15. Errors of the Saints.—It would be unreasonable to suppose that the members of the church fell into no errors. Some time in the summer of 1830, while the prophet was still living in Harmony, Penn., and Oliver Cowdery was with the Whitmer family in New York, he received a letter from Oliver informing him that he [Oliver] had discovered an error in one of the revelations, and added: "I command you in the name of God to erase these words [having named the passage] that no priestcraft be among us."[[37]] The prophet wrote immediately, asking by what authority Oliver took it upon himself to command him to alter or erase, to add to, or diminish a revelation or commandment from Almighty God. Joseph followed his letter in a few days, and was grieved beyond measure to find that the whole Whitmer family sustained Oliver in the position he had taken. By labor and perseverance, however, he convinced them that they were in error and the difficulty was settled.

16. Scarcely had this trouble subsided when another arose. In the month of August, 1830, in consequence of persecution having grown extremely bitter in Harmony and vicinity, the prophet removed with his family to Fayette, New York, at the invitation of the Whitmers, to live with them. On arriving there he learned that Hyrum Page was in possession of a stone which he called a seer stone, and through which he was receiving revelations for the church in respect to the up-building of Zion, church government, etc. The Whitmers and the inconstant Oliver accepted these revelations and much harm was being done. A conference was to convene on the first of September, but before it assembled the prophet inquired of the Lord and obtained a revelation on the subject, which was directed more especially to Oliver Cowdery.[[38]] In regard to the subject in hand, it contained the following: Oliver was to be heard by the church in all things whatsoever he taught by the Comforter, concerning the revelations and commandments; and if led by the Comforter to teach by way of commandment, he had permission to do it; "But thou shalt not write by way of commandment," said the Lord to him, "but by wisdom. And thou shalt not command him who is at thy head and at the head of the church." No one was to receive commandments and revelations in the church, that is for the church, except Joseph the prophet; for the Lord had given him the keys of the mysteries and revelations, until he appointed unto the church another in his stead. Oliver was commanded to take Hyrum Page aside by himself and tell him that the revelations which he had written from that stone were not of the Lord, but that Satan had deceived him, and they must be given up, for he had not been appointed to receive revelations, neither would any one be appointed contrary to the church covenants, which provided that all things must be done in order and by common consent of the church.

17. During the conference the subject of the revelations from Hyrum Page's seer stone was discussed, and after much consideration, the whole church, including Hyrum Page, renounced the stone and all things connected with it; and the church was made to understand more clearly that there is but one on the earth at a time who is authorized to receive the word and commandment of the Lord for the Church.[[39]]

NOTES.

1. The Visitation of John the Baptist.—On a sudden, as from the midst of eternity, the voice of the Redeemer spake peace to us, while the vail was parted and the angel of God came down clothed with glory, and delivered the anxiously looked for message, and the keys of the gospel of repentance! What joy! What wonder! What amazement! While the world was racked and distracted—while millions were groping as the blind for the wall, and while all men were resting on uncertainty, as a general mass, our eyes beheld, our ears heard. As in the blaze of day; yes, more—above the glitter of the May sunbeam which then shed its brilliancy over the face of nature! Then this voice, though mild, pierced to the center, and his words, "I am thy fellow servant," dispelled every fear. We listened, we gazed, we admired! 'Twas the voice of an angel from glory, 'twas a message from the Most High! And as we heard we rejoiced, while his love enkindled upon our souls, and we were wrapped in the vision of the Almighty! Where was room for doubt? Nowhere; uncertainty had fled, doubt had sunk more more to rise, while fiction and deception had fled forever! * * * Think for a moment what joy filled our hearts, and with what surprise we must have bowed (for who would not have bowed the knee for such a blessing) when we received under his hand the holy priesthood as he said, "Upon you, my fellow servants, in the name of Messiah, I confer this priesthood and this authority, which shall remain upon the earth, that the sons of Levi may yet offer an offering to the Lord in righteousness."—Oliver Cowdery.

2. Melchisedek Priesthood Restored.—We cannot fix the exact date when this priesthood was restored, but it occurred sometime between the 15th of May, 1829, and the 6th of April, 1830. We can approximate within a few months of the exact time, but no further, from any of the records of the church. Joseph, the Prophet, designates the place, where their ordination took place, in his address to the saints, written September 6th, 1842, as follows: "Again what do we hear? * * * the voice of Peter, James and John in the wilderness between Harmony, Susquehanna county, and Colesville, Broome county, on the Susquehanna River, declaring themselves as possessing the keys of the kingdom and of the dispensation of the fullness of times." And in a revelation given September, 1830, referring to Joseph and Oliver, the Lord said, in reference to partaking again of the sacrament on the earth, that the "hour cometh that I will drink of the fruit of the vine with you on the earth, and with Moroni, * * * and also with Elias, * * * and also with John, the son of Zacharias, * * * and also with Peter, James and John whom I have sent unto you, by whom I have ordained you and confirmed you apostles and especial witnesses of my name." It would appear from the instructions given in the revelation, dated June, 1829, [Doc. and Cov. sec. xviii] that the apostleship had been conferred on Joseph Smith, Oliver Cowdery, and David Whitmer. If this supposition is correct, it reduces the period of uncertainty when this glorious event actually took place to a few weeks, or from the middle of May to the end of June.—Joseph F. Smith, "Contributor," vol. x, p. 310.

3. Why the Higher Priesthood is Called After Melchisedek.—There are in the church two Priesthoods * * * Why the first is called the Melchisedek Priesthood, is because Melchisedek was such a great high priest. Before his day it was called the Holy Priesthood, after the order of the Son of God; but out of respect or deference to the name of the Supreme Being, to avoid the too frequent repetition of his name, they the church, in ancient days called that priesthood after Melchisedek, or the Melchisedek Priesthood.—Doc. and Cov. sec. cvii.

4. Visions at the First Conference of the Church.—Among those who received visions was Newel Knight, who was so completely overcome by the power of the spirit that he had to be laid on a bed, being unable to help himself. "By his own account of the transaction," says the prophet, "he could not understand why we should lay him on the bed, as he felt no sensibility of weakness. He felt his heart filled with love, with glory, and pleasure unspeakable, and could discern all that was going on in the room; when all of a sudden a vision of futurity burst upon him. He saw there represented the great work which through my instrumentality was yet to be accomplished. He saw heaven opened, and beheld the Lord Jesus Christ, seated on the right hand of the majesty on high, and had it made plain to his understanding that the time would come when he would be admitted into His presence to enjoy his society for ever and ever."

REVIEW.