Arizona republican., 1917-03-12

Frederick N. Smith. Present Head Of
the Church Founded Under
Joseph Smith. Translator OF
the Book Of Mormon
SO also with the church. Christ is
the rightful spiritual head of the
church, but the church must also have,
in the interest OF orderly work, in the
interest of system and effectiveness,
presiding head upon earth as well as
a spiritual head in heaven; the earthly
head being subject to Christ as good
wife would be subject to the tender
and affectionate directing of affairs
for her welfare by d worthy husband
Moses occupied the official position
as the head under God, prophet and
president in ancient Israel. Moses
had Aron and Hur to sustain and as
sist him See Exodus 1712. Thus
three called men were associated to-
gether as directing and overseeing the
affairs of Israel in the time of Moses.
Christ conforned to the same rule
and in a singular manner prepared
Peter. James and John, to be the three
men who would preside over the church
when he himself had gone away. Note
that from among all his beloved min
listers Peter, James and John were the
only ones chosen to be with Jesus
upon the wonderful occasion of the
transformation upon the mount, when
Moses and Elias appeared unto them
N hat was this for? Evidently TO pre-
pare those men for the duties and re
sponsibilities which were to be placed .
upon them as the presiding head CT
the Church after that Christ had gone
away. How fitting too, that Moses the
prophet and president should have
met them there.
Then we notice that Peter, James
and John were recognized IN their
place as three pillars TO the church.
See Gal 20. Also in the 18th chapter
of tie Acts Of the Apostles there is
clear example Of James exercising
the powers committed to him under
dencv in the church. A general con-
ference had been called at Jerusalem.
| A serious question concerning circum-
cision and other matters had arise in
! the conference Differences of opinion
were manifest in the church and much
debating upon the questions had been
I INDUCED in. 1t was then that James
/ acting in his presidential capacity. gave
decisive Judgment in the matter and
said: My sentence is that we trouble
moi them. which from among the Cen
tiles are turned to God"
And this decision or ruling of James
was accepted by the church in that
Jerusalem Conference. Next in church
! government we notice the division of
Israel into IL tribes with chosen man
standing at the head of each tribe.
Also that Jesus, true to the pattern
shown in THE Holy Mount (see Heb.
8:5) chose twelve men and placed them
at the head of departments-espec
that part of the service which had
4 executive oversight of the missionary
work; and he called them apostles.
Moses being directed of God had in
his day, chosen and ordained seventy
elders as a working unit in order to
more thoroughly complete the divine
organization, and Christ did not disre-
gard this part of the holy pattern
either, but ordained seventies, and
placed them in the pattern church as
serviceable working body of spiritual
officials in his kingdom. In addition
there were eVangeliStS, pastors, teach :
ers. deacons. helps and governments
authorized by the Lord to complete the
orderly working whole This in brief
is an outline of the organization OF
the church and of the government of
God for the spiritual welfare of his
people 1t is a working body intact,
including a well defined head, and the
correlative functions of every limb and
Joint, very similar to the real physical
body. See Eph. 4:16.
Now a headless living body would
be freak to say the least. So also
church that would attempt to do
business for the Lord, to direct the
united effort of any body of people for
good, or to even conduct the most or
binary assembly without presiding
head would be freakish.
But who has not observed even in
some religious gatherings where no
certain rule of systematic procedure or
order is adhered to, a certain rivalry
for conspicuous place which is as UNI
seemly, and disgusting as it is dis
orderly?
In the Church of Christ every official
learns his duty and labors in the par
ticular place which he is called OF
chosen to occupy Thus the whole
church is wholesomely fed, and spir-
itually edited. In this manner of such
official spiritual service, we as
church regard the work of JOSEPH
Smith the prophet; considering him as
a human instrument in the church's
organic fort to minister according to
the duties of his calling and to give
expression to gospel truth as a servant
of the Lord.
1t is our understanding that the Cos
pei which Christ taught, and the
specific kind of an organization which
He effected should in the last days
after having been neglected by, or los
to the world for a time, be brough
into renewed activity again. We be
lieve that this renewed activity alon;
gospel lines which had long been neg
lected, received new vitalizng power il
fulfillment of prophetic forecast, unde
the leadership of Joseph Smith, VIII
like atha,. mir IN oil yyh