--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Roberts, B. H. collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 11 number: 6 published: 1908-04 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'B. H. Roberts, "Seventy’s Council Table," *Improvement Era* 11, no. 6 (April 1908): 472–475.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera1106unse transcription: Transcribed from the Internet Archive scan of each issue (the item for each issue is named in the issue's own source); unnumbered advertising leaves are omitted, printed page numbers are kept as page markers. identifier: improvementera1106unse start_page: 472 end_page: 475 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1908-04) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera1106unse publication_year: 1908 note: The Internet Archive item metadata carries a blanket "© Copyright by Intellectual Reserve, Inc." notice. The library owner judged it inapplicable because this issue was published in 1908, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # Seventy’s Council Table SEVENTY'S COUNCIL TABLE. BY B. H. ROBERTS, MEMBER OF THE FIRST COUNCIL. The Seventh President. — On page 18 of the current Seventy's Year Book, occurs the following as a quotation from the Doctrine and Covenants: And it is according to the vision showing the order of the Seventies that they should have seven presidents to preside over them, chosen out of the number of the Seventies. And the seventh president [counting from the one last ordained] of these presidents is to preside over the six. The words in the brackets in the above quotation seem to have occasioned no little discussion among the brethren, and we have received quite a number of letters askiag by what authority this "interpolation" is made in the revelation. It is not an "interpolation." It should have been enclosed in square cornered brackets as above to indicate that it was no part of the revelation, but an explanation of the words, "seventh president." The warrant for the explanation is in the practice of the Church which is the best interpretation of the Scriptures. From the beginning it has been the rule in the Seventies organizations that the senior president by ordination is the president of the council, and to make him seventh instead of first you must count from the last one ordained. The conclusion is inevitable. Is there anyone who would advocate that the last president ordained, counting from the first ordained, should be the president of the council? In that event a man utterly without experience or knowledge of the affairs of the council would very likely displace a man who perhaps had twenty-five or thirty years of experience behind him in the affairs of the Seventy's work. Any other interpretation than the one given in the words in the brackets would be preposterous. Of Asking Questions. — At the Seventy's table we shall be very pleased to answer the questions which arise from time to time in the course of study our quorums are persuing, or questions relating to the administration of quorum affairs, and doctrinal questions which may be proper to discuss in these pages. But we suggest to brethren that the sending of questions to the editor of this Table that onlv require a little looking up in the Scriptures for an answer, be avoided. Seek answers to your own questions by research in the Scriptures, and do not fly to other sources for help when ten minutes consultation of your Bible Dictionary, or a glance through the index of the Book of Mormon or Doctrine and Covenant $ SEVENTY'S COUNCIL TABLE. 473 would bring you the information you desire. Institute a little original research for yourselves, and in addition to getting an answer to the particular question in hand, you will incidentally pick up much information aside of the direct knowledge you seek, and by consulting these authorities you will become familiar with them and gradually become an answerer of questions instead of a mere aaker of them. By pursuing this course you will more rapidly improve yourselves and relieve somewhat the burden of those who are already asked to do too much research work for others. The Recent Call for Missionaries. — Recently the quorums through their respective Councils have been called upon to furnish from one to four names of members who may be regarded as worthy, efficient, and able to perform mission work. These names to be submitted to the First Council who will then open correspondence with them to ascertain definitely if their circumstances are such that they can perform this service for God and fellowmen. In some instances we are informed that the council passes over the consideration of the presidents in the quorum, supposing, strangely enough, that they are not to be considered in this application for available men. This is written to inform the presidents that not only in this recent call, but in every one that shall follow it, unless exception is especially made, presidents are to be considered as well as the members in the quorum. In fact, they should be the first ones considered, and if available, they should be reported to the First Council. Do not be too careful of yourselves, brethren of the presidents, we shall be glad to receive your names together with the names of members from your quorum; for, as of old, the field is ripe and ready for the harvest. "The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few. Pray ye, therefore, to the Lord of the harvest, that he send forth laborers unto his harvest." In this connection, also, we learn there are some members of quorums who are dissatisfied because the initiative, looking to their performing missionary work, begins with the presidents of their quorums. To such we put the question: Brethren, what would you have? Where and with whom should it begin, if not with the presidents of your quorums? Certain it is that it must begin somewhere, and the divine institution which God has established in this world to carry out his purposes, the Church of Jesus Christ, with whom he has lodged divine authority, says that it shall begin so far as the Seventies are concerned here with the councils of the respective quorums; and to complain of it so beginning is to complain of that order of things which God has instituted. The suggestion of a name by the presidents of the quorum to the First Council is not equivalent to a call to a mission. It is merely a commencement of those inquiries that are intended to ascertain the worthiness and preparedness of the individual to undertake this noble work. The presidents of a quorum can pay a member no higher compliment than to send his name to the First Council as being worthy to go upon a mission, and, as they believe, prepared to go. If it shall develop that the circumstances of one whose name