On Selection of Officers

ON SELECTION OF OFFICERS. How far does the authority of the stake superintendency go in the selection of oflicers to preside over the ward organizations? What is the extent of their authority in this connection? These questions have been answered by President Joseph F. Smith. The substance of his reply is that there should be no conflict in this matter; that the presiding authorities in each ward have certain rights; but he also states that it would be foolish to exercise those rights in an arbitrary manner. He says that the stake superintendency of the Y. M. M. L A. have certain rights and privileges regarding the selection of the officers over whom they are called to preside. This idea has been followed out in many stakes, and the bishops have been instructed not to make changes in the auxiliary associations without first consulting the stake superintendency of that organization, not merely because they are bound by what the stake superintendency say, but that they may work together in harmony, because the stake superintendency are better acquainted with their particular line of work and know what kind of men they need as officers, and the bishops, on the other hand, are posted on the record of the prospective officers. They should come to a mutual understanding, and neither one of them should select officers for the auxiliary associations of the ward independently of the other.