Restoration (Mormonism)
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In the Latter Day Saint movement, the Restoration was a period in its early history during which a number of events occurred that were understood to be necessary to restore the early Christian church as demonstrated in the New Testament, and to prepare the earth for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. In particular, Mormons believe that heavenly (either resurrected or translated) beings appeared to Joseph Smith, Jr. and others and bestowed various Priesthood authorities to them. A partial list of the restored authorities is given in the table below.
| Administering Angel | Recipient(s) Ordained | Authority Given | When | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| John the Baptist | Joseph Smith & Oliver Cowdery | Aaronic Priesthood: Preach the Gospel, baptize, administer Levitical duties and ordain others to this Priesthood | 1829 | |
| The Apostles Peter, James and John | Joseph Smith & Oliver Cowdery | Apostle and Melchezidek Priesthood: Propound doctrine and ordinances and organize & lead the church; Confer the Gift of the Holy Ghost, bless, ordain others to this Priesthood | 1829 | |
| Elijah | Joseph Smith | Seal (marry) husband & wife and parents to children for eternity | 1836 | |
| Moses | Joseph Smith | Gather the Twelve Tribes of Israel | 1836 | |
| Elias | Joseph Smith | Dispensation of the Gospel of Abraham | 1836 |
According to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (LDS), in essence, all the Priesthood "keys" (or authority) necessary to establish Jesus Christ's church with authority to administer the Gospel and its ordinances were given to Joseph Smith who then organized that church to continue in perpetuity. Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the largest Mormon group, believe that their church is the "only true and living church upon the face of the earth" because of the divine authority restored through Joseph Smith. By implication, no restoration would be necessary if a legitimately established church already existed. Thus, Mormons believe there was a Great Apostasy followed by important historical events such as the Reformation and the establishment of the United States Constitution that preceded the Restoration. Joseph Smith, founder of the Mormon church, prayed in total faith about which church to join. In a vision in 1820 near Palmyra, New York, two personages instructed him not to join any churches, for "all their creeds were an abomination." For Support Mormons cite Galatians 1:6-8 and 2 Thessalonians 2:3 concerning prophecy of the Great Apostasy, and many passages of Isaiah that speak of apostasy and restoration among the House of Israel. (See Ref.)
Joseph Smith described another vision in 1823, when he was praying fervently and described being visited in his bedroom by an "angel Moroni" who told him of a record of an ancient people written in an ancient language on golden plates. After repeated visits by this angel Moroni in successive years, Joseph Smith described receiving and translating this ancient record and publishing the translation as the Book of Mormon. (Joseph Smith History 1) The Book of Mormon provided many teachings about the atonement of Christ that were not as clear in the Bible, as also teachings about the House of Israel and the baptismal covenant. When Joseph prayed in May of 1829 about the need for baptism, he and Oliver Cowdery were visited angelically by John the Baptist so that they could receive proper authority and be baptized.
Coinciding with the restoration of the Priesthood, Mormons believe that Joseph Smith received many revelations, visions and visitations of heavenly messengers to instruct him in order to enable him to fulfill his responsibilities in propounding doctrine and re-establishing ordinances and temple covenants, often in response to specific questions he asked in prayer. The majority of this history is recorded in one of the Mormon's scriptural cannons, The Doctrine and Covenants. Additional details and background of the Church in Joseph Smith's era is presented in the Church's seven volume set Documentary History of the Church.
In regard to the restoration of Priesthood authority, Joseph Smith dictated the following passage found in Doctrine and Covenants 128:20-21:
- And again, what do we hear?...The voice of Peter, James, and John in the wilderness between Harmony, Susquehanna county, and Colesville, Broome county, on the Susquehanna river, declaring themselves as possessing the keys of the kingdom, and of the dispensation of the fulness of times! And again, the voice of God in the chamber of old Father Whitmer, in Fayette, Seneca county, and at sundry times, and in divers places through all the travels and tribulations of this Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints! And the voice of Michael, the archangel; the voice of Gabriel, and of Raphael, and of divers angels, from Michael or Adam down to the present time, all declaring their dispensation, their rights, their keys, their honors, their majesty and glory, and the power of their priesthood; giving line upon line, precept upon precept; here a little, and there a little; giving us consolation by holding forth that which is to come, confirming our hope!
In reflecting upon the responsibilities of teaching the constant revelations he received, he stated:
- It is my meditation all the day, and more than my meat and drink, to know how I shall make the Saints of God comprehend the visions that roll like an overflowing surge before my mind.
Among other scriptures, Mormons cite Acts 3:21 as evidence that a restoration was contemplated. The King James Version reads: "...the heaven must receive Jesus Christ until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began."
Contents |
References
Isaiah 2:2,3; 5:13,24,26; 10:20-22; 11:11,12; 24:5; 27:6; 28:11; 29:4,10-14; 35:10; 49:6-26; 51:11, 54; 60:2.
See also
External links
Official websites of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
- LDS.org - the official website of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
- Mormon.org - information on basic beliefs, a meetinghouse locator, and a place to email questions
- Provident Living - addresses lifestyles for spiritual and temporal welfare
- The Scriptures - Internet Edition
- FamilySearch.org - used for family history and genealogical research
- Gospel Library - contains official publications and texts
- BYU Speeches - given by Latter-day Saints at Brigham Young University, Provo, addressed to BYU students
Additional Websites
- LDSresource.net - an online listing for aspects of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
- Mormon Answers - frequently asked questions about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
- LDS Today - news related to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
- FAIR - the Foundation for Apologetic Information & Research
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