Priesthood Quorums' Table

PRIESTHOOD QUORUMS' TABLE. To the Quorums of Seventy.— Your attention has undoubtedly been called to the fact that a great movement has just been inaugurated by the presiding authorities of the Church with the object in view of improving the various priesthood quorums - For a number of years past there has been a strong feeling among the presiding brethren, and with many observing members of the Church, that closer attention should be given the quorums, and that work of a more systematic and educational character should be introduced, such as would hold the attention of the brethren, prove interesting as a study, and gradually give to the members of the quorum a fuller and more comprehensive understanding of the duties pertain. ing to their various callings. Several months ago a committee was appointed by the First Presidency to prepare outlines of work for the quorums of the Aaronic priesthood and for the Elders and High Priests of the Melchizedek priesthood. This committee has accomplished the task assigned it, and the result of its work is a splendid oourse of instruction for each of the quorums named. The launching of this praiseworthy work has brought up the question as to the time of meeting of the quorums of Seventy. Some prominent brethren feel that it would be an advantage to the movement if the quorums of Seventy were to hold their meetings at the same time and under the same general rules governing all the other quorums. This question has been freely discussed by the presiding authorities of the Church, and by them it has been unanimously decided that the Seventies unite with the other quorums in the holding of their class and quorum meetings. You are therefore instructed to make such arrangements as may be necessary to have the members of your quorum meet with the priesthood of the ward, or wards, where they reside on Monday night of each week. The plan is for all the brethren holding the priesthood to meet conjointly for opening exercises in their respective wards under the direction of the Bishep. After these exercises, the various quorums are to separate for class work under the direction of their presidents, as heretofore. The Seventies' second year book will continue to be the line of study for the quorums of the Seventy. Other text books will be prepared, under the direction of the First Council, for use in class exercises, as may be necessary in the future .

320 IMPR 0 VEMENT ERA . We feel to commend most heartily the splendid work that has been accomplished by the Seventies during the past fifteen months. We hope all of our brethren will give earnest and cheerful support to this new move, endeavoring to make the success of the future surpass all former records. The new working conditions are to begin the first Monday in February. The success of our work will depend very largely upon unity of action. We urge, brethren, that you avoid creating any obstacles; goto work with determination to remove all hindrances that you may see before you, remembering that this movement has not only the endorsement of the presiding authorities of the Church, but that it has also been approved by a vote of the priesthood of the entire Church as represented in the general conference priesthood meeting of April last. We regard this movement as of great importance and as one that marks the dawn of a new era. The quorums of the Priesthood are to assume their proper place and take the lead in the theological training of their members and in qualifying them for their respective duties and callings in the Church. Seymour B. Young,

• In behalf of the First Council of Seventy. Salt Lake City, Utah. January 8, 1909. Monday Night Meetings. — Beginning Monday evening, February 1, 1909, all the Seventies are requested to meet in their respective wards conjointly with the other quorums of the Priesthood for opening exercises, after which they will separate and conduct their regular class exercises. Seventies Quorum Meetings.— Presidents of quorums are to understand that the new arrangement for the holding of class meetings on Monday night of each week is not intended to do away with quorum meetings. Where a full quorum resides in a ward, each meeting will, of course, be an official quorum meeting. Where a quorum district covers two or more wards, it will be necessary to provide at regular intervals for the full quorum to meet in an official capacity In compact districts there should be a meeting of this character once a month; in widely scattered districts, once in three months. Where quorum meetings are held but once in three months, it is suggested that they be held at the time of holding stake conferences. A regular time, should be designated for these quorum gatherings, and an understanding arrived at with local authorities in relation to the matter. On such occasions, concise, comprehensive reports should be given, covering the work accomplished in the several class meetings during the month, or three months, as the case may be. All such reports should be particularly noted by the secretary, and recorded in the official record of the quorum. Where quorum meetings are held once every month, Monday night is to be the time for such meetings, and the regular lesson for that date is to be considered. No Classes for Acting Ward Teachers. — There is a wrong impression out in some localities regarding the duty of acting teachers in connection with -he new Priesthood movement. In a stake recently visited by one of the presiding

PRIES7H00D QUORUMS' TABLE. 321 brethren, it was found that classes for acting teachers had been organized in the wards. The local authorities expected the brethren of all quorums who were laboring as acting teachers, to give allegiance to these classes in preference to their various quorum classes. This is a mistaken view. There are no classes for acting teachers in connection with the Priesthood meetings on Monday night. No outlines have been prepared for any such classes. Ordained teachers are to meet in their respective quorums for class exercises . Acting teachers are to meet in the priesthood quorum classes to which they belong. If the acting teachers in the various wards throughout the Church were to meet in classes provided for ordained teachers, the various quorums of the Melchizedek priesthood would be seriously, hampered in their work, and in very many cases the class work of these quorums would be entirely broken up, for the reason that quite a percentage of the wide awake, active brethren who are Elders, Seventies or High Priests, are engaged in the work assigned to the ward teachers. The brethren of the Seventies are expected to meet in the wards where they reside on Monday night of each week in the Seventies classes, and continue the work that has been outlined for them in the Second Year Book of the Seventies' Course in Theology.