In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints there are two
Priesthoods--the Melchisedek, and the Aaronic, the latter including the
Levitical.
The Melchisedek is the higher Priesthood, comprising apostles,
patriarchs, high priests, seventies, and elders, and holds the right
of presidency, with the authority to administer in all or any of
the offices, ordinances, and affairs of the Church. "The power and
authority of the higher or Melchisedek Priesthood is to hold the keys
of all the spiritual blessings of the Church, to have the privilege of
receiving the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, to have the heavens
opened unto them, to commune with the general assembly and church of
the First-born, and to enjoy the communion and presence of God the
Father, and Jesus the mediator of the new covenant."
An apostle has the right to administer in the various offices of the
Church, especially in spiritual things. So also, according to their
respective callings, have a patriarch, a high priest, a seventy, and
an elder. But the special office of a patriarch is to give patriarchal
blessings, and the particular calling of a seventy is to travel and
preach the Gospel and to be an especial witness in all the world,
building up the Church and regulating {435} the affairs of the same
in all nations, under the direction of the higher authorities of the
Church.
All officers superior to elders are frequently termed elders. The
duties of an elder are thus defined: "An apostle is an elder, and it is
his calling to baptize; and to ordain other elders, priests, teachers,
and deacons; and to administer bread and wine, the emblems of the flesh
and blood of Christ; and to confirm those who are baptized into the
Church, by the laying on of hands for the baptism of fire and the Holy
Ghost, according to the scriptures; and to teach, expound, exhort,
baptize, and watch over the Church; and to confirm the Church, by
the laying on of the hands, and the giving of the Holy Ghost; and to
take the lead of all meetings. The elders are to conduct the meetings
as they are led by the Holy Ghost, according to the commandments and
revelations of God."
The Aaronic, with the Levitical, Priesthood is a subordinate
priesthood. It is called the lesser Priesthood because it is an
appendage to the Melchisedek or higher Priesthood, and acts under its
direction and supervision.
The Aaronic Priesthood comprises bishops, priests, teachers, and
deacons, and has power to administer in certain ordinances and in the
temporal affairs of the Church. "The power and authority of the lesser
or Aaronic Priesthood is to hold the keys of the ministering of angels,
and to administer in outward ordinances, the letter of the Gospel--the
baptism of repentance for the remission of sins;" also to sit as a
common judge in Israel.
The bishopric is the presidency of the Aaronic Priesthood, and
holds the keys or authority of the same. "The office of a bishop
is in administering all temporal things." First-born sons, literal
descendants of Aaron, have a legal right to the bishopric. No other
man has a legal right to the presidency of this Priesthood, and
a first-born descendant of Aaron must be designated by the First
Presidency of the Melchisedek Priesthood, "and found worthy, and
anointed, and ordained under the hands of this presidency," before he
is legally authorized to officiate in the Priesthood. "But as a high
priest of the Melchisedek Priesthood has authority to officiate in all
the lesser offices, he may officiate in the office of bishop when no
literal descendant of Aaron can be found, provided he is called and
set apart and ordained unto this power under the hands of the First
Presidency of the Melchisedek Priesthood."
A bishop who is a first-born descendant of Aaron can sit as a common
judge in the Church without counselors, except when a president of the
High Priesthood is tried. But a {436} bishop from the High Priesthood
must not sit as a judge without his two counselors. In both cases the
jurisdiction of bishops is original, but not exclusive.
Over all the other bishops in the Church there is a presiding bishop,
with two counselors. William B. Preston is the present presiding
bishop, and Robert T. Burton and John R. Winder are his counselors.
The duties of a priest are "to preach, teach, expound, exhort, and
baptize, and administer the sacrament, and visit the house of each
member, and exhort them to pray vocally and in secret, and attend to
all family duties; and he may ordain other priests, teachers, and
deacons; and he is to take the lead of meetings when there is no elder
present; but when there is an elder present he is only to preach,
teach, expound, exhort, and baptize, and visit the house of each
member, exhorting them to pray vocally and in secret, and attend to all
family duties. In all these duties the priest is to assist the elder,
if occasion requires."
The duties of a teacher are "to watch over the Church always, and be
with and strengthen them, and see that there is no iniquity in the
Church, neither hardness with each other, neither lying, backbiting,
nor evil speaking; and see that the Church meet together often, and
also see that all the members do their duty; and he is to take the lead
of meetings in the absence of the elder or priest."
The duties of a deacon are to assist the teacher in his duties in the
Church, if occasion requires. But deacons have more especially to do
with temporalities and are expected to see that the meeting houses are
in comfortable condition for the use of the officers and members of the
Church in their various meetings. It is also the duty of the deacons,
under the direction of the bishops, to look after the welfare of the
poor, and endeavor to supply their necessities.
Teachers and deacons are "appointed to watch over the Church, to be
standing ministers unto the Church." "But neither teachers nor deacons
have authority to baptize, administer the sacrament, or lay on hands.
They are, however, to warn, expound, exhort, and teach, and invite all
to come unto Christ."
No man can hold any office in the Priesthood, in either kind, unless by
authoritative call and ordination, or by special appointment of God.
As a general rule, though with some limitations, an officer in the
Priesthood has power to ordain men to the same office {437} that he
holds, when the candidates are properly called and vouched for.