THE AUTHORITY OF THE PRIESTHOOD.
The authority of the Priesthood is often misunderstood, and it is
frequently the rock upon which many men and women suffer spiritual
shipwreck.
**The Foundation of Authority.** The power or right to command or to
act, is authority. In the beginning, man, conscious and in possession
of will, reached out for truth, and gained new knowledge. Gradually as
his intelligence grew, he learned to control natural forces, as he met
them on his way. Knowledge, properly used, became power; and
intelligent knowledge is the only true foundation of authority. The
more intelligence a man possesses the more authority he may exercise.
Hence, "the glory of God is intelligence." This should be clear in the
minds of all who exercise authority.
**Absolute Authority.** Such high authority, based on increasing
intelligent knowledge, may be called absolute authority. All other
forms of authority, and many forms exist, must be derived from
absolute authority, for it is the essence of all authority. Nothing in
the universe is absolutely understood, and absolute authority does not
mean that full knowledge or full power has been gained over anything
in the universe. Forever will the universe reveal its secrets. By
absolute authority is meant the kind of authority that results
directly from an intelligent understanding of the things over which
authority is exercised. Authority can therefore, be absolute only so
far as knowledge goes, and will become more absolute as more knowledge
is obtained. The laws of God are never arbitrary; they are always
founded on truth.
**Derived Authority.** Anyone possessing the absolute authority
resting on high intelligence, will often find it necessary or
convenient to ask others to exercise that authority for him. This may
be called derived authority. It does not necessarily follow that those
who are so asked understand the full meaning of the authority that
they exercise. The workman in a factory carries out the operations as
directed by the chief technician, and obtains the same results, though
he does not to the same extent understand the principles involved.
Every person who has risen to the earth-estate possesses a certain
degree of absolute authority, for he has knowledge of nature which
gives him control over many surrounding forces. Every person possesses
or should possess certain derived authority, which is exercised under
the direction of a superior intelligence, though it is not always
wholly understood.
**The Authority of Office.** In an organized body like the Church,
each activity must be governed by established laws. Those who have
been chosen officers to enforce these laws and to carry on the regular
work of the Church, exercise their power because of their office.
Authority of office is only a form of derived authority--derived from
the people who have agreed to submit their wills to certain officers,
who are to enforce laws accepted by the people. Even such authority,
belonging to official positions, must be founded on intelligent
knowledge, and the organization of the Church itself must be
intelligently authoritative. Therefore, authority of office is best
exercised when those holding it have qualified themselves
intelligently for the work. The mistakes made by officers are commonly
due to the want of the needed intelligence in the exercise of their
duties. Fortunately, however, the Church is so organized that the
actions of its officials may be tried for their righteousness whenever
they appear to be wrong to the people. Mistakes are most likely to be
made by officials who will not qualify themselves for their work.
**Authority and Free Agency.** While intelligent knowledge does
establish the highest degree of authority, absolute authority, yet it
does not, alone, justify the exercising of authority that may conflict
with the wills of others. The law of free agency must not be
transcended; nor is it permissible to do anything that will hinder, in
the least, the progress of man under the Great law. Authority must
therefore be exercised only in such a manner as to benefit other
individuals. Naturally, when a community accepts a body of laws for
their government, and officers are appointed by the people to enforce
the laws, the punishment of the disobedient is not an interference
with free agency, for all have accepted the law. Only when a person
withdraws from the community, does the community law become
inoperative with respect to him. Since the battle for free agency must
not be waged again, laws must be enforced as they are accepted by the
people; thus it comes about that all the officers in the Church, who
merely represent the people, must be sustained by the people. The
people govern the Church through their sustained authorities. When a
person opposes righteousness, the worst that can be done is to sever
that individual from the organization. The Priesthood has no authority
to exercise further punishment. The punishment which comes to those
who do wrong is automatic, and will, of itself, find out the sinner.
