Priesthood Selection
LDS Summary:
LDS uses age criteria that is not in the scriptures.
RLDS Summary:
RLDS follows the scriptures for priesthood selection
 Aaronic Priesthood SelectionEntries below cite specific sources. | |
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Aaronic Priesthood Advancement Ages Age Recommendations for the Aaronic Priesthood Priests: 1830-1877 (no age recommendations), 1877-1908 (None), 1908-1954 (age 18), 1954-Present (age 16) Teachers: 1830-1877 (no age recommendations), 1877-1908 (None), 1908-1954 (age 15), 1954-Present (age 14) Deacons: 1830-1877 (no age recommendations), 1877-1908 (age 11/12), 1908-1954 (age 12), 1954-Present (age 12) |
RLDS has never had age recommendations for any priesthood office |
Deacons should be marriedThe King James version and Inspired Version are in agreement that Deacons should be married and have children. | |
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King James Version, 1 Timothy 3 8 Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre; 9 Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience. 10 And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless. 11 Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things. 12 Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well. 13 For they that have used the office of a deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus. |
Inspired Version, 1 Timothy 3 8 Likewise, the deacons must be grave, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre, 9 Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience. 10 And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless. 11 Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things. 12 Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well. 13 For they that have used the office of a deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus. |
Scripture Comparison:The King James version and Inspired Version are in agreement that priesthood is selected (called) by God. | |
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King James Version, Hebrews 5 4 And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron. |
Inspired Version, Hebrews 5 4 And no man taketh this honor unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron. |
Scripture Comparison:LDS and RLDS Doctrine & Covenants agree that people must wait until God calls them to be in his priesthood | |
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LDS D&C Section 11 15 Behold, I command you that you need not suppose that you are called to preach until you are called. 16 Wait a little longer, until you shall have my word, my rock, my church, and my gospel, that you may know of a surety my doctrine. 17 And then, behold, according to your desires, yea, even according to your faith shall it be done unto you. |
RLDS D&C Section 10 8a Behold, I command you, that you need not suppose that you are called to preach until you are called: 8b wait a little longer, until you shall have my word, my rock, my church, and my gospel, that you may know of a surety my doctrine; 8c and then, behold, according to your desires, yea, even according to your faith, shall it be done unto you. |
Octover 6, 1854Brigham Young stated that Deacons should be married and have families - that statement agreed with the scriptures | |
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Journal of Discourses, Vol 2, No. 19, Oct 6, 1854 Brigham Young on the Marriage Relations of Bishops and Deacons When you have got your Bishop, he needs assistants, and he ordains Counselors, Priests, Teachers, and Deacons, and calls them to help him; and he wishes men of his own heart and hand to do this. Says he, “I dare not even call a man to be a Deacon, to assist me in my calling, unless he has a family.” It is not the business of an ignorant young man, of no experience in family matters, to inquire into the circumstances of families, and know the wants of every person. Some may want medicine and nourishment, and to be looked after, and it is not the business of boys to do this; but select a man who has got a family to be a Deacon, whose wife can go with him, and assist him in administering to the needy in the ward. |
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November 22, 1855John Willard Young [Brigham Youngs's son] was ordained an Apostle at age 11 | |
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John Willard Young, Brigham Young, and the Development of Presidential Succession in the LDS Church, pages 111-112 Note in the file "Research concerning John W. Young's ordination/' John Willard Young papers, MS 3804, LDS Church Archives In President Young's private room in the Lion House, February 4, 1864 he (Brigham Young) ordained Joseph Angell Young and Brigham Young Jr. Apostles and confirmed upon John Willard Young the ordination to the Apostleship which he received when he went through the endowment house (which was November 22, 1855) and set each of them apart as assistant Counselors to the First Presidency. |
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April 6, 1877LDS.org does not provide the wording of the revelation. See also Brigham Young's statements about not being a prophet. | |
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Priesthood Reorganization President Brigham Young received revelation to set in order the priesthood organization and stakes of Zion. |
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1877Describes the impact of the 1877 Priesthood Reorganization | |
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The Priesthood Reorganization of 1877: Brigham Young's Last Achievement, William G. Hartley, page 33 Priests, teachers, and deacons. The 1877 changes revolutionized Aaronic Priesthood work by stipulating that all youth receive some priesthood instead of just a few youth having that privilege. Youth were the solution to the long-standing dilemma of how to keep lesser priesthood quorums staffed when capable men were recruited away from them to the higher quorums...The second phase created scores of new Aaronic Priesthood units, most filled with boys. Some boys became deacons at age eleven. Weber Stake ordained "all the boys above fourteen years not already ordained." |
