John Taylor

“ If men have differences they should try to settle them amicably among themselves. But if they cannot do this, let them take the first steps as directed in the Church Covenants, let them then come together as brethren having a claim upon the Spirit and power of God which would attend them if they lived their religion, and then, provided the Priests and Teachers did their duty and were filled with wisdom and the spirit of their office and calling, ninety-nine cases out of every hundred might be satisfactorily settled without either troubling the Bishop's court or the High Council. ”

“ All Bishops should be properly ordained with their Counselors, in order to be qualified to act efficiently in their offices, and to be qualified to sit as common judges in Israel.
We have frequently heard that "Order is heaven's first law." In no earthly government is there so much order evinced as in the Church and kingdom of God, and for that we are indebted to the revelations of God. The office of the Priesthood is really to rule and govern in that government which is recognized as the Lord's, whether it be in heaven or on the earth. ”

“ If a man does wrong, let him be held accountable for that wrong, no matter who he may be. If he cheats, bring him up; if he lies, let him be treated as a liar; if he breaks the Sabbath bring him to an account for it; let the proper officers of the Church see that, they do their duty, or God will not hold them guiltless. Let all the Elders, the Priests, Teachers and Deacons and other officers thoroughly and faithfully perform their duties, and then we will see whether there is any power in the Priesthood or not; then we will know whether the blessings of the Lord attend the ordinances or not ”

“ And there is as much devolving upon the Priests, the Teachers and Deacons and those of the lesser Priesthood as there is upon any other members of the Church. When they do not fulfill their duties, what is the result? People go to the Twelve, or to the First Presidency, they pass the more immediate authorities, and confusion and disorder exist, and valuable time is occupied almost needlessly, and those who will work may work until they are broken down ready to cease their earthly labors, and all this for the want of men's knowing their duties and doing them. ”

“ We have found more or less confusion among the churches wherever we have gone; and hence the wisdom manifested by the President in requesting a more perfect organization seems the more to be appreciated, because of the necessity that exists for improvement. Says the Lord, "Without the ordinances thereof, and the authority of the Priesthood, the power of godliness is not manifest unto man in the flesh; for without this no man can see the face of God, even the Father, and live." ”

“ And as the Lord has restored the everlasting Gospel and the keys of the everlasting Priesthood which administers in time and eternity, when we elect officers to fill positions in this Church we choose men whose authority through their faithfulness will hold good not only on this earth, but in the heavens, and not only now but hereafter. ”

“ When the Church is organized in all its various departments with the President at the head, the Twelve in their place, the High Priests, Seventies and Elders in theirs, together with the Bishops and lesser Priesthood, the local aids and governments each acting in their appointed sphere and calling, and all operated upon and influenced by the Holy Spirit, then the whole becomes as the body of a man, sound and complete in all its members, and everything moves harmoniously and pleasantly along. ”

“ Therefore we are going forth and wherever we find things disorganize, we organize them, and then call upon the various organizations to perform their duties in fidelity, honesty and faithfulness, that every man may be felt after to the utmost extremity of the Territory, that it may be known what they are doing, whether they are for God and the principles of truth or not. We do not want any more "Good Lord and good devil;" the line will be drawn and we will know who is for the kingdom and who is not. If we do not those things which are required at our hands, what is the use of our profession? ”

“ In some instances we have found that a Bishop has no Counselors, in others he has had one Counselor perhaps, and sometimes we have found the Bishop with two Counselors, but he himself not ordained to the office, but had only been appointed, and in some instances we have found that the Counselors have not been properly authorized and qualified to act in their calling. Whereas there is a law regulating these things which we hope to comply with. Every Bishop should be first ordained a High Priest, and then set apart to the Bishopric by the proper authority ”

“ We do not want to become partakers of other men's sins; the First Presidency will not, neither will the Twelve; the Bishops should not, for God will require it at their hands.
God intends to build up a Church here after the pattern of the one that exists in heaven; and to come down and associate himself with man upon the earth. ”

“ God is not mocked; that which a man sows he will reap; if we sow to the flesh, we shall of the flesh reap corruption; if we sow to the spirit, we shall reap life everlasting."
Why should men who do not want to do right stop in our midst? ”

“ For the body, we are told, has not one member but many: "And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee; nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you;" but every man in his place acting in his office and calling. ”

“ The Lord having given unto us this divine law and revealed certain principles unto us, he expects us to govern ourselves accordingly; that every ordinance in connection with the Priesthood may be administered properly and in accordance with his law. ”

“ Whence come the difficulties that we have in our midst? Because as I have said in many instances the Priesthood do not perform their duties, are not vigilant and faithful. The Teachers sometimes come to visit us and sometimes they do not. ”

“ It is very desirable and necessary, too, that every man should understand his true position in the Church; that he may the better magnify his calling, and attend to every duty devolving upon him. In the organization of a Stake of Zion, as revealed, there should be a President with two Counselors, to preside over all the officers, authorities and people of that Stake. There should also be a High Council con-sisting of Twelve Councilors presided over by the President of the Stake and his two Counselors. ”

“ Those who had no oil in their lamps went to those who had, requesting them to give them of their oil, for their lamps had gone out. But those who had oil had none to spare, and the foolish were told to go to those who sold oil and buy. ”

“ They are then properly authorized to act in this capacity, and they ought to be upheld and sustained in the position they occupy, and in all of their doings, inasmuch as they are characterized by righteousness and sound judgment, and as the Scriptures say, with humility and faith, and long-suffering and wisdom, and according to the principles laid down in the book of Doctrine and Covenants, which the Spirit of God would dictate to men occupying such a position. ”

“ We are now approaching a very important stage in the history of this latter-day work; we may try to dig around our duties and responsibilities, but we have to meet them. We have got to walk according to the laws of God, or abide by the result for not doing it. ”

“ For the lack of this more perfect organization all kinds of confusion has prevailed among the brethren in many instances; all kinds of little differences are taken to the High Council, which ought to be taken to the Bishop's court. People sometimes quarrel about little things, very trivial affairs that do not represent more than ten or twenty dollars in monetary matters, and they are not satisfied unless the High Council try such cases. ”