Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-04-24

righteousness. The meaning oil this
p 'ssage is simply this When, from
death or any cause, ;hefe is no First
Presidency, then the authority Of presi-
d ncy rests upon the welve Apostles.
1t does not mean that their authority is
equ Il to the authority Of the FIRST Presi
dtncy while Their. is First Presidency.
Su h would breed confusion and dis.
order. There could be no presidency
under circumstances of this kind
Therefore, the equality Of the
authority OF the Twelve Apostles with
that oil the First Presidency mani ests
Us II when they are Gale to exercise
that aut o ity in the absence OF the First
Preside c.. Yet it AZ been con ended,
so we have been credib Y informed, that
II was wrong to organize the FRS Presi
d ncy at er the d. attn of tn Prophet
10 eph; hat the rw, I've A rs lie, oulI
nave BIZ en- the presiding co n nj OF tue
Church, and thai there should nave be n
an executive con,uittee ppo ed out
OF the Twelve to conduct tue aft Of
the Church. suppose Il is upon this
idea that this broiher-whom | have
known rom childloo g aims he is in-
red anu wTonged, md tnat the whole
Cnurch rs wronged because OF tie
exist nee OF the First Presidency, which,
nevertheless, must exist In order to
complete the pa tern which God has
81 en- for the guidance aud government
OF His Crurch
Tbs revelation goes on:
The seventy are also called to preach the
Gospel, and to be especial witnesses unto the
Gentles and in all the world. Thus differing
from other offices in the Church in the duties Of
their calling;
And they form quorum equal in authority
to that OF the Twelve special witnesses or
Apostles jus, named.-Sec. evil, rs, 40.
Would any body think for a moment Of
con ending tina because the authority
OF the FIRST Pie / eucy, tue au hority Of
the Twelve Ap' 'es, and the aut ioriy
OF the Seventy was equal, therefore he c
was a trple-headsd presi lency of the
Oh rich and that it " necessary hat
all hr Of these councils If he Priest.
hood should ex rcise in equal power
and authority the presidency at one and
The same timer Why, that would be
nonsense, and would absolutely destroy
the principle of government 1t would
be only in cas- o. the d, siruction OF the
Presidency of the Church and OF the
Twelve Apostles that the Seventy cOu d
come forth and exercise authority equal
with that OF the lively. in the absence
OF the First Presidency, an oil the FIRST
Presidency when the Chul CHI is fully or
gan zed.
And every decision made by either OF these
quoruins. must be by the unanimous voice OF
the same; that is, every member in each quorum
must be agreed to its decisions, in order to make
their decisions OF the same power or validity
one with the other.
{ A majority may form a quorum, when cir
oumstances render II impossible TO be other
wisel
Unless this is the case, their decisions are not
entitled 10 the same blessings which the de-
cisions Of quorum Of three Presidents were
aneiently, who were ordained after the order OF
Melehisedes, and were righteous and holy
men.-See. evil ~ ~.
What does this meanl Simply this:
When the decision OF three presidents,
who are called to the presiding positi
in the Church, is a united decision, each
president agree ng with the other, it is
valid, and equal to any decision that
was ever Rendered by any presiiing au,
hority in the Church Of God. 1t means
that In the absence of the First Presi.
dency, and the Twelve Apostles being
called upon to exercise the functions OF
presidency in the Church, a decision on
10 make it equal with decision OF the
three Presidents OF the Church. II fur
Their M cans, that in the event of the nom
existence OF the First Presidency and
the Twelve, then the Seventy being
called upon TO exercise the presiding
function, decision rendered by them
must be unanimous decision, in order
10 make ii equal with a de ision OF the
Twelve or OF the First Presidency. 1t
mean anything else. 1t cannot
mt an that when the First Presidency
render a decision, on which they are |
agreed, the Twelve Apostles can rise up |
and render another decision on which |
hey are united, and their decision be |
equal with that OF the First Pre.idency.
That would result in confusion, and |
would be destructive of the org ,nzation |
of the Church. Nor can the Seven les |
rise up, while the Presidency and Twelve |
i've, and render decision which would |
De equal before the Church with that of
he FIRST Presidency, or with that of |
he Twelve in case they were presiding.
The Lord further says:
The decisions of these quorums, or either of |
hem, are TO be made in all righteousness. in
ioliness. and lowlness OF heart, meekness and
ong'sufering, and in faith, and virtue, and
knowledge, temperance, patience, goodness,
,rotherly kindness and charity;
Because the promise is, II these things abound
n them, they shall not be uniruttul in The |
OF the Lord.
And in case that any decision Of these ouo-
ums Is made in unrighieousness, [, may be
'rought before general assembly Of the sew.
raj quorums, which constitute the spiritual
Of the church, otherwise there can
'e no appeal from their deciSon.-Sec, evil.
Io'32.
In other words, there can be no an
zeal from the decision oil the First Presi
lency of the Church, except their de.
ision be rendered in unrighteonsness.
md without love, and charity, ETC.. and
n that case the appea would have to be
aiken to the assembled bodies Of the
'fiesthopd 1t means that when the
Twelve Apostles are acting as Presidents
4 the Church, and they rem Ier a de
ision affecting the welfare of the
or on doctrine, their is abso
u ely no appeal from their decision.
it is rendered in unrighteous.
ess. Aud the same would apply, of
ecessity, to decision rendered by the
,eventy IN the absence Of the First
Presidency and Twelve If such a thing
ould be thought OF at all Thus how
-orious and how perfect is the organiza-
ion OF the Priesthood which God Al
lighiy has established in the earth for
he last time. And it is the duty of men
rho bear this Priesthood to study IL. and