President Hinckley's Landmark Announcement of the
reorganization of the Quorums of the Seventy
President Gordon B. Hinckley
Saturday morning session of General Conference
"I come now to the Brethren of the
Seventy. As you know, we have two Quorums of Seventy who serve as General
Authorities with jurisdiction across the Church. The First is comprised of those
who serve to age 70. We will sustain four Brethren in this quorum this morning.
Additionally, we are calling a group of wise and mature men with long
experience in the Church and with freedom to go wherever circumstances dictate
as members of the Second Quorum of the Seventy. These Brethren will serve for
periods of from three to five years. In every sense they will be General
Authorities.
We also have a faithful cadre of Brethren
serving as Area Authorities. These have been called wherever the Church is
organized. They are faithful and devoted men. They are men who love the Church
and who have served in many capacities. As we have traveled at home and abroad,
we have worked with many of them and have been deeply impressed with their
remarkable capacity.
The Lord made provision at a general level for
a First Presidency, a Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, Quorums of the Seventy,
and the Presiding Bishopric. At a local level the revelations speak of stake
presidents and bishops. We have had in between the general and local
authorities for a period of time the Regional Representatives, now more
recently these Area Authorities. We have determined to present to the
conference the names of these Area Authorities to be ordained Seventies. They
will then have a quorum relationship presided over by the Presidents of the
Seventy. They will be known as Area Authority Seventies, to serve for a period
of years in a voluntary capacity in the area in which they reside. They are
called by the First Presidency and will work under the general direction of the
Quorum of the Twelve, the Presidents of the Seventy, and the Area Presidencies
in that part of the world in which they live.
They will continue with their present
employment, reside in their own homes, and serve on a Church-service basis.
Those residing in
They may be assigned to (a) preside at stake
conferences and train stake presidencies; (b) create or reorganize stakes and
set apart stake presidencies; (c) serve as counselors in Area Presidencies; (d)
chair regional conference planning committees; (e) serve on area councils
presided over by the Area Presidency; (f) tour missions and train mission
presidents; and (g) complete other duties as assigned.
Consistent with their ordination as
Seventies, they become officers of the Church with a specific and definite tie
to a quorum. While there will be only limited opportunities for them to come
together in quorum meeting, the Presidents of the Seventy will communicate with
them, will instruct them, receive reports, and do other things of that kind.
They will now have a sense of belonging that they have not experienced up to
this time. As Seventies they are called to preach the gospel and to be especial
witnesses of the Lord Jesus Christ as set forth in the revelations. Though all
Seventies have equal scriptural authority, members of the First and Second
Quorums are designated General Authorities, while members of the Third, Fourth,
and Fifth are designated Area Authorities.
Although the ordination to the office of Seventy is without term, a Seventy is called to serve in a
quorum for a designated period of years. At the conclusion of this service, he
will return to activity in his respective ward and stake and will meet with his
high priest group.
We welcome most warmly these Brethren into
quorum membership and activity, They have our
confidence, our love, and our esteem."
Click here
to return to the Seventies Menu page
Click here to return to the
Main Menu page