Priesthood Restoration Site

Last updated
Priesthood Restoration Site
Aaronic Priesthood Monument Oakland, PA June 2006.jpg
Monument depicting the restoration of the Aaronic Priesthood, erected at the site in 1960
Location Oakland Township,
Pennsylvania,
Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States
Coordinates 41°57′04″N75°38′19″W / 41.9512°N 75.6387°W / 41.9512; -75.6387
Area157 acres (64 ha)
Elevation955 feet (291 m)
Years of significance1827–1830
Governing body The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
USA Pennsylvania location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Site location within Pennsylvania, US

The Priesthood Restoration Site, formally known as the Aaronic Priesthood Restoration Site, is a historic site located in Oakland Township, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, United States. The site comprises property once owned by Joseph Smith, and is the spot where Latter Day Saints believe the resurrected John the Baptist conferred the Aaronic priesthood upon Smith and Oliver Cowdery in 1829.

Contents

In the 1940s, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) began purchasing the properties in the area which had formerly belonged to Smith and his father-in-law, Isaac Hale. A monument commemorating the priesthood restoration was added by the church in June 1960. In September 2015, following an extensive development project, a church-operated visitors' center and meetinghouse, monuments, and the reconstructed homes of Smith and the Hale family were dedicated.

History

Site of the Joseph Smith home, before its reconstruction Joseph Smith, Jr. Harmony, PA homesite June 2006.jpg
Site of the Joseph Smith home, before its reconstruction

In December 1827, Smith and his wife, Emma, moved to the area, hoping to escape persecution experienced in Palmyra, New York. After arriving, the Smiths purchased 13.5 acres (5.5 ha) from Emma's father, Isaac Hale. [1] In Smith's day, the property was located in the Harmony Township of Susquehanna County; when the Oakland Township was incorporated in 1853, it included the land in question. Emma had been raised in Harmony, and many of her family members lived in the area. Her brother, Jesse Hale, had constructed a three-room frame home which the Smiths purchased and had moved onto their property. [2]

While living in the home, the Smith's first child, Alvin, was born and died. [2] Alvin is buried just east of the historic site in the McKune Cemetery.

According to Mormon history, a large portion of the Book of Mormon was translated by Smith while living in the home. Smith stated that the Aaronic priesthood was restored to him and Cowdery on May 15, 1829, somewhere in the woods near the home. After being given the priesthood by John the Baptist by the laying on of hands, the two men baptized each other in the nearby Susquehanna River. Following the baptisms, they ordained each other to the Aaronic priesthood. [2] Soon after, Smith said the Melchizedek priesthood was restored to he and Cowdery somewhere nearby. [3]

The Smith family left the area and their home, moving to Fayette, New York, in August 1830. In 1919, the home lived in by the Smiths was destroyed by fire. [1]

Property acquisition and developments

In 1946, the LDS Church purchased 80 acres (32 ha) of property in the area, which included the location of the former Smith home, of which only the foundation remained. [4] Two years later, the church purchased an additional 80 acres (32 ha), which included the site of the Hale home, whose foundation also remained. [5] In the decades that followed, additional land was purchased, expanding the church's holdings in the area. Some of these additional purchases included 25 acres (10 ha) of land which had been heavily polluted by adjacent railroad activity; this 2002 purchase extended the church's holdings to the river. [6] In January 2011, 10 acres (4.0 ha) were purchased from the Boughton family for $2.1 million (equivalent to $2,844,320in 2023). [7]

On June 18, 1960, a monument was dedicated at the site to commemorate the restoration of the Aaronic priesthood. The 12-foot-high (3.7 m) carnelian granite monument includes a bronze relief by artist Avard Fairbanks, depicting John the Baptist conferring the priesthood on Smith and Cowdery. [8] [9]

LDS meetinghouse on the site shortly before completion Susquahanna CO PA LDS Priesthood Restoration Site.jpg
LDS meetinghouse on the site shortly before completion

In a letter dated April 15, 2011, the church announced that the site would be restored. [10] The project included reconstructing the homes lived in by the Smith and Hale families, improved access to the baptismal site on the Susquehanna River, the construction of a combination visitors' center and meetinghouse, and the installation of two statues near the visitors' center. These statues are reproductions of Avard Fairbanks' works Priesthood Restoration and Restoration of the Melchizedek Priesthood . Pennsylvania Route 171, which splits the historic site in two was rerouted as part of the project. [11] In August 2015, the church announced that with construction completed, the site would be opened to the public on August 29 and was dedicated by Russell M. Nelson, the president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, on September 19, 2015. [12] [13] [14] Steven E. Snow, the Church Historian and Recorder from 2012 until 2019, is credited with the completion of the site. [15]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harmony Township, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania</span> Township in Pennsylvania, United States

Harmony Township is a township in Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 512 at the 2020 census.

