Changes to priesthood ordinations in the early years of the church

During the 1920s, Lorin Woolley claimed that President Taylor stated the following to him and others in 1886:

"I would be surprised if ten percent of those who claim to hold the Melchizedek priesthood will remain true and faithful to the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, at the time of the seventh president, and that there would be thousands that think they hold the priesthood at that time, but would not have it properly conferred upon them." (Pamphlet, 1886 Revelation, p. 8.)

This statement is based on a long standing controversy in the Church over the proper method of bestowing Priesthood. During the administration of Joseph F. Smith (1901-1918), the general policy was to first confer the Priesthood and then ordain to the individual offices or callings within that Priesthood. During the presidency of Heber J. Grant (1918-1945), the official policy specified that a direct ordination to office in the Priesthood was all that was really required and that conferring of the Priesthood was a redundant, if not presumptuous, part of the ordinance. During this time deacons, teachers, priests, and elders were ordained to their respective office, but not explicitly conferred the priesthood.

George Albert Smith (1945-1951) removed specificity in how the ordinances were to be conducted as a general policy, thereby permitting either form to be used (see Deseret News, Dec. 27, 1947; also Truth 14:12). When David O. McKay took over as President in 1951 he reverted to the form followed during Joseph F. Smith's administration.  This method is still being followed as the official Church policy.