDENCE
      It should be evident by now that the scriptural foundation for the bestowal of the priesthoods is on shaky ground. To give you a sense of the changes made and the confusion in the revelations on the priesthood let us look at one of them, Doctrine and Covenants 27, as it appeared chronologically in LDS Scripture. The 1833 Book of Commandments has:

Notice that this alleged revelation has nothing about the LDS priesthood.  It was later changed.  The 1835 Doctrine and Covenants has the following for the same revelation. The bold type words are the added ones; the ones in brackets [ ] were removed. Note that the historical heading of this revelation was changed, the day was omitted and many significant additions were made in the text with no notes or comments of any kind as to why.
      Some Mormons may point to Doctrine and Covenants 13 to support the restoration of the Mormon priesthood, it has, As stated at the start of this article, this revelation was not in the Mormon Scriptures until the 1876 edition, and not accepted "by common consent" until 1880.  The same idea is also in the Pearl of Great Price, Joseph Smith - History, verses 68-69, which was also not in LDS scripture until 1876.  There are no reasons given why it was not in the two earlier collections of LDS revelations, A Book of Commandments (1833) and the 1835 Doctrine and Covenants.  I believe the historical reliability of these verses is significantly in question because of their late canonization. These are key foundational revelations. If they existed they should have been in the first collection of new revelation.

WHAT DO OTHERS SAY?
      Joseph Smith was killed in 1844.  In 1846 Brigham Young lead many of the Mormons on their way to what was to become Salt Lake City. Not all Mormons chose to go, including Joseph Smith's wife and children. In 1860 Joseph Smith's oldest son, Joseph Smith III, became the president and prophet of a newly founded church, the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (RLDS).  They claim to be the true continuation of the Church Joseph Smith founded.  They deny that Peter, James and John "restored" the Melchizedek Priesthood to Joseph Smith.  The following statement by Mormon historian and then Apostle Joseph Fielding Smith explains their position:

      David Whitmer, one of the "Three Witnesses" (found right after the Introduction of the Book of Mormon) of the Book of Mormon and an early leader in the Mormon church, had this to say about the priesthoods in the Mormon Church.

The RLDS' and David Whitmer's position are supported by the historical evidence previously presented and support the idea that the high priesthood was first given at the Kirtland conference of June 3-7, 1831 (D&C 52  historical heading; 1833 Book of Commandments 54, page 123; Far West Record, page 7 and end notes 4 and 5 on page 8; Deseret Book Co., 1983, edited by D. Q. Cannon  & L. W. Cook. )(15). It also seems reasonable to believe that the priesthood, if it really existed, would also clearly and frequently show up in many of the other publications by the Mormon Church.  Those to be examined below are the Book of Mormon, The Holy Bible, Book of Commandments and a collection of early teachings called the Lectures on Faith.

THE PRIESTHOOD IN THE BOOK OF MORMON
      The Book of Mormon, one of the unique scriptures of the Mormon Church, also does not show the present day Mormon priesthood. The following terms and phrases used in describing their priesthood could not be found in a search of the text of the Book of Mormon.

a. "Aaronic Priesthood", with of without capitals.
b. "Melchizedek/Melchisedec Priesthood," with or without capitals.
c. "the fulness of the everlasting gospel," except in the Introduction of the current edition of the Book of Mormon. The term is also not in the 1830 edition.
d. "new and everlasting covenant"
e. "married", "marriage", "marry", "marrying", "divorce".
f. "wife and husband," or "husbands and wife," or "husband and wives" in the same      paragraph.
g. "gospel of salvation"
h. "fulness of salvation"
i. "fulness of eternal glory"
j. "celestial"
k. "Aaronic," with or without capitals.
l.  "deacon"
m."seventy," or "seventies" as an office in the Melchizedek Priesthood.
n. "highpriest" as one word.

