Without Disclosing My True Identity
An Historical-Critical Examination
Try as they may, no honest LDS/Mormon scholar can find a definite account of the
restoration of the Melchizedek Priesthood in any of the historical annals of the Mormon
faith. First and foremost, the Melchizedek Priesthood does not exist outside of the Mormon
faith. It was invented by men who desired it and it was suffered to come into existence by the
man whom these men looked to as their mouthpiece of God—Joseph Smith.
Joseph made various allusions to the restoration of this “high priesthood”
throughout his ministry. He became an expert at fulfilling his role in assisting God in taking
away His plainness from the people and delivering unto them many things that they could
not understand, because they desired it. And because they desired it God commanded
Joseph to do it so that they would stumble.
Brigham Young and his chosen leaders did all they could to present some kind of
story that collaborated the claim of priesthood restoration. Neither the early Book of
Commandments (1833), nor the 1835 Doctrine and Covenants—both predecessors to the current
LDS Doctrine and Covenants—contained what Brigham Young and subsequent leaders
included in their own version of church Doctrine and Covenants. D&C, section 2, is not in
either book. Section 13 is not there. Sections 17, 32, 51, 57, and 65–138 were never in the
original Book of Commandments. Sections 77, 85, 87, 103, 105, and 108–138 were not put in the
official church “scripture” until Brigham Young’s tenure. It should be noted that sections
108 through 138 (with the exception of sections 133 and 134) were given after the 1835
edition of the D&C and could not have been included in prior editions. Nevertheless,
anything that Brigham included in his Doctrine and Covenants after 1876, especially including
these post-1835 revelations, is suspect of having been changed, edited, and distorted to give
credibility to “things that they sought for that they could not understand.”^201
Mormon apologists have attempted to use a sermon given on the date of September
6, 1842 as proof that Joseph alluded to the restoration of the priesthood.^202 Again, Joseph
became a master at his calling. The LDS Church of Joseph Smith’s time put together bits and
pieces of early revelations; and Joseph himself changed and added to some of his own
revelations to better give the people what they desired. All one needs to do to see the extent
of this is to compare the original Book of Commandments with the 1835 edition of the Doctrine
and Covenants, and then both of these with the modern-day Doctrine and Covenants, as
mentioned above.^203
After being away from the main body of the church for almost a decade, and a few
years after Joseph Smith’s death, Oliver Cowdery allegedly (his words are suspect based on
the source of the information) said
I was present with Joseph when an holy angel from God came down from
heaven and conferred on us, or restored, the lesser or Aaronic Priesthood,
and said to us, at the same time, that it should remain upon the earth
while the earth stands. I was also present with Joseph when the higher or
Melchizedek Priesthood was conferred by the holy angel from on high.
This Priesthood, we then conferred on each other by the will and
commandment of God.^204Oliver was lost in a religious no-man’s land without the continuing “revelation
from God” he received from Joseph. He became a man without guile after his departure