Doctrine and Covenants 106-108

<p>Patriarchal blessings are sacred things. It is significant to me that in the revelation, the great revelation on priesthood, the word &ldquo;patriarch&rdquo; itself is not used. I have pondered that considerably.</p> <p>It is the duty of the Twelve, in all large branches of the church, to ordain evangelical ministers, as they shall be designated unto them by revelation. The order of this priesthood was confirmed, to be handed down from father to son, and rightly belongs to the literal descendants of the chosen seed, to whom the promises were made (D&amp;C 107:39-40).</p> <p>Then the order of this priesthood, beginning with Adam, is chronicled in the 107th section of the Doctrine and Covenants (D&amp;C 107:41-53).</p> <p>Now we know that these men were patriarchs. I am not sure that I know precisely why the words &ldquo;evangelical ministers&rdquo; were used, rather than the word &ldquo;patriarchs.&rdquo; It seems, however, significant to me that the term here used suggests very definitely the spiritual nature of the patriarchal office. It is not an administrative office, it is not an executive office, it is a spiritual office.</p>

<p>The Twelve are charged as part of their duties to seek out evangelists to serve in all the large branches of the Church (D&C 107:39). “This order of the priesthood” is the patriarchal priesthood, which Joseph Smith later explained more extensively and linked to the ordinances of the temple that were revealed in Nauvoo.<a href="#_ftn1" id="_ftnref1" title="" class="see-footnote">[1]</a> The patriarchal order should be considered not as an order separate from the Melchizedek Priesthood, but as an appendage to the higher priesthood, like the Aaronic Priesthood. Evangelists are chosen to provide patriarchal blessings.</p> <p>Joseph Smith taught, “An Evangelist is a Patriarch[,] even the oldest man of the blood of Joseph or of the seed of Abraham, wherever the Church of Christ is established in the Earth, there should be a Patriarch for the benefit of the posterity of the Saints as it was with Jacob, in giving his patriarchal blessing unto his sons.”<a href="#_ftn2" id="_ftnref2" title="" class="see-footnote">[2]</a> In most stakes a stake patriarch provides these blessings. Patriarchal blessings are a great source of comfort, guidance, and connection for Latter-day Saints.<a href="#_ftn3" id="_ftnref3" title="" class="see-footnote">[3]</a></p> <div class="footnotes"> <p class="footnote"><a href="#_ftnref1" id="_ftn1" title="" class="footnote-label">[1]</a> See Discourse, 27 August 1843, as Reported by Willard Richards, p. 74, JSP; see also JS History, vol. E-1, p. 1708, JSP.</p> <p class="footnote"><a href="#_ftnref2" id="_ftn2" title="" class="footnote-label">[2]</a> JS History, vol. C-1, p. 9 [addenda], JSP. </p> <p class="footnote"><a href="#_ftnref3" id="_ftn3" title="" class="footnote-label">[3]</a> See <em>General Handbook</em>, 18.17–18.17.3.</p> </div>

<p>Doctrine and Covenants 107:53–55 was originally received as a part of a blessing Joseph Smith Jr. gave to his father and mother on December 18, 1833. Joseph later revised the wording of the blessing in the fall of 1835. In the blessing, Joseph Jr. declared that his father was given the “keys of the patriarchal priesthood over the kingdom of God on earth.”<a href="#_ftn1" id="_ftnref1" title="" class="see-footnote">[1]</a> This blessing is tied directly to Joseph Sr.’s ordination as the Patriarch to the Church in December 1834.<a href="#_ftn2" id="_ftnref2" title="" class="see-footnote">[2]</a> The blessing also declared that Lucy Mack Smith “shall be a partaker with my father in all his patriarchal blessings.”</p> <p>The blessing to Joseph Sr. begins with the words, “Blessed of the Lord is my father, for he shall stand in the midst of his posterity and shall be comforted by their blessings when he is old and bowed down with years, and shall be called a prince over them, and shall be numbered among those who hold the right of patriarchal priesthood, even the keys of that ministry: for he shall assemble together his posterity like unto Adam; and the assembly which he called shall be an ensample for my father, for this it is written of him.” The blessing continues with the text of Doctrine and Covenants 107:53–56 in full.<a href="#_ftn3" id="_ftnref3" title="" class="see-footnote">[3]</a> Later the blessing mentions Lucy Mack Smith and reads in part:</p> <blockquote> <p>So shall it be with my father: he shall be called a prince over his posterity, holding the keys of the patriarchal priesthood over the kingdom of God on earth, even the Church of the Latter Day Saints; and he shall sit in the general assembly of patriarchs, even in council with the Ancient of Days when he shall sit and all the patriarchs with him—and shall enjoy his right and authority under the direction of the Ancient of Days.</p> <p>And blessed, also, is my mother, for she is a mother in Israel, and shall be a partaker with my father in all his patriarchal blessings.</p> <p>Blessed is my mother, for her soul is ever filled with benevolence and philanthropy; and notwithstanding her age, she shall yet receive strength and be comforted in the midst of her house: and thus saith the Lord, She shall have eternal life.<a href="#_ftn4" id="_ftnref4" title="" class="see-footnote">[4]</a></p> </blockquote> <p>Joseph Smith Sr. served as the Patriarch to the church until his death in 1840. As the eldest surviving Smith son, Hyrum Smith succeeded his father as patriarch to the church. The office of Patriarch to the Church continued to be passed down through Hyrum’s descendants until the death of Elder Eldred G. Smith in 2013. At the October 1979 General Conference, Eldred Smith was granted emeritus status, and with his death the office of Patriarch to the Church was discontinued. At the time Elder Smith was granted emeritus status, President N. Eldon Tanner explained the reason for the change, stating, “Because of the large increase in the number of stake patriarchs and the availability of patriarchal service throughout the world, we now designate Elder Eldred G. Smith as a Patriarch Emeritus, which means that he is honorably relieved of all duties and responsibilities pertaining to the office of Patriarch to the Church.”<a href="#_ftn5" id="_ftnref5" title="" class="see-footnote">[5]</a> Patriarchs who serve in stakes around the globe now carry on the work first started in this dispensation by Joseph Smith Sr.</p> <div class="footnotes"> <p class="footnote"><a href="#_ftnref1" id="_ftn1" title="" class="footnote-label">[1]</a> The first part of this blessing is found in JS Journal, 1832–1834, pp. 33–34, JSP. The blessing was expanded in 1835 and can be found in its expanded form in Appendix 5, Document 1. Blessing to Joseph Smith Sr. and Lucy Mack Smith, between circa 15 and 28 September 1835, p. 9, JSP. </p> <p class="footnote"><a href="#_ftnref2" id="_ftn2" title="" class="footnote-label">[2]</a> “Historical Introduction,” Appendix 5, Document 1. Blessing to Joseph Smith Sr. and Lucy Mack Smith, between circa 15 and 28 September 1835, JSP. </p> <p class="footnote"><a href="#_ftnref3" id="_ftn3" title="" class="footnote-label">[3]</a> Appendix 5, Document 1. Blessing to Joseph Smith Sr. and Lucy Mack Smith, between circa 15 and 28 September 1835, p. 9, JSP.</p> <p class="footnote"><a href="#_ftnref4" id="_ftn4" title="" class="footnote-label">[4]</a> Appendix 5, Document 1. Blessing to Joseph Smith Sr. and Lucy Mack Smith, between circa 15 and 28 September 1835, p. 9, JSP.</p> <p class="footnote"><a href="#_ftnref5" id="_ftn5" title="" class="footnote-label">[5]</a> N. Eldon Tanner, “The Sustaining of Church Officers,” October 1979 General Conference. </p> </div>