The sculpture commemorates the restoration of the Aaronic priesthood, an event in which, according to Latter-day Saint belief, the lesser order of the power and authority of God was given to male leaders of the church.

The priesthood, which holds / the authority to baptize for remission of / sins and entrance into the kingdom of God / had been absent from the earth for centu / ries.

The artwork would be part of a monument on Temple Square to commemorate the restoration of the Aaronic priesthood, to be dedicated on May 15, 1957, the 128th anniversary of the event.

[4][5] The statue was cast by Roman Bronze Works in New York City,[6] and placed on Temple Square in September 1957 (resulting in its dedication being pushed later than originally announced).

Prior to the bronze sculpture's installation, a copper box with the names of nearly 60,000 Aaronic priesthood members who had contributed to the project was placed into the monument's base.

[2] While work on the Temple Square monument was progressing, the church announced the project would expand to include a granite marker near the Pennsylvania site where the Aaronic priesthood had been restored in 1829.

During the development of the site, new bronze castings of both of Fairbanks' Aaronic and Melchizedek priesthood restoration statues were placed near the meetinghouse/visitors' center.