--- 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: 31 number: 10 published: 1928-08 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* 31, no. 10 (August 1928): 886–886." source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera31010unse 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: improvementera31010unse start_page: 886 end_page: 886 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1928-08) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera31010unse publication_year: 1928 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 1928, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # Priesthood Quorums All matters pertaining to the Aaronic Priesthood in this department are prepared under the direction of the Presiding Bishopric. The Vitality of the Sacrament There are, perhaps, very few members of the Church who do not understand, "it is the Spirit which giveth light," and "it is the Spirit which beareth witness," and that without the Spirit it is impos- sible to live the Gospel and gain salvation. Yet, many seem to think they can enjoy the Spirit regardless of how seldom they attend sacramental meeting, or whether they go at all. How do they interpret the Lord's revela- tion which says, "Thou shalt go to the house of prayer and offer up thy sacra- ments on this my holy day?" This revelation cannot be understood as mean- ing anything except to do this as often as the holy day comes. And the Lord has revealed two special and wonderful prayers, each one of them beautifully framed, to make suitable peti- tion for one important thing: that those who partake of the sacrament "may have his Spirit to be with them." Is it thinkable that after the Lord has instituted this very special performance by which we may receive his Spirit, that he will give it when we ignore the performance? How dare we dispense with it when the Lord has said to us, "It is expedient that the Saints meet together often to partake of the bread and wine?" Jesus made this a great feature of his visit to the Nephites, telling them, "This shall ye always observe to do, and it shall be a testimony to the Father that ye do always remember me, and if ye do always remember me, ye shall have my Spirit to be with you." Consider well the import of this, "always." After the Nephites had partaken of the sacrament he said, "Blessed are ye for this thing which ye have done, for this is ful- filling the commandment, and this doth witness unto the Father that ye are willing to do that which I have commanded you. * * * And I give unto you a command- ment that ye shall do these things. And if ye shall always do these things, blessed are ye, for ye are built upon my rock. But whoso among you shall do more or less than these are not built upon my rock, but are built upon a sandy foundation; and when the rain descends and the floods come, and the winds blow, and beat upon them, they shall fall, and the gates of hell are ready open to receive them." In every ward there are brethren and sisters building on a sandy foundation by neglecting this privilege of the sacramental service on the Sabbath day. This neglect brings on them a spirit of indifference or opposition; they often urge their own pet explanation for their change of feeling; but, whatever they say and try to believe, they are not enjoying the good spirit they could have by living up to this wonderful privilege. They should take this vital matter seriously into account, lest the "winds and the floods" find them unpre- pared.— Albert R. Lyman. False science may contradict a true interpretation of Genesis; true science may contradict a false interpretation of Genesis; but true science will never contradict a true interpretation of Genesis. — Nephi Jensen.