Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1889-12-07
PRIESTHOOD MEETING.
Pertinent and Pointed Instruction
on Important Duties

the Priesthood of the Salt Lake
Stake Of Zion convened in the As.
sembly Hall at IL am. today-Sat-
urday. December 18th, 1859; President
A. NJ. Cannon presiding. All the
wards of the Stake responded to the
roll call excepting the Second, Thru,
Tenth, Thirteenth, Fourteenth and
Nineteenth wards Of the city, and
the Mountain Dell, South Cotton.
wood, Bluff Dale, Brighton and
Hunter wards.
The usual business being dis
patched, remarks were made rs fol-
lows by the speakers named;
PRESIDENT ANGUS Il. CANNON
instructed those who had been rec
Commended and sustained rs worthy
to be ordained Elders, in relation to
their duties, notably that Of attend
ing faithfully their quorum meet
ings. He thought it was more or
less OF a reproach that the brethren
had to be specially requested 10 at
tend these meetings, and pOintedly
asked how long an Apostle, one of
the quorum OF the Twelve, would be
sustained 10y his quorum, or permit
ted TO hold his Office, ifhe persistent
iy neglected to attend his quorum
meetings. The members Of other
| qaorums should be jus. as diligent
and faithful in This respect rs the
Apostles, and if they continued TO be
derclict they should lie labOred with
and, if need be, further dealt with,
according to the laws Of the Church.
Answering a question put 10y
I Bishop l.. +. Sheets, as to what was
the duty Of Bishops in regard to
/ those who left or came into their |
wards without recommends, Presi- |
dent Cannon said, rs 10 the latter |
class, that they should first be in
vited and requested 10 procure their
! certificates and then If they failed |
I TO do il they should be reported to
the authorities of the wards from
which they came; and if they We're
unable to procure recommends, he
would advise that they renew their
covenants in the ward where they
then resided. II they proved in
cOTrigible, he would recommend
that they be suspended from fel-
lOwship, or dealt with in such a
manner rs to impress upon them
the importance of manifesting their
allegiance to the Church. He ex-
horted the Bishops to trim up''
their wards and prune off the dead
branches. President Young used 10
say TO the Bishops that through
their failure TO deal with trans
gressOrs In their wards, they Ind
lost many souls that might have
been saved. Every member Of the
Church owes it rs n duty TO take
with him or her, when they remove
TO another ward, note of standing,
and thus avoid confusion, misunder-
standing and trouble. II they fail
to do IL, they shOull be dealt with
in a proper manner.
ELDER GEORGE GODDARD
thought much of the trouble
complained of arose from the
fact that the ward Teachers
failed TO visit and instruct
the people rs thoroughly as they
should. The Bishop was supposed
to know the members of his ward
and keep informed rs to their condi-
ton. But how could he know these
things If the Teachers were not
faithful in visiting the members
and faithfully reporting their condi-
of Teachers could do more tO correct
the evil complained Of than any
thing else.
PRESIDENT CANNON
conceded with the view taken by
Brother Goddard and exhorted the
Teachers TO renewed diligence. The
trouble was we We're too much Occu-
pied with our private affairs and not
interested enough in the things Of
God. When the Saints were driven
out Of NauvOo and in the midst Of
poverty and adversely, they had
plenty of time to serve God, and the
brethren were rs spry as cTickets in |
attending to their duties as Saints,
but wealth and prosperity had
brought neglect and slothfulness In
relation TO such things. The Lord
will stir us up if We continue in such
ways. He can stripus as individuals,
rs well rs community, until we are
as naked as when we came into the
world, and He may DO il il we are
not more faithful. And better would
IL be, If we might then have the fell
lowshIp Of the heavens, than TO roll
in wealth and luxury and he with
out the favor Of God.
BISHOP JOSEPH POLLARD
added few words in relation to the
duties Of Bishops and Teachers. He
had found it very difficult to get
men who would act thoroughly and
faithfully as Teachers. One reason
was that the best men had too much
to do, too many offices to hold, too
many meetings to attend, and they
could not he expected to be in five
or six places at once. Most Of those
whose services could be had, either
did not understand how to act as
teachers, or were unwilling TO so at
it with their whole hearts. Brother
Goddard had struck the keynote Of
the difficulty. 1t was the need OF
good and efficient teachers. He be-
lieved his ward 1.-THE Efficiently was
fair example Of all the rest.
PRESIDENT CANNON
added a few words Of wise counsel,
the substance of which was to be
faithful in all things, and the meet
ing was then adjourned until the