is so suggested do not warrant his going upon a mission, he will have full opportunity to make that apparent, and he will be honorably excused. But to take of- 474 IMPR 0 VEMENT ERA . fense with his quorum presidents for suggesting his name to the First Council is the height of folly. Instead of taking offense, he owes them thanks for the splendid compliment. And remember this, brethren, to be called by a divinely appointed agency is to be called of God. Just as much so as if the voice of God spoke audibly, designating each individual who is suggested for a mission, and this is a lesson that Israel must learn. The Bible as Literature. — One of the effects which we hope will be produced by the present year's study of the Hebrew Scriptures, the Old Testament and the New, is to beget an appreciation of the Scriptures as literature. It goes without saying that the Bible has done more to enrich the diction of writers and public speakers than any other collection of books whatsoever. We were reminded of the value of the books of the Bible in this respect by a speech recently delivered in the House of Representatives by a member from the state of Missouri. This particular representative, by the way, s not a man who accepts the Christian orthodox view of the Bible at all. Indeed, he stands ranked among his fellows as a skeptic as to the divinity of the Bible. True, he is the son of a sectarian minister, but by one of those contretemps which sometimes happen in such cases, he was not at all impressed with the religious convictions of his father, and refused to become interested in the Bible as an authority in religion. The father despairing of interesting his son in the Bible on the question of religion, at last called his attention to the beauty of its literature, and the exhaustive mine it would be from which to enrich his own diction. This arrested the attention of the son who by this time began to manifest some ambition to become a public speaker. And he became a reader of the Bible, and it is safe to say that he never addresses the House of Representatives, of which he lias now a long time been a leading member, but what Biblical allusions or direct quotations enrich his speeches. For example, in the recent speech alluded to, and that requires about a column and a quarter of a Salt Lake daily newspaper to give a synopsis of, there are nine Biblical allusions or direct quotations, and they are used most happily. One example must suffice. Referring to a prominent leader on the opposition side of the house, he described him thus: "He is a fixed star of portentous magnitude in the constellation of the stand-patters. He is the stand-pat-sheaf to which all other stand-pat-sheaves do obeisance, even as Joseph saw things happen in his realm. He is to all stand- patters what Aaron's rod was to the rods of the magicians." This is said not to introduce controversial political questions at this Table, but merely to illustrate the happiness which a knowledge of Scripture phraseology gives to public speaking. To use it, however, to advantage, one must become saturated with it. The phraseology must arise spontaneously from familiarity with it, and this means frequent readings of the Scriptures. It can be acquired in no other way. Search the Scriptures, then. First, of course, because in them we have the way of eternal life portrayed, and they testify of God. But read them also as a means of education, as a means of acquiring power of expressing truth in apt and familiar phraseology. A Set of Desirable Books. — The Deseret News Book Store is announcing SEVENTY'S COUNCIL TABLE. 475 a set of books by Elder B. H. Roberts at a greatly reduced price. They comprise the following: The Gospel, Outlines of Ecclesiastical History, New Witness for God, Mormon Doctrine of Deity, Succession to the Presidency, Defense of the Faith and the Saints, Missouri Persecutions and The Rise and Fall of Nauvoo. The price per set is $6.25. The announcement of the sale of this set of books is mentioned here after submitting the propriety of inserting it, to the First Council. It is not intended as an advertisement in the interest of the Deseret News Book Store, nor will it be of any advantage to Elder Roberts, since the copyright of these books, as also the proceeds of all sales of them is out of his hands ; and they belong to the Church. The announcement is made purely in the interest of the quorums and their members, and it is suggested that it would be a good thing for each quorum, as such, to secure these books for reference in their class work, and general study of the gospel and the history of the great Latter-day work. While not many members may be able to purchase the set, still each quorum could do so, and it would be a valuable addition to its reference library; and to this end, we commend this notice to the attention of the quorums. The eight books are sold at $6.25. The ordinary price of the set would be $9.50. We are informed by the publishers that the set at the reduced price will be sold only for a very limited time. Regular Council Meetings.— We trust that the presidents of Seventies are not losing sight of the fact that they should hold regular council meetings in the interest of their respective quorums and their work. Nothing will contribute more to the success of a quorum than council meetings of the presidents regularly held. In this connection we suggest that it would be well to have the "Council Table" of the Era read in the council to ascertain what items of instruction or class direction are applicable to the quorum; and as from time to time suggestions are found which in the judgment of the council would be of advantage to the quorum, let steps be taken to introduce them into the quorum exercises. Don't neglect to avail yourselves of suggestions from The Table— The Table like the Era is yours — help yourselves. Elder William S. Musser, who has been absent on a mission in Germany, writes from London, March 2. that about the 12th he will be homeward bound. He expresses joy and thankfulness for the privilege of preaching the gospel. "I have indeed learned many lessons. God has been very good to me and blessed me in countless ways. My whole mission has been a pleasure to me. In many ways my eyes have been opened to the truths of the gospel, and I know now as never before that I am engaged in the work of the Lord; that he lives, and has again established his Church upon the earth. The mission field is the most wonderful school in the world, where the worker can make all the progress of which he is capable. Every faculty is brought into play, every sense made keen, and every talent improved. It is the best school for the study of character and custom, and for learning the real lessons of life. I am happy for having had such an experience.