Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1892-08-20

Then we come TO an organization
which We call a Stake. The meeting
IL gathering OF Latter.day Saints who
arc members Of four separate Stakes OF
Zion, located In Arizona. We have here
the presidents Of these four Stakes,
with their counselori, and a number OF
the Bishops and other officers. We
have come here 10 held conference, 10
teach aud be taught, and TO rejoice
together In the truth. We have com q
10 be taught In relation to our duties as
Presidents OF Stakes, ms CounselOfe,
rs High Councillors, "a Bishops, etc.
| The organization Of a Stake IL a pei
feet pattern of the general organization
q the Church. .As God Organized the
Whole Church with three presiding
High Priests aud with twelve prcsld.
Ing High Councillors, or a travelling
High Council, no we have three High
Priests to preside over Stake, and
twelve High Councillors 10 sit with
them Ia judgment ON matters which
may DC appealed to them from
tue Bish OPS court, or may
| come beiOrN Them originally. The Bis.
hops are appointed u pfesido
over wards Ia Strike. A Bishop pre-.
sidcs over one waru. lie has no 1uris.
dlctiDn over another ward. lie cannot
| so Into another ward aud act there as
Bishop, because he Is not set apart for
that purpose. He has been appointed
BiShop over certain ward. There he
has authority TO preside. Put his juris.
iioiion anu his authority d. not extend
any farther. So with the PRECEDENT Of
. stake. The President % the Snow
nake stake OF Zion has authority In
tue Snowflake stake, but he hns no
authority la any Other stake. Where
he IL SET apart to preside, with his cOun.
Hrlors, there lie has jurisdiction, nc.
| cCrlirg To the rights anu powers which
| yeftaiu 10 his lreHi ioncy. Now, as the
! Presidency Of the Church OF Jesus
! Christ OF Lattof-day Saints prcsides
over the Twelve, over the prrsi.
tents OF stakes anu over tn. Bishops
OF wards, through all the lengths
and bresdths OF Zion aud through.
out all the world, 10 the Presidency
ot Stake prosiles over the Bishops Ia
the stake, and over the High Coun-
ell, and over the High Priests, and
over the Elders anu over all the
people within the borders o. the stake,
q the same extent precisely, IN their
/ sphere auJ calling, as the First pfesi.
d,ncy over the Church. The presiding
authority ofa sake is independent OF
that OF all other Stakes, tut IL not inde.
pendent OF tho ptesiding authority Of
tue Church; Notwithstanding the Of
gnnization VI a stake IL a. perfect and
complete ns the organization Of thu
entire Church, yet It would not be
complete " It were not iusupaably
Connected with tho presiding Author.
ity OF the Chu soh. 50, also, Blshop
car
Ing authority OF the Stake. lie Is a.
menable 10 that authority In all thlng-.
lie II responsible, In the discharge OF
ms duties, 10 the presliing officers Of
the stake va which he Is Bishop. He
Is not Independent OF him cith' Ia tho
management Of his spiritual Affairs or
mis- temporal gflairJ. He IN amenahle
to the ptesidlug authority of that
stake ~ that presiding authority ~
amenablc 10 the Iresiding authority OF
the Church. When the Presidency
OF stake counsel Bishop with re-.
gaF1 10 temporal Affairs, the Bishop
should uniuntand that Il ~ their right
60 look into hts affairs M a Bishop, 10
ecfutinlzt his acts Ms such, and
10 investigate everything that he does
as bishop They moi only have the right
10 do this, but IL Il their duty TO do
II, NJ much ~ II II the duty OF
TIE general pr,sidiug authorities Ofthc !
Church 10 look iuto the nc- ]
uons and conduct OF the lresii. |
ing authorities OF the Stake, and the |
presiding authorities OF the Staku have |
no right 10 question their authority 10 /
do this; neither has the Bishop any |
right TO question the authority OF the
Presidency Of the stake to inquire into
his affairs aud 10 look after his doings
and zee that they are right. A Bishop
should feel proud TO ackuOw ledge the
right OF the Presidency Of the stake
10 enquire Into his official acts, and
not ouiy that, he should feel proud
that lie has someone 10 rely upon, TO
nsk counsel Of, and 10 sec tina. he does
not 20 wrong, Now, a. we have no
literal descendants OF aaron In the
Church, we have no Bishops acting
without cOunselOrs. But as We are
Informed that man who holds
the office OF a High Priest has
authority to oiiiciate In the lesser
offices OF the Priesthood, II n proper To
ohunso High Priest, OF TO choose an
Elder and ordain him High Priest,
nnd Oriain aud Get him apart 10 net M
a Bishop In the Church, by reason OF
his authority a. High Priest; and he
chooses two CuunEelOTs, and they act
together rs common Judge. or as
common court, In the midst Of Zion, TO
III Ia judgment upon difficulties be-
tween brethren, and 10 Judge between
brethren with regard o.their moral anu
religious duties, aud 10 see that all
wrongs are put right. Not only 30, but
IL Is their duty to look after the poor,
and see that they are fed aud clothed;
to look after the fatherless, and see
that they arr provided for; 10 gather the
tithings OF the people, aud to take care OF
those tithings, aud 10 hold them subject
10 the orders Of the Presiding Bishop.
ric, or OF him who pTesidcs over the
Presiding Bishopric-tne President Of
the Church. For remember, while We
have two authorities apparently run
ming along literally M the Church, Il
must not To lost sight Of that the
greater always presides over the lesser,
20 that although the Presiding Bishop.
rio has great authority In the Church,
CONTINUED on Pdgo 81