As Joseph Smith dictated the translation of the Book of Mormon to his scribe, Oliver Cowdery, the two men noticed that baptism for the remission of sins was mentioned several times by the Nephite prophets.
Baptism was one of the subjects that aroused much controversy among the churches in the 1820s.As a result, Joseph and Oliver on May 15, 1829, went to the Susquehanna River, just a short distance from the Prophet's home near Harmony, Pa., where they prayed for instruction.
They had hardly begun to pray when a heavenly messenger, who identified himself as John the Baptist, appeared and informed them he was acting under the direction of Peter, James and John, who held the keys of the Melchizedek Priesthood.
The heavenly visitor instructed Joseph and Oliver that the Melchizedek Priesthood would later be given to them, but he had been sent to confer upon them the Aaronic Priesthood. (See heading for Section 13.)
After John the Baptist had bestowed the Aaronic Priesthood upon Joseph and Oliver, he commanded that they baptize each other. Joseph baptized Oliver, who, in turn, baptized Joseph.
Once they held the Aaronic Priesthood, they had the authority to baptize. However, since they had not yet received the Melchizedek Priesthood, they did not have the authority to lay on hands to bestow the gift of the Holy Ghost.