The government of the Church of Christ devolves upon those who have
been divinely appointed and have been accepted by the body of the
Church, in which all things are to be done by common consent.
At the head is the Prophet, Seer and Revelator with two counselors.
These three presiding High Priests thus selected form the First
Presidency, having jurisdiction over the Church in all the world.
Next are the Twelve Apostles, forming a body equal in authority to the
Presidency and constituting that Presidency at the death or removal of
the head. They set in order the affairs of the Church in all the world
under the direction of the First Presidency.
The patriarchs are Evangelists and are specially ordained to pronounce
blessings on the Saints by the laying on of hands, declaring their
lineage and predicting events in which they will figure in time and in
eternity. There is a Patriarch to the whole Church, having authority
to bless all its officers and members from the greatest to the least,
holdings the keys of that power. There are other Patriarchs who hold
authority within the various Stakes of Zion wherein they are appointed
and in which they administer the sealing blessings.
The Seventy are a body of Elders forming an appendage to the
Apostleship and traveling under their direction. Seven of the number
preside over that body. There are a hundred and fifty of these
"quorums," as they are called, each presided over by seven of their
number, and all under direction of the First Seven Presidents. They
form the chief missionary corps of the Church.
High Priests and Elders not belonging to the councils above mentioned,
are local officers for local ministrations, but may be called into
the missionary field if necessary. Ninety-six Elders form a "quorum,"
presided over by three of their number. There are a great many of these
organizations. All these officers hold the Priesthood after the order
of Melchisedek.
The Bishops stand at the head the Aaronic or lesser Priesthood, an
appendage to the higher of Melchisedek Priesthood. {36} There are three
who form the Presiding Bishopric of the Church. Other Bishops have
charge of wards of the Church, and the function of the Bishopric is to
minister in the temporalities of the Church. Priests, forty-eight of
whom form a "quorum," presided over by a Bishop and two counselors;
Teachers, twenty-four of whom form a "quorum," presided over by three
of their number; and Deacons, twelve of whom form a "quorum," presided
over by three of their number, constitute the rest of the organizations
of the lesser Priesthood. They exist in all the wards, and are under
the direction of the respective Bishoprics.
Apostles, Patriarchs, Seventies, High Priests and Elders may preach,
baptize and lay on hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost, and perform
any duty of the Aaronic Priesthood, as the greater includes the less.
Aaronic Priests may preach, teach and baptize for the remission of
sins, but cannot confer the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands.
Teachers visit the members and see there is no iniquity permitted to
remain in the Church. Deacons attend to temporal duties under the
Bishops.
A Bishop should be a lineal descendant of Aaron, but in the absence of
one of that lineage, a High Priest is selected and ordained to that
office. With his two counselors, also High Priests, he has charge of an
organized ward and sits in judgment upon transgressors and in cases of
disputes between members. An appeal is allowed to the High Council.
Members residing in a given locality form a ward. A number of wards,
generally those within a county, are organized into a Stake of Zion,
presided over by three High Priests. A High Council, consisting of
twelve High Priests, constitutes an ecclesiastical tribunal, to which
appeals may be taken from decisions of the Bishops' courts. It is
presided over by the Stake Presidency, who have jurisdiction over all
the wards and their officers in the Stake. There are now fifty-five
of these Stakes of Zion and a number of conferences and mission
organizations in addition. A High Council decision is subject to review
by the Presidency of the Church.
All the officers of the Church are presented twice a year before the
body of the Church for their acceptance or rejection. The Stake and
ward authorities are periodically subject to a similar regulation. All
serve without salaries. Persons engaged constantly in Church service
are supported, or partly sustained, according to needs, from Church
funds. Missionaries have no stipends, but travel "without purse or
scrip," either paying their own expenses or relying upon friends whom
the Lord raises up to their aid.
{37} The revenue of the Church is derived from the tithes. One-tenth of
a member's interest or increase each year is tithing. It is a free-will
offering, not a tax. Temples, church buildings, etc., are erected and
maintained from the tithing, and large amounts are expended for the
support of the poor and the benefit of new settlements.
On the first Sunday of every month a fast is held, and the amount saved
from fasting is donated to the poor. The Bishops have charge of those
in need and are required to see that none are left to want.