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Show . . - II - air r- 4 me ' ,r . ll 7 kAELCHIlEDEK PRIESTHOOD SECTION 1 I Prepared Under the Direction of the General Priesthood Committee of the Council of the Twelve . ,, , A Real Priesthood Challenge ,N I , .. '' , Is AN effort to determine basic causes and possible cures for g; is--- . 44.'s t , t4 vi, a If , , , - ; 4 ik,,, ,T,, ,,,, 6.,I, t t, .., ,: ." itri! ...,, ,,, le--- el- 11, , 01 - ,1: A" :: A itt, .. . r 4,t '' r) ? - 7, 1 ' ' v.- - '.. 1. iti ft, ' 4t t ,,. ft 1 ,, ,. ..,'".. '''...'' 1 Ak. i s 'k;.:7-il- ' .,talr,,,,,, '1,.V:74!.N.A 4 P7'''''4, l .' ,: i. t4""4.'t, i. ,,...4,,,k. 0 l's" r ,,,,:..; I I 1 I t ),, toror-,1- A c) ''.1 ,,,- , ',:.,.:4...ir ) , , ,, A WARD PRIESTHOOD MEETINGThose in attendance of the North Box Elder (Utah) Stake, posed for this picture. AT sents a great challenge to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and particularly to the Priesthood body of the Church. This Church alone has the remedy to the difficulties confronting men everywhere. The spiritual decline in the lives of many could undoubtedly be traced to their failure to find within churches, as they have known them, satisfactory answers to their personal problems, and a close enough relationship between their church and their lives. Churches must demonstrate their ability ' to solve human problems, lest their constituents turn elsewhere in search for the answers. Men have q,ot revolted against their churches, but their churches have not satisfied the longings of merfs souls and men know not where to turn. They are not necessarily ' consciously disregarding truth, but have despaired of solving human problems through the media of their churches. The Priesthood body, as the official representatives of the Church has the power to build and preserve faith in the hearts of men everywhere. The Priesthood body alone, can supply the answers to questions which aEise, and thus satisfy the souls of men whose lives now are without a solid mooring. By the Priesthood body sensing its true position and applying itself to the task it will accomplish the eventual salvation of the human family, so far aa its responsibility to this end goes. The righteous life of each priesthood member will help others to see therein Christian doctrine applied, and its value demonstrated. Each Priesthood recently at member's "reason for the hope that is within him" may be instrumental in kindling that "hope" in others. Each Priesthood member's answer to the question; "What must I do to be saved," and his understanding of the meaning of the term "salvation" will enlighten many. Men are groping in darkness for light. They need help to keep that desire strong within them, and help to recognize that it is light and that their search need not be in vain. Neither should we lose sight of the fact that Satan's power and influence are great, and that through his cunning, "light" can be made to appear darkness, and darkness, a priesthood meeting of the Brigbam City Eighth Ward gospel in its truth, neither to in its ordinanbes. the nations of the Therefore, earth are to learn the truth which shall make them free, it can only be from those who officiateif new wo h opfici S: . - (... .. k , 4 k'444:1k.. 11 ' t t .. 1 A'''S ...4". --- JI ,,,.: ' - , - ' q i. , A''''''.. - (,c,.1 , .4 e , o light. To meet this challenge the Priesthood body must lay the groundwork of conversion in The First Principlesiof the Gospel. It may be true that new ways of telling the message might be vital to the approach, but the message of "Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, R4ent ye, Repent ye," "take upon you the name of Jesus Christ and witness acceptance of His offering to you through baptism by immersion, that you may obtain a remission of yor sins" and "Receive the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands that you may be born bqth of water and the Spirit", is still the message that will save the world. This is the message of the Priesthood of the Church, and the Lord's commission, and solemn charge. It follows that one of the prime functions of a Priesthood Quorum is to qualify its members for this sacred duty, which Is not something we can leave to others, since others possess not the power to administer the possess the key to a fullness of it, and who are authorized through divine" appointment and ordination to administer the Gospel's saving ordinances to mankind. . , , ,. 1 , . ''''''.. S BISHOPRIC OF CENTERVILLE FIRST WARD are, left to right, front row, Bishop Sutherland IV. Clayton and Golden L. Allen, first counselor; second row, John L. Price, second counselor and Vernon B. Carr, ward clerk. A. Leonard Mitchell, assistant clerk, was not present for picture. 'A Stitch in Time' is Good Quorum Procedure "R E V IE Ny of Priesthood Quorum reports indicates there are many enrolled with the quorums who are greatly in need of spiritual help and counael This is an opportunity for the presidency of the quorums whose duty it is, according to revelation from the Lord, to 'sit in council with" , and to "teach according to the covenants," the membership of their quorums, Regardless of the ' disturbing conditions we find some of our brethren in, due to some unfortunate circumstances in their lives, we know they have known better days else they would not be enrolled with their priesthood quorums. Our objective then must be to win them back again, helping those who are delinquent to recover so far as 15ossible their previous losses. These brethren who "slipped" a little way off have not 'feces A - - Peg. 2April 26,1947 sadly done so suddenly, but a gradual process of spiritual degeneration has been permitted to set in. The cause at the beginning might have