SECTION
137
Revelation
given through President Frederick M. Smith at Independence, Missouri,
April 7, 1938. The conference adopted this “communication with its
provisions as the voice of divine inspiration to the church.”
To
the Church: Since the creation of two vacancies in the Quorum of
Twelve I have been quite concerned about the condition of that
quorum, as well as other bodies in the church, and after due
meditation and prayer for divine light, I am permitted to present the
following for the consideration and action of the conference members:
1. Let
J. Frank Curtis, of the Twelve, who has long and faithfully served in
that quorum, be honorably released from further responsibility as an
apostle, and take place in the ranks of the order of evangelists.
2. To
fill the vacancies in the Quorum of Twelve, let the following named
brethren be ordained and set apart as apostles: C. George Mesley,
Arthur A. Oakman, and Charles R. Hield.
3. It
is wise that Frederick A. Smith, who has become aged in long years of
faithful service to the church in various offices, be released from
further responsibility as active president of the order of
evangelists, though he may be given the honor of being president
emeritus of that order.
4a. To
maintain the working condition of the order of evangelists, let
Elbert A. Smith be released from further responsibility as counselor
to the president of the church, to take up the work of presiding over
the order of evangelists.
4b.
And let the church be admonished that the functioning and work of
this order is of great importance in the work of perfecting the
Saints, and the appointing authorities be reminded that the members
of the order so far as possible are to be relieved of administrative
work and keep themselves in condition for better functioning as
evangelists whose task is to build up faith in the gospel and the
church and its work.
4c.
And let those whose duty it is to select from the members of the
priesthood those for setting apart as evangelists be admonished that
the work of this class of ministers requires vigor, deep faith, and
unreserved consecration, and men should be selected accordingly.
5.
Until such time as the vacancy in the First Presidency shall be duly
filled, let the work of the presidency be carried on with the aid of
such assistants as may be arranged without undue interference with
other departments.
6a.
Let the church be admonished that the times are portentous and demand
faithful adherence to the faith and work of the church, that mankind
may be blessed by and find peace in those religiously social reforms
and relationships which have been divinely imposed as a great task of
achievement.
6b.
Remember and keep the commandments, be alert to keep out of the
church and from its members those forces which make for disunity, and
in harmony and saintly accord be about the task of freeing Zion from
her bondage.
Frederick
M. Smith
President
of the Chruch
Independence,
Missouri
April
7, 1938
