Organization

ORGANIZATION.

BY ELDER SAMUEL W. RICHARDS.

The late organization of two new stakes of The Church in Salt Lake County, has given opportunity for thought relative to the benefits and propriety of such action. From the time the great Creator said to him by whom and for whom all things were made: "See! yonder is matter unorganized,go ye down and organize it into an earth," etc., there can be no question as to the virtue and necessity of organization: the bringing together and harmonizing material to act in unison for the accomplishment of certain ends. The result of organization of proper material in that case was an earth, or world, endowed with the energies of life, and capable of providing for the wants and necessities of an innumerable race of humanity, and other life, which were to come and dwell upon it for their development preparatory to a higher sphere. Organization has been a prominent feature from the first of human existence, developed in various forms, such as family, society, communities, tribes, nations, kingdoms, etc., each having separate and distinct features of government for their regulation and preservation. The necessity of organization is apparent in the fact that every individual organism is first formed before life enters into or takes possession of it; as in the human body the spirit, or power of life, takes possession of and controls every portion of the structure organized for it. Every member of the body responds, without hesitancy, to the dictates of the spirit within, whether it be the eyes to see, the tongue to speak, the hands to work, or the

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feet to walk. All are operated upon by the one spirit that is within, to the realization of the object and purpose of human life and action, by virtue of which it becomes a living soul. This pattern of individual organization, as arranged by the great Creator and Organizer in the beginning, is the only one safe to follow, in all social development. Every member of the organization, for whatever purpose it may have been created, should be subject to one spirit in all things relating to the development thereof, and the realization of the objects to be attained by the organization. No opposition, contention or strife can be admissible any more than one member of the body can be supposed to war with another member without injury to, if not possibly destroying, the whole body. The necessary union can only be realized by the Spirit of God which is one Spirit operating upon, in and through, the spirits of all who are embodied or included in the organization for the welfare of which they are associated together. In any organization which brings into exercise the powers of the Priesthood, as in that of the stake, both order and duty are calculated to effect the harmony required. Each one in office, if needing assistance, is permitted to call upon some member of the lower office to aidhim in the dissharge of duty. This renders it necessary for every officer to have some knowledge of duties pertaining to the higher office, to be properly qualified to assist in performing them. The whole catalogue of official duty is linked together by the lesser being qualified at any time to assist the higher; thus seeing eye to eye and working in perfect harmony, which is absolutely necessary in all things pertaining to the Kingdom of God. This linking together of the powers on earth is by virtue of an eternal principle, and reaches out to all eternal conditions of immortal life. It binds earth to heaven, time to eternity, and will, to all who live in the law, bind man to his Father— God! and all such shall be sons of God, and reign with him for ever and ever in immortality, and in the midst of eternal lives.

EDITOR'S TABLE.

TALKS TO THE YOUNG MEN—HINTS ON PRESIDING.

BY THE SENIOR EDITOR.

Speaking on "Deference for Sacred Places," in a recent talk, it was stated that those who preside over religious meetings should insist upon receiving from the audience, and from each individual

thereof, that regard and deference which are due to the places and their positions. That these are not always obtained is due to two glaring faults: the thoughtlessness or bad manners of the audience, and the disability of the person presiding. Disability may be the wrong word; it would, perhaps, be better to say ignorance, or a lack of the proper knowledge of the requirements and importance of his own position. It is frequently the case that men who lead, are not good followers; that men who make rules, themselves break them. It was said of Alexander HI, Czar of Russia, that he could and did abide by all the laws and regulations that he exacted of his court. This matter of living up to the laws of good order and conduct should be a primal qualification in a presiding officer. In his, more than in any other position, is the old saying applicable: "Rule thyself first; then others." So in a presiding officer, let it be an apostle or a seventy, the president of a quorum or of an improvement association, a staka president or the bishop of a ward; compliance with the rules of decorum and good order must first by them be strictly observed before they can reasonably expect results from the people. If you preside, act as you would have your audience individually deport themselves.

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A few of the requirements of presiding officers may be named: officers should be present on time, prompt in opening, agreeable, firm and considerate, orderly and expeditious. Nothing is so productive of negligence and lack of regard on the part of the people as a tardy officer—as no person's time if

were of value but his. Then some — and officers does notthis apply alone to presidents of the Mutual Improvement Associations: itembraces bishops and other leading men, — are always tardy with their work. Consultations that should have been held with their counselors days or hours before, are ill-manneredly held on the stand before the waiting congregation. Is it any wonder that there is running in and out, and confusion in endless train? Sometimes, in meeting, these private consultations are deferred until the sacrament is being administered. It would be better to adjourn the meeting until the presiding officer is ready. Presidents of Mutual Improvement Associations, who are in the habit of holding private conversations before their waiting audiences, may learn how disagreeable such action is to their members, by observing what effect bishop's private council meetings have upon a congregation partaking of the sacrament. The solemnity of the sacred ordinance is crushed beneath the debris of thought and action entirely foreign to its holy purpose. How can such officers ask men and women to pay proper respect to either the ordinance or the place? Advising together is very essential, but presiding officers must learn that in meeting is neither the time nor the place to hold such consultations. If advising together should not interfere with the prompt opening, neither should a lack of familiarity with the course of procedure be permitted to hinder. When it is time for opening, it is not time to consult with the choir leader, who may have forgotten his music, or his organist, or his hymn book, or his choir. Neither is it then time to consult the janitor about the lights, or the forgotten oil, or the untrimmed lamp, or the dead incandescent. All these things should have been arranged beforehand to insure prompt opening. Add to these and similar arrangements, the possession of an agreeable temper, with a heart full of humility and the spirit of God, a firmness of purpose modified by a considerate feeling of respect for the rights of every person (not forget-