Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1903-08-29

similarly authorized ordained Elders In
every church and city whore there
were bodies of Saints. Acts. XIV. %;
Titus 1, 8.
The Teachers were also in q fog
about the Melchlsedek priesthood and
we're puzzled over the brief history Of
the priest Of that name IN Hebrews
VII. Verse three reads thus;
without father, without mother
without descent, having neither begin
ming OF days nor end Of life, but made
like unto fine Son OF God abideth a
priest continually"
Having no other guide but the dead
letter Of writings many centuries old,
the Teachers were In a Quandary about
this. So they went of In tangent
about the "Mormons," affirming that
'they have no more standing on Mel
chsedek than on Aaron"--as though
that explained the mystery or added
anything to support their own assump-
tion OF authority, In direct violation OF
the injunction that they must not as
sumo II unless "called Of God as was
Aaron"
The Doctrine and Covenants, which
they characterized as weak ana fabby
on this point" also the Book Of Nor
mon, make It clear that the sayings in
Hebrews about MelchIsedek, referred
to the priesthood he held and not mere
ly to the man, who was king OF sa-
lem and priest OF the Most High God"
II was distinguished from the PRIEST
hood Of Aaron in the respects mention
ed, because the latter was continued
by descent and was for time, while the
former 10 not conferred because Of par
entage and Is eternal.
The bewlldered teachers claimed that
all priesthood ended In Christ, That
was intended as a settler TO the testl-
mony of the "Mormons," which is that
Joseph Smith received the Aaronic
priesthood from John the Baptist, and
the Melchlsedek priesthood from, Peter,
James and John each of those worth
les appearing as ministerlng angels.
But is II stated In Hebrews that those
prlesthoods were ended at that period?
Let us see:
For the priesthood being changed,
there Is made Of necessity q change al
so OF the law" Heb, vii. 70.
A change Is one thing, abolition Is an
other and different thing. Christ was
called Of God priest after the order
Of Melchisidek." He called the Apos-
ties to the same authority that He held,
saying, "As my Father sent me, even
so send YOU" &c.--John Xxx, %. Also
"Ye have not chosen me but have
chosen you and ordained YOU" &C.
Jno, XIV, 49, He gave them the keys"
so that they could proceed with the
work assigned them as His Apostles
and High Priests The lesser author
ity was also In the Church. as some OF
its ministers could baptize. but could
not lay on hands to impart the Holy
Ghost (sce Acts, Wiz
Now, the fact remains that author
ity to administer In the name OF Deity,
which belongs to priesthood, and is its
essence, is not given to man except IN
the way stated In Hebrews v, 8, 6.
Whether the "Mormons" have II or not
WIN not help the case of the Presby-
terrain Teachers who attack u.s. They
do not believe in Divine revelation in
modern times, but deny It emphatlcal-
ly In their Confession OF Faith. There
fore none of them can be called OF God
as was Aaron"
They have no oracle like Moses, or
Apostle like Peter, James or John.
Such authority as they do claim can
be traced right back to the Romsh
church, which cut off the ecclesiasts on
whom they depend in the Presbytery,
and who II they had anything at all,
held only that which they received
from the church which they denounce
as apostate and vile. They are utterly
destitute Of right to act in the name Of
the Lord, by their own showing and
that OF the Scriptures on which they
entirely depend for light.
We have not space TO continue the
matter further, except TO cite the words
OF the Apostle Paul concerning their
class Ever learning and never able
to come to a knowledge Of the truth"
Having a form Of godlIness but deny
ing the power thereof; from such turn
away,'---II Pin. iii. 81.