**Authority over Self.** The Priesthood conferred on man establishes
an authority which each man may at all times exercise with respect to
himself and God. By the authority of the Priesthood he has a right to
commune with God in prayer or in other ways, and has, as it were, the
right to receive communications in return from the intelligent beings
about him, so that his ways may be ways of strength and pleasantness.
Man's own work should be inseparably connected with the power of the
Priesthood to which he has attained.
**The Exercise of Authority.** The authority committed to man by God
is in earthly hands. The flesh is weak; and men who possess authority
may often make mistakes in its exercise. The proper manner of
exercising the authority of the Priesthood has been made exceedingly
clear. "The rights of the Priesthood are inseparably connected with
the powers of heaven, and the powers of heaven cannot be controlled or
handled only upon the principles of righteousness. That they may be
conferred upon us, it is true; but when we undertake to cover our
sins, or to gratify our pride, our vain ambition, or to exercise
control, or dominion, or compulsion, upon the souls of the children of
men, in any degree of unrighteousness, behold, the heavens withdraw
themselves; the Spirit of the Lord is grieved; and when it is
withdrawn, Amen to the Priesthood, or the authority of that man.
Behold! ere he is aware, he is left unto himself, to kick against the
pricks; to persecute the Saints, and to fight against God. No power or
influence can or ought to be maintained by virtue of the Priesthood,
only by persuasion, by long-suffering, by gentleness, and meekness,
and by love unfeigned; by kindness, and pure knowledge, which shall
greatly enlarge the soul without hypocrisy, and without guile,
reproving betimes with sharpness, when moved upon by the Holy Ghost,
and then showing forth afterwards an increase of love toward him whom
thou hast reproved, lest he esteem thee to be his enemy; that he may
know that thy faithfulness is stronger than the cords of death; let
thy bowels also be full of charity towards all men, and to the
household of faith, and let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly,
then shall thy confidence wax strong in the presence of God, and the
doctrine of the Priesthood shall distil upon thy soul as the dews from
heaven. The Holy Ghost shall be thy constant companion, and thy
sceptre an unchanging sceptre of righteousness and truth, and thy
dominion shall be an everlasting dominion, and without compulsory
means it shall flow unto thee for ever and ever."
Any authority of the Priesthood otherwise exercised than as above
stated is not in harmony with the law. There is therefore no need to
fear authority, for those who misuse it will ultimately be removed
from their offices and will be punished not only by the laws of the
Church, but by God, the Giver of law. Meanwhile, the thought stands
out prominently, that those who are given the Priesthood, and
especially those who are to exercise authority in the offices of the
Priesthood, should carefully fit themselves for the work that they
have to do. This is the only safe key to authority.
**The Unrighteous Exercise of Authority.** Authority may be
unrighteously exercised from the lack of intelligence or because of
wickedness. Should a member of the Church note this, the procedure of
correction is to notify the ward teachers, who try to settle the
difficulty. If the ward teachers do not succeed in this, the bishop's
court takes up the matter, which, if needs be, it passes to the Stake
Presidency and high council, and may be appealed to the First
Presidency. Justice is meted out to all in-the Church. If the people
are dissatisfied with any officer they may refuse to sustain him at
the times of the voting, which prevents him from exercising the
functions of his office. However, in all things the majority rules;
and in many of the judgments of the Church there must be unanimity.
**The Church Authoritative.** The Church of Christ possesses real
authority, derived from God, and in its work represents God. Such a
Church, alone, can appeal to the human understanding. A Church without
authority is limp and helpless. Authority is the final test of a true
Church. Does it attempt to officiate for God? Does its Priesthood
possess authority? From the beginning, the Church of God has been
given direct, divine authority so that its work might not be
questioned. The angel walked with Adam, God spoke to Abraham, Jesus in
person came on earth, the Father and the Son came to Joseph Smith,--in
all ages, when the Church has been fully established, the Priesthood
has been conferred by authoritative beings. The authority of the
Church is real and genuine and possesses power. By its power it shall
be known.