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GENERAL HANDBOOK OF INSTRUCTIONS, 1963 (#19).
1963: Monthly meetings between bishoprics and stake presidency.
“Among other things, the members of the Stake Presidency will:
1. . . . hold regular monthly meetings with bishoprics, branch presidencies, and clerks . . .”
[Addition to GHI 1960.] (General Handbook of Instructions, No. 19, 1963, p. 8)
Added setting apart duties for 1st Council of 70.
“All stake presidents, stake clerks and presidencies of high priests quorums are to be set apart and all bishops ordained and set apart by a member of the First Presidency or one of the Council of the Twelve Apostles, one of the Assistants to the Twelve, or one of the First Council of Seventy.” [GHI 1960 only specified Twelve and Asst’s to 12.] (General Handbook of Instructions, No. 19, 1963, p. 9)
Prospective High Councilors to be interviewed by GA.
“Both regular and alternate members of a stake high council are chosen by the stake presidency, approved by the high council, interviewed by a member of the First Presidency, Council of the Twelve, Assistants to the Twelve, or of the First Council of Seventy; and, if approved, sustained in a stake conference or stake priesthood meeting and set apart by one of the General Authorities above mentioned. Where there will not be one of the above General Authorities in that stake in the near future, the stake president may, if authorized to do so by one of the above-named General Authorities, interview the nominee, have him sustained in a stake conference or stake priesthood meeting and set him apart.” (General Handbook of Instructions, No. 19, 1963, p. 10)
New authority to set apart given to High Councilors.
“The stake president may authorize members of the high council or alternate members of the high council to set apart presidents and counselors of priesthood quorums, officers in the auxiliary organizations and ordain elders or members of the Aaronic Priesthood.” (General Handbook of Instructions, No. 19, 1963, p. 13)
GA interview for full-time missionaries no longer required
“Following his own interview the bishop will arrange for the proposed missionary to be interviewed by the stake president, and will furnish to him confidentially the recommendation form as filled out by the bishop, based on his interview with the candidate. Both the bishop and stake president must carefully interview the candidate separately. If they do not find the proposed missionary worthy, capable and healthy and able to give good service, the candidate should not be recommended to the First Presidency. If the person is found satisfactory after these two interviews, his application should be submitted for his call.” (General Handbook of Instructions, No. 19, 1963, p. 32)
Added duties for screening transgressing missionaries.
“Any bishop or stake president who feels that a given case [of a potential full-time missionary with unresolved transgressions] justifies special consideration because of his belief that true repentance has been shown over an adequate period of time, may confer with a member of the Council of the Twelve, Assistants to the Twelve or First Council of Seventy, who alone have the sole right to consider and determine any deviation from or exception to this rule.” [GHI 1960 specified only Council of the Twelve.] (General Handbook of Instructions, No. 19, 1963, p. 35)
Added setting apart duties for GA’s.
“Bishops’ counselors may be set apart, following the sustaining vote of the ward, by members of the Council of the Twelve, Assistants to the Twelve, or the First Council of Seventy, or in their absence by the stake president personally, after obtaining proper authorization.” [GHI 1960 did not allow for 1st Council of 70 to do this.] (General Handbook of Instructions, No. 19, 1963, p. 40)
Tighter dress standards for administering sacrament.
“White shirts and modest ties are always appropriate and should be encouraged.” [“and should be encouraged” added since GHI 1960.] (General Handbook of Instructions, No. 19, 1963, p. 47)
Home Evenings.
“In order to permit parents to hold a family or home evening with their children, auxiliaries will not hold their special meetings or annual conferences on the evening of Fast Sunday. The only exception will be the Primary Association, which may hold meetings on the first Sunday of May and September to demonstrate to ward members what the Primary is doing. Authority has also been given for bishops to hold the annual Boy Scout meeting on the first Sunday evening of February. Other than these three evenings, no meetings will be scheduled on the evening of Fast Sundays. Parents should be encouraged to hold a home evening with their children.” (General Handbook of Instructions, No. 19, 1963, p. 48)
Sacrament for home-bound may now be blessed in home.
