LDS Priesthood Unveiled Appendix 1from the LDS Church. He denounced any form of “revelation,” and never again swore to
uphold something that would cause others to stumble. However, he could not deny
seeing an angel with the gold plates; and he never did deny it. Although LDS history has
him forgetting the fact that he saw “John the Baptist” or “Peter, James, and John”
(because he never really did), he never forgot his testimony of the gold plates. Oliver
attempted to ingratiate himself to various factions of Mormonism until he died in 1850,
at the young age of 43. He never did find anyone that compared to the true messenger
he had known, who never revealed his true identity to the world.
Mormon critics have pointed out specific details and brought to the forefront of
many honest peoples’ minds the question of what happened with Joseph and the
“priesthoods” that he supported. Their research has led to a mass of confusion for the
Latter-day Saints:
The important details that are missing from the “full history” of 1834 are
likewise missing from the Book of Commandments in 1833. The student
would expect to find all the particulars of the Restoration in this first
treasured set of 65 revelations, the dates of which encompassed the bestowals
of the two Priesthoods, but they are conspicuously absent. ...The notable
revelations on Priesthood in the Doctrine and Covenants before referred to,
Sections 2 and 13, are missing, and Chapter 28 gives no hint of the
Restoration which, if actual, had been known for four years. More than four
hundred words were added to this revelation of August, 1829 in Section 27 of
the Doctrine and Covenants, the additions made to include the names of
heavenly visitors and two separate ordinations. The Book of Commandments
gives the duties of Elders, Priests, Teachers, and Deacons and refers to
Joseph’s apostolic calling but there is no mention of Melchezedek [sic]
Priesthood, High Priesthood, Seventies, High Priests, nor High Councilors.
These words were later inserted into the revelation on Church organization
and government of April, 1830, making it appear that they were known at
that date, but they do not appear in the original, Chapter 24 of the Book of
Commandments until three years later. Similar interpolations were made in
the revelations known as Sections 42 and 68.^205Continued Evolution
Volumes could be written about what Joseph suffered in order to give the men the
priesthood authority they desired. There is a plethora of historical records and accounts that
make it hard to come to a conclusive pattern of how the LDS/Mormon priesthood evolved
over time. The purpose of this appendix in Joseph Smith’s official and authorized
biography is to present how it all originated. Once one understands the truth of how
LDS/Mormon priesthood authority originated, it becomes easier to comprehend how it
evolved into what it has become in modern times.
Mormon men believe that Jesus Christ ordained his apostles by the laying of hands.
They believe that Jesus Christ ordained Peter, James, and John, who then appeared to Joseph
Smith and Oliver Cowdery, placed their hands upon these two men and gave them the same
authority they received from Christ. They believe that this same authority was given to
Brigham Young. But if they review their own history, they will find that Joseph Smith had