| 490 earth as we are told Gen. xi. 9: and different nations sprang up in Idolatry, speaking different dialects, and as they had a partial knowledge of the true worship of God, which was had among the posterity of Shem in their native land; they, in their idolatrous condition counterfeited the true priesthood, and the religion of heaven.
Now as it is known that such a worship and priesthood did exist among the heathens in those early ages before Aaron, and as there can be no counterfeit without true coin, it follows of course that a holy priesthood existed among the children of God, which the heathens patterned after; for it cannot be said, with propriety, that the great Jehovah in establishing a priesthood among the children of Israel, patterned after the heathen world.
Fourth, it does not even appear from the scriptures that the order of priesthood established with the tribe of Levi, of which Aaron was chief, was at that time instituted. But it appears that they were inducted into an office that previously existed, which was well understood in Israel. The Lord said unto Moses, Exodus, xxviii 1, "And take thou unto thee Aaron thy brother, and his sons with him from among the children of Israel that they may minister unto me in the priest's office."-Again Ex. xxx. 30, "And thou shalt anoint Aaron and his sons, and consecrate them that they may minister unto me in the Priest's office." Chap. xxix. 9, "And the priest's office shall be their's for a perpetual statute." Chap. xl. 15, "For their anointing shall surely be an everlasting priesthood throughout their generations." Much is said also in other passages concerning all the rest of the tribe of Levi officiating under the direction of Aaron and his sons in offices of less denominations; but nothing is said signifying that the priesthood was a new institution. An order of priests inferior to Moses, is also mentioned, Ex. xix. 24, before the above was spoken. I therefore infer from the scriptures as well as from recent revelations that Aaron and his sons were chosen to preside over the lesser priesthood, and to hold the keys of the same, which office was declared hereditary in his family by a perpetual statute. Whereas before Aaron, the right of presiding belonged to the first born in all the families of the chosen seed; hence called the birthright, from which arose patriarchial [patriarchal] governments. But we are told that God chose the tribe of Levi to officiate in the place of the first born of all the families of Israel.-Num. iii. 12, Paul says, Heb. vii. 11, "Under the Levitical priesthood the people received the law," that is the old ceremonial law of carnal commandments, as he calls it, given by Moses. Now if they receive the law under that priesthood, the priesthood must have existed before the law, and was not instituted as some suppose, for the express purpose of executing those rites and ceremonies. But it must be remembered that the holy priesthood after the order of the Son of God was not confirmed upon the tribe of Levi. We are told in a revelation in the Book of Doctrine and Covenants, that Moses held that priesthood, and that he received it under the hand of his father-in-law Jethro, priest of Midian; and it is evident from the scriptures that Moses had some priesthood greater than the Levitical order: and if Jethro had not the holy priesthood, how could he have authority over Moses, and all other officers in Israel to regulate all matters, as is stated in the eighteenth chapter of Exodus?
The priesthood after the order of Melchizedek holds a right to officiate in all the offices, and ordinances of God's house, from the highest to the lowest in all ages; and we learn from Heb. iv. 2, that the gospel was preached to the children of Israel in the wilderness; and also from 1 Cor. x. 2., that they were baptized unto Moses the same as the Jews were baptized unto John, he preaching baptism and baptizing them.-We are also told in Heb. xi. from the 24 to the 26 verse inclusive, that when Moses was a young man in Egypt before he fled to Midian, he refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to suffer afflictions with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; esteeming the reproaches of Christ greater riches than all the treasures of Egypt: wherefore Moses must have believed in Christ who was to come; and that belief was public, and he was reproached for Christ's sake therefore, he esteemed the reproaches of Christ greater riches than all the treasures of Egypt;-hence I infer that Moses after he fled from Egypt to escape his persecutors,
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