| 598 purpose may be executed in the way that will best serve the interests of the church.
The work of restoring the grand old Temple, built by divine commandment, and long since left to the winds and wastes of time, deserted, to be pillaged by the irreverent and thoughtless, has been nearly completed, in keeping with the work of restoring peculiar to the Reorganization, and is now made a pleasant and delightful place in which to worship. The repairing done reflects credit upon the committee which had it in charge, and the small indebtedness incurred thereby, should be promptly and cheerfully lifted. The Saints may well feel glad that they can no longer be justly reproached for a seeming want of interest in the house appointed by God to be built to his name.
The financial condition of the church is in a healthy state, showing an increased faith, confidence, and interest among the Saints concerning tithes and offerings, which gives encouragment [encouragement] to the thought that the church will soon be able to put the whole of her available ministry into the field.
With hearts full of gratitude to God and love toward you and with unfaltering faith and confidence in our holy religion, we invoke the blessings of God upon you and his work everywhere, praying that prosperity, and a renewal of confidence and effort may come to the church throughout the whole world. As a means of better understanding our respective duties, and with a view of coming to a greater unity of action, and avoiding misunderstanding and strife, we commend the following statements, declarations and definitions, for the guidance of district presidents and all whom it may concern:
1. The law of God provides for general presiding officers in the church, and also for presidents of branches: but it contains no provision for the office known as "district president." This office should, therefore, be considered as an outgrowth in organization, the object of which is to perform work not specially provided for in the law, and to assist in the discharge of duties and obligations which, by law, are imposed upon other officers of the church.
2. Presidents of districts, according to the custom which has heretofore obtained, hold and exercise their presidency, solely by virtue of selection by vote; hence they have no right to direct, or control any except those who placed this presiding responsibility upon them. A simple choice, only, made by any body of Saints, can not bestow authority to do the work which is clearly provided for in the revelations of God, and which is assigned to other officers of the church.
3. The branch organization with a presiding elder, a priest, teacher and deacon, to perform the respective duties necessary for the welfare of such organization, is clearly provided for in the law; and if, from any cause, these branches need to be set in order, the law also provides for this emergency, and assigns the duty of setting in order, or regulating, to another class of officers, whose duties and prerogatives are clearly
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