--- 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: 29 number: 7 published: 1926-05 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,” *Improvement Era* 29, no. 7 (May 1926): 687." source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera2907unse 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: improvementera2907unse start_page: 687 end_page: 687 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1926-05) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera2907unse publication_year: 1926 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 1926, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # Priesthood Quorums (Priesthood Quorums Supervision of Inactive Members Holding the Priesthood Attention has been called to the fact that in a number of the quorums of the Aaronic Priesthood there are one or two, and sometimes more, of the members who, through carelessness in past years or for other reasons, have not been ordained to a higher office. The result is that they are older — in some cases much older — than the remainder of the members. This con- dition, however, it must be remembered is often the result of previous lack of care and supervision on the part of those who were at the time in charge of the work. The questions asked are: What shall be done with these "overgrown" members? Shall they be treated as our children over nine years who are unbaptized? That is, shall their names be taken off the membership of the quorum? Answering the latter questions first: It may be stated that there is no authority for taking the names of persons bearing the Priesthood from the quorum records in this manner. There is, in fact, no way of withdrawing their record of Priesthood except by action against their fellowship by those in authority. What then shall be done with them? The answer is: Labor with them and continue that labor. Select men of kindliness, of tact, and possessed of persuasive powers, to strive with them. The ward supervisors of the Aaronic Priesthood should be very well suited to such effort. Those who are appointed to this work should already enjoy or win the good friendship of those with whom they are laboring. The first step should be to get such members to attend Priesthood meeting in company of the one who has invited them to come. Quiet, persistent, enthusiastic efforts are needed to secure this result. They should be asked to attend whatever class befits their age, although credit should be given for their attendance in the quorum to which they belong. Whoever presides over the class which they attend should be informed beforehand of their coming into the class, and, while making them welcome, should avoid causing them embarrassment. Follow-up work in getting their continued attendance is very important. Cooperation between the bishopric and the ward supervisors, in giving them some interesting duties to perform, as they evidence some willingness, will encourage increased activity. As they show greater faith and attention to the work they should be ordained to a higher office, and the work of en- couraging and helping them should be continued until they are able to stand firmly for themselves. In anticipation of the question, "Can these results actually be obtained?" it may be stated that these results are being obtained repeatedly and with great benefits to those thus reclaimed. The Presiding Bishopric New South African President Elder Samuel Martin, of Ogden, has been called to preside over the South African mission, according to an announcement published on April 3. He is now a member of the Ogden stake high council. For several years he served in the bishopric of the Thirteenth ward.