18. When were seventies' quorums first organized?
19. State what you can concerning the presidency of the seventies' quorums.
SECTION V.
1. Priesthood.—Priesthood is power which God gives to man, by which man becomes an agent of God; an authorized officer in his kingdom, with the right and power to teach the laws of the kingdom, and administer the ordinances by which foreigners and aliens are admitted to citizenship. It gives man the right and power to act in God's stead—thus, If a man endowed with the proper degree of the priesthood takes one who believes the gospel and baptizes him for the remission of sins in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, the act of that authorized servant of God is just as valid as if the Lord Jesus Christ himself did it, and remission of sins will follow. So also if an authorized servant of God lays on hands to impart the Holy Ghost, the Holy Ghost will be given, inasmuch as all is done as the law of the Lord directs. So in preaching, exhorting, warning; whether it be by God's own voice, or the voice of his servants, it is the same.[[96]] Man through receiving the priesthood becomes God's agent; and the Lord is bound to recognize the ministrations of his agents so long as they act in accordance with the terms by which they hold that agency. Such is priesthood.
2. Spirit of Government by the Priesthood.—The government of the priesthood is exercised through the channels of love, knowledge and righteousness. The rights of the priesthood are inseparably connected with the powers of heaven, and the powers of heaven can only be controlled upon the principles of righteousness.[[97]] No power can or ought to be maintained by virtue of the priesthood, only by persuasion, by long-suffering, by gentleness and meekness and by love unfeigned; by kindness and pure knowledge, which shall greatly enlarge the soul without hypocrisy and without guile; reproving betimes with sharpness, when moved upon by the Holy Ghost; and then showing forth afterwards an increase of love, lest those reproved esteem those reproving as enemies.[[98]] Such is the spirit of government under the priesthood: it may be summed up in this: men are to be taught correct principles and then govern themselves.[[99]]
3. The Church.—From the gospel and the priesthood comes the church. The church is the medium through which the gospel is promulgated—by which it is made known among the children of men. It is the system of government by which those who accept the gospel are controlled in things religious. It is the government of God on earth pertaining to religious affairs. The Lord had clothed it with his authority, which is his power; and it hath authority not only to teach the gospel, but to execute its laws, and inflict the penalties attached to a violation thereof—at least so far as dealing with the membership of trangressors is concerned; as for other penalties that will fall upon the violators of divine law, the Father hath reserved that to himself, and will in his own time and way vindicate his own laws, having due regard to the relative claims of justice and mercy. The authority of the church comes from the priesthood, and may be said to be the collected authority of all the quorums of the priesthood combined—the aggregation of God's authority in the earth, in relation to things religious. Such is the church.
4. Divisions of the Priesthood.—In the church of Christ there are two grand divisions of priesthood; or rather its powers are grouped under two great heads—for all priesthood comes from God, is power from him, and therefore cannot properly be regarded as two different priesthoods.[[100]] The two divisions of priesthood are named respectively the Melchisedek priesthood[[101]] and the Aaronic priesthood.[[102]] The Melchisedek priesthood ministers more especially in spiritual things; it holds the keys of all the spiritual blessings of the church, is entitled to receive the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, to commune with the church of the First Born, and enjoy the communion and presence of God the Father, and his Son Jesus Christ.[[103]] The Aaronic priesthood ministers more especially in temporal things; it holds the keys, however, of the ministering of angels and the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.[[104]]
5. Officers of the Priesthood.—The officers of the Melchisedek priesthood are apostles, seventies, patriarchs, high priests, elders. The officers of the Aaronic priesthood are bishops, priests, teachers, deacons. Of necessity there are presidents, or presiding officers growing out of, or appointed from among those who are ordained to the several offices in these two priesthoods.[[105]]
6. Presidencies in the Melchisedek Priesthood—First Presidency.—Since of necessity there are presiding officers growing out of the priesthood, there is a president appointed from the high priesthood to preside over that priesthood, he is called president of the high priesthood of the church; or, the presiding high priest over the high priesthood of the church.[[106]] This president of the high priesthood also presides over the whole church; he is a seer, a revelator, a translator and a prophet, having all the gifts of God which he bestows upon the head of the church.[[107]] Two other high priests[[108]] associated with the president of the high priesthood as counselors, all being appointed and ordained to that office, and upheld by the confidence, faith and prayer of the church, form the quorum of the first presidency of the church,[[109]] and they preside over all quorums, over Zion and all the stakes thereof; over all wards and branches and missions of the church in all the world. The president in his quorum is to be like unto Moses,[[110]] therefore he is the prophet and law-giver unto the church—the mouthpiece of God unto it.