It is interesting to find the Book of Mormon has nothing on the Aaronic Priesthood and deacons.  It does have teachers and priests, positions/offices that a present day Mormon would recognize, which are ordained by the laying on of hands (Moroni 3).  But nothing is said through the one thousand years plus period of the Book of Mormon about the priesthood (and the term "lesser priesthood), that these offices are part of in present day Mormonism. Moroni 3 would have been a logical place to include instructions on conferring the Priesthood, but nothing is given.
      Similarly, there is no direct wording in the Book of Mormon on the Melchizedek Priesthood.  It does describe a priesthood, but it is different from the present day Mormon Church's priesthood.  Terms like Melchizedek (as the name), order of God, order of his Son and high priesthood are used, but then only in the Book of Alma, which only covers the time period of about 91 BC to about 52 BC.  Moroni 3; Alma 13 and 6:1 and Mosiah 18:18 give instructions for ordaining teachers, priests, elders, and high priests but there is nothing about conferring a priesthood. These would have been logical places for this, but they only give instruction for ordination to an office. It seems reasonable to think that the Melchizedek Priesthood, at the very least using the terminology used in the Book of Alma, would be frequently mentioned in all parts of the Book of Mormon, especially during Jesus Christ's visit to the New World (3 Nephi 8 and following chapters) and in the period of peace and tranquility that supposedly followed it (4 Nephi 1).  Not only are they not mentioned in these books, but there is little said in other parts of the Book of Mormon (except Alma).  It appears, in almost all uses, that the terms high priest, high priesthood and high priests are only used as part of the Mosaic law that the first Book of Mormon people would have brought with them when they traveled from Jerusalem to the New World (see 1 Nephi chapters 1-18). But they are surprisingly missing once the alleged visit of Jesus Christ occurs as related in 3 Nephi.  3 Nephi 12:1 does say: "...now the number of them who had been called, and received power and authority to baptize was twelve...I have given power that they may baptize you...". While a present day Mormon may understand these words to mean the Melchizedek Priesthood and apostles, the text does not say this. How were the Book of Mormon people, or even non-Mormons now, to understand this?
      The Book of Mormon is still considered to be "the most correct of any book on earth"!  This idea and wording has been in use since 1844 and are still being used, and were clearly stated by the late President Benson (Ensign, October 1992, page 2).  Throughout the entire Book of Mormon nothing is said about the Melchizedek Priesthood offices of seventies, patriarchs, president and apostles. Jesus does appoint twelve men in the New World, but they are called disciples all the way through 3 and 4 Nephi. If New World disciples were also considered apostles by the Lord, this would have been the place to find it, not about 370 years later from Mormon. Mormon 9:18 may at first look like an exception, but this appears to be referring to apostles in the Old World, the one Jesus called in the Jerusalem area, as shown in verse 22.
      Moroni 6:1 has a very unique statement on who may be baptized. He says: "And now I speak concerning Baptism.  Behold, elders, priests, and teachers were baptized; and they were not baptized save they brought forth fruit meet that they were worthy of it."  This has people who apparently held the priesthood, by present day Mormon Church teachings, in the offices mentioned, being baptized.  In the present day Mormon Church men must be baptized before they receive a priesthood and an office in it!
      All of this has to lead to the conclusion that the Book of Mormon has a different priesthood than currently taught by the Mormon Church.  While this difference is significant now, it did not exist to the same extent in 1833 between the Book of Mormon and the Book of Commandments.  A close examination of each will show a close similarity in how the priesthood is described.  There are only two significant  differences. The Book of Mormon has twelve disciples, a high priesthood and no deacons while the Book of Commandments names apostles and deacons but no high priesthood.  They both have nothing on the Aaronic or Melchizedek Priesthood.

THE PRIESTHOOD IN THE BIBLE
      The following Mormon phrases and key words could not be found in the text of the King James Version (16) of the Bible:

a. "Aaronic Priesthood," with or without capitals.
b. "Melchizedek/Melchizedek Priesthood," with or without capitals.
c. "fulness of the everlasting gospel"
d. "fulness of the gospel"
e. "fulness of eternal glory"
f. "fulness of salvation"
g. "new and everlasting covenant"
h. "gospel of salvation"
i.  "holy order of God"
j.  "highpriest," as one word.
k. "high priesthood"

