5. As after receiving their ordination under the hands of John the Baptist they were required to re-ordain each other, so after receiving the apostleship under the hands of Peter, James and John they re-ordained each other, Joseph first re-ordaining Oliver, and afterwards accepting re-ordination at his hands.[[16]]
6. The power and authority of this Melchisedek Priesthood [see note 3, end of section] is to hold the keys of all the spiritual blessings of the church, and those holding it have the privilege of receiving the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven—they have the right to have the heavens opened unto them—to commune with the general assembly and church of the First Born, and to enjoy the communication and presence of God the Father and Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant.[[17]] Hence, clothed with this power, Joseph and Oliver were authorized to organize the Church of Christ in the earth.
7. The Organization of the Church of Christ.—In all things, however, the two young men waited for direction from the Lord, and hence did not undertake to organize the church until he commanded them. It was in obedience to a commandment from the Lord, therefore, that they appointed the sixth day of April, 1830, as the time to organize the church. Six persons[[18]] who had been baptized, and a few of their friends, met at the house of Peter Whitmer, Sen., in Fayette, Seneca county, in the State of New York, to effect that organization. The meeting was opened by solemn prayer, after which, according to previous commandment, the Prophet Joseph called upon the brethren present to know if they would accept himself and Oliver Cowdery as their teachers in the things of the kingdom of God; and if they were willing that they should proceed to organize the church according to the commandment of the Lord. To this they consented by unanimous vote. Joseph then ordained Oliver an elder of the Church of Jesus Christ;[[19]] after which Oliver ordained Joseph an elder of the said church. The sacrament was administered and those who had been previously baptized were confirmed members of the church and received the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands. Some enjoyed the gift of prophecy, and all rejoiced exceedingly. [See note 4, end of section.]
8. While the church was yet assembled a revelation was received from the Lord,[[20]] directing that a record be kept in the church, and that in it Joseph be called a seer, a translator, a prophet, an apostle of Jesus Christ, an elder of the church; and the church was commanded to give heed to all his words and commandments which he should receive from the Lord, accepting his word as the word of God in all patience and faith. On condition of their doing this, the Lord promised them that the gates of hell should not prevail against the church; but on the contrary he would disperse the powers of darkness from before them and shake the heavens for their good.
9. The Voice of God and the Voice of the People in Church Government.—Thus the church was organized; and in that organization we see the operation of two mighty principles—the voice of God: the consent of the people. At the time that Joseph and Oliver received instruction to ordain each other to be elders of the church, they were told to defer their ordination until such time as would be practicable to get their brethren who had been and who would be baptized assembled together: for they must have the sanction of their brethren before they ordained each other elders of the Church; and their brethren must decide by vote whether they would accept them [Joseph and Oliver] as spiritual[[21]] teachers. Thus, notwithstanding Joseph and Oliver had been ordained apostles under the hands of Peter, James and John, and had doubtless re-ordained each other as already stated,[[22]] yet when it came to being ordained elders of the Church,[[23]] and made the spiritual leaders of it, it must be done by the common consent of the church; and thus early we see enforced that law which says: "All things shall be done by common consent in the church, by much prayer and faith."[[24]] But no sooner was the church organized than a prophet, a seer, a translator, is appointed and the church commanded to give heed to his words, and to receive them as coming from the mouth of of the Lord himself. Here in the very inception of the church organization is clearly established the great truth, the grand principle, that in the government of the church there is to be a union of the voice of God and the consent or voice of the people. Not vox populi, vox Dei;[[25]] nor vox Dei, vox populi;[[26]] but vox Dei et vox populi.[[27]]
10. Revelation on Church Government and Discipline.—Previous to the organization of the church, a very important revelation was given—in fact it was the revelation which pointed out the date on which the church was to be organized[[28]]—which teaches many important truths and points out the duties of the members of the church and also the duties of the officers of the church—so far as the officers of the church at that time had been given. That revelation announces the following doctrines:—
I. Of the Existence of God.—There is a God in heaven who is infinite and eternal from everlasting to everlasting—unchangeable; the framer of heaven and earth and all things which are in them.
II. Of the Creation and Fall of Man.—God created man male and female, after his own image, and in his own likeness created he them. He gave them commandment that they should love and serve him, and that he should be the sole object of their worship. But by the transgression of these holy laws man became sensual and devilish—fallen man.
III. Of Jesus Christ.—The Almighty God gave his Only Begotten Son as a ransom for fallen man, as it is written of him in the scriptures. He suffered temptations, but gave no heed to them; he was crucified, died, and rose again the third day; he ascended into heaven to sit on the right hand of his Father, to reign with almighty power according to the will of God. As many as believe on him and are baptized in his holy name—enduring in faith to the end—shall be saved. Not only those who believed after he came in the flesh; but all those who from the beginning believed in the words of the holy prophets, who testified of him in all things.
IV. Of the Holy Ghost and the Trinity.—The Holy Ghost beareth record of the Father and of the Son—is God's witness. The Father, Son and Holy Ghost constitute the Holy Trinity—one God or grand Presidency of heaven and earth, infinite, eternal.