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GENERAL HANDBOOK OF INSTRUCTIONS, 1913 (#12).
1913: Emphasis during the past year.
“During the past year special endeavors have been made to encourage the payment of tithes monthly or at other regular intervals, and to improve the quorums of the Aaronic Priesthood through the bishop giving them his personal attention and presiding over the Priests’ quorum or class in person, in harmony with the instructions of the Lord in the Book of Doctrine and Covenants.
A very desirable movement has been developed in the stakes of Zion to improve the work of the ward teachers. Detailed instructions as to how this can be done have been addressed to the presiding officers of every stake and ward and to the ward teachers themselves.” (Circular of Instructions No. 12, To Presidents of Stakes and Counselors, Presidents of Missions, Bishops and Counselors, Stake, Mission and Ward Clerks and all Church Authorities, 1913, p. 3)
Surplus fast offerings/role of Relief Society in Welfare.
“The first Sunday in the month is set apart as a day of fasting and prayer. Upon this day the Saints should remember the poor and make contributions for relieving their necessities. It is the duty of the Saints to make their offerings even though there be no poor in the ward to which they belong. In wards where the fast offerings are not needed for the poor, they should be remitted to the Presiding Bishop’s Office. In wards where the fast offerings and Relief Society assistance are not sufficient to keep the worthy poor from want, the bishop may apply to the Presiding Bishopric for assistance from the tithing funds. All charity funds should be used exclusively for assisting the worthy poor as the bishopric may determine. If a person drawing assistance is able to do something towards his own support, however small, he should be encouraged to do so, and the bishopric should endeavor to provide him with employment suited to his capacity or condition.
The Relief Society of each ward should be invited to co-operate with the bishopric, so that both will have a knowledge of the persons who are being assisted. The society should furnish the bishopric with a quarterly report of all payments made to the worthy poor.” (Circular of Instructions No. 12, To Presidents of Stakes and Counselors, Presidents of Missions, Bishops and Counselors, Stake, Mission and Ward Clerks and all Church Authorities, 1913, p. 16)
Ward Teachers’ Monthly Meetings.
“A meeting of the bishopric of the ward and teachers should be held once a month. The teachers should report the number of families visited, arrival of new members and the removal of others. Every family in each district should be visted every month. That this may be done each ward should be divided into small districts of about eight families. The best men in the ward should be called to labor as ward teachers, especially those of mature years who hold the office of high priest, seventy or elder. Young men holding the office of priest or teacher should be appointed to labor with older or experienced persons. At the ward teachers’ meeting the bishopric should instruct the teachers upon subjects to be presented to the Saints, on the occasion of the house to house visits, providing, of course, they are not otherwise led by the Spirit. The essential element of success in ward teaching is love for the work on the part of the teachers.” (Circular of Instructions No. 12, To Presidents of Stakes and Counselors, Presidents of Missions, Bishops and Counselors, Stake, Mission and Ward Clerks and all Church Authorities, 1913, pp. 17-18)
Certificates of membership of transgressors.
“Certificates of Membership should not be issued in the case of transgressors. Should a request for certificates be received in such cases, a prompt report to the Presiding Bishop’s Office should be made, stating the cause for withholding the certificate. The presidency of the stake should be consulted and such action be taken as may be right and proper. If the offender makes satisfactory amends and shows evidence of true repentance, the certificate may be forwarded with such explanation as may be considered necessary.
Guidelines on Temple Recommends.
“Recommends should be issued only to those who are worthy. A sufficient time should elapse after baptism and after arrival in the ward to prove worthiness. Children under eight years of age do not need recommends when they acccompany their parents or guardians. Recommends should not be given to persons afflicted with infectious disease, or with offensive skin diseases.
Individuals who have been endowed, and afterwards have been excommunicated, and who have subsequently entered the Church again, should not be recommended to the Temple except by special permission of the President of the Church. Women married to men who are not members of the Church should not receive endowments. Males over twenty-one years of age who have not received their endowments, and females over eighteen years are not permitted to take part in, nor witness temple ordinances, except that they may be baptized for the dead. In every such case the recommend must show that it is issued for Baptisms only. If persons are to receive endowments at the time they are to be sealed to parents, the fact that they are so recommended must be stated on the recommend.
Men should be ordained to the Melchisedek Priesthood before they come to the Temple to receive endowments.
Those who go to the Temple should provide themselves with suitable clothing, as the Relief Society does not keep sufficient clothing on hand to meet the entire demand. Latter-day Saints should be encouraged to prepare and keep their own temple clothes.
