| 226 "5. In all missions where the officer in charge can not consult with the agent (though one may have been appointed thereto), he may receive tithings and free-will offerings and use the same (as hereinafter provided for in Article 5, of Basis of Adjustment), or only part thereof for said mission, accounting therefor to the agent and to the Bishop in his quarterly report.
"6. We advise the utmost care and economy in the expenditure of money; that the first of all objects to be attained by the church is the promulgation of the gospel, and all other interests are but secondary compared with it, which object must ever demand our first attention; next to which is the support of the poor. And believing that moneys have been extravagantly expended in the publication of books, and unnecessarily so, we advise the utmost care in that direction, and the strictest economy. And we recommend that the Bishopric encourage so far as seems wise and is practicable, the building of church-houses, and that they take the advisory oversight thereof; and also the erection of storehouses in such localities where the interests of the church do now or may hereafter demand it; believing that through this channel the families of traveling elders would receive more ready support, and which means does not now come into the church treasury.
"7. Members should be taught the moral obligation that rests upon them, to put forth an effort to do something of some moment, during the year, either in tithings, free-will offerings, or donations, according to their financial abilities.
"8. Where branches, districts, or individuals wish labor in any special locality, the needed funds to sustain such effort should not be taken from the means designed for or belonging to the general treasury.
"9. When means are given to ministers of the church for their benefit, by persons in and out of the church, such 'means' should be reported to the Bishop, that he may be cognizant of the help that each receives, and that said report be made to the Bishop on the first of March annually."
We present the foregoing principles of action to all the Saints as being the rules and regulations adopted by us for the government of and administration in the financial affairs of the church, and we respectfully commend them to the consideration of and observance by the church in all circumstances and cases included in and covered by the above specification of principles.
WILLIAM H. KELLEY,
THOMAS W. SMITH,
JAMES CAFFALL,
JOHN H. LAKE,
ALEXANDER H. SMITH,
ZENAS H. GURLEY,
JOSEPH R. LAMBERT,
Of the Quorum of the Twelve.
ISRAEL L. ROGERS,
HENRY A. STEBBINS,
DAVID DANCER,
PLANO, Illinois, April 8, 1878. The Bishopric of the Church.
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