Home » Articles » The Patriarchal Priesthood in Nauvoo
This article is Part 1 in a series on Joseph Smith’s Nauvoo Priesthood Teachings.
The Nauvoo Priesthood Teachings Series: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4
In the Nauvoo period, Joseph Smith began to introduce the saints to a new higher order of priesthood. This priesthood was called the Patriarchal Priesthood, and was distinct and above the “patriarchal priesthood” tied to the office of Stake Patriarch (and Presiding Patriarch) in the Church. The Prophet preached on August 27, 1843 that this priesthood pertained to the Temple and Temple Ordinances:
Another account of this speech recorded the Prophet saying on this same occasion that this “2[nd Priesthood:] Abraham’s Patriarchal Power” was the “greatest” priesthood “yet experienced in this church”.2 When was this Priesthood first experienced? According to George Miller, Joseph Smith conferred this authority on May 4, 1842:
Willard Richards and Heber C. Kimball also wrote accounts of this event. Heber C. Kimball’s account reads as follows:
Notice Heber C. Kimball lists the exact same names as George Miller did — only he gets the date off by a month, while George Miller only gets it off by a day. The reason we know the actual two days of this meeting is because they were contemporarily recorded in Joseph Smith’s diary:
As evident from this original journal entry, some important “instructions concerning the Priesthood” were given on these days. But, for some reason secrecy prompted the Prophet or his scribe to erase parts (and probably not fully write the details) of these entries, so that further detail is lacking. However, as is clear from the August 27, 1843 discourse, by a year and a half later Joseph Smith was open to expressing that this priesthood was conferred. And only 5 weeks later, the Prophet referenced the fact he had ordained James Adams to this priesthood during James Adams’ funeral sermon on October 6, 1843, preaching:
Joseph Smith in this statement identifies how Patriarchal Priesthood was conferred — by an anointing — the anointing of Kings and Priests, as both George Miller and Heber C. Kimball recalled occurred on May 4, 1842. And “keys of knowledge and power” especially during the Nauvoo period and afterwards were terms used to reference the temple endowment and the keys conferred in it. As the Quorum of the Twelve and Council of Fifty wrote on one occasion:
Even years later in Utah, this language was still used to describe the Endowment ordinances:
One might ask what Joseph Smith meant when he said the Patriarchal Priesthood was for James Adams “to receive the keys of knowledge and power, by revelation to himself”? The Prophet likely meant that the keys of knowledge and power taught and given in the Endowment were to be utilized and empower the recipient in and through receiving revelation to himself, as George Laub indicated he was taught in the Nauvoo Temple:
This article is Part 1 in a series on Joseph Smith’s Nauvoo Priesthood Teachings. Click here to continue to Part 2!
This article is supplementary material to information contained in the pamphlet The Nauvoo Priesthood Developments.
References:
1. History of the Church vol. 5 <27 August 1843> page 555. Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith page 323, emphasis added.
2. Words of Joseph Smith <27 August 1843> page 245.
3. George Miller letter to The Northern Islander, 26 June 1855, published in The Annual Publications of the Historical Society of Southern California vol. 10 pages 120–121, emphasis added. George Miller would make another historical statement, calling the Temple Endowment ordinances performed by the apostles in the Nauvoo Temple “an Endowment of Patriarchal Priesthood” (George Miller letter to The Northern Islander, 13 September 1855).
4. Heber C. Kimball Journal, quoted in Devery Anderson and Gary Bergera, Joseph Smith’s Quorum of the Anointed page 4, emphasis added.
5. Joseph Smith Journal, entries dated 4 May 1842 and 5 May 1842, accessed at https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/journal-december-1841-december-1842/25.
6. James Adams’ Funeral Sermon, 6 October 1843, published in Times and Seasons vol. 4 page 331; History of the Church vol. 6 page 51–52; Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith page 326,emphasis added.