Those who receive recommends to be married in the Temple should not have the marriage ceremony performed before they come to the Temple, unless there is some justifiable reason for doing so, such as having to delay an undesirable length of time before they could come, or having to travel alone, by team, to reach the Temple.
When persons go to the Temple to be married, the name of the bride must be given on the groom’s recommend and the groom’s name on the bride’s recommend. It must also be understood that the marriage ceremony will not be performed unless the contracting parties have complied with the law in securing a proper license from the county clerk within the state where the Temple is located.” (Circular of Instructions No. 12, To Presidents of Stakes and Counselors, Presidents of Missions, Bishops and Counselors, Stake, Mission and Ward Clerks and all Church Authorities, 1913, pp. 21-22)
Withdrawing one’s membership from the Church.
“If a Certificate of Membership is received for a person who is living in the ward and who expresses a desire not to become a member thereof, nor to be considered a member of the Church, and requests that his name be stricken from the records, such person should be summoned to appear before the bishopric, and if he persists in his desire to have his membership canceled, action should be taken accordingly.” (Circular of Instructions No. 12, To Presidents of Stakes and Counselors, Presidents of Missions, Bishops and Counselors, Stake, Mission and Ward Clerks and all Church Authorities, 1913, pp. 25-26)
Blessing of Children.
“Parents should have their children blessed in the ward of which they are members. Where parents do not observe this rule and their children are brought to another ward, the bishop may bless the children, but the parents should be instructed concerning this rule of the Church. The ward clerk should send a record of such blessings to the bishop of the ward to which the parents belong.
The names of children who are blessed and who have one or both parents in the Church should be entered in the ‘Ward Record of Members’ as those of children under eight years of age. When children who are not of Latter-day Saint parentage are blessed, their names should be entered only in the ward ‘Historical Record’; and they should not be counted in the quarterly or annual statistics.” (Circular of Instructions No. 12, To Presidents of Stakes and Counselors, Presidents of Missions, Bishops and Counselors, Stake, Mission and Ward Clerks and all Church Authorities, 1913, p. 26)
Transgressors and public confessions.
“In case of transgressors, the laws of the Church as set forth in the Doctrine and Covenants should be complied with. It is not necessary in all cases that those whose offenses are not generally known shall be required to confess in public. Transgressors should be dealt with in kindness and with the object of reclaiming them where possible. The bishop should act with the utmost care and discretion in all such cases.” (Circular of Instructions No. 12, To Presidents of Stakes and Counselors, Presidents of Missions, Bishops and Counselors, Stake, Mission and Ward Clerks and all Church Authorities, 1913, pp. 26-27)
Combining priesthood classes in small wards.
“In small wards where the number holding the priesthood will not justify having six separate classes, it is suggested that the high priests, seventies and elders meet in one class.” (Circular of Instructions No. 12, To Presidents of Stakes and Counselors, Presidents of Missions, Bishops and Counselors, Stake, Mission and Ward Clerks and all Church Authorities, 1913, p. 30)
Selection of quorum instructors.
“The presidents of quorums, aided if necessary, by the bishopric of the ward, and always with their consent, should select able brethren for instructors to conduct the lessons of the classes of the Melchizedek Priesthood. Where the presidents are as capable as any others, they themselves should act as teachers.
The selection of competent teachers cannot be too strongly urged, as the success of the class work depends largely upon the ability and character of the instructors.” (Circular of Instructions No. 12, To Presidents of Stakes and Counselors, Presidents of Missions, Bishops and Counselors, Stake, Mission and Ward Clerks and all Church Authorities, 1913, p. 30)
All boys over 12 should be ordained, if possible.
“Diligent efforts should be made to have all the members of the Church over 12 years of age ordained to the priesthood and enrolled in their proper quorums. Those who through neglect or other reasons are not affiliated with their quorums, should be encouraged to attend to their quorum duties. It should ever be borne in mind that every person ordained to the priesthood should be given something to do, then he will realize that priesthood means service.” (Circular of Instructions No. 12, To Presidents of Stakes and Counselors, Presidents of Missions, Bishops and Counselors, Stake, Mission and Ward Clerks and all Church Authorities, 1913, p. 31)
Advancement in priesthood/foreshadowing of Pros. Elders.
“Young men should be advanced in the Aaronic Priesthood, whenever, in the opinion of the bishopric, they are worthy. It should be the aim to first ordain boys deacons, then after they have served in this capacity, they should be ordained teachers and then priests. In cases where persons have grown to manhood without having been advanced in the priesthood, they should be permitted to meet with one of the higher quorums and thus be encouraged to attend the priesthood meetings, until such time as their good works justify their advancement in the priesthood.” (Circular of Instructions No. 12, To Presidents of Stakes and Counselors, Presidents of Missions, Bishops and Counselors, Stake, Mission and Ward Clerks and all Church Authorities, 1913, p. 31)
Recording ordinations.
