Show 0 X S C 0 TT T T M S MI 1 BY jom TAYLOE DELIVERED in the tabernacle ogden city sunday morning muzy july isch 1880 BY liy JAMES TAYLOR waylor I 1 AM ax pleased this morning to have the opportunity of meeting with the saints sainta in this place if you will try to bo be still I 1 will endeavor to lay before you a few principles on the subject concerning which your president enquired of me a few days ago it seems that there have been somewhere some bome where in this 8 stake difficult ties existing between the th bishop of a ward and certain members of his ward failing to arrive at an amicable settlement the parties appealed against the bishop to the high council Counell president peery sent bent a telegram desiring my answer to r the question whether a high council had wi authority thorl to try P a bishop I 1 could have answered yes and I 1 could have answered no to that question but it was a matter that would require some explanation and on which the brethren in many instances are not very well informed I 1 knew it would be almost useless to give an answer of that kind without making some little explanation thereto because there are some things with which more than one truth is connected if you were to ask me whether I 1 am dres woolen clothes or cr cotton I 1 could not give you an answer 3 in the simple words yes or no because part of them are woolen part rt of them cotton and part 0 of r them linen A and nd I 1 should need peed time to explain in orn oro arp y t 9 injo e Pries tho d which cannot bean be n categorically wi without alth 0 ut t further ex explanation and aa as this thia IS a conference I 1 wish to make mahe a few re maiks concerning them but I 1 do not propose to enter into all the the detail of these would ibor bedtime time nor naif alf air a line nine nor a quarter time I 1 simply Iro propose pose to make a few remarks regard in to td the th e quei guei question stion that was asked meby mo b your president 1 I will here read on this subject a passage that people take up some times without understanding it andy consequently when theodoso they do oso obo so they are apt to make quite quile qui e a number of mi jnita takes kes the passage to which I 1 will refer you is the veree of section in the book boos of doctrine and aud covenants after 1 reading it you would think you had bad got the whole answer but then you might not have it although you might think you had and again no bishop or high nigh priest who shall be set pet apart for this ministry shall be tried or condemned I 1 for any crime savo save it be pe bemore before the presidency ot of the church now does not that look very plain it apart from the context and it if we do not examine the other parts associated therewith I 1 will further read some more pertaining to this matter which will be found in the book of Doctrine and covenants page section 68 ven iver ver 14 thero remal neth ceth hereafter her earter la in the due time of the lord other bishops to be set get apart unto the church to minister even according accord ing to the first 15 11 wherefore they shall bo be high priests who are worthy and they shall be appointed by the first presidency of 0 the 21 priesthood except they bo be literal descendants of aaron cila 18 and if they bo be literal descendants of aaron t hey they have a legal right to the bishopric it if thet they are the first born among the sons of aaron 1617 17 for tho tha firstborn first born holds ho the right of the lency over this priesthood and the keys or authority of the same now 1 I 1 desire to draw your attention to one thin thing very distinctly that you may comprehend for cifor the first bom born holds the right of presidency over this priesthood over what priesthood the bishopric there is a presidency in that priesthood and this first born of the literal descendants of aaron would have llave a legal alega right to that presidency no man has hns a legal hight right t to th this Is office to hold the keys of aels this priesthood I 1 except pt ho he be a literal descendant of arron aaron and the first born among his sons then ho he would have a legal hight right to it I 1 could tell you tho the reason why but it would take too long a time and these things will be spoken of hereafter more fully but I 1 wish to speak of one or two leading pl principles pertaining to this subject and as a high priest of the edek priesthood has au authority thorl ty to toofil OM clate elate in all the lesser offices he may officiate in the office of BI bishop when no literal descendant of aaron can be found and it is 18 stated and they shall be set apart under the hands of the first presidency of the tire leleh lelch isedee priesthood to what authority to what power to what calling to what bishopric to the presiding bishopric this Js what is hero here referred to verse verso 20 and a literal descendant of aaron alsot also aiso must bo be de designated by this presidency and found worthy and anon ted tod and ordained under the hands bands of this thia presidency otherwise they are not legally authorized to officiate in their priesthood 1121 21 but by virtue of the dearee dearce concerning their right of the priesthood I 1 ie e rending from father to son they may claim their annotating it if at any time thac can prove their lineage or do ascertain