Revelation, 22–23 September 1832 [D&C 84]

before the face of his people to prepare them for the coming of the Lord in whose hand is given  all power, and again, the offices of Elder

An administrative and ecclesiastical office not associated with age. The Book of Mormon explained that elders ordained priests and teachers and administered “the flesh and blood of Christ unto the church.” The articles and covenants of the church directed...

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& Bishop

An ecclesiastical and priesthood office. JS appointed Edward Partridge as the first bishop in February 1831. Following this appointment, he functioned as the local leader of the church in Missouri. Later revelations described a bishop’s duties as receiving...

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are necessary appendages belon[g]ing unto the  high Priesthood

The authority and power held by certain officers in the church. The Book of Mormon referred to the high priesthood as God’s “holy order, which was after the order of his Son,” and indicated that Melchizedek, a biblical figure, was a high priest “after this...

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, and again the offices of Teacher

Generally, one who instructs, but also a specific office in the church. The Book of Mormon explained that teachers were to be ordained “to preach repentance and remission of sins through Jesus Christ, by the endurance of faith on his name to the end.” According...

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and Deacon

An ecclesiastical office. The articles and covenants directed deacons to assist teachers in their duties. Deacons were also to “warn, expound, exhort, and teach, and invite all to come unto Christ,” though they lacked the authority to baptize. The first recorded...

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are necessary appendages belong ing to the lesser Priesthood

The lower or lesser of two orders of priesthood in the church. Sometimes called the “Levitical Priesthood.” It is named for Aaron, the brother of Moses, “because it was conferred upon Aaron and his seed” in antiquity. This authority holds “the keys of the...

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, which priesthood

In the early 1830s, often referred to an “order of men set apart for sacred offices”; also referred more generally to power or authority from God. The priesthood was conferred through the laying on of hands to adult male members of the church in good standing...

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was confirmed upon Aaron and his sons therefore  as I said, concerning the Sons of Moses, for the sons of Moses, and also the sons of Aaron shall of fer an aaceptable offering and sacrifice in the house of the Lord which house shall shalt be built  unto the Lord in this generation upon the consecrated spot as I have appointed and the sons  of Moses, and of Aaron shall be filled with the glory of the Lord upon mount Zion in the  Lords house whose sons are ye, and also many whom I have called and sent forth to  build up my church

The Book of Mormon related that when Christ set up his church in the Americas, “they which were baptized in the name of Jesus, were called the church of Christ.” The first name used to denote the church JS organized on 6 April 1830 was “the Church of Christ...

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for whoso is faithful unto the attaining of these two Priesthoods  of which I have spoken and the magnifying there calling are sanctified by the spir[i]t  unto the renewing of there bodies that they become the sons of Moses and of Aaron  and the seed of Abraham and the church and kingdom and the elect of God and also  all they who receive this Priesthood receiveth me saith the Lord for he that receiveth  my servants receveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth my father, and he that receiveth  my father, receiveth my fathers kingdom, therefore all that my father hath shall be given unto  him and this is according to the oath and the covenant which belongeth to the Priest hood, therefore all those. who receive the Priesthood, receiveth this oath and covenant of  my father which he cannot break neither can it be mooved, but whoso breaketh this  covenant after he hath received it, and altogether turneth therefrom shall not have  forgivness in this world nor in the world to come and all those that come not unto  this Priesthood, which ye have received, which I now confirm upon you who are  present this day viz the 23d. day of September AD 1832 Eleven high Priests

An ecclesiastical office. The Book of Mormon used the term high priest to denote one appointed to lead the church. However, the Book of Mormon also discussed an order of high priests who were called to teach the commandments of God and serve as leaders in...

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save one by  by mine own voice out of the heavens and even I have given the heavenly hosts and  mine Angels charge concerning you, and I now give unto you a commandment

Generally, a divine mandate that church members were expected to obey; more specifically, a text dictated by JS in the first-person voice of deity that served to communicate knowledge and instruction to JS and his followers. Occasionally, other inspired texts...

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to beware concerning yourselves to give heed dilligently to the words of eternal life for you  shall live by evry word that procedeth forth from the mouth of God for the word of  the Lord is truth and whatsoever is truth is light, and whatsoever is light is sp irit even the spirit of Jesus Christ, and the spirit giveth light to evry man that  cometh into the world, and the spirit enlightneth evry man through the world that  harkneth to the voice of the spirit, and evry one that harkneth to the voice of the spirit  cometh unto God even the father and the father teacheth him of the covenant which he  hath renewed and confirmed upon you which is confirmed upon you for your sakes and  and not for yours only, but for the sake of the whole world, and the whole world lieth  in sin and groaneth under darkness and under the bondage of sin and by this you may  know they are under the bondage of sin because they come not unto me for whoso com eth not unto me is under the bondage of sin, and whoso receiveth not my voice is  not acquanted with my word voice. and is not of me, and, by this you may know the right eous from the wicked, and that the whole world groaneth under sins and darkness  even now, and your minds in times past have been darkened because of unbelief  and because you have treated lightly the things you have received which vanity and  and unbelief hath brought the whole church under condemnation and this con demnation resteth upon the children of Zion even all, and thay shall remain [p. [2]]