Priesthood Council Conference

Priesthood Council Conference The First Presidency of the Church have authorized a priesthood council convention to be held on Saturday morning, in each stake of Zion, at the regular quarterly two-day conferences held during the months of January, February and March. A general meeting for all of the priesthood, both the Melchizedek and Aaronic, will be held at 9:30, and separate ses- sions of the quorums at 10:30 o'clock. The meetings are especially designed for quorum officers and teachers, but all members of the quorums are invited and urged to be present. The stake presidents will preside over the meetings, and make the necessary arrangements for rooms to meet in, select leaders, and provide programs for each of the priesthood divisions, and see to other details necessary to make the meetings successful. It is a new movement that will be hailed with delight by all who hold the priesthood- Study Course for 1923 The Essentials of Church History, by Joseph Fielding Smith, of the Council of the Twelve, will be used as a text book for the Melchizedek Priesthood; also for the Priests of the Lesser Priesthood. This book is on sale at the Deseret Book Company, Salt Lake City. The following instructions to presidents of stakes and bishops of wards have been sent out by the Presiding Bishopric under date of December 13, and gives information on the course for the deacons and teachers for 1923: Dear Brethren: — Outlines for the Lesser Priesthood are now being printed and will be ready for distribution through the Deseret Book Com- pany, within the next two weeks. Outlines for the Deacons' quorums will cost 10c each, and for the Teachers' quorums, 20c each. Cash should accompany each order. The Priests, for the year 1923, will continue the study of Essentials in Church History. During the past year, no doubt you have had in use in your ward the Aaronic Priesthood class record, and you have paid particular attention to the instructions and suggestions for the proper conduct of Lesser1 Priest- hood classes and quorums. Promotions in the Priesthood should be based on the labors of the candidate, and if the record has been properly kept it wiU not be difficult for ycu to determine how faithful the members have been. Many times young men become careless and indifferent because of not having labors to perform. Upon the bishop, acting; as the president of the Lesser Priesthood, is placed the responsibility of assigning these duties. In the preparation and study of the courses assigned for the year 1923, it should be kept in mind that the great object is, to prepare lyoung men to perform the duties their office requires. Those in charge of this work should not be content to make an assignment of, lessons, nor to review the lesson during the class period, but some definite assignment of work to be performed during the week should also be made, and a report on this work given at the following meeting. We are anxious that every possible effort be made to encourage young

PRIESTHOOD QUORUMS' TABLE 297 men in this work. We appreciate your labors in the past, and sincerely hope the work of the Lesser Priesthood quorums will receive careful at- tention during the coming year, and that the results will be in every way satisfactory. Books A new book, just out of the press and printed in the Danish language, is a memorial edition of C. C. A. Christensen's Poems and Essays, contain- ing also a short biography of his life. The contents have been compiled and edited by John S. Hansen, editor of Bikuben. The nearly 400 pages of the book are classified into four divisions, the first being Religious Hymns and Songs, many of them contained in the Danish L. D. S. hymn book; the second, Gospel Essays; the third, Occasional Poems; the fourth, Humorous Poetical Writings, and the fifth, the author's biography. Elder Christensen was one of the pioneer preachers of the gospel in the Scandinavian coun- tries, and was well known among the Latter-day Saints everywhere. He joined the Church in Norway on the 26th of September, 1850, and died in Ephraim, Sanpete county, the home town of his adopted country, on the 3rd of July, 1912. As a missionary, artist, and writer, he ranks with the first among the Latter-day Saints in the three Scandinavian countries. The new book contains one hundred of his poems and miscellaneous writings. To Elder Hansen great credit is due for efficient work accomplished in the selection, classification, compilation and presentation of this respected author's literary work. He who has not undertaken a similar task can scarcely realize the value of it, nor the labor necessary in its performance. A book of this character is a monument of greater worth to the author than one of marble or granite, and we have no doubt that if Elder Christensen could have chosen between them he would have selected the book that Elder Hansen had so laboriously and well presented in preference to a monument of stone. Every Latter-day Saint home where the Danish language can be read or understood should have a copy of this work. It may be obtained from Bikuben, Salt Lake City, Utah. Price $2. In the Heart of Things I stoop beside the garden path — Tis a scarred little rose which doth blocm; Though called by the sallowness it hath, I am held by its sweet perfume. I halt beneath a forest oak — 'Tis an ill little bird on the bough; Though called by raggedy weathered cloak I am held by his song, somehow. I bend upon the way of life — 'Tis the dark little soul that I bless; Though called by pitiful marks of strife, I am held by his godliness. Wailuku, Maui, T. H. Or a Haven Barlow