---
title: Improvement Era
description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930.
authors:
  - First Presidency
collections:
  - periodicals
tags:
  - magazine
  - improvement-era
periodical: Improvement Era
volume: 18
number: 9
published: 1915-07
publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations
publisher_place: Salt Lake City
language: en
type: magazine
reference: 'First Presidency, "Official Announcement," *Improvement Era* 18, no. 9 (July 1915): 832.'
source:
  url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera1809unse
  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: improvementera1809unse
start_page: 832
end_page: 832
rights:
  status: public-domain
  basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1915-07)
  source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera1809unse
  publication_year: 1915
  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 1915, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright.
---

# Official Announcement

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Official       Announcement

     Our attention having, been called to the different forms of
spe'ling the proper name Melchizedek (as, for example: Mel-
chisedek       Melchizedec,              Melchisedec, etc.),          at     our   request     Dr.
James E. Talmage made a critical investigation of the subject
with a view of learning the biblical and philological concensus
of authority and opinion concerning it.   In harmony with Elder
Talmage's report, and expressing our own views, the Council of
the Presidency and Apostles has decided that the proper noun,
and the adjective as applied to the High Priesthood should be
spelled Melchizedek (as it appears in the Old Testament and the
Book of Mormon) in all publications of the Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter-day Saints.          Joseph F. Smith,
                               Anthon H. Lund,
                               Charles W. Penrose,
                                                                      First Presidency.