“Every person ordained to an office in the priesthood is entitled to a certificate of ordination, which should be presented to him with the least possible delay after the fact of his ordination has been entered on the ward record of members and where the person’s membership is recorded. When the certificate is issued by high priests’ and elders’ quorums, their respective secretaries should see that the certification is entered on the ward records and listed by the ward clerk before it is delivered to the person ordained. A notice will be sent from the First Council of Seventy for each ordination to the office of seventy, which will be the bishop’s authority for entering the ordination on the ward record of members.” (Circular of Instructions No. 12, To Presidents of Stakes and Counselors, Presidents of Missions, Bishops and Counselors, Stake, Mission and Ward Clerks and all Church Authorities, 1913, pp. 31-32)
Enrollment in quorums.
“The certificate of ordination should be carefully preserved by the person ordained and whenever necessary, it should be presented to the proper authority as an evidence of his ordination. Upon this evidence he should be admitted to membership in the usual manner by the quorum having jurisdiction in the ward or stake where he resides; providing he has been accepted as a member of the ward. If he does not possess a certificate of ordination, and the recommend upon which he is received in the ward gives his Priesthood and last ordination, it should be accepted as evidence that he holds the office, provided there is no evidence to the contrary, and provided he has been admitted as a member of the ward in full fellowship.” (Circular of Instructions No. 12, To Presidents of Stakes and Counselors, Presidents of Missions, Bishops and Counselors, Stake, Mission and Ward Clerks and all Church Authorities, 1913, p. 32)
Weekly bishopric meetings.
“The bishoprics should meet in council at least once a week to discuss the affairs of the ward. Counselors should be familiar with matters pertaining to the ward and should be consulted about all important actions taken by the bishop. Matters requiring the attention of the bishopric may be divided among the three members, and reports made by each member at the weekly council meeting.” (Circular of Instructions No. 12, To Presidents of Stakes and Counselors, Presidents of Missions, Bishops and Counselors, Stake, Mission and Ward Clerks and all Church Authorities, 1913, p. 38)
House-to-House visits by bishopric.
“As often as convenient, and especially during the months of November and December, the bishopric should visit each family in the ward. Where the ward is so large that such visits cannot be attended to by the bishopric, other leading men of the ward may be called to assist. The purpose of the visits is to make the bishopric better acquainted with the people in their home life, to encourage and instruct the people concerning their religious obligations, and to offer such counsel and advice as may be necessary. The influence of the bishopric is, or should be, such that their personal counsel in the homes of the Saints will be productive of much good, especially to the young.” (Circular of Instructions No. 12, To Presidents of Stakes and Counselors, Presidents of Missions, Bishops and Counselors, Stake, Mission and Ward Clerks and all Church Authorities, 1913, pp. 38-39)
Bishop to preside over Priests’ quorum.
“The bishop is appointed by the Lord as president of the Priests’ Quorum and he should preside in person over the priests of the ward at the weekly priesthood meeting, ‘sitting with them in council and teaching them their duties’ as outlined in the Book of Doctrine and Covenants.'” (Circular of Instructions No. 12, To Presidents of Stakes and Counselors, Presidents of Missions, Bishops and Counselors, Stake, Mission and Ward Clerks and all Church Authorities, 1913, p. 39)
Performing marriages.
“Presidents of stakes and bishops of wards are the only persons authorized by the Church to perform civil marriage ceremonies–the former in the stakes over which they preside and the latter in the wards wherein they preside. In case these officials are away from home one of the counselors in the stake presidency or ward bishopric may be appointed to officiate. No marriage should be performed without a proper record being made of the ceremony. Those who officiate must acquaint themselves with the requirements of the laws of the respective stakes concerning the filing of records of marriages. We recommend to the presidents of stakes and bishops of wards the following form of ceremony: . . .” (Circular of Instructions No. 12, To Presidents of Stakes and Counselors, Presidents of Missions, Bishops and Counselors, Stake, Mission and Ward Clerks and all Church Authorities, 1913, pp. 46-47)
Temple recommends in missions.
“Presidents of Missions should not issue recommends to the Temple, as a residence of at least six months in one of the wards of the Church is necessary before such recommends may be issued. Recommendations relating to temple matters in which members of missions are concerned must be sent directly to the First Presidency.” (Circular of Instructions No. 12, To Presidents of Stakes and Counselors, Presidents of Missions, Bishops and Counselors, Stake, Mission and Ward Clerks and all Church Authorities, 1913, p. 51)