| Show BISHOPS AND THEIR DUTIES THE tre T HE duties of a bishop are most responsible and aud onerous and they embrace a very wide range bishops are the lea iea ders of the people and are invested with a power that if properly wielded will bring about great and important results ie suits it has long been admitted in theory that a time would come when they would exercise exe reise much greater pow erland erand errand jurisdiction among the people than they have done in the past or even than they do now but there has been a disposition manifested to postpone th this 1 tim time e and to view it as still very distant it is evident however to those who have reflected carefully and watched the signs of the times that there is s a great necessity at the present pre sent for the bishops to step forth and act in their calling and office in a manner almost entirely different to that which they have been in the habit of doing in our leading article yesterday we briefly hinted at some few things which should receive their attention but the more this subject is examined the more plainly does it appear that there is is an imperative necessity for the bishops to devote more of their time and attention than they buve been in the habit of doing to the care of their wards instead of spending a portion of their time in superintending super intending the affairs which come within the purview of their once office they must devote the whole of it to these theae labors instead of the duties of their calling claiming the time they can spare from the care of their families and business it must receive their entire attention and occupy the first place in their thoughts while their own business and the sustenance of themselves and families must be subordinate and be viewed as of comparatively minor importance for the twenty years that we have been in these valleys god has baa been training us to bring us into such a it condition of knowledge and obedience e that this order can be carried out but the question very naturally arises here how bow can the bishops do thit this if they neglect their own busi nes fessand sand do not take taue measures to provide for themselves and families how are they to live president young has already plainly answered these thee the e queries by saying that the bishops must trust in god he who said to his disciples of old take no thought for your life what ye shall eat or what ye shall drink nor yet for your body what ye shall put on and anti who has repeated the same words to his bis disciples in these days adding that if they trust in him they should not go hungry neither athirst athir stis is able to feed clothe and supply all the wants of his servants who labor in his service in zion as easily as he does the wants of those who engage in his ministry abroad his power is neither limited to one country nor confined to one class the bishops are assured that if they will place their business iu in the hands bands of their sons or sons in law or in the hands bands of other trustworthy individual individuals and devote their entire time to the duties of their calling and the care of their wards they shall not want they will even make property faster and have greater influence in every way than they have at present by relying upon the lord and exercising faith they will find that they do not trust him in vain the fowls of the air firsow sow not neither do they reap nor gather into barns barrs yet god reedeth them are not the servants of god much better than they god what they need and he will supply their wants it is his promise and who can say aay th thab that at it ever failed ward in the territory there is an extensive field of or operations open before ohp bishop who presides there the bishops of some of the large wards wilt will nind find even when they devote th ir entire time to their calling that there is more requiring their attention than they can possibly attend to there ia is no end to the ways in which a bishop can help the people over whom he be presided it is not in preaching and praying alone though very good at the proper seasons sea gons that they are required to spend their time but in teaching the people bow to live how bow to employ their time and means to the best advant advantage are aee the people require ta tr be taught bop bow how to use an fn in the best manner the elements with which they are surrounded they need oversight and Insi instruction ruction respecting the proper r method of cultivating theearta the earth making gardens setting out orchards and shade trees building houses ouse barns corrals and fences constructing ting canals water ditches roads and side valk walk salso saiso what kinds of grains and other seeds they should sow those who are able to work at mechanical and other pursuits need counsel respecting their we cannot iii in our brief space touch upon one hundredth part of the duties that naturally devolve upon the bishops bisho 0 sg they will readily suggest themselves es however to those who are familiar with the pAct practical feal leal working of our system the labor of caring for the poor is of itself by no means inconsiderable d when they are able to work they should be directed in such a manner as to become self sustaining every one who can labor should be furnished with employment there should be no idlers among us when we are properly organized there will be no poor among us the bishops will derive great help from the female relief belief societies which they have organized in their wards in caring for and furnishing the poor with employment when the bishops take the proper view of their duties and apply themselves assiduously to the discharge of them in preference to everything else a wonderful change in affairs throughout the territory will speedily be perceptible in no way can their time talents and experience be better or more profitably used if wise bishops had dictated majers maders matters in the manner sketched above for the past twelve months in the various wards and settlements of this territory would there be any scarcity of breadstuff bread stuffs a in the country attile at the present pres elit time or would men standing be still for want wani of employment all who understand matters must acknowledge that there would not at the present time some of the peole may not see the necessity of hearkening to the counsels of the bishops respecting res pectin g their labors ac itis it is not always that men can see what is good for themselves and when a correct course is pointed out to them they are liable to misconstrue the motives which prompt the advice and to go in opposition to it all this ignorance has to be contended with now the people will not be brought to understand these things as they should all at once it will take time to bring them to such sueh a condition but there are some who are now prepared to hearken to the counsel of their bishops they will accept it and strive to carry it out with pleasure and their examples will have a powerful influence with their neighbors the bishops hare hate ha e authority never wield it and suffer it to lie he dormant it is as though they were destitute f of it when they commence to exercise it judiciously they themselves will be surprised a at t the results |
