The Seventies

The short time that I occupy I very much desire to have the Spirit of the Lord. I think possibly it would not be amiss if I occupied the time in talking about the Seventies. I claim to be good authority on that subject, and the information that I shall use comes from the Presiding Bishop's office, and they will vouch for its accuracy. ¶

My object and purpose in speaking of the Seventies is to enlighten the Church as to that great body of Priesthood, who have a special calling as witness of the Lord to the nations of the earth. They are preachers of righteousness and our great effort has been not only to keep up with the organization, but where it has been deemed wise, the quorums have been increased in order to get the benefit that comes out of the class work. For we find where quorums are scattered throughout a stake, one quorum in a stake or one quorum in five or six or eight wards, it is very difficult to hold class meetings. It is understood that in all such cases that they hold a general Seventies' meeting, once each month. Last Sunday, at four p. m., we called a special conference of the Seventies, and we were very happy in finding four hundred and four Seventies in that gathering in the Bishop's building. By a show, of hands, I think we could safely say, that eighty-five per cent of that number were presidents of Seventies. We had a program which was well handled, taking up Quorum Administrative Questions. This body of Priesthood, to give you an idea of the greatness of the number, there are enough Seventies in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to fill this great building to overflowing. ¶

The activities of Seventies as compiled from the stake and ward reports for the year, 1913, are as follows : ¶

Total number of Seventies in ¶

the Church 10,968 ¶

Total number enrolled in Quorums as reported for the year 1913 8,078 ¶

Total number enrolled in Seventies Class 9,190 ¶

Total number of Seventies not ¶

enrolled in Quorums 2,890 ¶

Total number of Seventies not performing any duties in Stakes or wards 2,145 ¶

Total number who did not attend a Quorum meeting during year 1913 1,308 ¶

Seventies who are acting as Presidents of Seventies and Instructors of Quorums.... 1,782 ¶

Seventies who are performing ¶

Stake duties 704 ¶

Seventies who are performing Ward duties 6,933 ¶

Seventies who are acting as officers and instructors in Auxiliary organizations 3,778 ¶

We learn from this report that the total number of appointments filled by Seventies in the Church is 13,197. If we are correct in our analysis of the above report, the First Council is held responsible for 2,145 Seventies who are not performing any duties in the stakes or wards, and still we find that there are 2,890 Seventies not enrolled in any quorums of Seventy, and it is just possible that they are not members of any ward, but are wandering to and fro throughout the Church. They are, no doubt, good men in their way, but must be "billy-goats," and not sheep, but they should belong to the sheep fold. ¶

This report gives information as to the activities of Seventies at home and abroad, and gives proof that 95 8-10 per cent of this body of Priesthood are giving good home service, and performing missionary work, under the direction of the local authorities. The report does not give the condition of Seventies financially, nor does it attempt to speak of their struggles, failures and poverty, and that death sometimes finds its way into their homes. Neither does it give the information that many of these Seventies have sons who are on missions, and the fathers are defraying their expenses. It is not understood that the standard and spiritual measurement of the men is to be found in the report. This report does not attempt to tell of the visits of representatives of the First Council, but it merely shows the activities of Seventies at home. If it be true that 25 per cent of 8,078 Seventies who are enrolled in quorums are not performing any duties in stakes or wards, it leaves 75 per cent of the total number enrolled who are actively engaged in home and foreign service. ¶

We desire, that you may know, that notwithstanding that 2,890 Seventies are wanderers that we are trying to overcome this difficulty. Quorums of Seventies are instructed to receive all Seventies who come in their quorum district, who are received by the Bishops in the wards, and to receive them without recommendation, without transfers, as their transfers can be secured afterwards. It must be understood by the Priesthood of God, in this Church, that there can be no such thing as resigning from a quorum of Priesthood in the Church. When you have made covenant with God and the Church and received the Priesthood you cannot resign. The only way to get out of a quorum of Priesthood is to commit sin, and get disfellowshiped from the Church. As long as you hold that Priesthood we have the right to receive you into the quorums and it is the duty of those who preside to labor with those who are careless and indifferent. Brethren and sisters, we want to show you, what this great body of Priesthood are doing in home service. In 1913, there was only three hundred forty-six Seventies on missions in the word preaching the Gospel, but we have been training and educating and directing this body of Priesthood to labor faithfully and devotedly under the direction of the local authorities. ¶

Now, brethren, with a good deal of pride, I challenge you High Priests and you Elders, and the lesser Priesthood, to make a better showing. We grant you that our quorums are made up of young men and older men of great experience, men who have filled missions, many of them, and they are devoted to the Church. That has been the line of our work in the past few years. ' The Lord has truly blessed us in the labor, with the assistance that we have received and the sustaining support that we have had from the brethren of the authorities, the Counsel of the Twelve, the presidents of stakes and the Bishop of wards. If we are correct: take the two thousand one hundred and ¶

forty-five Seventies who are not taking any part in Church duties, and the two thousand eight hundred ninety "billy-goats," that are wandering throughout the Church, that belong to no quorums and are scattered all over the land, there is a great missionary work to be done by the presidents of Seventies ; as there are five thousand Seventies in the Church of Christ that need laboring with by preaching the Gospel to them, because of their carelessness and indifference. ¶

In conclusion : I don't know when. I have been more delighted for a long time, than when I heard President Francis M. Lyman, the president of the Twelve Apostles, say to the presidents of stakes and the bishops of wards, "When you want missionaries, you are to go to the Seventies instead of any others. As you need them in the missionary field to go with our boys." We have ample proof, ample evidence that we need men of experience to go with our young men, until they get under training. ¶

As to missionary work at home : I need not go but a short distance from here as I happen to have in mind an illustration. We can go to the Jordan stake, as I remember it, they have nine thousand members of the Church ; in that one stake alone there are over nine thousand persons who are non-members of the Church. A great missionary work can be done under the direction of the local authorities, the presidents of stakes, and the bishops of wards, in setting apart these Seventies, instructing them, enthusing them, awakening them until they love the souls of the children of men and are willing to give good service in preaching the Gospel. ¶

Now, my brethren and sisters, I hope it goes without saying; that I have unfaltering, unwavering faith in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints — it is the great thing in my life. If I fail in this one object — salvation — I have failed in everything. I sustain the authorities of the Church ; I sustain President Joseph F. Smith and the Council of the Twelve. I have an abiding faith in Joseph Smith as a prophet of God. I believe all that has been revealed unto this people, whether I can live it or not ; I believe it all ; I swallow every bit of it, I don't sugar-coat it, either. Brethren, I am willing to place all that I have and am upon the altar. It does not amount to very much, but you are welcome to every bit of it. The Lord bless you. Amen. ¶