“Permission is granted to occasionally prepare the sacrament for home-bound persons who cannot attend meetings. The bishop should assign two brethren holding the Melchizedek Priesthood to prepare and bless the sacrament in the home so the home-bound person may participate in the spirit of the blessing.” [GHI 1960 specifically forbade blessing the sacrament in the home.] (General Handbook of Instructions, No. 19, 1963, p. 50)
Temple recommends now valid in all temples.
“The new Temple Recommend is valid in any or all of the temples. Therefore, a separate recommend is not necessary for each temple.” (General Handbook of Instructions, No. 19, 1963, p. 73)
Additions to worthiness interview.
“Before issuing recommends bishops will assure themselves by searching inquiry that the recipients are free from all kinds of . . . unchristianlike practices; . . . and that they earnestly strive to do their duty in the Church, to attend their sacrament, Priesthood, and other meetings, and to obey the rules, laws and commandments of the Gospel . . .” [These were added to those already in the GHI 1960.] (General Handbook of Instructions, No. 19, 1963, p. 74)
Change in policy regarding recommends for divorced persons
“Recommends for Divorced Persons: Divorces or annulments of marriage in which the applicant has been a party need not be cleared by the First Presidency unless the persons were sealed to each other in the temple, or unless the applicant has had more than one divorce or annulment since baptism. Nevertheless, bishops and stake presidents should conduct a thorough, searching interview to determine the applicant’s present worthiness to go to the temple and to ascertain whether or not there was any marital infidelity or serious transgression on the part of the applicant in connection with the divorce or annulment.
Divorce Clearances: If there has been a divorce or an annulment of the marriage of persons sealed to each other in the temple, or if a person has had more than one divorce or annulment since baptism, clearance by the First Presidency must first be obtained before temple recommends can be issued to such persons. The following steps should be observed:
1. Complete in detail the form provided for this purpose.
2. Applicant should attach a letter setting forth a concise statement of the facts concerning the real reason for each divorce, any marital infidelity on the part of either party, and any serious transgression in the life of the applicant.
3. The stake president and bishop or branch president should each attach a letter setting forth a concise statement of his impressions concerning the real reason for each divorce, any marital infidelity on the part of either party, any seriuos transgression in the life of the applicant, the present worthiness of the applicant to go to the temple, and his recommendation concerning granting a divorce clearance.
4. If the applicant has been divorced from a spouse to whom he or she is still sealed, applicant should obtain and attach a written statement from such former spouse setting forth a concise statement of the real reason for the divorce and any facts bearing upon applicant’s worthiness or unworthiness to go to the temple. If such a statement cannot be obtained, please give the reason. Please do not combine applications for divorce clearance with applications for cancellation of sealings.”
(General Handbook of Instructions, No. 19, 1963, pp. 78-79)
“Undesirable Marriages” not to be held in chapel.
“Use of Recreation Hall for ‘Undesirable’ Marriages: Wedding receptions may be held in our recreation halls for couples who are forced to get married because of moral transgressions. Such marriages should be encouraged, although we do not offer them the same privileges that are given to those married under the right conditions. In other words, the Church does not sanction the act. The responsibility of what is best to be done is left to the stake president and the bishop.” (General Handbook of Instructions, No. 19, 1963, p. 83)
“Temple sealing cancelled.”
[Wording on p. 86 is now “temple sealing cancelled,” rather than “temple marriage annulled,” in GHI 1960.] (General Handbook of Instructions, No. 19, 1963, p. 86)
Record keeping following restoration of blessings.
“Where an individual has been brought back into the Church after excommunication and has had his blessings restored, the entries on the original record would not be disturbed, but in addition it would show the date of excommunication, the date of rebaptism after excommunication and the date the blessings are restored and by whom. If the membership is transferred to another ward that information would be transmitted.” (General Handbook of Instructions, No. 19, 1963, p. 119)