--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 17 number: 1 published: 1913-11 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: "Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations, \"Priesthood Quorums' Table: Report of the General Priesthood Committee,\" *Improvement Era* 17, no. 1 (November 1913): 60–64." source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera1701unse 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: improvementera1701unse start_page: 60 end_page: 64 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1913-11) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera1701unse publication_year: 1913 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 1913, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # Priesthood Quorums' Table: Report of the General Priesthood Committee Priesthood Quorums' Table Report of the General Priesthood Committee The following report of the committee for the six months ending October 15, 1913, has been submitted to the First Presidency: President Joseph F. Smith and Counselors, Salt Lake City, Utah. Dear Brethren: At the close of another six months' labor, your committee on general Priesthood work takes pleasure in again report- ing that the particular work assigned to it is progressing favorably. Specifically this work consists in preparing an appropriate and pro- gressive course of study for the respective quorums, from the Deacons to the High Priests; in directing quorum activity, and in rendering such assistance to presiding officers as necessities and conditions may require. The commendable growth of our Priesthood quorums, during the last five years, is surely cause for gratitude, and the practical work that has been performed by them has undoubtedly tended to the building up of Zion and the edification of her people. But commend- able as the results are, the possibilities of Priesthood accomplish- ments have not seriously begun to be sensed by the majority of the quorum members, to say nothing about the application of those possi- bilities to daily life. ENROLLMENT OF NEW MEMBERS Take for example the number of unenrolled members. It is noted from the records of the Presiding Bishop's Office that over four thousand brethren holding the Melchizedek Priesthood, and over nine thousand holding the Aaronic Priesthood are not enrolled in any quorum. A decided effort should be made to interest' these brethren in their high and important callings, and enroll them in the quorums of the wards where they reside. In this connection it should be noted that a man's being received into a ward does not make him a member of the quorum to which he should belong. Regarding this matter, it has been suggested that if his Priesthood is stated on the certificate of membership presented to the bishop (and it should be in every case), it is the duty of the ward clerk immediately to advise the proper quorum officer of the residence of the new brother in the PRIESTHOOD QUORUMS' TABLE 61 ward. Who the quorum officer is, will depend on what officers of the quorum reside in that particular ward. If the president of the quorum be there, then he is the proper officer to be notified, but if the quorum extend over two or more wards, then the proper person to notify is the accredited representative of the quorum in the ward where the member is received. The officers having been notified properly by the ward clerk, it becomes their duty to come in contact with the new member and invite him to become a member of the quorum, and to see that he is properly enrolled. In communities where the quorum is scattered, and two or more classes are held, the class teacher should take a special interest in all the members of his class, and keep them all in close touch with the presidency of the quorum. Another important matter in relation to the new member is, that he should be put to work immediately upon his being received in the quorum. The scope of the Priesthood is so great, and its activities so broad, that there is something for every man to do. And nothing will sustain class interest in any work so much as some activity in the cause. THE PRIESTS' QUORUMS When the present system of Priesthood work was put in opera- tion, about five years ago, not more than five per cent of the wards of the Church had paid any attention to the Priests' quorums of the Priesthood. Even less than two years ago, not more than thirty out of seven hundred bishops had given this matter any serious considera- tion. About this time, however, a great awakening was brought about by an inspired letter from the Presiding Bishop of the Church, in which the importance of Priests' quorums was pointed out, and the wide scope of their duties defined. At the present time about five hundred of the wards of the Church have their Priests' quorums, or classes, and the benefit to these wards is very noticeable. But even more marked is the advantages that have come to our young brethren holding this highest office in the Aaronic priesthood. There should be a Priests' class organized in every ward where a sufficient number of worthy young men reside to form a class. And when it is possible to secure twenty-five or more Priests, they should be organized into a quorum. The bishop is the proper person to preside over the Priests' quorum. The Lord has especially commissioned him to this work. It is his duty to take a fatherly and companionable interest in this quorum. He should gather the young brethren around him, holding them near him with the strongest ties of fatherly and brotherly love, teaching them their duties by precept and example, and implanting faith in their hearts by teaching them how to live the commandments 62 IMPROVEMENT ERA of God. If he does this, lie will be paid an hundred fold. All the fresh love of their young hearts, and the strength, vigor and enthu- siasm of their youth will be at his command. Through his personal influence, born of a very close association with his Priests, the bishop can teach better than any other person, the fundamental principles of the gospel, faith, repentance, baptism, the Word of Wisdom, tith- ing, keeping the Sabbath day holy, proper administration of the sac- rament, etc. And he can implant in their impressionable minds the highest ideals, inspiring them on to the loftiest heights, religiously and industrially. And for his labor, in this one of his specific duties, they will reward him with clean and pure lives, and with a splendid young manhood that will be a pillar of strength to the ward, the stake and the Church. If the bishop lives so close to