Joseph Smith, the great Prophet of the last days, and his martyred brother, the Patriarch Hyrum Smith, were among these fellow servants who were to be slain. They have fulfilled this last requirement of their earthly existence. Their testimony is true, attested by every evidence that man could give or the world require. That testimony is binding upon all the world. The Gospel has been restored to man, through Joseph Smith, in all its fullness. Will men obey the divine message? A proper answer by every individual is of the greatest importance.
THE CHURCH.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the organization through which the Lord is accomplishing the declaration of the Gospel in the last days, gathering Israel, administering the ordinances of salvation, and, in short, is accomplishing the work of redemption—that accomplishment which has been predicted by the mouths of all His holy prophets since the world began. The Church is called the Church of Jesus Christ because it is His. He directed how and when to organize it, pointing out by direct revelation the manner of Church government; the principles and ordinances of the Gospel; the blessings to be enjoyed by those who obey Him, and also the respective duties of each quorum or council of the Holy priesthood. The words "Latter-day Saints" are used to distinguish it from the former-day dispensation, or from the Church of Jesus Christ of Former-day Saints.
The authority of God delegated to man is called the Holy priesthood. This priesthood is arranged under two great heads. The lesser branch is called the Levitical or Aaronic, because it was conferred upon Aaron and his posterity. It holds the keys of the administration of angels, administering the outward ordinances of the Gospel, such as "baptism by immersion for the remission of sins," the sacrament of the Lord's supper, the receiving and distribution of tithes and offerings, all subject to the direction of the high priesthood. The officers in the Aaronic priesthood consist of Bishops, Priests, Teachers and Deacons. There is a presiding Bishop, who holds the keys of this priesthood, also other Bishops, who preside over the interests of the lesser priesthood in Wards or Branches, looking after the temporal interests of the Saints. The Priests are standing ministers, organized into quorums of forty-eight in each.
The duty of the Priest is to visit the home of each member, expound the Scripture, invite all to come unto Christ and exhort the Saints to perform every duty enjoined by the Gospel.
Teachers are organized into quorums of twenty-four each. The duty of those bearing this office is to see that the Saints do their duty and entertain no ill-feelings toward their fellow-beings, and that no iniquity exists in the Church. These general duties, common to all Saints, consist in living a chaste, honest, upright, temperate and industrious life, attending to secret and family prayers, attendance at meetings of worship, partaking of the sacrament, the payment of tithes and offerings, observing the Sabbath day, and kindred obligations, all made plain in the revelations of God to the Church.
The Deacons are organized into quorums of twelve each, and are to assist the Teacher in all the duties of his calling, as occasion may require, but their especial duty is to look after the houses of worship, keep them clean, see to the arrangement of seats and the seating of the people in public assemblies of worship, and such other labors under the direction of the Bishop as may conduce to the welfare of the Church.
The Melchisedek or higher priesthood holds the keys to the kingdom of heaven. It has the power to seal on earth, and what is done is sealed in heaven; to loose on earth and it is loosed in heaven; to receive the revelations of God; to guide the Church in all things, and to understand the mysteries of godliness as far as they are revealed to men in the flesh. In ancient times these keys and fullness of authority were given to Peter when the Savior said to him: "And I give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven." (Matt. xvi:19.)
The offices of this priesthood consist of the First Presidency, a quorum of three, bearing the holy apostleship, and as the organization of the Church on earth typifies the heavenly, these three symbolize the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, and hold the keys of authority over all departments of the Church, on all matters, spiritual and temporal, even as the Godhead is the great ruling power of the universe, the heavens and the earth and all that in them is.