In Mormonism, the Melchizedek priesthood, also referred to as the high priesthood of the holy order of God or the Holy Priesthood, after the Order of the Son of God, is the greater of the two orders of priesthood, the other being the Aaronic priesthood.

In Mormonism, the restoration refers to a return of the authentic priesthood power, spiritual gifts, ordinances, living prophets and revelation of the primitive Church of Christ after a long period of apostasy. While in some contexts the term may also refer to the early history of Mormonism, in other contexts the term is used in a way to include the time that has elapsed from the church's earliest beginnings until the present day. Especially in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints "the restoration" is often used also as a term to encompass the corpus of religious messages from its general leaders down to the present.

In the Latter Day Saint movement, priesthood is the power and authority of God given to man, including the authority to perform ordinances and to act as a leader in the church. A group of priesthood holders is referred to as a quorum.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aaronic priesthood (Latter Day Saints)</span> Order of priesthood in the Latter Day Saint movement

The Aaronic priesthood is the lesser of the two orders of priesthood recognized in the Latter Day Saint movement. The higher being the Melchizedek priesthood. Unlike the Melchizedek priesthood, which is modeled after the authority of Jesus and the Twelve Apostles, the Aaronic priesthood is modeled after the priesthood of Aaron the Levite, the first high priest of the Hebrews, and his descendants. The Aaronic priesthood is thought to be a lesser or preparatory priesthood and an "appendage" of the more powerful Melchizedek priesthood.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Church of Christ (Latter Day Saints)</span> Original name of the Latter Day Saint church founded by Joseph Smith in the 1820s

The Church of Christ was the original name of the Latter Day Saint church founded by Joseph Smith. Organized informally in 1829 in upstate New York and then formally on April 6, 1830, it was the first organization to implement the principles found in Smith's newly published Book of Mormon, and thus its establishment represents the formal beginning of the Latter Day Saint movement. Later names for this organization included the Church of the Latter Day Saints, the Church of Jesus Christ, the Church of God, the Church of Christ of Latter Day Saints, and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of the Latter Day Saint movement</span>

The Latter Day Saint movement is a religious movement within Christianity that arose during the Second Great Awakening in the early 19th century and that led to the set of doctrines, practices, and cultures called Mormonism, and to the existence of numerous Latter Day Saint churches. Its history is characterized by intense controversy and persecution in reaction to some of the movement's doctrines and practices and their relationship to mainstream Christianity. The purpose of this article is to give an overview of the different groups, beliefs, and denominations that began with the influence of Joseph Smith.

The patriarchal priesthood is associated with the patriarchal order found in Mormonism and is especially connected with celestial marriage.

Priest is a priesthood office in the Aaronic priesthood of denominations within the Latter Day Saint movement, including the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kirtland Temple</span> Historic Mormon temple in Ohio, United States

The Kirtland Temple is the first temple built by adherents of the Latter Day Saint movement, located in Kirtland, Ohio, and dedicated in March 1836. Joseph Smith, the movement's founder, directed the construction following a series of reported revelations, and the temple showcases a blend of Federal, Greek Revival, and Gothic Revival architectural styles. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1969 and named a National Historic Landmark in 1977. Prior to March 5, 2024, the temple was owned and operated by Community of Christ for over a century before ownership transferred to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

In most denominations of the Latter Day Saint movement, a high priest is an office of the priesthood within the Melchizedek priesthood. High priests are typically more experienced leaders within the priesthood. The term derives in part from the Epistle to the Hebrews, which describes Jesus as "a high priest after the order of Melchizedek". Movement founder Joseph Smith ordained the first high priests on June 3, 1831.

In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the priesthood is the power and authority to act in the name of God for the salvation of humankind. Male members of the church who meet standards of worthy behavior and church participation are generally ordained to specific offices within the priesthood.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Baptism in Mormonism</span> Baptism practiced in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints

In the Latter Day Saint movement, baptism is recognized as the first of several ordinances (rituals) of the gospel.

