The General Authorities of the Church

The General Authorities of the Church By LeRoi C. Snow TWENTY-SIX men constitute the General Authorities of the Church. These comprise five groups, or councils, viz: the First Presidency, three; the Council of the Twelve, twelve; the Pre- siding Patriarch, one; the First Council of Seventy, seven; the Presiding Bishopric, three; total, twenty-six. The personnel of the General Authorities, at the present time, is as follows: First Presidency President Heber J. Grant, born Nov. 22, 1856, ordained an apostle Oct. 16, 1882, sustained as President of the Church, Nov. 23, 1918. First Counselor Anthony W. Ivins, born Sept. 16, 1852, or- dained an apostle Oct. 6, 1907, was chosen second counselor in the first presidency, Mar. 10, 1921, and first counselor, in May 28, 1925. Second Counselor Charles W. Nibley, born Feb. 5, 1849, or- dained presiding bishop Dec. 11, 1907, was chosen second coun- selor May 28, 1925. Council of the Twelve Rudger Clawson, president, born Mar. 12, 1857, ordained an apostle Oct. 10, 1898, acting president of the Council Nov. 23, 1918, and president Mar. 10, 1921. Reed Smoot, born Jan. 10, 1862, ordained an apostle Apr. 8, 1900. George Albert Smith, born Apr. 4, 1870, ordained an apostle Oct. 8, 1903. George F. Richards, born Feb. 23, 1861, ordained an apostle Apr. 9, 1906. Orson F. Whitney, born July 1, 1855, ordained an apostle Apr. 9, 1906. David O. McKay, born Sept. 8, 1873, ordained an apostle Apr. 9, 1906. Joseph Fielding Smith, born July 19, 1876, ordained an apos- tle Apr. 7, 1910. James E. Talmage, born Sept. 21, 1862, ordained an apostle Dec. 8, 1911. Stephen L. Richards, born June 18, 1879, ordained an apostle Jan. 17, 1917.

Mar., 1929 GENERAL AUTHORITIES OF THE CHURCH 365 Richard R. Lyman, born Nov. 23, 1870, ordained an apostle Apr. 7, 1918. Melvin J. Ballard, born Feb. 9, 1873, ordained an apostle Jan. 7, 1919. John A. Widtsoe, born Jan. 31, 1872, ordained an apostle March 17, 1921. Presiding Patriarch Hyrum G. Smith, born July 8, 1879, ordained presiding patriarch May 9, 1912. First Council of Seventy Brigham H. Roberts, president, born Mar. 13, 1857. set apart in the council Oct. 8, 1888. Jonathan Golden Kimball, born June 9, 1853, set apart in the council Apr. 6, 1892. Rulon S. Wells, born July 7, 1854, set apart in the council Apr. 5, 1893. Joseph W. McMurrin, born Sept. 5, 1858, set apart in the council Jan. 21, 1898. Charles H. Hart, born July 5, 1866, set apart in the council Apr. 8, 1906. Levi Edgar Young, born Feb. 2, 1874, set apart in the council, Oct. 6, 1909. Rey L. Pratt, born Oct. 11, 1878, set apart in the council Apr. 6, 1925. Presiding Bishopric Sylvester Q. Cannon, born June 10, 1877, ordained and set apart presiding bishop June 4, 1925. David A. Smith, born May 24, 1879, was ordained and set apart second counselor in the presiding bishopric Dec. 11, 1907, and set apart first counselor July 18, 1918. John Wells, born Sept. 16, 1864, was ordained and set apart second counselor July 18, 1918. Former Presidents Six presidents of the Church have preceded our present Pres- ident, Heber J. Grant: Joseph Smith, the Prophet, born Dec. 23, 1805. Sustained First Elder of the Church April, 1830, and President of the High Priesthood Jan. 25, 1832, was martyred June 27, 1844. Brigham Young, born June 1, 1801, ordained an apostle Feb. 14, 1835, sustained (in England) president of the Council Apr. 14, 1840, and president of the Church Dec. 27, 1847, died Aug. 29, 1877.