7. Letter from Brigham Young and the Council of Fifty to James Emmett’s company, 27 February 1845, published in The Council of Fifty: A Documentary History page 84, and The Joseph Smith Papers: Council of Fifty Minutes page 250, emphasis added.
8. George A. Smith discourses, 25 December 1874, published in Millennial Star vol. 37 <2 February 1875> page 66.
9. George Laub Nauvoo Journal, page 34, Typescript, Harold B. Lee Library, BYU, emphasis added; accessed online at http://www.boap.org/LDS/Early-Saints/GLaub-A.html
The Patriarchal Priesthood in Nauvoo
Published by Jacob Vidrine on Thursday, November 14, 2019 at 1:00 PM
This article is Part 1 in a series on Joseph Smith’s Nauvoo Priesthood Teachings.
The Nauvoo Priesthood Teachings Series: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4
In the Nauvoo period, Joseph Smith began to introduce the saints to a new higher order of priesthood. This priesthood was called the Patriarchal Priesthood, and was distinct and above the “patriarchal priesthood” tied to the office of Stake Patriarch (and Presiding Patriarch) in the Church. The Prophet preached on August 27, 1843 that this priesthood pertained to the Temple and Temple Ordinances:
“The 2nd Priesthood [referred to in Hebrews chapter 7] is Patriarchal authority. Go to and finish the temple, and God will fill it with power, and you will then receive more knowledge concerning this priesthood.”1
Another account of this speech recorded the Prophet saying on this same occasion that this “2[nd Priesthood:] Abraham’s Patriarchal Power” was the “greatest” priesthood “yet experienced in this church”.2 When was this Priesthood first experienced? According to George Miller, Joseph Smith conferred this authority on May 4, 1842:
“Many of the Apostles and Elders having returned from England, Joseph washed and anointed as Kings and Priests to God, and over the House of Israel, the following named persons, as he said he was commanded of God, viz: James Adams (of Springfield), William Law, William Marks, Willard Richards, Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball, Newel K. Whitney, Hyrum Smith, and myself; and conferred on us Patriarchal Priesthood. This took place on the 5th and 6th [i.e. 4th and 5th] of May, 1842.”3
Willard Richards and Heber C. Kimball also wrote accounts of this event. Heber C. Kimball’s account reads as follows:
“Strange Events, June [i.e. May] 1842. I was initiated into the ancient order, was washed and anointed and sealed and ordained a Priest and so forth [i.e. a Priest and King] in company with nine others, viz. Joseph Smith, Hyrum Smith, William Law, William Marks, Judge [James] Adams, Brigham Young, Willard Richards, George Miller, Newel K. Whitney.”4
Notice Heber C. Kimball lists the exact same names as George Miller did — only he gets the date off by a month, while George Miller only gets it off by a day. The reason we know the actual two days of this meeting is because they were contemporarily recorded in Joseph Smith’s diary:
“4 May 1842 • Wednesday
Wednesday 4 In council in the Presidents & General offices with Judge [James] Adams. Hyram [Hyrum] Smith Newel K. Whitney. William Marks, Wm Law. George Miller. Brigham Young. Heber C. Kimball & Willard Richards. [illegible] & giving certain instructions concerning the priesthood. [illegible] &c on the Aaronic Priesthood to the first [illegible] continueing [sic] through the day.
