The priesthood in the LDS Church, 1921-1957

The restoration of the Melchizedek Priesthood on earth.

By David Sanders

From 1844 to 1921 there were no changes to the priesthood in the LDS Church. However, on April 26, 1921, a significant change occurred regarding priesthood in the LDS Church. The change on the surface may seem somewhat insignificant until you begin to think of the repercussions.

The change happened on the above date during Heber J. Grant’s tenure as President of the LDS Church. One of his councilors in the First Presidency, Charles W. Penrose, convinced President Grant that the manner in which priesthood ordinations were happening was incorrect. He was quoted as saying the following:

“We have been making a mistake in ordinations. We have been conferring the priesthood, and it ought not be done. If we confer the priesthood on a man, we give him all the offices and callings in the Church. We should ordain directly to the office in the priesthood.” (The Message of the First Presidency 5:120 – The Missionary Handbook, 1944)

So, to make sure the point is clear, in 1921 there was a break in the chain in priesthood conferral. The priesthood was not conferred on men at all. As an example I was able to find what the ordinance looked like after the change.

This change was in place until 1957, at which time then President of the LDS Church, David O. McKay, changed the ordinance back to conferring the priesthood then ordaining to the priesthood office. This was a gap of 36 years. However, no corrective action was ever taken. That is to say that there was never an effort made to confer the priesthood to those who received the ordinance of priesthood conferral incorrectly.

Some may see this as simply grammatical inconsistency. I could understand that until one reads the following quote from Brigham Young:

“No being can give that which he does not possess: consequently, no man can confer the priesthood on another, if he has not himself first received it.” (Brigham Young & Willard Richards, DHC 4: 257)

So what are the repercussions of this 36 year break in priesthood conferral? Well, let’s look at some birthdays. Russell M. Nelson September 9, 1924, Dallin H. Oaks August 12, 1932, Henry B. Eyring May 31, 1933,  M. Russell Ballard  October 8, 1928. This means that there is no way the current First Presidency of the LDS Church or the acting President of the Quorum of the 12 Apostles received priesthood conferral in the right manner. 

As for the rest of the Quorum of the 12 Apostles, the youngest was born in 1962. While some may have received priesthood conferral in the right manner, what about their fathers?

Now comes the scariest proposition of all. What about all the ordinances that were performed by men who had not had the priesthood conferred to them? All the baptisms, all the priesthood ordinations, all the endowments, all of the sealings, what effect do they have in the eternities? Most likely there are very few men in the LDS Church today that can say with certainty that they have a concrete line of priesthood authority. 

Do any of these hold water now in the eyes of the Lord? A scripture comes to mind for this situation, Matthew 7:22-23:

“Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”

So, we are left with the question of how does one stand in the power of something that one does not possess?

David can be reached at mormonrenegade@gmail.com

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