his Priests that he places within their reach all the opportunities that God in- tended they should enjoy, and then helps them to realize what these opportunities mean, and what the application is to develop and en- large upon them, he will have enrolled in the service of the Lord an army of young men who will carry with honor and distinction, a little later in life, the dignity of the offices of the Melchizedek Priesthood, and who will be honorable and successful missionaries in the nations of the earth and earnest and sincere workers in the wards and stakes of Zion. WARD TEACHING Besides assisting the Priest in his duties, the principal work of the ordained teacher is as the title indicates, to teach the Saints of the ward. We are glad to report that the spirit of ward-teaching has been felt in many of the wards as never before, and the brethren called to this important work have shown an interest that is indeed encourag- ing. Of course, nearly all of this duty is carried by the Melchizedek priesthood, assisted in many cases by the members of the Teachers' quorum. In a few wards, one hundred per cent of the families have been visited regularly every month. In a number of the stakes over fifty per cent of the families were visited regularly every month, dur- ing 1912. Commendable as this work is, however, there is still much room for improvement. The duty of the Teacher is to watch over the Church always, "to be with and to strengthen them." His work is the saving of souls, — the greatest calling in which man can engage. It is, therefore, worthy of the best efforts of our best men. Priests and teachers should be constantly encouraged to do their part of this great labor. If assigned with a more experienced brother, they will render good service and be of real value in the work. Every acting and ordained teacher should be encouraged to render one hundred per cent efficiency. This does not necessarily mean PRIESTHOOD QUORUMS' TABLE 63 that he shall merely visit one hundred per cent of the families in his district each month, but it means that he shall carry them a definite gospel message, one that will build them up in their faith, that will develop their spirits, and cause them to go undauntedly forward in the work of the Lord. More than this, he should be with them always, watching over their spiritual interests, and, if needs be, their temporal affairs, even as a careful shepherd watches over his flock. This kind of teacher will be a fit representative of the bishop in that particular district, and his report at the regular monthly meeting will be of real worth to the presiding authorities of the ward. STUDIES The work of the Aaronic Priesthood has been carefully graded in accordance with the ages of the young brethern that constitute the respective quorums. For the Deacons, the course for 1914 consists of "Incidents from the Lives of Our Leaders." For the Teachers, the subject is, "The Life of Christ." For the Priests' text book, "Restoration of the Gospel." All the members of the Melchizedek Priesthood, during 1914, will study the same text book, a work now being prepared under the direction of the general committee by Elder Orson F. Whitney, of the Council of Twelve Apostles, and will consist of an able treatise of "Gospel Themes," which considers in a comprehensive way, the general plan of salvation. All these books will be ready for distribution in time for the work on them to commence on January 1, 1914. TIME OF MEETING The best time of meeting for Priesthood classes has been a much discussed question since the present system of Priesthood work was inaugurated. Perhaps the question can be best decided by conform- ing to local conditions. In a number of stakes, however, permission has been given to hold these meetings on Sunday, and, as a rule, the Sunday meetings have been followed with marked success. In some stakes, quorums of the Melchizedek priesthood meet at 9 o'clock in the morning, and those of the Aaronic priesthood at 10:30; permission having been granted by the General Sunday School Union Board to commence the Sunday School at 10:30 o'clock, instead of 10, the usual time through- out the Church. These classes of the Aaronic priesthood then con- tinue their class work as part of the Sunday School. In other stakes, the Priests' quorum meets with the Melchizedek priesthood at 9 a. m. and the Teachers and Deacons meet at 10 a. m. as quorums, and at 10:30 a. m. for class work. This latter arrange- 64 IMPROVEMENT ERA ment seems to offer the best solution of this question of the best time of holding quorum classes. NEW RFXORDS An important item connected with our Priesthood work is the keeping of accurate records. Both the roll and minute book should be carefully kept every week. To assist in this matter, regular printed forms have been prepared and used with more or less success, during the past few years. Experience in the matter, however, has taught us that in many ways these records can be simplified, and in the preparation of the records for 1914, this simplifying of the records has been carried out. The new records are now in course of prepara- tion, and can be obtained from the stake clerks at the end of the year. There will be no charge for these books, and every quorum should provide itself with a set as soon as they are distributed to the stakes. In conclusion, we would like to urge the presiding brethren of the various quorums to "take stock" of the quorums over which they preside and put their whole heart and soul into this great work. Their callings merit all the spirit and energy that can be put into them. We trust that the success that has attended their efforts in the past will inspire them on to greater efforts in the future. We trust that quorum members will face their weaknesses manfully, and endeavor to overcome them until they have conquered and become strong. Above all, we pray that each may seek earnestly, and in faith, for the spirit of his particular office and calling, and then in humility, depend- ing upon the Lord for strength, infuse this same spirit into all over whom he presides. Thus will the power of the Priesthood increase in the midst of Zion and become a light unto all the world, and its influence for good shall extend for the blessing of the Saints, the redemption of the world, and the honor and glory of our Father in heaven. With assurances of our loyal support and hearty co-operation with you in this great latter-day work, we beg to remain, Very respectfully your brethren, The General Priesthood Committee. Rudger Clawson, Chairman. David A. Smith, Secretary.