it by revelation f rom bom om the lord under der the hands of the above named presidency without that the presiding bishop could not by ber get et apart because there is where the au authority 1 is placed 1122 22 and again no or high prien priest who shall bo be set apart for this thia ministry shall be tried or condemned for any crime save it be before the hirst first presidency pre of the church in regard to what minis ministry 2 why the presidency of the ic priesthood that is what Is here spoken of 23 and inasmuch as he la Is found guilty before this presidency deric by testimony thit thu cannot be impeached he 6 shall be condemned 24 and it he repents he shall b ini givena according ec to the covenants and ourn curn commandments mand of the church now then I 1 ivill read you something more on the same subject which will be found in the tile booc of doctrine and covenant cotenant oze dze section verse 1 there are in ta the tha church two priesthood namely the tha and Aaron lc le including the priesthood 62 62 way wh tho the first is called the priesthood 0 Is bemuse because meichi MelchI sedek was such a great high priest 3 besore before hib hia day it was called the hau hay priesthood after the order of the son of god t respect or reverence to tho the name of the supreme being to avoid the too frequent repetition of his name they the church in ancient clays days called that priesthood after or the tho bleach de k I 1 priesthood S AU e r or m or hi 14 06 cbs 4 phurah gith 11 4 t to ota wa 01 gfa 8 two divisions or stand grand heads oue Is 13 the priesthood td and the iho other la Is the Aaron aaronie lc le or priesthood 7 the ibe office of inelder an eider rider comes cornea under the priesthood of ir fc 8 gho iho 1 he priesthood holds the right of presidency and has power and au over all iho the offices in the tha chuich church chui chul ch la in all ace of 0 tho the world to adin administer talmer talker la in ap nit ritual things neg nog now new here H a principle developed that I wish to call your attention toi toj to aud and that is that it is uie hie especial prerogative of the Melchi meichi sedek priesthood and has been in all ages agea of the world to administer adminis terin in spiritual things 21 and to have the tiie right of presidency in those thine but then here is another disimine distinction that I 1 wish to call you your atten ratten tion to at the same time which ia 18 found fi in the next verse 9 the presidency of the high priesthood after the order of Melch holch sedek have a right to officiate in all the la in the chirch spiritual or temporal 1 I but there is a difference between be the general authority of the mel ale chi sedek priesthood aal the one that is designated that presides over them all and that which presides over the whole has the right to administer in all things the prie rrie chood is an appendage unto the meichi Melchi sedek priesthood and is under its direction a I 1 mention these things that you bishops and you seventies and you high priests and you elders and you high councilor Counci lors and you preal dents 0 of f stakes and Counci councilor lors may comp reVend resend the poil position tion of or things lings ti as atre indie Indle indicated aed and as was said formerly I 1 think it was waa by paul that you may be able to rightly d di vide the word of truth and give to every man his portion in due sea season beason soll these thebe principles a are re written here and are very plain if they are understood but if ir not understood then they are mysterious and it is required of us to make ourselves acquainted with the principles inculcated and herein developed the things that I 1 have mentioned are plain to the minds of all intelligent latter day saint saints who have d the doctrine and cov on these points ver 10 aih priests after the tho order of the Melchi sedek priesthood bave havn a right to officiate clane clate in their own standing under the tho direction of the Pr presidency lu in administering spiritual things and find also in the office of an elder fidero priest of the order teacher er deacon and member r that is the reason why as soon as they possess this priesthood and right if they are appointed to any particular office in tilo tiko hoech honch hurch they have a right to administer in that office I 1 will now speak a little upon lipon the high priesthood this high priest hood we are told has held vie hie night right of presidency in all ages of inie inne abe world but there is a dit dif lerance be tween the general powers of tile the priesthood and anti the particular office and calling to which men are feet apart and you when I 1 tell you will understand it very easily for in stance the presidency of the priest hood or the Pre presidency sidmey of the church are high priests osta the rhe twelve are high priest tio tle the tie presidents 0 stakes and their counci lorg lore the high council of or a stake and of all the tile stakes are high t priests the bishops are ordained and set apart through the high higi priesthood and stand in the same capacity rapacity and thus thui bishops and their councilors councillors Counci lors are high priests N now 0 W 2 these things you all sw w there is nothing mysterious about them there ii another question associated with ith this matter because