The Restoration of the GospelWidtsoe, Osborne J. P.
Religion
The Restoration of the Gospel
Widtsoe, Osborne J. P.
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
[Footnote L: Doc. and Cov. 68:14.]
The following month, Newel K. Whitney was called by revelation to be
bishop over the Church in Kirtland.[M] Since that day, other bishops
have been called as need has arisen, until there are in the Church at
the present writing more than seven hundred acting bishops.
[Footnote M: Doc. and Cov. 72:8.]
Thus the quorums of authority and presidency in the Church were
restored as the growth of the Church demanded. Each one in turn was
appointed by special revelation, until the organization was completed.
Besides the important revelations on Church government already noted,
two other revelations were given dealing particularly with the history
and duties of priesthood.[N] From these we learn that twelve deacons
constitute a quorum of deacons; twenty-four teachers a quorum of
teachers; and forty-eight priests a quorum of priests; that the bishop,
besides presiding in a general way over the district where he is
appointed, presides particularly over the Lesser or Aaronic Priesthood.
From these, also, we learn that ninety-six elders constitute a quorum
of elders; seventy seventies, a quorum of seventies; and all the
high-priests of a district the quorum of high-priests in that district.
Thus, from the First Presidency to the deacon, the organization of the
Priesthood is complete and perfect in its operation.
[Footnote N: Doc. and Cov. secs. 84, 107.]
Besides this perfect organization of the Priesthood, there are other
helpful divisions and organizations that have been called forth by the
growth of the Church. The most we can do with them here, however, is
merely to mention them in closing. First is the territorial division
of the Church. For convenience in government, the Church is divided
territorially into stakes, wards, branches, missions, and conferences.
Kirtland was undoubtedly the first stake of Zion to be appointed in the
history of the Church. Concerning Kirtland, the Lord said in 1832:
"For I have consecrated the land of Shinehah (Kirtland) in mine own due
time for the benefit of the saints of the Most High, and for a stake of
Zion."[O]
[Footnote O: Doc. and Cov. 82:13.]
In the dedicatory prayer offered in the Kirtland Temple, 1836, the
Prophet Joseph Smith said:
"We ask thee to appoint unto Zion other Stakes, besides this one
which thou hast appointed, that the gathering of thy people may roll
on in great power and majesty, that thy work may be cut short in
righteousness."[P]
[Footnote P: Doc. and Cov. 109:59.]
Other stakes were appointed. Today, the Church numbers more than sixty
stakes, each presided over by a presidency of three high priests, and
a high council of twelve high priests, with several alternate high
councilmen.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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