Mormon Theology no. 38 - The Restoration of the Aaronic Priesthood by John the Baptist

The foundation of the Latter-day Saints' claim, which is legitimate, of being the only Church on Earth recognized by God as having proper Priesthood Authority, is laid by John the Baptist.  This is the same John the Baptist who baptized Jesus of Nazareth in the river Jordan.

The event occurred on 15 May 1829.  The Prophet Joseph Smith had continued to translate, by the power of God, the Book of Mormon, and Oliver Cowdery had continued to write for Joseph.  I now quote from Joseph Smith's own account:

We still continued the work of translation, when, in the ensuing month (May, 1829), we on a certain day went into the woods to pray and inquire of the Lord respecting baptism for the remission of sins, that we found mentioned in the translation of the plates.  While we were thus employed, praying and calling upon the Lord, a messenger from heaven descended in a cloud of light, and having laid his hands upon us, he ordained us, saying: Upon you my fellow servants, in the name of Messiah, I confer the Priesthood of Aaron, which holds the keys of the ministering of angels, and of the gospel of repentance, and of baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; and this shall never be taken again from the earth until the sons of Levi do offer again an offering unto the Lord in righteousness. (JS-H 1:68-69)

Now, this event, according to the Law of Witnesses, actually occurred, because there is more than one witness attesting to the truth thereof.  Oliver Cowdery wrote, 

On a sudden, as from the midst of eternity, the voice of the Redeemer spake peace to us, while the veil was parted and the angel of God came down clothed with glory, and delivered the anxiously looked for message, and the keys of the Gospel of repentance. What joy! what wonder! what amazement! While the world was racked and distracted—while millions were groping as the blind for the wall, and while all men were resting upon uncertainty, as a general mass, our eyes beheld, our ears heard, as in the ‘blaze of day’; yes, more—above the glitter of the May sunbeam, which then shed its brilliancy over the face of nature! Then his voice, though mild, pierced to the center, and his words, ‘I am thy fellow-servant,’ dispelled every fear. We listened, we gazed, we admired! . . . we received under his hand the Holy Priesthood as he said, ‘Upon you my fellow-servants, in the name of Messiah, I confer this Priesthood and this authority, which shall remain upon earth, that the Sons of Levi may yet offer an offering unto the Lord in righteousness!’ . . . The assurance that we were in the presence of an angel, the certainty that we heard the voice of Jesus, and the truth unsullied as it flowed from a pure personage, dictated by the will of God, is to me past description, and I shall ever look upon this expression of the Savior’s goodness with wonder and thanksgiving while I am permitted to tarry. (Messenger and Advocate, vol. 1 (October 1834), p. 14–16)

To further illuminate the necessity of the restoration of the Aaronic Priesthood, and to also further prove that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the only authorized Church of God on the earth, I quote President Joseph Fielding Smith.  Said he, "It is contrary to the order of heaven for those who have passed beyond the veil to officiate and labor for the living on the earth, only wherein mortal man cannot act, and thereby it becomes necessary for those who have passed through the resurrection to act for them. (Essentials in Church History, 27th ed. (1974), p. 58)"  

President Oliver Cowdery further testified, 

He [Joseph Smith] was ordained by the angel John, unto the lesser or Aaronic priesthood, in company with myself, in the town of Harmony, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, on Fryday, the 15th day of May, 1829. . . . our souls were drawn out in mighty prayer—to know how we might obtain the blessings of baptism and of the Holy Spirit, according to the order of God, and we diligently sought for the right of the fathers and the authority of the holy priesthood, and the power to admin[ister] in the same: … the Lord … answered us out of the heavens, and while we were in the heavenly vision the angel came down and bestowed upon us this priesthood. (Patriarchal Blessing Book 1, p. 8–9, Historical Dept., Archives Division, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Salt Lake City)

The foregoing quotations seem sufficient enough to give credence to the Latter-day Saint argument concerning Priesthood and the rightful claim thereto.  I add my witness that I know the Priesthood of Aaron was restored by John the Baptist on the heads of Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery.  I know The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the only true and living Church on the face of the whole earth.  I know the Book of Mormon is true and testifies of Jesus Christ the Son of God.  In the Name of Jesus Christ, amen!

Mormon Theology no. 15 - Baptism Essential For Salvation

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints teaches the essential need of baptism to open the door to salvation.  In previous articles, I have shown how the LDS Church is the only Church on earth recognized by God.  In this essay, I will now show why baptism is essential for salvation, both through scripture and words of the Prophet Joseph Smith.

President Joseph Smith once defined the meaning of baptism by saying,

"[Baptism] is a sign and a commandment which God has set for man to enter into His kingdom. Those who seek to enter in any other way will seek in vain; for God will not receive them, neither will the angels acknowledge their works as accepted, for they have not obeyed the ordinances, nor attended to the signs which God ordained for the salvation of man, to prepare him for, and give him a title to, a celestial glory (HC 4:554)."

This is a bold statement.  The President says that the ordinance is a sign set by God for enterance into the Kingdom of God.  Our Savior said to Nicodemus,  

"Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.  Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?  Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God (John 3:3-5)."

The sectarian will say that he has been born again and accepted Christ into his heart, but one must do more than just lip-service; one must be baptised.  Joseph Smith says that "Being born again comes by the Spirit of God through ordinances (HC 3:392)." 

This precisely why President Smith said,  

"In the former ages of the world, before the Savior came in the flesh, 'the saints' were baptized in the name of Jesus Christ to come, because there never was any other name whereby men could be saved; and after he came in the flesh and was crucified, then the saints were baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, crucified, risen from the dead and ascended into heaven, that they might be buried in baptism like him, and be raised in glory like him, that as there was but one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and father of us all, even so there was but one door to the mansions of bliss (Times and Seasons, Sept. 1, 1842, p. 9)."

This is ratified by both the Bible and the Book of Mormon.  In the Bible, we see John the Baptist baptising even before Jesus has wraught His Atonement.  600 years before Christ, Nephi said this,

"And now, if the Lamb of God, he being holy, should have need to be baptized by water, to fulfil all righteousness, O then, how much more need have we, being unholy, to be baptized, yea, even by water!  And now, I would ask of you, my beloved brethren, wherein the Lamb of God did fulfil all righteousness in being baptized by water?  Know ye not that he was holy? But notwithstanding he being holy, he showeth unto the children of men that, according to the flesh he humbleth himself before the Father, and witnesseth unto the Father that he would be obedient unto him in keeping his commandments (2 Nephi 31:5-7)."

So here we learn that baptism is not only a sign of enterance into the Kingdom of God leading to salvation, but it is also a covenant with God that we will keep His commandments.  I know baptism is essential for salvation, and that it is only valid in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  In the name of Jesus Christ, amen!