Hai Elohim
AN OATH OF THE HOLY PRIESTHOOD
TO BE SWORN BY THOSE WHO ARE ORDAINED TO THE OFFICE
OF APOSTLES.
No. 9. UTAH, September 8th, 1860.
I HAVING been duly elected and ordained to the high priesthood, to be an apostle, even one of the special witnesses of Jesus Christ, to bear his name to the nations of the earth, do hereby set my hand to swear an oath according to the order of the holy priesthood, in the presence of the Father, and of the Son, and of his servant, the prophet, who holds the keys of authority on this earth, And I testify that I will uphold him with all my power and abide his counsel in all things until my mission is completed.
The person will then kiss the written word of the Lord, and write his name.
AN OATH OF THE HOLY PRIESTHOOD
TO BE SWORN BY THOSE WHO ARE ORDAINED TO THE OFFICE
OF HIGH PRIESTS.
No. 10. UTAH, September pth, 1860.
I HAVING been ordained to the office of a high priest according to my birthright, holding all keys pertaining to this high and holy' calling, do hereby set my hand to swear an oath according to the order of the holy priesthood, in the presence of the Feather, and of the Son, and of his servant, the prophet, who holds the keys of authority on this earth. And I testify that I will uphold him with all my power, and abide his counsel in all things until my mission is completed on the earth.The person will then kiss the written word of the Lord and write his name.
AN ARTICLE ON ORDINATION
BY THE PROPHET, JOSEPH MORRIS
WEBER, UTAH, May gth, 1861.
1. THE subject of ordination is a subject that has occupied the attention of thousands, many of whom have been lost in confusion while contemplating it, because they have not understood its true order. They have regarded the ordination which a high priest receives upon the earth as though it conferred office upon him finally and independently of any prior or subsequent ordination, whereas, a high priest must receive his ordination to that office in heaven before he can receive it upon the earth. If this were not the case, earthly things would not pattern after heavenly things, but heavenly things would pattern after earthly things, and thus the greater would pattern after the lesser, and this could not be, for earthly things must pattern after heavenly things. There are many who boast of the ordination which they receive under the hands of some man upon the earth, and take it for granted that such earthly ordination is sufficient. Suppose, for instance, that a prophet of the Lord should place his hands upon the head of a man who was only an heir to the priesthood of Aaron, and ordain him to the office of a high priest, would he be a high priest in consequence of such ordination? No; he would be a priest of Aaron, only; and if he officiated in the office of a high priest he would deceive, for the Holy Ghost would not be subject to him. He would be an imposter, for while he made pretentions to be that which he was not, he would deceive every person to whom he administered.
2. Holy Ghosts are resurrected persons, and are all beyond the power of death. They are ministering angels, appointed to direct the footsteps of mortals upon this earth. How, therefore, can they become subject to the sons of Aaron who are in their second estate only, and are all subject to the power of death ?
3. With respect to the mission of Joseph Smith to this earth: we are informed that he received his ordinations, pertaining to the flesh, under the hands of Peter, James, and John. Was that the first ordination he received to become a Prophet? No. He received his first ordination under the hands of his own Father upon a celestial earth, which ordination was understood, acknowledged, and again sealed upon him by Adam in the Garden of Adam-ondi-Ahman; his name was then called Enos. By this we perceive that Joseph Smith was a prophet before Peter, James and John appeared to him. Then what authority did they confer upon him? None. They simply ordained him to the office of a high priest, in order that the previous ordinations which he had received might be acknowledged upon the earth by the people to whom he had to minister; otherwise, they, being ignorant of his authority, would not have acknowledged him as a prophet.