1876 Rules of Order of and Debate

A MANUAL OF PRACTICE

AND

RULES OF ORDER

AND DEBATE

FOR DELIBERATIVE ASSEMBLIES

OF

THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER DAY

SAINTS

COMPILED BY JOSEPH SMITH AND THOMAS W. SMITH,

PLANO, ILLINOIS: PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY THE BOARD

OF PUBLICATION OF THE CHURCH OF CHRIST

Examined and approved by Committee from General Conference, April, 1875.

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W. W. BLAIR, M. H. FORSCUTT, COMMITTEE. J. S. PATTERSON,

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INTRODUCTION.

The apology offered for presenting this work to the Church is, the necessity for one of the kind.

The want of understanding how to conduct and preside, in various meetings held by the Church; such as Branch Counsel, Business; Courts of Elders, and the several Conferences local, district and general; together with the lack of understanding and order in preparing, presenting and supporting, before the respective assemblies, the several motions and resolutions, for which consideration is asked and action demanded, make such a work a necessity.

A decent respect for the fear entertained by some, that form. may supersede the injunction that, "The Elders are to conduct all meetings as they are led by the Holy Ghost," compels us to state that no such design is contemplated by this work. On the contrary, it is designed to aid the Saints, officers and members, to a unity of thought and manner, in their

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INTRODUCTION

efforts to comply with the declaration, " Let all things be done decently, and in order;" that they may "Seek diligently and teach one another words of wisdom," seeking "learning, even by study and also by faith." Order promotes peace; hence, a uniform understanding how to conduct meetings held for the contemplation, consideration and decision of matters of importance, will greatly aid in preserving the harmony, dignity and peace, of co-workers in Christ and will in no wise prevent the prevailing of the Spirit of God, which must be ever a spirit of harmony and order. To the lovers of order, the seekers after wisdom, and the laborers in the kingdom, this work is commended. The work on Parliamentary Practice and usages which, we have used; and from which quotations are made, and to which we have referred, is Cushing's Manual," issued in 1872.

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PARLIAMENTARY PRACTICE. CHAPTER 11 ORGANIZATION.

SEC.1. The purposes, whatever they may be, for which a deliberative assembly of any kind is constituted, can only be effected by ascertaining the sense or will of the assembly, in reference to the several subjects submitted to it, and by embodying that sense or will in an intelligible, authentic, and authoritative form. To do this, is necessary, in the first place, that the assembly should be properly constituted and organized; and, secondly, that it should conduct its proceedings according to certain rules, and agreeably to certain forms, which experience has shown to be the best adapted to the purpose. SEC. 2. General Assemblies of the Church, where no organization, preliminary nor permanent has been effected; may be called to order by any member present moving that another be called to

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