THE AARONIC PRIESTHOOD.
John the Baptist was the acknowledged forerunner of Christ, and, as such, he preached the preparatory Gospel of repentance, and baptism for the remission of sins. His father, Zacharias, was a priest of the course of Abia, and his mother was of the daughters of Aaron; Luke 1. 5.
Thus the Aaronic Priesthood was the heritage of John the Baptist. His ministry evidences that he was clothed with its authority. That the chain of evidence might be complete, regarding this fact, the Lord revealed to Joseph Smith, Jun., that he was ordained to the Aaronic Priesthood by an angel; Doc. & Cov. 84. 28. Being the first man ordained to it in the former Gospel dispensation, he holds the presidency of that Priesthood in all subsequent dispensations.
As a sequence, the man who should open up the last dispensation must receive it from him. We have the testimony of Joseph Smith, Jun., and Oliver Cowdery, that John the Baptist did ordain them to this Priesthood, using the following words, "Upon you my fellow servants, in the name of Messiah, I confer the Priesthood of Aaron, which holds the keys of the ministering of angels, and of the Gospel of repentance, and of baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; and this shall never be taken again from the earth, until the sons of Levi do offer again an offering unto the Lord in righteousness;" Doc. & Cov., sec. 13.
"The messenger who visited us on this occasion, and conferred this Priesthood upon us, said that his name was John, the same that is called John the Baptist in the New Testament, and that he acted under the direction of Peter, James and John, who held the keys of the Priesthood of Melchisedek, which Priesthood he said should in due time be conferred on us, and that I should be called the first Elder, and Oliver the second. It was on the fifteenth day of May, 1829, that we were ordained under the hand of the messenger and baptized;" His. of J. Smith, Jun., May 15, 1829.
Thus was the succession of the Lesser Priesthood again restored to the earth.
Bible.
Gen. 29. 34 Levi was the third son of Jacob and Leah.
50. 7 all the elders of his house, and of the land of Egypt.
Exo. 3. 16 go and gather the elders of Israel together.
6. 16 names of the sons of Levi.
17. 5 take with thee of the elders of Israel.
18. 1 Jethro, the priest of Midian.
19. 7 Moses called for the elders. 22.
28. 1 Aaron and his sons set apart to minister in the priest's office. Chap. 29. 44. Chap. 30. 30. Chap. 40. 13, 15.
Lev. 7. 35, 36 Aaron and his sons anointed priests by a statute throughout all their generations. 4. 15.
Chap. 8. Aaron and his sons anointed and clothed in their priestly garments.
Chap. 16. an enumeration of many of the duties of Aaron.
Num. 3. 1-10 Aaron and his sons appointed to the priest's office.
3. 12 the Levites taken in place of the first-born of Israel.
Chap. 4. an enumeration of some of the duties of the priests and Levites.
11. 25 the Lord gave his Spirit unto the seventy elders.
16. 10 seek ye the Priesthood also?
Chap. 18. the Lord's charge to Aaron and his sons.
35. 2-8 the cities of refuge the inheritance of the Levites.
Deut. 10. 8, 9 Levi had no inheritance with his brethren.
21. 5 the Priesthood of Levi had authority to try all manner of controversy.
31. 28 go gather all the elders of your tribes.
2 Chron. 29. enumerates several duties of the Priesthood.
31. 4-11 tithing to be received by the Aaronic Priesthood.
Psalm 99. 6 Moses and Aaron among his priests.
107. 32 praise him in the assembly of the elders.
132. 9 let thy priests be clothed with righteousness.
Isa. 61. 6 ye shall be named the priests of the Lord.
66. 21 I will take of them for priests and Levites, saith the Lord.
Ezek. 8. 1 I sat in mine house, and the elders of Israel before me.
45. 4 Levitical Priesthood the ministers of the sanctuary.
Joel 1. 14 gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land.
Mal. 2. 4-6 God's covenant with Levi for his righteousness.
3. 3 he shall purify and purge the sons of Levi.
Phil. 1. 1 to the Saints, bishops and deacons.
1 Tim. 3. 1-13 qualifications and duties of bishops and deacons.
Doctrine & Covenants.
Sec. 20. 38-71 the duties of elders, priests, teachers, deacons and members of the church of Christ.
41. 9 E. Partridge ordained first bishop to the church.
42. 12-14 instructions to elders, priests and teachers.
68. 14, 15 bishops to be high priests, unless literal descendants of Aaron.
16, 17 the first born held the right of presidency in the Aaronic Priesthood.
22-24 a bishop can be tried only by the First Presidency of the church.
72. 18-20 N. K. Whitney ordained. Duties of bishops.
84. 18 the Lord confirmed a Priesthood on Aaron and his sons for ever.
107 the lesser Priesthood to go before and prepare the way.
Sec. 107. the higher and lesser Priesthoods, their organizations, the duties pertaining to their various offices, and the lineage of the Priesthood.