5 May 1842 • Thursday
Thursday 5 Judge [James] Adams left for Springfield the others continued in Council as the day previous & Joseph & Hyrum [Smith] were [illegible].”5
As evident from this original journal entry, some important “instructions concerning the Priesthood” were given on these days. But, for some reason secrecy prompted the Prophet or his scribe to erase parts (and probably not fully write the details) of these entries, so that further detail is lacking. However, as is clear from the August 27, 1843 discourse, by a year and a half later Joseph Smith was open to expressing that this priesthood was conferred. And only 5 weeks later, the Prophet referenced the fact he had ordained James Adams to this priesthood during James Adams’ funeral sermon on October 6, 1843, preaching:
“I anointed him to the patriarchal power — to receive the keys of knowledge and power, by revelation to himself.”6
Joseph Smith in this statement identifies how Patriarchal Priesthood was conferred — by an anointing — the anointing of Kings and Priests, as both George Miller and Heber C. Kimball recalled occurred on May 4, 1842. And “keys of knowledge and power” especially during the Nauvoo period and afterwards were terms used to reference the temple endowment and the keys conferred in it. As the Quorum of the Twelve and Council of Fifty wrote on one occasion:
“Do you wish to enter into [the temple’s] sacred courts and receive your washings and anointings, and the keys of knowledge and power?”7
Even years later in Utah, this language was still used to describe the Endowment ordinances:
“Brother George A. Smith, in the foregoing recital, incidentally remarked that Elder Sidney Rigdon had never received the Second Anointing, nor the keys pertaining to baptism for the dead. The speaker warmly and most earnestly exhorted the people to energetically prosecute the work on the St. George Temple, so that President [Brigham] Young and the Twelve might have the opportunity of going therein to communicate the keys of knowledge and power which the Prophet Joseph had conferred upon them, and which could only be conferred on others in a Temple.”8
One might ask what Joseph Smith meant when he said the Patriarchal Priesthood was for James Adams “to receive the keys of knowledge and power, by revelation to himself”? The Prophet likely meant that the keys of knowledge and power taught and given in the Endowment were to be utilized and empower the recipient in and through receiving revelation to himself, as George Laub indicated he was taught in the Nauvoo Temple:
“On the 19th of December [1845], in one week after, I was also chosen to enter into the House of the Lord and received my washing and anointing, my endowment and keys of knowledge whereby to approach our Heavenly Father, signs and tokens and ordinations worthy of remembrances. Now I say unto you who knows who is anointed a king in Israel and a priest unto God[?] Therefore, I say unto you beware that you touch not the Lord’s anointed least you touch the apple of the Lord’s eye and thou be cut asunder. Or do not speak evil of them least thou say ought against his children. Also how to detect false spirits or deceivers who profess to be apostles and are none. And the new name that none can read save him who receive it.”9
This article is Part 1 in a series on Joseph Smith’s Nauvoo Priesthood Teachings. Click here to continue to Part 2!
This article is supplementary material to information contained in the pamphlet The Nauvoo Priesthood Developments.
References:
1. History of the Church vol. 5 <27 August 1843> page 555. Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith page 323, emphasis added.
2. Words of Joseph Smith <27 August 1843> page 245.
3. George Miller letter to The Northern Islander, 26 June 1855, published in The Annual Publications of the Historical Society of Southern California vol. 10 pages 120–121, emphasis added. George Miller would make another historical statement, calling the Temple Endowment ordinances performed by the apostles in the Nauvoo Temple “an Endowment of Patriarchal Priesthood” (George Miller letter to The Northern Islander, 13 September 1855).
4. Heber C. Kimball Journal, quoted in Devery Anderson and Gary Bergera, Joseph Smith’s Quorum of the Anointed page 4, emphasis added.
5. Joseph Smith Journal, entries dated 4 May 1842 and 5 May 1842, accessed at https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/journal-december-1841-december-1842/25.
6. James Adams’ Funeral Sermon, 6 October 1843, published in Times and Seasons vol. 4 page 331; History of the Church vol. 6 page 51–52; Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith page 326,emphasis added.
7. Letter from Brigham Young and the Council of Fifty to James Emmett’s company, 27 February 1845, published in The Council of Fifty: A Documentary History page 84, and The Joseph Smith Papers: Council of Fifty Minutes page 250, emphasis added.
8. George A. Smith discourses, 25 December 1874, published in Millennial Star vol. 37 <2 February 1875> page 66.
9. George Laub Nauvoo Journal, page 34, Typescript, Harold B. Lee Library, BYU, emphasis added; accessed online at http://www.boap.org/LDS/Early-Saints/GLaub-A.html
This article can be discussed over at the One Eternal Round Facebook Group!