Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1892-08-20
DISCOUR SIC
DELIVERED nv
PRESIDENT JOSEPH + SMITH,


In attempting to ssy few words
desire an interest In your feelings and
in your faith aad pfayorP; for | am
dependent upon the favor Of the
Almighty for what snail say to you.
Its very pleasing to contemplatc the
work Of God Ia which we are engaged.
II Ia worthy OF our most careful
thought aud attention; for Il not only
seeks To give 90, by the spirit VI Ia.
splration. knowledge Of those prin.
oiples which are necessary to our saliva
ton anu exaltation In the presence Of
God, but It seeks, by an organization
which God has revealed and estab-
lished In the earth, to discipline us aud
to give us experience anu understand.
Ing In relation &, the working and
binding effects Of those principles. The
Gospel itself IL u code Of laws
which originated Ia the heavens, aud
which IL given 10 men on the earth to
enable them 10 assimilate themselves
~ f'N0e Nhb NV ~ A'hNehi AhhA w
the observance Of the laws and princl.
pies which they are governed by we
may be like unto them and become NJ.
ted to dwell with them when we shall
have done with the things OF time.
The principles Of the Gospel are not
only perfect In lhems,ives, but the
organization OF the Church is also per.
fect In Itself, aud the order OF govern.
meut which God has inatitDtcd for His
people II pattern OF that which 10 IN
the heavens.
We are told In the revelations that
in this Church there are two priest.
hoods - the Mclchisedec aud tho
Aaronic; ami this Anronic Priesthood
Is an nppendape 90 the M,lchisedcu
Priesthood, which IL the first or great
or, and (which Is after the order OF the
SON Of Cod. There arc numerous
offices connected with these two PRIEST
hoods, such as Apostles, Pa,riatchs,
High Priests, Soycutics, Elders, pfiests,
Teachers anu DeacOn-. The pricsthuod
OF MulchisrdeU holds the presiding
power Dnd authority; and by virtue OF
a mans Possessing the keys and auth.
GRITTY Of the Mslchisedeo priesthood lac
he able q minister In nil the lesser
offices OF these two prlesthOOds, because
the greater always compartments the
lesser. We are also told that the office
OF n Bishop belongs to the lesser or
Aaronic priesthood; and that when.
ever there are found IN the Church
legitimate descendants Of Aaron, then
the Bishops will le chosen from his
seed, because this oiliCn boi.ugs 10
them 10y right. And when q literal
descendant " Aaron Is found 30 otllci.
ate In the Office OF Bishop, he VIII ITO
40 without counselor. Hut he Will be
chosen and ordained aud BET apart 10
oiliciato In this Office by those who
hold the Melchlscdtc priesthood. He
viii not b. able ~ seize the Office by
reason OF bis being a descendant OF
Aaron, any NOR. than a person - en-
titled TO any Office In the priesthood
because he is born In the Church. All
persons have 70 he set apart aud or.
dained to these Offices aud callings by
those who hold the authority. so that
II there was descendant Of Aaron
mere whom Il was thought proper TO
choose 10 I'LL thr office OF Bishop In the
Church, and 10 sit rs common
Judge In the milst Of the peO-
pie, he would ave to he called
ami ordained to that Office, and
set apart to Uiiloiate In It, by the pre-.
siding officers Of the Melchisedec
priesthood. Tho Office Of Bishop, or
presiding officer In the lesser priest.
ioOd, H. to look after and take care OF
the temporal affairs Of the Church.
Hence 1t becomes the duty OF the
Bishop 10 look after the gathering Of
the tlthiug OF the people, Rud other
contributions which are made for the
building OF temples anu houses Of
worship, for the sending vi the Gospel
tO the nntiOns OF the earth, tor tue
gathering Of the poor, for the main
tenance vi the ministry, for the support
Ut the poor, to look after such as are In
need ami to minister unto Them &C.
cording 10 their necessities. But Il is
the duty Of him who holds ,he High
Priesthood. which Ia after the order Of
the Sou NJ God 90 preside over all the
officers OF the Priesthood and over all
the members Oi the Church, when he
Is chosen and rot apart 20 proside. For
Instance, the Presidency OF the
Church Of Jesus Christ OF LatteT-dsy
saints IL composed Of three Hign !
Priests, who are chosen from the body !
OF the High Priests, and who are sus.
talncu by all the Priesthood anu menu |
bers OF the Church, anu whose names |
are presented before tbs assembled |
congregations Of the Saints every half |
year, for them TO manifest their will, |
faith and confidence toward them as |
the presiding officers OF the whole 1
Church. it Is their duty 10 preside
over the Church. II Is their duty 10
preside over the Twelve Apostles. IL
i their duty 10 preside over all the
High Prie-ts, over all the Sovuntles,
and over all the Stake aud wards Of
Zion. In fact, II Is their duty 10 pre-.
side over all tho branches OF the
Church IN every land anu chime. This
PRECEDING council Is ret aluTt for this
purpose, ami is sustained 10y the vote,
OF tue people, not only In the general
conferences, half yearly, but In
al the Stakes OF Zion, at their
quarterly conference. The presidiug
authorities Of the Church are present.
ed before the people that they may
sustain or reject them, AZ they soe
~.
The Twelve Apostles arc travel.
ing High Council, called and appoint.
ed to 0iiluinte la tue ministry aud in
the preaching OF the Gospel Of Christ
In ail tbs nations OF the earth, HH we'll
as IN lhe Stakes VI Zion, under tne
direction vi the Presidency u the
ChuIch. Ihu Seventies ato qu0rums
each OF Seventy Elder, VINO are
chosen hua ordained Tor the purp0se Oi
TI.sa Ia. !