We’ve all heard of Correlation, and have some idea of what that means. Our ideas may not be entirely accurate, and the purpose/methods of Correlation may have changed over the years – but here is how the idea was presented to the Church in am adult Sunday School lesson of 1970:

Priesthood Correlation

When the Church was organized in 1830 with only six members, the Lord appointed an administrative head of two elders to preside over it. As the goals and services of the Church enlarged, the administrative head also expanded under the divine council of the Lord; these new servic3es and functions r3equired additional leadership. Soon a Presiding Bishop was selected, a First Presidency was chosen, and apostles were called and ordained. Other general authorities, priesthood bodies, auxiliaries, and councils followed which were established, each with varying responsibilities in the building of the Lord’s kingdom.

Although the Relief society, organized by the Prophet Joseph Smith in 1842, was the only auxiliary when the saints came west in 1847, President Brigham Young soon organized others: the Sunday School in 1849, the YWMIA in 1869 and the YMMIA in 1875. Three years later President John Taylor organized the Primary Association. In 1912 the seminary program was introduced and the institutes of religion were added later. Since then still other Church programs have risen in importance. At first these auxiliary programs were simple in their structure, and their scope of activity was limited. But their influence and organization grew tremendously, often without guidelines delimiting their jurisdiction.

Church leaders were not unmindful of the problems of growth for a historical review of the Church r4eveals attempts by presidents of the church, starting with Brigham Young, to coordinate all agencies of the Church, to adopt Church-wide policies on ages of priesthood ordination, to provide uniformity in lesson materials, to regulate nature and time for ward and stake priesthood meetings, and to coordinate many other Church activities. The first general effort to systematize the expanding Church programs, however, began in 1912 when President Joseph F. Smith named Elder David O. McKay chairman of a correlation committee. The purpose of that committee, among other things, was “to prevent unnecessary and undesirable duplication of work in the various auxiliary organizations of the church.” (( Marion G. Romney, “The Basics of Church Correlation,” mimeographed (general priesthood board meeting, November 8, 15, 1967 ( p. 2. )) Some correlation resulted. Then in 1920 a study was entered into to determine “the relationship of the quorums to each other and the auxiliaries to each other, to define their functions and fields of endeavor.” (( Ibid., p. 4. )) This assignment resulted in an extensive report containing recommendations for many changes to better correlate Church programs. But President Heber J. Grant and his counselors felt that under existing circumstances it was inadvisable to make the changes then.

When the time was right, in a letter dated March 24, 1960, President McKay and his counselors invited the General Priesthood Committee of the Church to begin “an exhaustive, prayerful study and consideration” (( Ibid., p. 16. )) as to the needs of a systematic all-Church correlation of all of its parts, to show proper relationships, and to work most effectively as a unit to build up the saints.

The need of such an extensive study was evident in that the church programs received by members, especially the young, seemed to duplicate activities and instruction, in some cases to a burdensome degree. A typical fourteen-year-old boy in the Church may find himself under the jurisdiction of six organizations: the home, Aaronic Priesthood, seminary, MIA, the Sunday School, and his school. In emphasizing the need for correlation of the Church programs influencing a boy in the above situation, Elder Marion G. Romney stated, “We had one case in which a fourteen-year-old boy had four swimming parties arranged for one week, each under the jurisdiction of a different group. that is an extreme, but it points up the problem; he is called on to function in all of these groups.” ((Marion G. Romney, “Church Correlation,” mimeographed (an address to Seminary and Institutes of Religion faculty, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah, June 22, 1964, p. 7. ))

Oscar Kirkham’s oft-quoted statement of the need for “One church, one body, one program” (( Richard L. Evans, Conference Report, Oct. 1962, p. 76 )) gives emphasis to the point. Another example occurred in 1962 when a new group of missionary lessons were introduced. Four organizations of the Church sincerely and properly desired to use them as lesson material. Had each organization done what it desired to do, some of the same young people would have been taught the same lessons four different times in the same season by four different teachers in four different organizations. (( Ibid. ))

Naturally the Lord would have us avoid these problems while also encouraging each agency of the Church to do its fully duty. Concerning this matter the Lord instructed the Prophet Joseph Smith,

Therefore, let every man stand in his own office, and labor in his own calling; and let not the head say unto the feet it hath no need of the feet; for without the feet how shall the body be able to stand?

Also the body hath need of every member, that all may be edified together, that the system may be kept perfect. (D&C 84:109-10.)

