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Show 'J i v ist)mt:-4wt.- , Usiwri.' i , Ji1! W T & :U' ajjjiiMiiifSl'tfejgeEiaiS &&USw t i(gil rfifeiiwliilidiijii TK'JJ4 T fflBffH&nnrif fjf if frimliiTf iVunfra1'! 4 4v-f- 4 ChurcK Department. , HUS DESERET NEWS, SATURDAY, MAY 21, 1932. jIMPORTANCE OF AAOMC PRIESTHOOD Addrm "i Delivered In addreaalng you this upon tho subject referredafternoon the prayer offered by Biahop toLong-dc-in and which la appropriate for this day, I mayverybare ooc avion to mention a number of thins r quite familiar to members of tbe Church. But Inaamuch a there are, perhaps, people prevent and that mar be Katenin who are not member of the Church, I hall take ocoaalon to refer to a number, of matter In detail reorder that subject in our tardingmaytheunderatand porthey tion . ration of Aaronio lreUiood. Tin i an important anniversary in the history of the Church. On hundred and three year ao today In a Utile village In the northern part of Pennsylvania, near the two young Susquehanna river,, Oliver and Smith n. llr-Mt- o men, Joseph In the Cowdery, were engaged tianalatton of Ih Book of Mormon the record of the ancient Inhabitant of America, While they were so engaged the subject of baptism by Immersion, referred to In that volume, waa before them. Not being familiar with this Important principle, and , desiring further Information they went Into the woods nearby to pray to Uod for light on this sating ordinance. A heavenly bethey prayed ing appeared to them, a resurrected, glorified, being who declared to them that he waa known same by the name of John, th John th Baptist who had lived In the time of the Savior, who waa his and preached th U cupel of repentance and baptised t hbee who came to repentance, la the lilver Jordan, It stated to them that ho earn under th authand John, ority of Peter.whoJames had received th th Apostloa, Mel of tho of krya authority from ihlsedck Priesthood th He waa upon tha Savior when earth, and who atilt held those hi hands upon theso key. It laidmen two and uttered the young utile wot it In memo! ordaining them you my fellow servant. Tpnn In the name of Messlsh, 1 confer which the Priesthood of Aaron. holda th keys of tha ministering of mi iff la, and of th gospel of repentance, and of baptism by Immersion for the remission of slna. Ily that ordination he answered thdr query and their desire lot light. It further Instructed them with regard to tho duUea and of lb Aaronlo Priestauthority hood which he had conferred upon them, and then told them that they should baptls each other In the river Susquehanna which waa nearby, and that they should then outaln each other to the Aaronlo Priesthood. This they did. Thareby first ordained of they wore th men In this dispensation, os welt as having rcoolved the divine ordifrom him. nation of John the DptM. Authority Who waa thla heavenly messenger this John the Baptist? You will remember In reading the New Tiwtamcnt that he waa a descendant of Aaron, a High Priest, who ministered with and under the direction of Moses. John the Iloptlst was especially ordained for th purpose of preparing the way for the Savior himself, and he was commissioned, as stated, to preach the gospel of repentance to the Jews who had fallen awnv from tbe teachlnim of Moses, it wss bo should necessary that they taught again the Importance be-of faith, repentance and baptism, fore the Bon of Man should come to confer spiritual blessings, lie had held the keys of authority of the Aaronlo rrlesthood, which he delivered to thase men. History of the Aaronlo Priesthood, With regard to the Aaronia You will remember priesthood: whom that Aaron, after this priesthood was named, the older brother of Moses, was called when Moses expressed his Inability to perform certain things which tha Lord required of him. Th Lord Inspired him to call Aaron. Moses had th authority of tho priesthood of and he was authorised to ordain Aaron to art In the prleatly offtce tho office to which he waa called Tho authority of that priesthood Is known ns the Aaronlc priesthood, or th priesthood of Aaron. It was conferred upon Aaron, and was promised to him and his lineage among the children of Israel, to labor In the sanctuary to offer aacrlficea In symbolism of th great sacrifice, to perform a variety of duties, to serve th people; o that continued priesthood the lineage of Aaron fromthroughout that tlma until the time of John the Baptist, who. as the lineal descendant of Aaron, was authorized to receive and to magnify that priesthood. Meaning and Functions of the Sunday Af Ur noon. May IS, 1932, in the Sait Lake Tabernacle by Pretid in Bit hop Sylvetter Q. Cannon How la th v Os fort-runn- Priesthood. What Is tho meaning and what are the functions of the hood T Priesthood Is defined priestas tha entire order, office or character of those ordained to aorve Ood and perform religious rites." Another priesthood organised ? Paul aays In hla eptatle to th Corinthians, and llkewls to th Bpho-sian- s: "And God hath sot som In th ehurch, first apostloa. second-arll- y prophets," etc, And w find In the Now Tea tamest and In tba Old Testament, in th organisation this Roman Catholic