The New Testament is very clear that the Aaronic priesthood (including laws and ordinances) was abolished when our Lord died on the cross (Gal 3:19, 23-25; Col 2:14-17; Heb 10:1-10).  There was in fact a change in the priesthood - it was abolished and even Christ did not hold the Aaronic priesthood (Heb 7:11-14).  The New Testament tells us that all true born-again Christians are priests by the blood of Christ (Rev 1:5-6).  This priesthood has nothing to do with the old Aaronic priesthood because it is far superior!  It is a royal priesthood of believers in the Living Christ, our Great High Priest forever (1 Pet 2:9-10).
      The Bible does say a little about Melchizedek (Gen 14:17-20, Ps 110:4, Heb 4:14 to 8:4).  The only Melchizedek priest in the Old Testament was the King of Salem.  In the New Testament only Jesus Christ has the Melchizedek priesthood and he was appointed by God (Heb 5:5-6, 10). No priestly succession is mentioned. These ideas were summarized in a paper given by David Crump, as published in Christian Institute for Mormon Studies, Proceedings and Papers, Vol 1, page 35, where he said:

The position of Melchizedek Priesthood is taken; it is held by God's Son Jesus Christ, and he has chosen not to share it with us.

THE PRIESTHOOD IN THE LECTURES ON FAITH
      The Lectures on Faith were prepared by Joseph Smith (probably with help from others) and delivered to a class of elders in Kirtland, Ohio in the winter of 1834-1835 (17). They were first included in the 1835 edition of the Doctrine and Covenants. The preface of this book has:

This preface was signed by Joseph Smith, Oliver Cowdery, Sidney Rigdon, and F. G. Williams.  These men were the top leaders (first presidency and assistant president) of the Mormon Church at that time. Note that they said the Lectures on Faith had the important doctrine of salvation. They thought them important enough to make them scripture. The Lectures on Faith do not use any of the important terms and phrases used to describe the Mormon priesthood and its offices.  This is amazing seeing they were to contain "the important doctrine of salvation." For example, according to the present day Mormon Church, baptism is a necessary part of a Mormon's "salvation."(18) Without the priesthood no one has the authority to baptize, hence no "salvation."

THE PRIESTHOOD IN THE BOOK OF COMMANDMENTS
      The 1833 Book of Commandments was the first published collection of alleged revelations received by Joseph Smith. In its time it was considered one of the three LDS Scriptures (the Holy Bible, Book of Mormon, Book of Commandments).  As shown above it does not contain the Mormon priesthood as currently known. Priesthood revelations that are now Doctrine and Covenants 2, 13, 27, 68 and 84 were not in it. Apostles were called elders (chapter 24:1-2, 22:1, 12, 14) and the only priesthood offices mentioned were elders, priests, teachers and deacons (chapter 24:31).  There is nothing about the Aaronic and Melchizedek priesthood, lesser and higher priesthoods, seventies and high priests as currently exists. God allegedly made it clear that the revelations were "true and faithful" (Book of Commandments 1:7), "neither doth he vary from that which he hath said" (Book of Commandments 2:1) and "now the decrees of God are unalterable" (Alma 41:8).  We have God's word that he would not change and alter what he had said.  It should be clear by now that changes and additions were made.  What then is the only possible conclusion?

SUMMARY
      We have shown how two key alleged revelations about the restoration of the LDS priesthood were not in the first and second published collections and two others were not in the first collection. David Whitmer and the RLDS church stated a similar view. All this can only lead to the clear conclusion that the present day Mormon Church's priesthood is not the same one that existed from 1829 to about 1833.  It was changed about 1833 and then support was inserted into the LDS scriptures after the fact (19).  In some case this was done 43 years later.
      Both 1 Cor 14:33 and Doctrine and Covenants 132:8 say that God is not the author of confusion. We are then left with the only conclusion possible, the confusion in the early LDS Church, particularly the teachings about the priesthood, can only be by man.

THE LDS RESPONSE
      The Mormon response to this paper will probably be harsh, for it will be an emotional subject for most LDS, particularly men. This strikes at the heart of Mormonism. Many will seem to be incredulous and just reject everything out right.  On the other end of the spectrum others will take the information and seriously examine it in detail.  Some to find reasons to reject it, but some to better understand it and grow from it.  All anyone can do as they present the above information is to keep bringing the discussion back to the subject and the facts presented. You will need to dwell on the facts and their accuracy. There is only one clear conclusion. The priesthood now taught by the Mormon Church is significantly different from the one taught by the Mormon Church from 1830 (their start date) to roughly 1835. It also appears that they tried to hide the changes by post dating the early alleged revelations and making new ones to support the change.

