"Office of
The First Presidency
of the
Church of Jesus Christ
of
Latter day Saints
Salt Lake City, Utah, .
Prest. Angus M Cannon,
Salt Lake Stake
Dear Brother:
At a meeting of the First Presidency and Council of Apostles, held on
Thursday, October 31st, 1895, the following decisions were reached, and are now presented for the
guidance of Presidents of Stakes, Bishops and their associate officers, and all whom they
may concern.
There has been a practice, in at least one of the Stakes of Zion, of High Priests,
Seventies, Elders and Priests, who may have been called to act in the capacity of Teachers,
having an organization, distinct from that of the Teachers Quorum, and being presided
over by a president and two counselors. The tendency of such organizations has been to
assume functions belonging to the legitimate councils or quorums of the priesthood.
The question submitted was, Is it proper for such organizations to exist, or to be presid-
ed over in this manner? The Council felt that it was not proper, as no provision
is made for them in any of the revelations of the Lord relating to church govern-
ment; neither is there any necessity for them. And the Council decided that
the brethren who bear the Melchisedek Priesthood, acting as Teachers, should
not have a separate president and counselors, but that they should, when acting
in this capacity, be presided over directly by the Bishopric, whose aids they are
in all things connected with the well-being of the ward.
The second question was: At which of the meetings of the Saints should persons
guilty of unchastity be required to make confession—at the general meeting of the
members of the ward, at the Fast Meeting, or the Monthly Priesthood Meeting?
It was the mind of the Council that the regulation of confessions in such
cases should be left to the Bishopric of the Ward in which the wrong-doing
occurs; and that each case be considered on its merits, and disposed of
according to the publicity which has been given to it. For instance, where
people guilty of adultery or fornication confess their sin, and their trans-
gression is known only to themselves, the confession should not be made public.
But where publicity has been given to it, the confession should be made before
the priesthood of the ward at the regular monthly priesthood meeting; or, if it
be deemed advisable by the Bishopric that a still more public confession should
be made, it shall mean that the confession shall be made at the monthly
Fast Meeting (which meetings are attended almost, if not, exclusively by
church members) and that in no case shall confessions be made at the
regular Sunday services.
The object of this restriction is to confine the confession as much
as possible to the circle acquainted with the wrong-doing, and to avoid
spreading the knowledge of sin, according to the revelation, which says
(Doc & Cov. Sec. 42, 89) that such things "shall be done in a meeting, and
that not before the world."
As a rule, therefore, where the knowledge of transgression is known
to but a few, the confession (if required to be made at all) should be made at
the priesthood meeting, and only in such cases where the offence has become
a public scandal and reproach to the church should the more public
confession be made.
We are
Your Brethren,
Wilford Woodruff
Geo Q. Cannon
Jos F. Smith."