Posted by:
skeptic
(
)
Date: November 07, 2012 11:45AM
In rereading this thread, I think that I detect some cunfusion on the terms "ordain", "set apart", and "confer". In earlier days of the charge, many of the terms were used interchangeably. A more recent FP (Heber Grant, maybe? I think that Quinn has it in one of his books) formalized everything.
First, a man has the Aaronic or Melchezedek Priesthood conferred on him.
Second, a man is ordained to an office in that priesthood
So, in the Aaronic Priesthood, the person is ordained to the office of Deacon, Teacher, Pries, or Bishop.
In the Melchezedek, the person is ordained to the office of Elder, High Priest, Patriarch, Seventy, or Apostle.
Third, a person is set apart to a specific calling, such as sunday school teacher, elder's quorum president, counselor in the bishopric, etc.
Oddly enough, as the President of the Church is (to date) always the Senior Apostle, the President is set apart as the president, not ordained as such.
Some confusion comes in when we read of the terminology used in earlier days, especially when someone was ordained to an office without the priesthood being conferred.
Again, sorry if this muddies up the water.