power. It claims, under God, the right of life and death; it holds the keys of heaven and hell, and from its decrees there is no appeal except to the general assembly of all the quorums which constitute the spiritual authorities of the Church.
The second in rank is the Patriarch. The present incumbent is a nephew of the first seer, who succeeded Mr. Joseph Smith, sen., the father of Mr. Joseph Smith, jun.[1] As the sire of the Church, his chief duty is to administer blessings: it is an office of dignity held for life, whereas all others expire after the semestre.
Follows the "Second Presidency," the twelve traveling counselors, "called to be the twelve apostles or special witnesses of the name of Christ in all the world," modeled with certain political modifications after the primitive Christian Church, and abbreviatively termed "The Twelve." The President of the High Apostolic College, or, in his default, one of the members, acts as coadjutor, in the absence of a member of the First Presidency. The Twelve come nearer the masses, and, acting under direction of the highest authority, build up the Church, ordain and set in order all other officers, elders, priests, teachers, and deacons: they are empowered to baptize, and to administer bread and wine—the emblems of the flesh and blood of Christ; to confirm those who are baptized into the Church by the laying on of hands for the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost; to teach, expound, exhort, baptize, and watch over the Church, and to take the lead in all meetings. They preside over the several "Stakes of Zion;" there is one, for instance, to direct, under the title of president, the European, and another the Liverpool mission. If there be several together, the eldest is the standing president of the quorum, and they act as councilors to one another.
The fourth body in rank is the Seventies. The "Seventy" act in the name of the Lord, under direction of the "Twelve," in building up the Church, and, like them, are traveling ministers, sent first to the Gentiles, and then to the Jews. Out of the "Seventy" are chosen seven presidents, of whom one presides over the other six councilors: these seven choose other seventy besides the first seventy, "and also other seventy, until seven times seventy, if the labor in the vineyard of necessity requires it." In 1853 the minutes of the Mormon General Conference enumerated the "Seventies" at 1572. Practically the seventy members are seldom complete. The chief of these traveling propagandists, the working bees of the community, is the "President of all the Seventies."
The fifth body is composed of "high priests after the order of the Melchisedek priesthood, who have a right to officiate in their own standing, under the direction of the Presidency, in administering spiritual things," and to "officiate in all the offices of the Church when there are no higher authorities present." Thus charged with the execution of spiritual affairs, they are usually
- ↑ So called in revelation until the death of Mr. Joseph Smith, sen.
