| Show THE ORDINANCE OF confirmation the NEWS is ie in receipt of the following POCATELLO idaho november 14 1895 will you please answer the fol following lowinE 1 we lay our hands upon your head bets and confirm you a member of the churon church of jesus christ of latter day saints and confer upon you or say unto you receive ye t the holy ghost 11 your correspondent holds that the above is right 2 we lav our hands upon your head and seal upon you the holy ghost 8 1 we lay our hands bands upon your head and confirm you a member of the church of jesus christ of latter day saints and seal upon you the holy ghost and may aay unto you receive ye the holy ghost 4 we lay our hands bands upon your head and seal upon you the holy ghost and say unto you receive ye the holy ghost and we confirm you a member of the church of jesus christ of latter day saints 11 of course the above is i done in the name of jesus jeans the four ways above mentioned I 1 have listened to during the last three months A few nights ago they were the occasion of a great deal of discussion as to which was right so 1 I with others thought it would be wise to have the question all answered through the NEWS or church publication As 1 I 1 have been a subscriber of the news for years I 1 took the liberty of asking this question as to which esthe is the pro proper er lorm form if either trusting you will finT find room in your paper to reply as I 1 think we should have something definite in this important matter I 1 remain your brother in the gospel THOMAS ta L cox I 1 replying to the inquiry as to which it if either of the forms suggested by our cr correspondent respondent as being used in the laying laving on of bania bands for conferring the holy ghost la in the proper one we will say gay that that numbered one line lias all tte te essential features and none that is in objectionable and to la substantially correct the other three forms contain an erroneous statement of principle and should not dot be used A comparison between them and the form first given will show the distinction the holy ghost Is itself a teall coaling foaling og minister and the use of the word ealan eal seal POIn ln conferring the spirit is inappropriate the second form given does not dot even approach the proper ordinance and if any elder eider should use it the presiding officer ought to exercise his calling and in los st et upon the fulfilment fulfillment of the conditions that make up the form of the ordinance so go far as laying on of bands to in conferring the holy ghost Is in concerned there to Is no set not form of words but the elements to be included in the ordinance are clearly set riot out it the officiating elder were after naming his bis authority or the one for whom he be sets acts to say ill 1 I bonfi confirm rm you a member of the church of jesus christ of latter day saints and soy bay unto you receive ye the holy ghost the ordinance would be complete further words may be used as an suggested by the spirit in the way of tx counsel coun or a prayer tor for blessings blesa logs but they add no force to the ordinance of confirmation itself which is in comprised to in very few words the habit which acme have of en engaging gasting in ft a long prayer etc is to be dl di scour aged the conferring of the holy ghost to is a distinct ordinance from giving a patriarchal blessing essing bj anis of laying on OD of hands bands Is IB the wean means of confirming a member iu in the church that is an essential feature in its proper performance the baptism of the is necessary to complete the birth into the church alonet alo nethe be immersion in the water is only a halt half the other must follow to complete the ceremony which makes a church member the baptism of the be spirit comprises the tion of membership and conferring the holy act being performed by proper authority antho in the same connection a quibble is sometimes raised over the words worda receive the sift gift of the holy ghost 02 and receive yo ye the holy ghost used io in the scriptures it if those who contend that tue former to ii the necessary language would only recall the foot fact that the drat words quoted were used in ID preaching a discourse die course and not la in actual performance of the ceremony they would soon see eee the weakness of their claim for alleged ex act language it la Is very seldom that a preacher given the full and precise text of a ceremony the idea usually being stated as was the came with the apostle peter on the occasion of the sermon quoted from As to the other expression the remark that there la in no set form ot of words but an explicit state merit ment of the ideas ideal to be expressed ought to be sufficient for the comprehension of every elder to set bet this matter definitely at rest however we may call attention to the fact that thai the first presidency has ruled that the holy ghost and not the gilt gift of the holy ghost oh oat should be conferred in the ordinance or of referring to the baking asking of questions on tola thin subject we will may aay wat tuat their presentation to proper authorities even if the inquirer be on the mistaken mie taken side ide is ia far preferable erable rable to proceeding wrong fully in ignorance and such eboh inquiries an aa the one replied to here may be sp ap submitted to stake author attee and by them hem to higher officers where necessary that the elders and saints sainto generally may be thoroughly instructed in these mal galtere tere |
