EVANGELISTS OR PATRIARCHS.
In the History of Joseph Smith, under date of June 27, 1839, will be found the following: "An Evangelist is a Patriarch, even the oldest man of the blood of Joseph or of the seed of Abraham. Whenever the Church of Christ is established in the earth, there should be a Patriarch for the benefit of the posterity of the Saints, as it was with Jacob in giving his patriarchal blessing unto his sons," etc.
As the singular number is here used, exclusively, doubtless the Prophet Joseph, in the above passage, speaks of then Patriarch of the whole church.
In the History of Joseph Smith, under date of September 14, 1840, we are informed that Joseph Smith, Sen., Patriarch of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, died at Nauvoo. In a biographical sketch of him, of the same date, we are informed that he was ordained to this office, on the eighteenth of December, 1833.
The distinguishing feature between his calling and that of other patriarchs is, that he was patriarch of the whole church, while others were ordained patriarchs in the church. Of the latter was John Young, Sen., who was ordained a patriarch in the church by the Prophet Joseph Smith, in 1834; His. of J. Smith, under date of Aug. 8, 1844.
"It is the duty of the Twelve, in all large branches of the church, to ordain evangelical ministers, (or patriarchs), as they shall be designated unto them by revelation;" Doc. & Cov. 107. 39.
"The order of this (patriarchal) 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;" verses 40-57.
From the last quotation it is evident that if a man holds the High Priesthood, by virtue of that Priesthood he is patriarch over his own posterity, and as such has a right to bestow upon them patriarchal blessings.
A little more than four months after the death of the Patriarch, Joseph Smith, Sen., in a revelation given to his son Joseph, occurs the following: "That my servant Hyrum may take the office of Priesthood and Patriarch, which was appointed unto him by his father, by blessing and also by right, that from henceforth he shall hold the keys of the patriarchal blessings upon the heads of all my people, that whoever he blesses shall be blessed, and whoever he curses shall be cursed; that whatsoever he shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever he shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven;" Doc. & Cov. 124. 91-93.
From this we learn, that Joseph Smith, Sen., inherited the Patriarchal Priesthood, by right from the fathers over the house of Israel in this dispensation. For this right to have descended to him, by lineage, he must of necessity be an Ephraimite, for Ephraim, by the right of appointment and ordination by his father Jacob, is the head of Israel. This fact is plainly stated in the Scriptures: "Now the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel, for he was the firstborn; but, forasmuch as he defiled his father's bed, his birthright was given unto the sons of Joseph the son of Israel: and the genealogy is not to be reckoned after the birthright;" 1 Chron. 5. 1.
Just before his death, in blessing Ephraim and Manasseh, Jacob adopted the sons of Joseph as his own. Said he, "Let my name be named on them, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac;" Gen. 48. 16. For this reason, these two sons of Joseph, each, had a name as the head of tribes in Israel, "and he set Ephraim before Manasseh;" Gen. 48. 20.
The Lord further declared through his prophet Jeremiah, "I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn;" 31. 9.
By virtue of this adoption of Ephraim, as the head of the house of Israel, and Joseph Smith, Sen., being the oldest son of Ephraim, holding the Priesthood in this dispensation, he is Patriarch of the whole church, by right. This right should be perpetuated in his family, as the oldest branch of the tribe of Ephraim.
If, from any cause, there should be failure of a son to exercise this right, then the office would be filled from the next eldest branch of the family.
This has been the case in the short history of the church. When Joseph and Hyrum were martyred, the latter had no son old enough to fill the office of patriarch, and John, his eldest living brother, was ordained to the office vacated by his death.
After the death of father John Smith, the office reverted back to the family of Hyrum Smith, for his oldest son John had grown to manhood, and was ordained Patriarch of the whole church.
Bible.
Gen. 8. 21, 22 God covenanted with Noah, that he would not again destroy all flesh.
9. 1 God blessed Noah and his sons, and said, be fruitful and multiply.
24-27 Noah cursed Canaan, and blessed Shem and Japhet.
12. 1-3 the Lord promised Abraham that in his seed all the families of the earth should be blessed. 26. 4.
7 the land of Canaan promised to Abraham and his seed.
13. 15-17 I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth.
14. 18, 19 Melchisedek took bread and wine and blessed Abraham.
16. 10 the angel said to Hagar, I will multiply thy seed exceedingly.
17. 6 I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee.
7 God covenants to be a God to Abraham and his seed.
16 Abraham is promised that Sarah should be a mother of nations.
19 the Lord promised to establish his covenant with Isaac.
20 Ishmael to become a great nation.
22. 17 the seed of Abraham to possess the gate of their enemies.
24. 60 Rebecca to be the mother of thousands of millions.
25. 23 Rebecca is promised that she should be the mother of two nations.
27. 28, 29 Isaac's blessing on his son Jacob.
39, 40 Jacob's blessing on Esau.
28. 1-4 Isaac sends Jacob to Padan-aram and blesses him.
31. 55 Laban kissed and blessed his sons and daughters.
32. 12 Jacob claims the blessings of Abraham and Isaac.
24-29 the Lord wrestles with and blesses Jacob at Peniel.
35. 10-12 the Lord names Jacob Israel, and declares that a company of nations shall come of him.
46. 2-4 Jacob is promised that he should be made a great nation in Egypt, and be brought out again.
48. 15-20 Jacob's blessings on the sons of Joseph.
49 1 Jacob called his sons together to bless them.
22-24 Joseph a fruitful bough by a well, whose branches run over the wall; * * * from thence is the shepherd, the stone of Israel.
Book of Mormon.
1 Nephi 5. 5 I have attained a land of promise.
2 Nephi 1. 31, 32 the seed of Zoram to be blessed with the seed of Nephi.
3. 3 Lehi promised Joseph that his seed should not be utterly destroyed. 25.
5 a righteous branch to be raised up from the loins of Joseph.
24 a mighty man to be raised up among the seed of Joseph the son of Lehi.
4. 9 the blessing of the children of Laman left on the children of Lemuel.
Ether 1. 43 none greater than the nation I will make of thee.
2. 7, 15 but they shall come forth to a land of promise choice above all other lands.
Pearl of Great Price.
Page 26. Abraham sought for the blessings of the fathers, and obtained his right to the office of high priest, which came down to him through the fathers from Adam.
See sermon by P. P. Pratt, J. of D., Vol. 1. page 256.
" J. Smith, " " 6, " 237.
" B. Young, " " 9, " 86, at Mill Creek.
" B. Young, " " 9, " 279.
" B. Young, Des. News, " 11, " 68.
" B. Young, Des. Eve. News, June 2, 1877, at Logan.
" B. Young, Mil. Star, Vol. 15, page 493.
Article, Mil. Star, Vol. 4, page 1.
" " " 15, page 486.
" J. A. Little, Mil. Star, Vol. 18, page 145.
" Geo. Taylor, " " 19, page 796.
" C. W. Penrose, " " 29, page 177.
O. Spencer's Letters to Rev. Wm. Crowel, No. 9.
A pamphlet, Items on Priesthood, by John Taylor.
A Pamphlet, Succession in the Priesthood, by John Taylor.
History of J. Smith, June 1829.
" " April 13, 1833.
" " May 2, 1835.
" " July 2, 1839.
" " April 28, 1842.
" " May 1, 1842.