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GENERAL HANDBOOK OF INSTRUCTIONS, 1904 (#6).
1 Dec.: Instructions for Aaronic Priesthood.
“An Annual Report of the organization, duties and labors of the Aaronic Priesthood will be required for the year 1904, which we trust will form a basis for renewing interest in this important branch of the Priesthood. Many Latter-day Saints are holding the office of Priest, Teacher and Deacon, but in some instances, little attention has been given to training them in their several duties and callings. These quorums are admirably adapted for teaching young men their duties and preparing them for higher callings as Missionaries and Presiding Officers. The Bishop, as President of the Aaronic Priesthood of the Ward, should take a fatherly interest in the young men and whenever, in his opinion, a person is eligible for the office of Priest, Teacher or Deacon, he should be ordained and set to labor in such office under the Bishop’s direction. We earnestly hope that the Presiding Officers, both in the Ward and Stake, will give this subject careful consideration and make every reasonable effort to organize the Quorums of this Priesthood throughout the several Wards and to raise their standard of efficiency in the way suggested by the spirit of Revelations of the Lord concerning this Priesthood.
In this connection, we would suggest that, as in the case of Deacons, who are as a rule young and inexperienced in the matter of conducting the exercises of a meeting, that an older person be selected, who is better informed and who could act as an instructor, or class leader, in conducting the lesson exercises, of the Quorum. The President of the Quorum could take charge of the opening and closing exercises, and also in the transaction of the business of the Quorum; the instructor to have charge only when conducting the lesson exercises.
We recommend for text books, the Book of Doctrine and Covenants, and ‘The Lesser Priesthood,’ by Professor Joseph B. Keeler, and suggest that they be used in all the Quorums of the Aaronic Priesthood throughout the Stakes of Zion.” (First Presidency and Presiding Bishopric, Annual Instructions, No. 6, to Presidents of Stakes and Counselors, High Councilors, Bishops and Counselors, and Stake Tithing Clerks in Zion, 1 Dec., 1904, pp. 18-19)
1 Dec.: List of Non-Tithepayers to Quorums; confidential.
“In examining the accounts of the year 1903, we were pleased to notice that a number of the Wards have eliminated this unfavorable feature [Non-Tithepayers] from their records by converting the non-tithepayers; but there is still a large number of persons claiming to be members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, who have not been converted to the payment of their Tithes and Offerings. We, therefore, urgently desire Presidents of Stakes, High Councilors, Priests, Teachers and Presiding Officers of the several quorums and organizations of the Ward and Stake to labor with the Non-tithepayers, and use their influence by kindness and persuasion to convert them to the observance of the Law of Tithing.
The Stake Tithing Clerk will furnish the Presiding Officers of the several Priesthood Quorums of the Stake a list of the Non-tithepayers of their respective quorums as they appear on the Bishop’s reports, so that a labor can be taken up in a quorum capacity, which should be done privately. In no way should individuals be mentioned in this connection at quorum meetings, or in a public capacity.” (First Presidency and Presiding Bishopric, Annual Instructions, No. 6, to Presidents of Stakes and Counselors, High Councilors, Bishops and Counselors, and Stake Tithing Clerks in Zion, 1 Dec., 1904, pp. 23-24)