366 IMPROVEMENT ERA Mar., \9io John Taylor, born Nov. 1, 1808, ordained an apostle Dec. 19, 1838, sustained president of the Church Oct. 10, 1880, died July 25, 1887. Wilford Woodruff, born Mar. 1, 1807, ordained an apostle Apr. 26, 1839, sustained president of the Church Apr. 7, 1889, died Sept. 2, 1898. Lorenzo Snow, born Apr. 3, 1814, ordained an apostle Feb. 12, 1849, sustained president of the Church Sept. 13, 1898, died Oct. 10, 1901. Joseph F. Smith, born Nov. 13, 1838, ordained an apostle July 1, 1866, sustained president of the Church, Oct 17, 1901, died Nov. 19, 1918. Including the present authorities, there have been seven Pres- idents of the Church, nine First Counselors, twelve Second Coun- selors, fifty-four Apostles, five Presiding Patriarchs, thirty-four Presidents in the First Council of Seventy and six Presiding Bishops. The twenty-six men who now constitute the General Author- ities of the Church have remained in office without change since June 4, 1925, when Sylvester Q. Cannon was ordained Presiding Bishop, a period of three years, nine months and five days to March 9, 1929. There have been only three other periods since the organization of the Church when the entire group of General Authorities (26) have remained in office without change for a longer period than our brethren who now occupy these positions. The longest period was five years, from October, 1862, to October, 1867. The next long- est period was four years seven months, from April, 1912, to November, 1916. The only other period was four years three months, from July, 1870, to October, 1874. Only President Brig- ham Young and President Joseph F. Smith presided over the entire group, without change, longer than President Heber J. Grant has done. The one who held office longest was Presiding Patriarch John Smith, grandfather of our present presiding patriarch, who was or- dained in 1855 and died in 1911, holding this position for fifty- six years. Rudger Clawson, now president of the Council of Twelve, held office for the shortest period when he was second counselor in the first presidency, being sustained in this position October 6, 1901, which he held until the death of the president, four days later. Of our present leaders, President Heber J. Grant has held office longest as one of the General Authorities, from October 16, 1882, over forty-six years. As to age, President Charles W. Nibley is the oldest among our present authorities, having reached his eightieth

Mar., 1929 GENERAL AUTHORITIES OF THE CHURCH 367 birthday Feb. 5. Hyrum G. Smith is the youngest, and will be fifty years old July 8. Our Church leaders are men of God and they are inspired and led by Him. We respect and love them all. We would do well to keep their lives, their names and faces before us constantly, heed their instructions and obey their counsel. Let us uphold them always in their sacred responsibilities with our faith, our prayers and our faithful lives as Latter-day Saints. Is There a Terminus? We were driving toward a precipitous clift, on our left a mountain rose to majestic heights, while on our right a river seemed to cut off further progress. One of the occupants of the car became somewhat perturbed and exclaimed: "Oh dear! that must be the end of the road." And it really appeared that we were coming to the end, but the river took an unexpected turn and we found that a roadway wide enough for cars going in opposite directions to pass took us beyond the apparent terminus. No doubt you have seen that wonderful painting entitled "The End of the Trail," where the Indian is sitting dejectedly upon his exhausted horse. But is it the end of the trail? It possibly is as far as that particular rider and that particular horse could go at that time. But after a rest they might go farther, or they might reconnoiter a little and find another trail that would lead them on. I was riding with my grandfather one time when we got on a wood road leading toward a dark mass of cedars at the foot of the mountains. I remarked that it wasn't much of a road, and he replied that "it will lead you around the jworld if you follow it." I had never thought of a road leading two ways before that time. All I could see was the timbered foothills ahead, I hadn't thought of the possibilities in the other direction. This appears to be the way with the progress or retrogression one makes in life. Sometimes we feel that the end has been reached, either up or down, only to learn that there is yet more to find of good or bad. Either more we can do to help ourselves to a higher plane, or to lower ourselves further in the abyss of despair. Sometimes we feel that if we could just do a certain thing we would experience the greatest joy possible, but upon acquiring our prize we find that there is yet something to be gained, something more to be done. I recall that a young man about to enter college for the purpose of acquiring a profession, expressed himself to the effect that if he was successful in completing his work satisfactorily he would be very happy. He was successful in his labors at school, but upon completing the work he found that he had merely made a start. In fact, he was somewhat discouraged to find that after four arduous years he knew so little. He had reached a supposed terminus, but it wasn't even a resting place. His four-year climb had placed him in a position where he could look out further on life and realize more fully the enormity of the journey ahead. The more I contemplate the situation the more I feel there is no terminus. The supposed terminus is merely a bend in the highway of life. The road may be better or worse from thence on, but we must go forward. — Geo. A. Faust.