Wayfare challenges a cornerstone of modern Latter-day Saint theology with a startling historical pivot: the word "ordain" in early church scripture wasn't a clerical error or a metaphor, but a precise legal and spiritual designation for women that was later obscured by administrative shifts. This piece doesn't just ask if women can hold office; it argues that the very foundation of the 1830 church included a divinely mandated, parallel ordination for women that predates the current priesthood hierarchy by years.
The Semantic Shift in Early Doctrine
The article's central thesis rests on a rigorous textual analysis of the Doctrine and Covenants, specifically the trio of revelations from July 1830. Wayfare notes that while modern policy stresses women "are not ordained . . . to priesthood office," the original text given to Emma Smith in 1830 contains a divine promise: "Thou shalt be ordained." The piece argues that the standard explanation—that nineteenth-century Saints used "ordain" interchangeably with "set apart"—fails to account for the intentional, repeated usage of the term in high-stakes revelations.
The editors point out that this distinction is crucial because it separates the concept of lay ministry from the later-developed Melchizedek priesthood structure. As Wayfare explains, "In 1830, all these offices were 'ordained,' yet they were New Testament lay Christian offices, not priesthood offices." This reframing suggests that the exclusion of women today is a result of institutional evolution rather than an original divine mandate.
"D&C 25 established an 'ordained' lay women's office of church ministry in a parallel equality with the men's ordained lay offices outlined in D&C 20 and 24."
This argument gains traction when examining the timeline of priesthood development. The piece correctly identifies that no one was ordained to "priesthood" in 1830; the office of "high priest" didn't emerge until June 1831, and the term "Melchizedek" wasn't applied until 1835. By anchoring Emma Smith's role as the "Elect Lady" in this pre-priesthood era, Wayfare demonstrates that her ordination was to a specific, high-ranking lay office, not a subordinate one.
A Triune Leadership Model
Perhaps the most compelling section of the coverage is its reconstruction of the church's earliest leadership structure. The article draws a direct line between the biblical "Elect Lady" in 2 John and Emma Smith's role, arguing that these revelations created a "triune leadership, like a primitive first presidency." This model placed Joseph Smith as First Elder, Oliver Cowdery as Second Elder, and Emma Smith as Elect Lady at the very apex of the church's organization.
Wayfare highlights the striking symmetry between the instructions given to the men and the woman. While D&C 24 tasked Joseph with writing scripture and expounding it, D&C 25 commanded Emma: "And thou shalt be ordained under his hand to expound scriptures, and to exhort the church." The piece emphasizes that these were not merely supportive roles but authoritative ones, grounded in the same divine calling.
"In 1830, the First Elder, Second Elder, and Elect Lady were the three highest positions in the LDS Church, with no others in that category."
The commentary here is particularly effective because it connects these ancient offices to tangible outcomes, such as Emma's role in compiling the church's first hymnal. By linking her work to biblical figures like Miriam and Deborah, Wayfare elevates the "selection of sacred hymns" from a clerical task to a prophetic act of leading worship.
The Mechanics of Ordination vs. Setting Apart
A critical nuance in the article is its treatment of the laying on of hands. Critics might argue that "setting apart" and "ordaining" are functionally identical in practice, but Wayfare insists on a theological distinction: "'Ordain' carried a more specific connotation than 'set apart'—meaning, what God has ordained; while set apart meant to separate or assign." The piece traces this usage through subsequent decades, noting that women were described as "ordained" in Relief Society minutes in 1842 and in temple contexts in 1843.
This historical continuity is vital for the argument. If the word "ordain" was consistently used to denote divine authority rather than just assignment, then the modern retreat from this terminology represents a significant theological break. The piece notes that even as late as 1850, Louisa B. Pratt was "called, set apart, and ordained" to serve a mission, suggesting the language remained fluid and potent for decades.
"There is no reason to reject the word 'ordain' for women and replace it with 'set apart.'"
The article also addresses the procedural aspect of these ordinations. It points out that while Emma's initial ordination in 1830 wasn't recorded as a public vote, her later election as President of the Relief Society in 1842 was confirmed by Joseph Smith himself as the fulfillment of the "Elect Lady" prophecy. He reportedly stated that the revelation was fulfilled when she was "elected to preside," having previously been ordained.
Bottom Line
Wayfare's strongest move is its refusal to treat early church history as a static block, instead revealing a dynamic period where gender roles were more fluid and divinely mandated than later institutional structures allowed. The argument is vulnerable only in that it relies heavily on the interpretation of 1830s terminology against centuries of subsequent precedent; however, its textual evidence regarding the timeline of priesthood offices is difficult to dismiss. For readers seeking a historical basis for women's authority beyond modern policy, this piece offers a rigorous, scripture-grounded alternative narrative.