Mission presidents – generally those in the United States, and only if the condition in their missions allowed them to travel to Salt Lake City – used to meet for a few hours during General Conference in April and October, with a few of the General Authorities. Below are the minutes of one such meeting, held in the Church Administration Building at 2 p.m. on 11 October 1920:
There were present, Anthony W. Ivins, Stephen L Richards and Melvin J. Ballard of the Apostles’ Quorum. Jos. W. McMurrin, C.A. Callis, S.O. Bennion, Rey L. Pratt, Heber C. Iverson, Nephi Jensen, John M. Knight, Geo. W. McCune, Geo. Taylor, A.M. Lloyd, Benj. Goddard and Winslow F. Smith
Opening Prayer – Winslow F. Smith.
Unfinished business as follows was taken up:
The new release blanks were exhibited and instructions were given to commence using them at once.
New business:
Uniformity in arriving at expenses of missionaries was discussed. It was decided that following items should be included in giving expense. Also discussed the advisability of classing some items as legitimate expenses while others should be classed as non essential.
Board and Room
Clothing, including value of clothing recd. from home
All Literature
R.R. & Street Car fares
Books
Grips
Kodaks & Films
Developing & Printing
Laundry
Barber Shops
Beauty Parlors
Eye Specialists
Presents sent home
Soda Water/Candy
Medical & Dental Services
Amusements/Picture Shows
Moved that committee go into the matter and make a report, and to consider the advisability of furnishing blank for same.
Discussed performing of marriages, decided that the rule be followed that the performing of a ceremony be confined to Mission Presidents, Mission Secretary and Conference President, when they can be present. When they cannot be present the Mission President may designate an elder to officiate. The question of Branch Presidents of officiating was to be referred to the First Presidency.
Discussed the relation of Branch President and Conference President. Decided that they function as Bishop and Stake President.
Frequent transfers of missionaries was discouraged. Decided that it is best to have them in one field as long as possible, changing only when necessary.
Moved that the term “senior elder” be abolished in making assignment, also rule of seniority be abolished. Assignment to be made according to best judgment of Mission President.
Discussed public debates in the field. Rule of First Presidency that “public debates be not held” be adhered to. Only by consent of First Presidency should they be held.
Question of etiquette of missionaries was taken up. Decided that something definite to effect improvement along this line be done. Voted that committee investigate this matter and prepare a detail report getting out a leaflet. Same to contain instructions on this line; hints as to correctness of common errors English; correct pronunciation of common words; and advice as to care of health.
Question of new tracts was taken up. Voted that Mission Presidents write to Apostles’ Committee recommending subjects for such tracts.
Question of overdrafts of missionaries’ accounts was discussed and the decision was that the rule laid down by the First Presidency be followed as closely as possible.
Attention was called to the importance of elders not exchanging Clergy Books.
Discussed paying of Doctor and hospital bills for missionaries in the field. Report of committee was not ready. Question was carried over and a reply requested.
Benediction — Jos. W. McMurrin
It’s interesting (and completely irrelevant to the post) that in 1920 “Kodak” was on the verge of becoming a generic name for camera–sort of like “Escalator” or “Kleenex” and “Xerox” seem to have become generic names for moving staircases, tissues, and xerographic copy machines. But that “Kodak moment” has passed, and nobody would think of calling a camera “a Kodak” anymore.
Of course, nobody buys anything with the Kodak name on it anymore. Well, almost nobody.
“clergy books”? What are those?
I meant to footnote that, JRL — good question.
I think — am not absolutely positive — that they’re referring to the practice of railroads granting free or greatly reduced fares to qualified clergymen. This was a valuable concession, and it wasn’t available to ordinary missionaries, only to the mission president (not his wife), the mission secretary, and district presidents (roughly equivalent to stake presidents). The clergy privilege was represented by a booklet with coupons that could be torn out and handed to the conductor, who validated the coupons and turned them into railroad headquarters for accounting purposes. The booklets of coupons were issued to specific men, and should not be passed around to other elders.
I know from letters from traveling Utahns (not Church leaders, merely tourists) who wrote to headquarters asking if they couldn’t — wink, wink — be given certificates as missionaries in order to apply for clergy travel rates. I know that some missionaries asked the Church to intervene with railroads and get them clergy rates. So while I haven’t seen anything specifically about, say, District President Brown allowing Ordinary Missionary Johnson to use his clergy pass improperly, I would not be in the slightest surprised to learn that this was sometimes done.
No senior elders?! What about elder elders?
It’s strange and interesting to imagine a General Conference including decision making like this. Not that I would know if mission presidents came to conference for a meeting, but I imagine that there are too many mission presidents, and better communication at non-conference times — I’m used to the business being very brief, and more in the mode of sustaining than of discussion.