---
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: 19
number: 8
published: 1916-06
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," *Improvement Era* 19, no. 8 (June 1916): 752–754.'
source:
  url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera1908unse
  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: improvementera1908unse
start_page: 752
end_page: 754
rights:
  status: public-domain
  basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1916-06)
  source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera1908unse
  publication_year: 1916
  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 1916, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright.
---

# Priesthood Quorums’ Table

<!-- page:752 -->

PRIESTHOOD QUO\jfc
            -RUMS' TABLE                                     ~

                    Enrollment and Ordination

     The First Presidency has sent out the following instructions, to
stake presidents and bishops, on these subjects:
     Dear Brethren: A number of enquiries have been received of
late from Presidents of stakes and quorum officers concerning enroll-
ment in_ Priesthood quorums and classes.      We   consider this subject
of sufficient importance to justify sending this letter to you, which we
hope you will consider with the High Council and other stake and ward
officers, and which should be entered in your stake historical record.
          —
     First.   Each quorum should have one roll only, and every person
holding the Priesthood should be enrolled in the quorum having juris-
diction in the ward where his Church membership is recorded. The
practice of keeping a supplemental or inactive roll is not approved..
           —
     Second. Recommends from one quorum to another are not re-
quired. The present arrangement for admitting members in the quo-
rum is already published as follows:
     "The certificate of ordination should be carefully preserved by
the person ordained; and, whenever necessary, it should be presented
to the proper authority as an evidence of his ordination.      Upon this
evidence he should be admitted to membership in the usual manner by
the quorum having jurisdiction in the ward or stake where he re-
sides, providing he has been accepted as a member of the ward.         If
he does not possess a certificate of ordination, and the recommend
upon which he is received in the ward names his Priesthood and
ordination, it should be accepted as evidence that he holds that office,
provided there is no evidence to the contrary, and provided he has
been admitted as a member of the ward in full fellowship."
          —
     Third. When a person holding the Priesthood removes from one
ward to another and is accepted as a member of the ward into which
he moves, it becomes the duty of the Ward Clerk to notify the presi-
dent of the quorum of the arrival of this person. The new member
should present his certificate of ordination as evidence that he holds
the Priesthood, and upon that certificate he should be presented for
admission to membership in the quorum to which members of that
ward holding the same Priesthood belong. It is the duty of the Ward
Clerk to report at the next ward weekly Priesthood meeting the ar-
rival of any person holding the Priesthood, and every such newly ar-
rived member should be enrolled in the proper class, whether he has
attended a class meeting or not.
            —
     Fourth. When a member holding the Priesthood becomes a
member of the ward, the proper quorum officer having jurisdiction
should look after him and see that he becomes enrolled in the quorum.
          —
     Fifth. It is the duty of the secretary of a High Priests' or El-
ders' quorum to prepare certificates of ordination, and to have them
signed by the proper officers, presented to the Ward Clerk to be
entered upon the ward record, and then delivered to the persons in
whose favor they are issued. Seventies' quorums, however, do not
issue certificates of ordination.. They are issued bv the First Council
of Seventy.    Therefore, Seventies' quorums should not be provided
with certificates. When a person is ordained to the office of Seventy

<!-- page:753 -->

PRIESTHOOD QUORUMS' TABLE                                  753

by any other person than a member of the First Council, the proper
quorum officers should immediately notify the First Council of Sev-
enty, requesting a certificate of ordination to be mailed or delivered
to the quorum officer, and after it has been entered on the quorum
record and the ward record it should be delivered to the person in
whose favor it is issued.
            —
     Sixth. When a quorum withdraws its fellowship from one of its
members, a report of the action of the quorum should be sent to the
Bishop of the ward.
    We    trust that you will take such steps as may be necessary to
bring this matter before the quorums of the Priesthood in your stake
cf Zion, so that there may be uniformity established in enrolling mem-
bers in quorums and classes and in the preparation and issuing of
certificates of ordination.
     With kind personal regards, we are,
           Your brethren in the Gospel,
                                                  Joseph F. Smith,
                                                  Anthon H. Lund,
                                                  Charles W. Penrose,
                                                            First   Presidency.
SALT LAKE CITY,   MAY 9, 1916.