William C. Conway was an American neo-Druid and the leader of a mystical sect in the Latter Day Saint movement.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Outline of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints</span> Overview of and topical guide to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

The following outline is provided as an overview of and a topical guide to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Outline of Joseph Smith</span> Overview of and topical guide to Joseph Smith

The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to the life and influence of Joseph Smith:

Wilford C. Wood, was an American businessman and prominent member of the Latter Day Saint movement who was responsible for acquiring many of the List of historic sites of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints|historic sites]] of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, including the Nauvoo Temple, Liberty Jail, and Adam-ondi-Ahman.

<i>Priesthood Restoration</i> Sculpture in Salt Lake City, Utah, U.S.

Priesthood Restoration is a 1957 bronze sculpture by Avard Fairbanks, installed in Salt Lake City’s Temple Square, in the U.S. state of Utah. The sculpture commemorates the restoration of the Aaronic priesthood, an event in which, according to Latter-day Saint belief, the lesser order of the power and authority of God was given to male leaders of the church.

<i>Restoration of the Melchizedek Priesthood</i> (sculpture) Sculpture by Avard Fairbanks

Restoration of the Melchizedek Priesthood is a 1960s bronze sculpture by Avard Fairbanks. The artwork was commissioned by the First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for Temple Square in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. The sculpture commemorates the restoration of the Melchizedek priesthood, an event in which, according to Latter-day Saint belief, the higher order of the power and authority of God was given to male leaders of the church.

References

  1. 1 2 LDS Church (2013). "Priesthood Restoration Site, Harmony (now Oakland)". Joseph Smith website. Archived from the original on 3 August 2020. Retrieved 18 February 2015.
  2. 1 2 3 Porter, Larry C. (2001). "Joseph Smith's Susquehanna Years". Ensign (February 2001). LDS Church: 42–51. Retrieved 10 March 2011.
  3. ↑ "Restoration of the Melchizedek Priesthood". LDS Church: Church History Topics. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Archived from the original on 25 April 2020. Retrieved 9 November 2024.
  4. ↑ "Church Obtains Historic Property At Harmony, Pa". Church News . Salt Lake City. 21 September 1946. pp. 1, 8. Retrieved 9 November 2024.
  5. ↑ "Priesthood Restoration Anniversary Noted Today". Church News . Salt Lake City. 16 May 1948. Retrieved 9 November 2024.
  6. ↑ "Mormons working to develop another historic site to faith". The Gettysburg Times . Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. 23 August 2002. Retrieved 9 April 2016.
  7. ↑ Robert L. Baker (8 January 2011). "Latter-day Saints make $2.1M land purchase". The Scranton Times-Tribune . Archived from the original on 26 January 2021. Retrieved 10 March 2011.
  8. ↑ "Presiding Bishopric's Message Marks Monument Dedication". Church News . Salt Lake City. 18 June 1960. p. 13. Retrieved 9 November 2024.
  9. ↑ "'On The Gentle Susquehanna–'". Deseret News and Telegram . Salt Lake City. 21 June 1960. p. 16A. Retrieved 9 November 2024.
  10. ↑ "Church to Restore Historic Site in Pennsylvania" (Press release). The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 21 April 2011. Archived from the original on 24 April 2011. Retrieved 3 April 2012.{{cite press release}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  11. ↑ "Harmony historic site to be memorialized as plans take shape". Church News . 21 May 2011. Archived from the original on May 17, 2014. Retrieved 28 May 2011.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  12. ↑ Lloyd, R. Scott (2 October 2014). "Church offers preview of priesthood restoration site and film project at Motion Picture Studio". Deseret News . Archived from the original on January 23, 2015.
  13. ↑ Christensen, Megan Marsden (20 August 2015). "LDS Church to reopen, dedicate site where priesthood was restored". KSL.com. Archived from the original on August 23, 2015.
  14. ↑ President Nelson Dedicates Priesthood Restoration Site, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 19 September 2015, archived from the original on 21 September 2015{{citation}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  15. ↑ Stack, Peggy Fletcher (10 August 2019). "Mission accomplished: This leader got a more unvarnished LDS history to members, with the blessing of his bosses". The Salt Lake Tribune . Salt Lake City. Archived from the original on 11 August 2019. Retrieved 17 March 2020.

Further reading

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.