been almost inconsequential, or at least, so considered, but little by little any degeneration commenced persists unless checked by positive counter measures. This principle was understood by the prophet, Alma, when he plead with the people: "Yea. I would that ye would come forth and harden not your hearts any longer; for behold, now is the time and the day of your salvation; and therefore. if ye will repent and harden not your heart Immediately shall the great plan of redemption be brought about into you. Therefore. I beseech of you that ye do not procrastinate the day of your repentance until the end: for after this day of life, which is given us to prepare tallternity. behold, If we do , I not improve our time while in this life, then cometh the night of darkness wherein there can be no labor performed. Ye cannot say, when ye are brought to that awful crisis, that I will repent, that I will return to my God." Alma 34:31, An alert 33-3- 4. quorum president will observe quickly any slackening up on the part of his brethren. He will take immediate and appropriate action. He will get an understanding of ,what his brother's difficulty is, and administer according to the need. The presidency which permits any brother to "get away" is woefully remiss in its duty unless it has taken every appropriate counter measure. It is true there are many who have not understood the danger of their course. They have supposed reform at anytime a simple matter of resolve at one's pleasure and in his own time. Such never intended to get away in the first place, but to merely "rest awhile" perhaps, taking a brief respite as it were from a routine which they fancied had become a little tiring. Unfortunately, the road back is far more difficult than 'any ever supposed. The cords of neglect and indifference s t r e ng t he n quickly. Fetters - one thought could be put off at will now require herculean effort to loose. Satan has been more cunning and deceptive thatf one ever Imagined he could be. His methods are such that he leads people "away carefully down to hell." It is the duty of the presidencies of quorums to teach their brethren the value of constanty In righteousness. Men should be taught to walk by faith from day to day, and be made aware of the danger in the slightest deviation. Brethren should be taught that "without faith it is impossible to please God'4 and that the only path of safety is i : , 4. ,... .(I : t , , . ,,,; ,. 4 t 4, 4. F z i 1,4,1'1: ,,),... .. 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A..f y,46,4. 1 t , ,,,,,,,,,,,I.,.-f,,,,,,,o,.- ,A.: . ,, ,,,,,.. , . r 1 . ti ' ,,,,.1--' S...k ., ' , ':t', .Zit ..,, ,',,t r.f tt ,....,, , it se ,,.., i,,, the considered deplorable condition spiritually in England, the Archbishops of Canterbury and York, appointed a commission of prominent men and with the Bishop of women, Rochester as chairman, which alter exhaustive study made its report under the title "Towards the Conversion of England," published in 1015. The report of this commission reveals many things of great ineerest, and many things over which the clergy manifests grave concern. Quoting: "There can be no doubt that there is a wide and deep gulf between the Church and the people. How far the rift has gone, or how deeply it has as yet affected national character cannot be measured with staThe tistical accuracy. present irrelevance of the Church in the life and thought et the community in general Is apparent from two symptoms which admit of no dispute. They are (1) the widespread and decline in church-goin(2) the collapse of Christian moral standards. ". It is indisputable that :only a small percentage of the nation today joins regularly In public worship of any kind. "It has been recently estimated that from 10 per cent to 15 per cent of the population are closely linked to some Christian church; that 25 per cent to 30 per cent are sufficiently interested to attend a place of worship upon great occasions; that 15 per cent to 50 per cent are indifferent to religion though more or less friendly disposed to it: while 10 per cent to 20 per tent-arhostile." The trend from "organized" religion seems as apparent in our own nation as it is in England, and here, as in England, there has been an almost criminal departure from Christian standards. Quoting further: "The gravest feature in the t whole situation is that there so little feeling of shame in loose living, still less in untruthfulness or dfshonesty. The sense of responsibility and of duty has been undermined. There is no longer a generally accented moral standard by which men judge their own actions. Dishonesty in private or public affairs is waived aside as the inevitable stem. result of the economic The idea of man as a responsible person is in danger of disappearing with the loss of belief in a living God." The picture as illustrated pre - ' gktml 1! in each resolving "that this day I shall perform my full duty"; this day I shall magnify my calling in the holy Priesthood. This is the day ;:if salvation; this Is the day to perform the labors of the day, for after this day appointed there may come the night of darknesewherein there can be no labor performed. Today is the day to serve and help with the harvest lest tomorrow the harvest be ended, and the opportunity to serve past, and my soul not saved. The members and presidencies of quorums who are awake to their opportunities and responsibilities will make the principles of faith and repentance operate from day to day in their lives as indispensible factors to progression, individually or by quorums. There is no other path of etersafety, peace of mind, and walknal happiness: A constant ing by faith, and repentance daily, is the "stitch in time" that will "save nine." . 4 ' |
