The Four Gospels

[_Gazelam]

John the Baptist was the one to come and restore the Aaronic Priesthood because he was the last one to hold the Keys of that office. Keys meaning that he has the presiding authority to administer in the affairs of that office.

The Priesthood of Aaron is called the lesser priesthood because it is an appendage to the greater, or Melchizedek Priesthood, and has power of administering outward ordinances.

From Peter, James and John came the Melchizedek Priesthood which holds the powers, keys, and authorities to regulate the affairs of God's earthly Kingdom. These three, who were the First Presidency of the Church in their day, received the keys of the kingdom from the Savior, Moses, and Elias on the Mount of Transfiguration. (Matt. 17:1-13)

Then in June, 1829, they appeared to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery and conferred upon them the following three things: 1. The Melchizedek Priesthood; 2. The keys of the kingdom of God, including the great commision to preach the gospel in all the world; and 3. The keys of the dispensation of the fulness of times. At that appearance Peter and James were resurrected beings and John was translated.

[_Calculus Crusader]

All of the gospels are anonymous; only later were they attributed to specific authors by Early Christian ecclesiastics. Of course, that has nothing to do with their reliability. The apostles were, for the most part, unlettered fishermen, so it should come as no surprise that they did not write accounts in Greek, the lingua franca of the East. Other Christians who were properly educated in Greek were tasked with making the good news of Jesus Christ available to the world.

[_Ray A]

John the Baptist was the one to come and restore the Aaronic Priesthood because he was the last one to hold the Keys of that office. Keys meaning that he has the presiding authority to administer in the affairs of that office.

The Priesthood of Aaron is called the lesser priesthood because it is an appendage to the greater, or Melchizedek Priesthood, and has power of administering outward ordinances.

From Peter, James and John came the Melchizedek Priesthood which holds the powers, keys, and authorities to regulate the affairs of God's earthly Kingdom. These three, who were the First Presidency of the Church in their day, received the keys of the kingdom from the Savior, Moses, and Elias on the Mount of Transfiguration. (Matt. 17:1-13)

Then in June, 1829, they appeared to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery and conferred upon them the following three things: 1. The Melchizedek Priesthood; 2. The keys of the kingdom of God, including the great commision to preach the gospel in all the world; and 3. The keys of the dispensation of the fulness of times. At that appearance Peter and James were resurrected beings and John was translated.

Gaz, on what date did this ordination occur?

[_Calculus Crusader]

Oh, and as for the LDS "priesthood," only Levites hold the Aaronic priesthood, which makes virtually all, if not all, Mormons ineligible, and only Jesus Christ holds the Melchizedek priesthood in this dispensation. Surely, it is a slight to our Lord and Savior's unique, untransferable role for the LDS Church to ordain high priests after the order of Melchizedek.

[_solomarineris]

John the Baptist was the one to come and restore the Aaronic Priesthood because he was the last one to hold the Keys of that office. Keys meaning that he has the presiding authority to administer in the affairs of that office.

The Priesthood of Aaron is called the lesser priesthood because it is an appendage to the greater, or Melchizedek Priesthood, and has power of administering outward ordinances.

From Peter, James and John came the Melchizedek Priesthood which holds the powers, keys, and authorities to regulate the affairs of God's earthly Kingdom. These three, who were the First Presidency of the Church in their day, received the keys of the kingdom from the Savior, Moses, and Elias on the Mount of Transfiguration. (Matt. 17:1-13)

Then in June, 1829, they appeared to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery and conferred upon them the following three things: 1. The Melchizedek Priesthood; 2. The keys of the kingdom of God, including the great commision to preach the gospel in all the world; and 3. The keys of the dispensation of the fulness of times. At that appearance Peter and James were resurrected beings and John was translated.

Are you serious?

[_Ray A]

Are you serious?

Alive serious.

[_Ray A]

I can tell you what actually happened. The concept of this ordination was not promoted until about 1832, and it was received by "revelation", not an actual appearance. Check the History of the Church. And read Whitmer's An Address To All Believers in Christ.

[_Gazelam]

Ray A,

The Melchizedek Priesthood was restored in the early morning of July 5th 1830 according to the testimony of Erastus Snow. Joseph and Oliver were travelling crosslots between Harmony and Colesville staying off the roads to avoid the angry mobs who were persuing them. They had been through numerous court appearances durign the past week and been found innocent by all of the judges.

Addison Everett stated "Joseph and Oliver went to the woods in a few rods, it being night, and they traveled until Oliver was exhausted & Joseph almost carried him through mud and water. They traveled all night and just at the break of day Oliver gave out entirely and exclaimed "O Lord! Hoe long Brother Joseph have we got to endure this thing; Brother Joseph said that at that very time Peter James & John came to them and Ordained them to the Apostleship."

See Rough Stone Rolling by Bushman, pg.116-118

[_Jersey Girl]

Ray A,

The Melchizedek Priesthood was restored in the early morning of July 5th 1830 according to the testimony of Erastus Snow. Joseph and Oliver were travelling crosslots between Harmony and Colesville staying off the roads to avoid the angry mobs who were persuing them. They had been through numerous court appearances durign the past week and been found innocent by all of the judges.

Addison Everett stated "Joseph and Oliver went to the woods in a few rods, it being night, and they traveled until Oliver was exhausted & Joseph almost carried him through mud and water. They traveled all night and just at the break of day Oliver gave out entirely and exclaimed "O Lord! Hoe long Brother Joseph have we got to endure this thing; Brother Joseph said that at that very time Peter James & John came to them and Ordained them to the Apostleship."

See Rough Stone Rolling by Bushman, pg.116-118

Gaz,

Are you entirely certain that Cowdery and Smith didn't simply disappear into the night, cook up the visitation and present it to boost public opinion in their favor?

[_Ray A]

The Melchizedek Priesthood was restored in the early morning of July 5th 1830 according to the testimony of Erastus Snow.

I'm not sure where Snow gets that date, but the HC specifically says that this was received by revelation. Again, I refer you to Whitmer's account. True, he was not there. But both Quinn and Prince have shown, from the historical records, verified by the HC, that this ordination is subject to question.

Where did Bushman get his July 5th date, and why is this not celebrated in Church commemorations of the event?