The brethren of the General Authorities realize that all the agencies of the Church are very important to the full functioning of its important work. As Apostle Paul declared, “The body is not one member, but many.” For this reason the current church-wide correlation program has been conceived in order that “there should be no schism in the body.” (1 Cor. 12:14, 25.) As one thinks about these scriptures, he can recognize that they were given to instruct the Church both in ancient and in modern times concerning the need of each Church officer, agency, and auxiliary to assist the Church to help its members to perfect themselves.

Purposes of Correlation

The basic purposes of the Church correlation program are five fold:

1. To avoid duplication of the existing Church organizations. All Church programs are to be coordinated, regulated and combined into a harmonious action. This will take place at the General Authority and general boards level and will be coordinated through the stake presidencies and through the bishoprics in the wards. In this way competition and inadvertent duplication will be avoided.

2. To keep all programs of the Church priesthood centered. That is, all auxiliaries, programs, and services offered by the Church will be under the direct jurisdiction of the priesthood either on the general, stake, or ward level of operation.

3. To formulate policy which will govern the planning, writing, coordination, and implementation of the entire Church curriculum so that the gospel might be taught as completely as possible at least three times during one’s life time – to children, from birth to twelve years of age; to youth, from twelve to early twenties; to adults from earl twenties to the end of life. It will also help to some degree to coordinate the lessons the children and youth receive with similar instruction given to the adults to assist parents in teaching their children.

4. To eventually consolidate and simplify Church publications, Church training meetings, and many other important aspects of the Lord’s work. As the Church grows in size and importance, a simplified program will be easier to administer.

5. To stress the place of the priesthood in the home and in the lives of the people.

Correlation, a Product of Revelation

To any Latter-day Saint who has confidence in the divine direction of this Church, the question may come, “How divine is the correlation of Church programs?” That question may always be appropriately asked of a Church that believes in divine revelation. The Lord, while anticipating the growth and necessary innovations that would accompany the Church as it expanded, said to President John Taylor, “Let not your hearts be troubled, neither be ye concerned about the management and organization of my Church and priesthood and the accomplishment of my work. Fear me and observe my laws and I will reveal unto you, from time to time, through the channels that I have appointed, everything that shall be necessary for the future development and perfection of my Church, for the adjustment and rolling forth of my kingdom, and for the building up and the establishment of my Zion. For ye are my Priesthood and I am your God.” (( B.H. Roberts, Seventy’s Course of Theology, 1 (Salt Lake City: Deseret News, 1907), 10. ))

When the study for the correlation program first got underway, president Harold B. Lee, who was commissioned with that responsibility, sensed the Lord working through those brethren challenged with the new assignment. About this sense of divine involvement Elder Lee told the brethren of the priesthood in October general conference, 1962.

President McKay sometime ago in talking to the Presidency and the twelve, urged us to give time for more meditation so that we could tune in with spiritual forces that we had a right to and should expect to direct us in our work. he said, “The best time for me is early in the morning when my mind and body are rested. But when the inspiration comes, and it can come just as clearly as though you were taking down a telephone and dialing in for information; when the Lord tells you what to do, you have to have the courage to do what he instructs you.”

It is that, President McKay, which has been one of the most humbling experiences of this last year. Under your assignment, I bear humble witness to the Church I have sought that with all the faith I could muster, I have importuned to the Lord. sometimes the startling nature of my assignment has required courage almost beyond my strength. I come to you tonight subdued in spirit, I come to you with a sincere witness that the Lord is revealing and working through channels that he has appointed. Don’t you ever let anybody tell you, the membership of the Church, that the Lord is not today revealing and directing and developing plans which are needed to concentrate the entire forces of this Church to meet the challenge of the insidious forces at work to thwart and to tear down and to undermine the church and kingdom of God.

I bear you my solemn witness that I know that god is directing this work today and revealing his mind and will. the light is shining through, and if we can get the priesthood now to come alive and to put into full gear the full strength of the priesthood, we shall see some of the most wonderful developments and some of the greatest things happen to the forces which the Lord can set in motion that we have ever known in this dispensation. (( Harold B. Lee, Conference Report, Oct. 1962, pp. 82-83. ))

As his work progressed, Elder Harold B. Lee again commented on the fulfillment of the Lord’s council to the prophets concerning these things. He said,

My mind has been filled with the realization that in 1964 and the year just preceding, we have been receiving as pertinent and important divine direction as has ever been given to the Church in any similar period in its history through the prophet and leader who now presides as the President of this Church. You may recognize it in some of the developments we know as the correlation program. You have seen it being unraveled bit by bit, and you will see and hear more of it. (( Harold B. Lee, Conference Report, Oct. 1964, p. 137. ))

Thus the Church correlation program, through the efforts of sincere and able men and under divine direction, is being implemented to assist in the unifying and perfecting of the saints in the latter days.