                Suggestive Outlines for the Deacons

                          BY     P.   JOSEPH JENSEN
                                      Lessqn 16
    The aim of this lesson should be to develop in the boys a sym-
pathy for the Indians.
    The problem may be as follows: How ought we to feel towards
the Indians? Let several boys give answers
                                                    with reasons for them
    When did they come to America? Why do they have               a colored
skin? (See Nephi 5:20-23.)         How long ago did they alone occupy
America?     What have the American people done with the Indians?
                                                 Tell of one war in which
Tell how William Penn dealt with them.
                                              Americans.     Tell President
Indians have been cruelly treated by
Young's   policy  of dealing   with  the Indians.
                                                              Enos 1:10-18).
     Read a promise of the Lord to the Indians (See        come  forth?
                            the records  of  the  Indians
When did that    book,  or
                                                 Book  of Mormon has been
     Relate an  incident or  two  in which  the
p-iven to Indians to read and study.
g
     Study the lesson in the lesson-book.
                                                Have in mind how a prom-
inent Indian from Uintah was
                                  warned by a heavenly messenger not to
                                      servant of the Lord
 do so wicked a deed as killing a
                                              towards the Indians? Get a
     Why ought we to be sympathetic             What can we do? Get an-
 summarv of the thoughts in the lesson. offers and occasionally pray
                                  opportunity
 sv^   of kmd treatment when
 that the Lord will fulfil all his promises to them.
                                Lesson 17
     Tine aim of the following lesson
                                        might be to impress the deacons
                                                                   their
       theCcessity    of exercising careful judgment in selecting
 with
                                 I best choose my
                                                  companions? Let the
 ^"Thrpro^em'^rlowmay
          P                                                    did when
            tneir^iews.   Now  let us see how President Taylor
 boys giye
 a young man.
      Study the lesson.

<!-- page:754 -->

754                    IMPROVEMENT ERA
     What spiritual manifestations did the boy John Taylor have that
gave him strong religious impressions? What opportunities do you
have to be led by religious influences? Why did he choose to be a
Methodist? To leave grog alone? To stop using snuff? How did
Leonora Cannon come to accept him as her husband? How did John
Taylor choose the "Mormons'' as his people?
     What are your companions influencing you to do? What oppor-
tunities do you have to know whether those things are right?
     Answer the problem.
                               Lesson 18
     The aim in lesson eighteen may be to help the boys prepare them-
selves to defend the Authorities of the Church, including ward or
stake, in times of trouble.
     Problem:   How    may we become strong in defense of the servants
of the Lord?
     Study the lesson.
     What were members of the Church in Kirtland doing that brought
the spirit of apostasy among the Saints? Have someone review last
lesson and point out how John Taylor had grown strong for the
right.  Relate his testimony to those who had allowed themselves to
                                        —
be influenced by the spirit of the times speculation.
     Sum up the lesson wtih the Savior's promise, "And whoso treas-
ureth up my word, shall not be deceived."
     Answer the problem of the lesson.

                       A "Happy Hour" Class
    Elder Verner O. Hewlett, Halifax, England, April 6: "This is a
picture of our 'happy hour class.' Sisters Lucy Walker at the left,
and Sister Annie Sherman, at the right, have succeeded in making this
children's organization very profitable for the children of the Latter-

day Saints and their friends in this district. To the left of the picture
is our very commodious and comfortable meeting room. Twenty-two
of our brethren here hold the Priesthood.     They have so far been very
fortunate as only three of them are at the front. Practically all of
those who remain are indispensable in the manufacture of war muni-
 tions here."
