High priesthood 

Summary

The authority and power held by certain officers in the church.1 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 same order.”2 Beginning with the June 1831 general conference, numerous elders in the church were ordained to the high priesthood.3 JS taught that “the order of the High priesthood is that they have power given them to seal up the Saints unto eternal life.”4 An 11 November 1831 revelation directed that one individual be appointed “president of the high priesthood.”5 Accordingly, JS was ordained to that position on 25 January 1832 at a conference in Amherst, Ohio.6 Shortly thereafter, a revelation stated that the president of the high priesthood held “the keys of the kingdom.”7 In March 1832 JS ordained counselors to the presidency of the high priesthood; the presidency was authorized to preside “over all the Concerns of the church.”8 JS declared that the high priesthood had “power and ordinance from on high to preach the Gospel.”9 A September 1832 revelation specified that the offices of bishop and elder were appendages to the high priesthood.10 That same revelation referred to the high priesthood as the greater priesthood.11 Those ordained to the high priesthood were later referred to as high priests.12 By 1835, the high priesthood became known as the Melchizedek Priesthood.13 See also “High Priest.”