Our Work: Answers to Manual Questions; Book Review

OUR WORK. ANSWERS TO MANUAL QUESTIONS.

A friend in Nephi, Utah, asks: "Question 17, Lesson 5, Manual for 1899-1900, reads: 'In authority what quorum stands next highest to the

Twelve?' Should this be answered as above or below the Twelve?" The answer suggests itself, the moment question 18 is read: "Next lower?" It is evident from this that question 17 means: "What quorom is Higher than the Twelve?" The order of the first three quorums of The Church is as follows: First Presidency, the Twelve Apostles, the Seventies. It is generally understood that the First Seven Presidents of

Seventies with the senior president of the first sixty-four quorums of seventies, form the Quorum of Seventy, who, being unanimous, are equal in authority to the quorum of Twelve Apostles, or the First Presidency.

We have been asked to answer question 18, lesson 6, in this season's Manual: What is that sealed part (of the Book of Mormon) said to have contained? The following quotation from II Nephi 28: 10, 11, is a complete answer: "But the words which are sealed he shall not deliver, neither shall he deliver the book. For the book shall be sealed by the power of God, and the revelation which was sealed shall be kept back in the book until the own due time of the Lord, that they may come forth: for behold, they reveal all things from the foundation of the world unto the end thereof. "And the day cometh that the words of the book which are sealed shall be read upon the house tops; and they shall be read by the power of Christ: and all things shall be revealed unto the children of men which ever have been among the children of men, and which ever will be, even unto the end of the earth."

We have also been asked to explain question 8, lesson 5: "Until what time is this Priesthood to remain on the earth?" The intention of the question is evidently to draw out the statement of John the Baptist

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the earth until that this Priesthood "shall never be taken again from the sons of Levi do offer again an offering unto the Lord in righteousness." But the natural inquiry on rendering this answer, is: When the then be taken sons of Levi do offer such an offering, will this Priesthood away? A number of explanations have been offered, some of which we give in order to show the variety of opinions: sons of 1. Righteousness can not come by the law, therefore the conditions offer an offering unto the Lord in Levi can not under old of the heavenly messenger is equivarighteousness; hence the statement taken from the earth. lent to saying that this Priesthood will never be does not make it much clearer, because the time may This, however, the sons of come when, under new conditions, under a Gospel dispensation, righteousness. If such a Levi shall offer an offering unto the Lord in time may come, the query still stands unanswered. proper explana- 2. The words of Oliver Cowdery are quoted as the the name of Messiah, I tion: "He said, 'Upon you my fellow servants, in

and this authority, which shall remain upon confer this Priesthood offer an offering unto the Lord in earth, that the sons of Levi may yet of Great Price, p. 71; also note 2, Lesson 5, righteousness.'" (Pearl This would seem to answer the question except for Manual 1899-1900.) the fact that Brother Cowdery's rendition is not the authorized version If Oliver was right, why not have of the words of John the Baptist. the Doctrine and Covenants? the correct rendering in Section 13 of conveys the idea that the The inference that the word "until"

remain after the sons of Levi make their offering in Priesthood shall not righteousness, is erroneous. Evidently John the Baptist only intended to or to those who might become give absolute assurance to the Saints, remain upon the earth for a sufficiently Saints that the Priesthood would they could desire in righteousness, without long period to accomplish all

the impression that after that time it was to disap- intending to leave pear The Priesthood is to remain forever. Aaron and his sons, will 4The Priesthood of Aaron, conferred on Priesthood of Elias take its place, as before the be taken away and the Mosaic law. , .

remain forever. The time 5 The Aaronic Priesthood will not daughter of Adam that will and can be must come when every son and when repentance and baptism, and the saved have been saved, shall longer be necessary, temporal duties now devolving upon us will no exercised in the Priesthood will be in when all the functions and duties to call the God's authority which we are taught that higher division of this time comes, although the When same Melchizedek Priesthood.

238 IMPROVEMENT ERA.

Priesthood (that is, authority or agency delegated by God to man) will exist, there will be no need of the particular functions in which it is

now exercised, and therefore will not be exercised on this earth when it has reached its state of celestial perfection. We may, therefore, practically say that it will be taken away, being an appendage to the Melchizedek Priesthood necessary for the temporal and imperfect conditions under which we now dwell. With Paul, we may conclude that when that which is perfect is come, that which is in part will be done away. Whichever of these is right, if any, matters little. We incline to the last named view, because when the sons of Levi do offer again an offering in righteousness to the Lord, the time may have come when the particular functions of the Aaronic Priesthood are no longer to be performed. Some may say that if sacrifices are to be restored, this Priesthood will be needed, but it must be remembered that sacrifices were

offered in the Gospel dispensations of Adam, Enoch and Abraham, long before the lesser Priesthood was conferred upon Aaron and his sons. Be that as it may, it matters not. It is wholly immaterial to the student of "The Dispensation of the Fullness of Times" whether or not the Priesthood is to be taken away at the time inferred, so long as he is assured that it is to remain until the sons of Levi make an offering in righteousness. When that time comes, we will doubtless have further light upon it. In the meantime, question 8, lesson 5, should be answered by simply quoting the words of John the Baptist: "Until the sons of Levi do offer again an offering unto the Lord in righteousness."

BOOK REVIEW.

A readable book, a useful addition to home literature, is "Sketches of Missionary Life," by Edwin F. Parry, recently of the Presidency of the European Mission. The little volume is divided into fifteen chapters, each full of incidents and experiences which tend to awaken faith in God, while at the same time they teach valuable lessons. One good feature of the book is that it can be read and understood by the boys and girls, who become intensely interested in the stories of the hand-dealings of the Lord with his servants in the missionary field. The purpose in its publication was to supply "fresh reading matter of a wholesome character to the youth of Zion." The book well fills its mission. George Q. Cannon & Sons Co., Salt Lake City. Price, 50c.