Office of Apostle has not changed from early times
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One of the precepts Latter-day Saint children learn before they graduate from Primary is: "We believe in the same organization that existed in the Primitive Church, namely, apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, evangelists, and so forth" (Articles of Faith 1:6).
In an interview focusing on the topic of the 170th anniversary of the calling in 1835 of the first apostles in the latter days, President Boyd K. Packer said, "A hundred seventy years ago, the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles was organized in this dispensation. The Brethren called then were ordinary men. They had conferred upon them this office in the Melchizedek Priesthood, with all of the keys of the kingdom. While the Church has grown and spread across the world, the office of the apostles has not changed; the duties are the same — to preach the gospel to every nation, kindred, tongue and people, to build up the Church and regulate all the affairs of the same.
"In the early days they walked or went by horse or wagon. Now we move about in planes, we move about the world quickly, but the gospel is the same, and the office is the same. Of more importance, in particular, the Brethren are the same. In the original Twelve, they were men from ordinary walks of life. The present Twelve are men from ordinary walks of life. We think of those who preceded us and sometimes compare the challenges we face with what they faced.
"They were limited in their travel, and they were often exposed to the elements and faced the mobs. By comparison, while we do not have those things, we face the terrible onslaught of the adversary who has determined now to destroy this work as it moves to the conclusion."
President Packer, Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve, talked of the pattern set by the Lord in calling His original Twelve in the Meridian of time and in Book of Mormon times. "The pattern is there," he said.
President Packer then referred to Church history and the calling of the Twelve in 1835 and said, "After the twelve apostles had disappeared anciently, there really was no organization of the Church until the Restoration and the calling and ordaining of the twelve apostles again." He cited an article in the April 1935 issue of the Improvement Era, written by Elder Joseph Fielding Smith, then of the Quorum of the Twelve. Elder Smith wrote:
"After the opening of the dispensation of the Fulness of Times the Lord made it known that the organization of the primitive Church of Jesus Christ was to be restored. As early as June 1829, a revelation came calling the witnesses of the Book of Mormon to choose the Twelve who should constitute the council of apostles."
Elder Smith quoted Section 18:26-36, in which the Lord gave instruction to the future Twelve, namely, they were to be disciples, go forth into all the world, preach the gospel, baptize, ordain priests and teachers, and preach the gospel to "every creature."
Elder Smith wrote further: "It was nearly six years after this revelation that the apostles were chosen. After the return of Zion's Camp from Missouri to Kirtland the Prophet Joseph Smith called all the brethren who went forth on that journey together. From these men who had been willing to risk their lives in the service of the Lord, the three witnesses, who were set apart to choose out the Twelve, made the selection of the apostles. This was on the 14th day of February, 1835, and the men were chosen in the following order:
"1. Lyman E. Johnson, 2. Brigham Young, 3. Heber C. Kimball, 4. Orson Hyde, 5. David W. Patten, 6. Luke S. Johnson, 7. William E. McLellin, 8. John F. Boynton, 9. Orson Pratt, 10. William Smith, 11. Thomas B. Marsh, 12. Parley P. Pratt.
"Lyman E. Johnson, Brigham Young and Heber C. Kimball were then called forward, ordained and instructed in that order, after which the meeting adjourned. The following day, February 15th, the ordinations continued. Orson Hyde, David W. Patten and Luke S. Johnson were called forward and ordained. William E. McLellin, John F. Boynton and William Smith were also each ordained after which the congregation adjourned. Some of the brethren were absent on this occasion. On February 21,1835, Parley P. Pratt was ordained. Elders Thomas B. March and Orson Pratt being away on missions it was not until near the end of April when they were ordained. Elder Marsh returned to Kirtland April 25th and Elder Orson Pratt on the following day."
President Packer then continued, "Section 107 verse 33 states: 'The Twelve are a Traveling Presiding High Council, to officiate in the name of the Lord, under the direction of the Presidency of the Church, agreeable to the institution of heaven; to build up the church, and regulate all the affairs of the same in all nations, first unto the Gentiles and secondly unto the Jews.' " President Packer explained, "All the other offices of the Church have been extensions through the Twelve."
"Each member of the Twelve is sustained as a prophet, seer and revelator. And the Twelve are to be special witnesses to the name of the Lord in all the world. So we are regarded as the Twelve special witnesses."
President Packer explained that the word "apostle" means one who is sent. Numerous verses in the Doctrine and Covenants refer to the duty of the members of the Quorum to travel in order to preach the gospel widely. The Prophet Joseph Smith told the first members of the Twelve in this dispensation: "The greatness of your commission consists in this: you are to hold the keys of this ministry; you are to go to the nations afar off — nations that sit in darkness. . . . " (History of the Church, 2:194-198).
Further, President Packer explained: "Each apostle has conferred upon him all of the keys of the kingdom. The one who becomes president of the Church, the chief apostle, is authorized to exercise all of the keys.
"And we are to open the doors of the nations, that's our responsibility. It includes all that would be contemplated in opening doors of the nations, including opening the work, getting official recognition — legal recognition of the Church — and setting apart officers to preside over it.
He read verse 58 of Section 107: "It is the duty of the Twelve, also, to ordain and set in order all the other officers of the church, agreeable to the revelation which says:
"To the church of Christ in the land of Zion, in addition to the church laws respecting church business. . . . "
"We oversee the ordination of all the officers," President Packer said. "Where the line of authority is traced, you can trace the line of authority to an apostle."
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