| Show THE CHURCH TEACHER THE TAE subject of the duties of the teacher in the church is one of great tn interest terest it would rot riot be stretching the truth of the position to assume that speaking as a whole they axe are very imperfectly performed he who accepts of the office of a teacher should by consulting the revelations on the subject and by a prayerful spirit and reflection become familiar with its obligations he will thus be in a position to act with intelligence the next step to insure thoroughness is to allow no ordinary circumstances cum stances to constitute an obstacle to prevent him performing the duty he has undertaken it is the prerogative of the teacher to be a peacemaker and bring about of all disagreements and disputes between the saints anler his care and where this is impracticable to report to the bishop that such owes oases may be adjudicated in the court which is composed of the last named official and his counselors it is always the better way however to bring about reconciliation in the earlier stage by this procedure the important element of unity in the church is preserved and maintained it is incumbent upon the same officer to see that the saints meet often together or in other words that they attend meetings that they may be instructed in matters pertaining to the duties of their religion partake of the sacrament etc that the spirit of the gospel may not languish amongst them in this way life is ionized ionised through out the body religious one of the most important duties dudes of the teacher is to we see that no iniquity exists in the church if professing latter day saints sainte are guilty of any of the grosser offenses it is his duty to seek diligently dUi gently to discover the fact and report to the bishop that teat the offender my may be dealt with according to the covenants enacts and commandments man it is always in order for the officer named to use an influence to bring sinners to repentance and to take a course gener generally aUy so as to prevent any of the sheep of the flock flick that cabbe can be saved from being lost in this way abominations and every species of wickedness are eliminated and the purity of the chu church ach is nu maintained a stained nta ined this duty of the teacher of ft itself exhibits the importance of the e office its duties lie at the root of matters and without their performance the more advanced processes of the organization cannot be fully operated the spirit of peace must accompany the teacher and he must be an exemplification of the principles he should enunciate otherwise his operations will be practically without weight it will be absurd and inconsistent for him to advise the people to attend meetings if he personally absents himself from the gatherings of the saints if he be an neighbor quarrelsome and a backbiter with what degree of complacency can he reprove those who are in the same way disposed if he is unchaste his instructions on personal purity are but boomerangs that strike back upon himself even if he is the only one near acquainted with his departure from the law of the lord the objects for which the office of teacher was placed in the church cannot be attained by the person who holds it going around his district in a rush as a matter of form to enable him to subsequently report that he has gone through his field and found all the saints about as usual entering the houses of the saints and talking about the weather the crops business and other peoples affairs will not accomplish the desired end when the teacher enters the house of a latter day saint he should be given a cordial welcome he may move in a humble sphere so far as the things of the world are concerned but he is a servant of god and as such he should be treated he should be given an opportunity to perform the duties of his calling household work and other occupations should be temporarily suspended and the head of the house should call the members of the he family together and to order and inform the teacher that they are ready to receive whatever in he may b be ready to impart doubtless if the duties of the teacher were more intelligently thoroughly and effectively performed than they have been and are the church would be more vigorous and healthy than itis it is today |