                                                          END NOTES
1. Melchisedec is the New Testament spelling of the Old Testament Melchizedek.  The Mormon Church uses this latter spelling.
2.  Gospel Principles, published by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Deseret Book Co., Salt Lake City, 1978, page 73.  The majority of Bible believing Christians, however, believe that only Jesus Christ held the Melchizedek Priesthood which is "unchangeable"; and that ALL true Christians, men and women, are a royal priesthood (1 Peter 2:5, 9; Heb. 4:14, 7:24, 6:20, 10:10; Rev 1:5-6).
3. The Book of Commandments, a Scripture published in 1833, was the first collection of alleged revelations received by Joseph Smith.  Following editions were titled The Doctrine and Covenants. In the early years of the Mormon church in the United States there were editions in 1833, 1835, 1844 and 1876. There were several British editions, with an 1854 printing that was sent to Utah (Ensign, December 1984, pages 36-37) .
4. Joseph Smith-History 1:68-72 said it was John the Baptist that ordained them to the Aaronic Priesthood and Peter, James and John (who held the keys for this) ordained them to the Melchizedek Priesthood. The Aaronic Priesthood supposedly on May 15, 1829. The exact date for the Melchizedec Priesthood restoration is not know.  The best date that most LDS scholars think this happened is between May 15, 1829 and April 1830, and one said, "probably June 1829" (A Joseph Smith Chronology, by J. Christopher Conkling, Deseret Book Co. 1979, page 10-11).
5. Doctrine and Covenants 20:37 says we receive the remission of sins by faith in Jesus Christ, by repentance and service to the Lord, all before we are baptized.  Which one is correct?
6. From Lev 8:33 and Ex 29:37 we learn that Aaron's ordination took 7 days.  Mormon Aaronic Priesthood ordinations that I (John Farkas) saw or participated in took less than 15 minutes.
7. Then how did Joseph Smith see the Father and Son in 1820 and live as he related in Joseph Smith-History 1:17. He did not, as officially taught, get the priesthood until May 1829 (Joseph Smith-History 1:72).
8. Cowdery was the Second Elder (D&C 20:3 ) and assistant president of the High Priesthood. He was one of Smiths scribes during the alleged "translation" of the Book of Mormon from the "gold plate." They were both together when the priesthood was allegedly restored.
9. Mormons have said that these are animal sacrifices, as done in the Jerusalem temple, which are to be restored. (Mormon Doctrine, page 666).
10.  Doctrine and Covenants 20:37 says we receive the remission of sins by faith in Jesus Christ, by repentance and service to the Lord, all before we are baptized.
11. The bracket is in the quote.
12. The Mormon Church since its beginning has had three names: Church of Christ, 1830-1834; Church of Latter Day Saints, 1834-1838; The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1838 to the present.
13. If David Whitmer by "beginning" means the formal start of the Mormon Church on April 6, 1830, them 1832 is the approximate start of High Priests.
14.  Sydney Rigdon probably came into the Mormon Church December, 1830 (The Voice of One Crying in the Wilderness: Sidney Rigdon, Religious Reformer, 1793-1876, by F. Mark McKiernan, Herald House, 1979, pages 41-44). This is the earliest date for the change discussed by David Whitmer.
15. While History of the Church 1:175-176 uses the term "authority of the Melchizedek Priesthood was manifested," D&C 53 does not use the term at all or "high Priesthood." The Far West Record, page 7, in the meeting minutes only uses the term "high Priesthood."
16. This is the version used by the Mormon Church.
17.  Doctrines of Salvation, by Joseph Fielding Smith, Salt Lake City, Bookcraft, 1955, 2:304; the book Lectures on Faith, Deseret Book Co., Salt Lake City, page v.
18. For the importance of baptism see: Mormon Doctrine, page 69.  Salvation means spending eternity with God in the Celestial Kingdom (Gospel Principles, Deseret Book Co., Salt Lake City, 1976, pages 124-130).
19. This same idea of after the fact changes is also supported by D. Michael Quinn in his book The Mormon Hierarchy, Signature Books, 1994, pages 7-38.
 

John Farkas; Berean Christian Ministries; P.O. Box 1091; Webster, NY 14580

e-mail address:  bcmmin@frontiernet.net
Home page address:  http:/www.bcmmin.org

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art/ Priestod.2;     3-27-98