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May 20, 1877Orson Pratt provides support for LDS D&C Section 11 (RLDS D&C Section 10) | |
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Deseret News Weekly, July 18, 1877, page 2, columns 2 to 4
Discourse Delivered by Orson Pratt at a Special Conference at Logan, on Sunday Morning, May 20th, 1877 As will be found on page 98 Doctrine and Covenants [LDS D&C Section 11, RLDS Section 10], the Lord told Hyrum not to be in a hurry. In other words, the lord had his own time to ordain to the ministry, his own time to send forth missionaries among the people. "Don't you be in a hurry in this matter." Men have been sent, year after year, to form new settlements, and to do this kind of work, and that kind, without being specially ordained to accomplish those particular duties. What for? To see whether they would manifest that the Spirit of the living God was with them, and that they were worthy of ordination; and if so,then afterwards they should be ordained and set apart, as bishops, as presidents of Stakes, etc. But one may inquire, "Why not perfect these organizations at once?" Because there is a day of calling, which is distinct from a day of choosing. And when the Lord has called his servants and appointed them to perform a certain work, if they manifest a willingness, on their part, to exercise the wisdom that comes from God, in the performance of their duties, then perhaps the day of choosing may come, and they be set apart and ordained, according to the Law contained in the Book of Covenants. It means, at this present stage of the work, having toiled now about thirty years in these mountains, that the Lord is about to "right up" the people; and he has inspired him who presides over us, to organize us more fully. Let those be chosen who have fulfilled their appointments in faithfulness; let them be ordained, and have their counselors; let them act now in a higher sphere, with more power, because they have proven themselves faithful over a few things, therefore let them be made rulers over many things. |
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July 11, 1877The First Presidency, Brigham Young, John W. Young, Daniel H. Wells, stated that the Aaronic Priesthood was (1) to be used for training, and (2) there is an expectation that the Aaronic Priesthood calling was only a temporary position and that all Aaronic priesthood would eventually be called to the Melchisedec priesthood - statements inconsistent with the scriptures | |
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Circular of the First Presidency, July 11, 1877 Organization of Stakes and Priesthood Quorums When priests and teachers visit the Saints, according to the instructions in the Book of Doctrine and Covenants, the experienced priest or teacher should have as a companion a young man, so that the latter may have opportunity of learning the duties of his calling, and becoming thoroughly wise and efficient in the discharge thereof...It has been the practice in many places for the presidents of high priests and seventies to take members of other quorums, and sometimes persons who held no priesthood, and ordain them into their quorums, and this too very frequently without consulting any one in authority, not even the presidents of the quorums to which these persons rightfully belonged. Because of this practice it has been a difficult thing to keep young men in the elders' quorum or in any of the quorums of the lesser priesthood; and when deacons, teachers and priests have been wanted it has generally been the case that seventies and high priests have had to be taken to act in those offices. It would be excellent training for the young men if they had the opportunity of acting in the offices of the lesser priesthood. They would thereby obtain very valuable experience, and when they obtain the Melchisedec priesthood they would be likely to place a higher' value upon it. |
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October, 1906The Reed Smoot Diary, October 12,24,27, 1922, describes the changes defined by the LDS Oct, 1906 conference | |
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Mormonism in Transition: A History of the Latter-Day Saints, 1890-1930, page 111-112 After Brigham Young's 1877 reorganization, twelve-year-olds were supposed to be ordained deacons. Regular movement to teacher and priest at specific ages was not the rule, however, and by the turn of the century, irregularities existed in ordination to deacon. Some bishops delayed the ordination, and some followed such lax procedures that in at least one case a boy had been ordained at age three. After urging the revitalization of the Aaronic Priesthood quorums for three years, at the October conference in 1906 the Twelve, through President Francis M. Lyman, laid out the procedure which the church has generally followed since that time. Ordination to deacon at age twelve was to be the rule for all worthy young men. They were to serve as deacons for three years when they were eligible for ordination as teachers, also to serve for three years. This was followed by three years as priests. Advancement to the Melchizedek Priesthood could follow at age twenty-one, but those advanced were to be worthy." |
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August 31, 1954Ages for advancement in the Aaronic Priesthood set at deacon, 12; teacher, 14; priest, 16 | |
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Church History Study Guide, Pt. 3: Latter-Day Prophets Since 1844, by Randal S. Chase, page 299 Ages for Aaronic priesthood advancement set at deacon-12. teacher-14, priest-16. |
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