Editor’s Table: On Calling and Releasing

EDITOR'S TABLE. ON CALLING AND RELEASING. All Latter-day Saints certainly recognize that the Church is greater than any man, and must be considered in all cases in pref- erence to individuals. Men pass away, but the Church, the cause of God, remains permanently. Loyalty to the Church is one of the characteristics of the Latter-day Saints. They do nqt count too great any necessary sacrifice when rendered for its benefit. Every good Latter-day Saint is willing to do his share towards its advancement. Hundreds of missionaries are called each year; they go out into the world for two, three, or more years, occupy positions in their various fields of labor, and when their work is completed, their places are filled by new men, and they return home to take up other work and duties. They do not feel that their release, when they have dime faithful work, is at all unwel- come or undesirable. At home, brethren are called to labor for the Church, the bishoprics, as presidents of stakes, and in other offices, ii:i and in like manner when their work is completed, or the inter- est of the Church demands it, these may be released and others appointed to their places. It is no more a disgrace for any man who has honorably finished his work in any of these or other callings to be superceded than it is to be released from foreign missions. When men grow old and become physically incapaci- tated for the arduous labors that are required of certain officers in the Church, younger men with the vigor of strong manhood should be selected to take their places; men who are more capa- ble, physically, to stand the strain of the work. It is certainly no

EDITOR'S TABLE. 753 disgrace, dishonor, or a letting down, for those who have occupied the positions heretofore to be thus released. Our brethren are called to positions by the presiding author- ities inspired by the Spirit. Men do not ask or seek for place or position. Neither should there be any such a thing as re- signing a call in the Priesthood. All hold themselves in read- iness to be called or released, as th6 case may be, as seemeth good to the best interests of the Church, by the brethren whose duty it is to look after these matters. Church positions are not resigned as are business places, or political offices; resignations are not recognized in the Church, and therefore no man who has received a call to the Priesthood is expected to resign; but, on the other hand, he should and does, if in possession of the right spirit, al- ways feel that he is willing and ready to be honorably released if the best interests of the Church demand it. He should feel that his office and calling are in the hands of the authorities, and make such feelings known to his brethren. In case he desires to quit for personal reasons, or because he thinks the best interests of the office would be subserved by his quitting, he should submit his desires to the authorities and let those who placed the responsibil- ity upon him know thereof, so that they may release him from that responsibility, in case their wisdom and the inspiration of the Lord should so direct. To do otherwise, would be nothing less than unwisely, or perhaps wilfully, blocking the progress of the Church. In t hese matters, those who are placed in authority will and must have proper consideration and regard for men, and for the welfare of the Church whose interests are paramount. This matter is of considerable importance. Some people seem to believe that if an office is once obtained in the Church, it must be held for life, and that if the incumbent is released, it is an indignity, and lessens his value and reputation. This is entirely an erroneous idea. And officers should learn that those who or- dain and appoint have the right to remove or release, and in so doing, no indignity, disgrace, nor dishonor attaches to the action. All men in the Church holding positions should rather feel that if the work can be]done better than it is being done by them, and the presiding brethren so consider, they are. always willing to be released. The right and wisdom of the presiding authorities both

754 IMPRO VEMENT ERA in calling and releasing, should be recognized. It is, as stated, no more a disgrace, a dishonor, or a letting down to be thus hon- orably liberated from any office in the Church, than it is to be re- lieved from the presidency of a mission, or from acting as a mis- sionary in the world, or from a bishopric, or any other position among the people. Joseph F. Smith.