2 Ne. 6:2; Alma 5:44; 13:1-5; 43:1-2; New Witness for the Articles of Faith, McConkie, p. 348; Answers to Gospel Questions, Smith, 1:124-126; Doctrines of Salvation, Smith, 3:87; refer in this text to 1 Ne. 4:22, 26
“Among the Nephites, brethren holding the Melchizedek Priesthood were selected, consecrated teachers, and given teaching and administrative powers and responsibilities. (1 Ne. 2:22; 2 Ne. 5:19; Mosiah 23:17; 25:19; 26:7; Alma 4:7). They had jurisdiction over the churches and, along with the priests, were ‘to preach and to teach the word of God.’ (Alma 23:4.) They had power to baptize (Alma 15:13), a privilege not enjoyed by teachers in the Aaronic Priesthood (D&C 20:58). It should be noted that those consecrated priests and teachers among the Nephites were not receiving offices in the lesser priesthood, for there was no Aaronic Priesthood among the Nephites from the time Lehi left Jerusalem down to the ministry of Christ among them. From the time of Aaron to the coming of our Lord, the Aaronic Priesthood was an hereditary priesthood; it was conferred only upon the Levites, none of whom journeyed with father Lehi and his colony.” (Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, p. 776)