which the organization was to be effected, and had made known His plan
of Church government--with detailed instructions as to the requisite
conditions for membership; the indispensability of baptism by immersion,
and the precise manner in which the initiatory ordinance was to be
administered; the manner of confirming baptized believers as members of
the Church; the duties of elders, priests, teachers, and deacons in the
Church; the exact procedure to be followed in the administration of the
Sacrament of the Lord's Supper; the order of Church discipline, and the
method of transferring members from one branch to another.[1534] The
baptized converts present at the organization were called upon to
express their acceptance or rejection of Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery
as elders in the Church; and in accordance with the unanimous vote in
the affirmative the ordination or setting apart of these two men as
respectively first and second elder in the new organization was
performed.[1535]

While the Book of Mormon had been in course of translation, particularly
during the two years immediately preceding the organization of the
Church, several revelations had been given through Joseph the prophet
and seer, relating to the work of translation and to the preparatory
labor necessary to the establishment of the Church as an institution
among men. The Author of these several revelations declared Himself
definitely to be Jesus Christ, God, the Son of God, the Redeemer, the
Light and Life of the World, Alpha and Omega, Christ the Lord, the Lord
and Savior.[1536] As early as A.D. 1829, the calling of the Twelve
Apostles was indicated, and appointment was made for the searching out
of the Twelve who should stand before the world as special witnesses of
the Christ; these were subsequently ordained to the Holy Apostleship,
and the council or quorum of the Twelve has been recognized, and
instructions concerning their exalted duties have been given, in
numerous revelations of later dates.[1537]

In such manner has the Church of Jesus Christ been reestablished upon
the earth, with all the powers and authority pertaining to the Holy
Priesthood as committed by the Lord Jesus to His apostles in the period
of His personal ministry. The inauguration of a new dispensation of the
gospel, with a restoration of the Priesthood, was absolutely necessary;
since through the apostasy of the Primitive Church there lived not a man
empowered to speak or admin