A Rational Theology, as Taught by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints

by John Andreas Widtsoe

CHAPTER 18.

THE PRIESTHOOD OF THE CHURCH.

The Priesthood of the Church differs vitally from that of churches composed only of fragments of the complete truth.

**Priesthood Defined.** The Church is composed of eternal, intelligent beings, moving onward in eternal progression, who have accepted God's plan of salvation. It is God's Church. God directs the work of his children on earth, and he naturally gives attention to the Church. Nevertheless, although God is the directing intelligence, he is not here in person, nor are other superior beings sent to take charge of the work, for that would be contrary to the law that through his free agency and by self-effort, man on earth must move onward and upward. Therefore, that the earth-work may be done authoritatively, God has delegated the necessary authority to man. The Priesthood is simply the name given this authority. The body of the Priesthood consists of the persons who have received this authority and who may act for God, on earth, in matters pertaining to the Church or to themselves. Without authority from God, there can be no Priesthood.

**Divisions of the Priesthood.** Much work is to be done in the Church, and the work differs greatly, for man's life is complex. Consequently, many and varied are the labors that must be directed and supported by the Priesthood. To accomplish the work well, there must be a division of labor—the fundamental characteristic of all orderly work.

There are two great divisions of the Priesthood, the Aaronic and the Melchizedek, each of which possesses special authority. Each of these divisions is again sub-divided. These divisions and subdivisions are all necessary for the complete exercise of the Priesthood in the Church.

One great division of the Priesthood of God, the Aaronic Priesthood, is named after Aaron, the brother of Moses, a famous leader in this priesthood. It is the Lesser Priesthood, really only an appendage of the Higher or Melchizedek Priesthood. To the Aaronic Priesthood is assigned, particularly, the temporal work of the Church, but it also has authority to preach, teach and baptize. The Melchizedek Priesthood, named after the great high priest Melchizedek, is the higher division of the Priesthood, and includes the Aaronic Priesthood. It holds the keys of spiritual authority and has the right to officiate under proper direction in all the affairs of the Church. The subdivisions of these Priesthoods make it possible to group, simply and properly, the duties of the members of the Church.

**The Aaronic Priesthood.** Those who hold the Aaronic Priesthood belong to one of three ascending groups: the deacon, the teacher, and the priest. The bishop presides over the priest's quorum and is the presiding authority of the Aaronic Priesthood. Each group, in addition to its own special authority, may, when called upon by proper authority, exercise also the authority of the group below it. The members of the Aaronic Priesthood are organized in quorums of twelve deacons, twenty-four teachers and forty-eight priests. Each quorum is presided over by a president and two counselors, which in the priests' quorum are the bishop and his two counselors.

**The Melchizedek Priesthood.** The Higher Priesthood is characterized by spiritual authority, the right of presidency and the power of officiating in all the work of the Church. There are also several divisions of this Priesthood but the fundamental authority is the same in all, and each division represents merely a calling in the Higher Priesthood. There are five chief groups in this Priesthood; the elder, the seventy, the high priest, the apostle, and the patriarch. The elder may officiate when properly called and set apart in any of these groups of the Priesthood, without having conferred upon him any further Priesthood. The members of the Higher Priesthood are organized into quorums, of 96 elders with a president and two counselors and of 70 seventies with seven presidents. The quorums of high priests are indefinite in number, except administrative quorums, such as the Twelve Apostles and the First Presidency.

**All Hold the Priesthood.** The Church exists to advance the Great Plan by which, in the end, every man may live happily on earth and at last enter into great progression. In it there should be no active and non-active members, for all must be active to work out their own proper destinies, and to assist in the advancement of the whole Plan. All, therefore, need the authority of the Priesthood to officiate as may be needed in the work of the Church, or in their own behalf. If the work of the Church were delegated to a few members, it would probably be reasonable for a few men to hold the Priesthood. When, however, every member must or should take upon himself a part of the active work of the Church, it is necessary that every man hold the authority of the Priesthood so that he may authoritatively perform the necessary acts in the propaganda of truth.

In fact, in the Church, all men who have attained sufficient experience hold or should hold the Priesthood. The young men are ordained deacons, teachers and priests, and at last elders, when they possess all the authority of the Priesthood. They may then receive an ordination and calling in the Melchizedek Priesthood, such as seventy, apostle, high priest or patriarch.

Women enjoy all the endowments and blessings of the Priesthood in connection with their husbands. The family is the basis of society on earth, and as there must be organization among intelligent beings, someone must be spokesman for the family. In the family, the man is the spokesman and presiding authority, and, therefore, the Priesthood is bestowed upon him.

It is clear that there is no Priesthood class in the Church of Jesus Christ. The Priesthood belongs to all. This is another distinguishing mark of the true Church, which rests its doctrines upon eternal principles as already outlined. The general possession of the Priesthood by all the male members of the Church is only in conformity with the theory of the Gospel, which makes the Plan one of intelligent, united effort under the direction of beings of higher intelligence, and which declares that the highest individual satisfaction can be obtained only when all other individuals are simultaneously advancing.

**The Power of the Priesthood.** The Priesthood conferred on man carries with it real power to do effective work in behalf of the plan of salvation. Under the normal organization of the Church, when things are moving on in the ordained way, there is no insistent evidence of the great power possessed by those who have the Priesthood, and who, therefore, can act for God in matters pertaining to the Church. Under such a condition there is a quiet, steady use of power in behalf of the daily work of the Church—each man performing the work that has been assigned to him, in addition to which each man in his own behalf may use his authority as seems to him fitting. Yet, the power is with the Priesthood, and when need arises, it becomes the voice of God, which all must hear. As an illustration of the great power, authority and duty carried by the Priesthood it may be recalled that, if by any chance every man holding the Priesthood in the Church should be destroyed, save one elder, it would be the duty and right of that one elder, under divine revelation, to reorganize the whole Church with all the grades of the Priesthood and of its officers. This far-reaching authority is held by all who receive the Priesthood—an authority to be guarded carefully and to be used cautiously as directed.