church th minister are priests tn th meaning of the Old Testament. They an mediator between th people and ttod. Tht y offer sacrifices for tho people in the consecrated emblems, and lliey Intel cede for sinners This claim and this attitude I denied hy the Protestants They maintain that there arc no thiat Jesue f'hiUt Is the only priests; priest; that he Is tbe mediator between mn and Clod, that be alone has across to Ood unit that th clergymen are only the ministers among th people Th Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-daHalnta has received divine revelations th through Prophet Joseph Rmlth regarding the organisation and order of the priesthood. The duties of th priesthood ns taught by the vtbr himself, are observed In this Church. Those who bear the priesthood nr not ihe masters bqt the servant of ths people. They labor for the welfare of the people, for th edvancemrnt of ait understanding of tho principles of tho gospel, for th performance ol th ordinance of th d to promote faith and gospel right-- , eouanes generally among mankind. Nearly all th male memf th Church recelv ber th priesthood. It Is contingent only upon their faith and their willing-t- o accept th responsibility I" fi g n.g u Sr' - j y thr 8. f ' In this Church, as th Latter-da- y Balnta know, there is no preachth t ing for hire. In other word ministers ars not salaried.- - Th tremendous proportion of those who bear the priesthood are laboring tn their own occupations, maintaining themselves by their own livelihood, and In addition thereto giving splendid service and considerable time for the promo-lion Of the work that is placed In their hands In fulfillment of the rMponribllltlcs that or resting upon them. Uscaua of tb large number who take part th Conresponsibility Is distributed. sequently, priesthood members can follow thlr own occupations, and earn their own living; and Is no burden upon the people. Only the general authorities ths gen- eral administrative officer of th Church a a wholef-a- r engaged In church eervloe, In dtreotlng tha la affair work, and setting ardor, It ha been claimed by thoes of other churches, sometime, that because of cur organisation it la not to b expected that member of th priesthood In tb Church can epeclalla la their catling and en labor os affectively os the who gave their entire Urn and effort to this work, It may be true that many of those who are called do not qualify a orator or outstanding preacher. On th other hand, there Is a and oaraeataos to th spontaneity sermons of th officer of thla Church that to But Utar I another Impressive. phase that 1 Important, and that Is that they r In eontact with th understand their pro people, blema they because they experience those same problems and dlfftcul-tie- s. They ean fed and consideration, they ran partake ot that spirit of kindliness and helpfulness which Is always an evidence of th priesthood of God and It workings among man' kind. At th sum time, coming In rontart with the problems which manklfid have to meet, men who haw tn can labor priesthood more effectively and more helpin fully overcoming those (problems. a practical They hav viewpoint that Is helpful, t These men who bear tha priesthood or doing their part toward building up , th Church, by tb payment of tholr tithe just aa faithfully and In many Instances more so, than other members of th Church, and giving In addition a considerable , part of their time for thl service. Growth f tho Aaronlo Priesthood From th tim Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery received thin ordination under the hands of John the Baptist in that little settlement fn Pennsylvania, under persecution and in adversity th Church has grown, and tho membership of tho Aaronlo Priesthood has Increased steadily. At th present time there -- cler-gym- rrff Missionaries Seijd Greetings pipvPspMpiapiiviiiiii 'r llQ II definition lot Divine authority to act for title Lord. How does It function? Tbe Savior taught hla Apostles rather exwith to the respontensively regard sibilities and functions of those who received thla authority. Among other things those who received It were to preach the administer th ordinances gospel, of th gospel, serve tho members and prumot faith and righteousness. there t no larger and moreSurely important task and responsibility than this In tha church of Christ. How are those who receive this priesthood to to -- elected ? We are told It la by ordination, through th laying on of hands by those having tha necessary authority You know th statement that "no man taketh this honor unto himself, but he that Is called of aod, so was Aaron. You will remember that the Havtor himself in th latter part of his ministry. Instructing hla Apostles, said to thorn: "Ye hav not choaon me. but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ya should go and bring forth fruit; and that your fruit should remain." f f fellow-sympat- Tbe spring conference ot Schncldemuhlor district of tbe mission waa held In Schneldcniulil, 100 mite nut at Berlin, April ISth, mb and lk lb. Saints and friends gathered from far and near to hear the missionaries and local brethren In a number of well attended