a man is a high priest is he lie an Ap osle no because a man is a high priest is 18 he the president of a stake or th the ei counselor to th the ei i resl ire resident of a stake no because he be ia lo a high priest is he be a bishop no not nat ty by any means anti and so on in all the various offices tile high priesthood holds the authority to administer citerin in those ordinances offices and places when they are appointed by the proper authorities and find at no other time and while t they bey are eu sustained stained also by the people now tiie tilee e are the distinctions that I 1 tn 0 simply to clas cias classify siry them and when there is anything said about out a high priest est you say 1 I am rim a high priest and if sueh such a man mail lias hass laut authority hority I 1 have it you havo if you have been appointed lo 10 it or you have not if you have not you have it if you are appointed to till the office and are properly called and set apart to that office but unless you are you have not got that office but still you are a high priest and high 11 priests after the order of the Melchi sedek priesthood have a rl right I 1 cl ht to officiate iu lu their own standing under the direction of the deiley denty in administering spiritual spi api ritu a things but they must bo be under tho r 44 re r N P haw here is where the question comes int n Is I 1 it t not plain when you look Z at it to me it is very distinct and pointed and it is to you who are in tell igent and have studied there things it is not because a man mail hold holds a certain class of priesthood that th a t he lie is I 1 8 to administer in all tile the offices of that priesthood ho he at ad ministers in then them ionly only as he lie 1 is 4 called and set apart for that purpose hence as you are organized here you have a presidency they were presented here for you to vote upon and after that they were set apart to administer in that office but bolt sup posing brother peery and hi counselors had bad not been called and set ret apart would they have a right to administer in the office of the presidency si no inq they would not and you can all see it when you reflect upon it now then ai aci we have read a high priest arter after the order of the Melchi meichi sedek Priest priesthood Prie hoof has tile right to administer under the direction of the presidency tency Jency in all till spiritual things and also in jn the office of an elder priest teacher deacon and member and anti in the following verses we read that ill al 11 an elder has the right to onni officiate cate in hia hla stead when the high priest la Is not present lo 10 1 I 12 the high priest and E elden elder id er are to ad mint ster ater in spiritual things ag ng e ahe able to the tho covenants ani uni of the church nd d ha e a right to otti cute in all the these e offices of the church when there are no hi her authorities present pix pit sent 1113 13 the ube second priesthood la is called th priesthood of htwa it i inferred red d upon laroa laron and his seed throughout all their generations 6 14 why it la Is called the lesser priesthood 13 because it is ban an a ppe dage idAe to I 1 ho he greater 0 or r the I 1 lle lie Melchi meichi mt sedek priesthood and has power I 1 n adm inist ning ring outward ord ordinances the tho bish phio la Is the pre pro presidency adelcy of this and holds the kejs kess or authority of the same we will read a little further gilel 18 no man has a legal right to 0 o this office to hold the keys of ihla this Prest bood hood 4 ex capt he be a literal descendant of aaron that Is i he has no legal right but in regard to certain conditions condl condi lions pertaining to I 1 do nob not propose to enter into an investigation tin til s morning ver 17 but aa as a high priest of the mel mei ehi chi sedek priesthood has authority to offic officiate hite tite in all the lesser offices be he may officiate in the ehe office of bishop bon hon when ben no literal of aaron can be found provided ho he la Is caled and set ap arrand artAnd ordained ordAl ned un unto to this his I 1 power by the ha hands handa n d s of the Preel denci cf of I 1 he tha dek priesthood 11 to what power to hold hoid the keys of this priesthood and to preside dinv inv over ovey pr tiie tile aaronie prin abood ver 18 the power and authority of the higher or prie priesthood fa to hoki boxt the tha keys of all the spiritual blessings of the ibe church 19 1 to have bare the privilege of re receiving celvin th tha nus nuB tenie terie of the kingdom of he hatinen avento to guve geve have hate the heavens opened unto them to comm commute ute uie ule with the general assembly and aid church of the first born borni aud and to enjoy the tho comm communion linion ani ant pre secco serce of god dod the 1 ather rather and jesus the balat bilat mediator of the new covenant IM tho iho power and authority of the lesser 0 or r caronto priesthood Is to hold the t ha key kelset a f the t he mui mul of angels and to in outward ordinances the letter of the gos edel the baptism apts in of repentance for tho the there thore i epel mission of sins bins agreeable to the covenants and commandments 1121 21 jf fit necessity there are presidents or presiding officers frowine growing out of or int ed of or from among those who are oi to 10 the |