meetings. One of saints traveled ovrr 100 group ntNoe to and from conform re on of the church, Ihe names of thus various officers, such as apostles, prophets, evangelists, high priests, seventies eldeis, prhstat teaohers and deacons, all included and having their dlffyient functions to perform. What la the duration of the priesthood? Y'ou will remember that whenever there has been a church of Qod upon the earth the the priesthood thereof have functioned authority tn that church. But th duration of the priesthood la not limited to tho Church earth alone, aa we underatand.uponIt U from eternity to eternity. Tou will remember that Paul in writing to the Hebrew and discussing th priesthood of Melehlscdek, and referring to Mclchiaedek himself, makes a statement which has confused people many times of th man In connection Speaking with th authority which ho possessed, hs ad says: "Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days nor and of life; but made like unto th Son of God, abldcth a priest eon He spoke of Me lchise-dettnually. but tn this Instance without question, he waa referring to th authority which he possessed, that without beginning of or end f life. It Is eternal. days Priesthood prevails unquestionably in the eternal worlds. Men who recelv th priesthood were doubtless of that order her before they came here, and will retain it if they are faithful after they leave bore. Different Views Regarding Priesthood . There are different views th character of priestgardlng hood in th Church of Christ k, among various denominations, la bicycles foe tills event. The above mlMlonartra join In sending greet. Inga to their friends at homo and Jo ail Nairn of the wortdt Front to Wendell Bolt Joke, district president)Ncbvm, Mission President Oliver II. Book row, left to right! Bodge; Ruloa Itastmml, Balt Lothian Hep. Worth, Balt Lake; Darrell Bcheller, Snlt Lake; and Preston Mortimer. Idaho. (P. Wendell Nelson.) and fulfill the duties thereof. There is no limit and no elect order, There ie no special preparation required for th priesthood except that those who do receive It shall have understood beforehand some of the responsibilities, be faithful tn observing gospel principles, and be willing to perform diligently the duties and labors. You will remember that Apostle Peter In writing to Church makes this statement: J "Y also, as lively stones, built up a spiritual house. holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices. There la no clergy and no laity IJn the Church. All male members, stated, have the privilege, if they are worthy, to recelv the While It is true that trieathood. not receive the priesthood they enjoy the privileges connected therewith in connection With their husbands and fathers, and also their sons. Women have Other responsibilities in th Church duties which are Important for th welfare of their sex. Because of the first commandment given to mankind, as contained in the first chapter of Genesis, which appllea to all members of ths Church, including those who bear Ut priesthood, there to no celiwe bacy in the Church, because believe that marriage is ordained f God for all men. Again, there la no priestly garb worn by tha officers of th Church and all who bear th priesthood. Like the apostles of old ths customary clothing la wont by tboaa who recelv tha priesthood, aa well as by tb members The only scansion when special clothing la wora is in tempi ordinance work. are throughout th Church th numbers: In th Stakes Wards of ths Church nearly "! 1 00 who , bear th Aaronlo , Priesthood; In the. Missions shout ll.ooo a total of about II,-0who hear thta hood. Thera are priest-,too priests; 11,000 tesehera; 10-.. 00 deacons a mighty army of boys and young men and older men who are qualifying in ths labors and dutlea of that priesthood, to carry greater responsibility through th training they or now obtaining and th labors they are perforating. . Co mlitions Preceding Orflsittia What are tha conditions far ordination to th Aaronlo Priesthood ; and who may obtain It? I hav . said that practically all mal mem- - , bero of ths Church rsoolva tho priesthood, first may th Aavonla and then th Melehlaodek.' which comprehend the Aaronlo and holds the higher authority. Who rain!am Jln th Church, show Gospel and la seeking to gain knowledge of Its , I to live Inprinciple! endeavoring accordance with th instruction and ' commandments given (e tba Church, he is to be ordained to threcommended Aaronlo Priest-- . hood. Generally ho receives tha cfflc deacon. Aa ha shows hto worthiness, ha la ordained a then d priest; T ,a,r on advanced to and, tha Melchisedek priesthood. Also, bora who have been bora la tb Church lb tha Church hf.T.vb" they are about twelve who hav ?fi.?i0f,v!;Coop!, who llv Shown clean Rhow ft wUlinirneiii to c and fTpt ties of ths priesthood, roipoMlbtn hav some understanding of that responalbt-It- y, and try to liv th Gospel, ara recommended aluo for ordination prat,ofos deacons, then after a period training, aa teachers, and then prleata Dntira of Priesthood duties of thl What are th priesthood? In this Church there are specific functions (Continued On Pag ing f 00 "" of, Jhr- rl1 |