The Sunday School held its first Church-wide convention, or conference, in 1898. In between talks on organizing Sunday Schools, selecting teachers, finding suitable teaching materials, and the role of music in the Schools, members of the conference submitted questions to various authorities who answered them, apparently spontaneously.

The following questions and answers are aimed particularly at administering the sacrament to children in the Sunday Schools, but the answers aren’t limited to the Sunday Schools. Remember that the date of this document is 1898, and enjoy picking out the differences between practices then and now. Explanations like this make me feel I’ve got access to a time machine.

The Administration of the Sacrament in the Sunday School.

By Elder Francis Marion Lyman

Question: Would it be proper to partake of the sacrament under the direction of the Sunday School superintendent when none of the Bishopric are present?

Answer: Why, certainly. The introduction of the sacrament in the Sunday Schools, more than a score of years ago, was under the inspiration of the Lord through the Prophet Brigham, in order to fulfill the revelation which says, “It is expedient that the church meet together often to partake of bread and wine in the remembrance of the Lord Jesus.” It had been discovered that only a minority of the children met together in our ward and other meetings where the opportunities were given to partake of the sacrament, and that if it were not introduced and given to the Sunday Schools, a very large proportion, in fact, a majority of the Latter-day Saints would not be in the way of receiving the sacrament; because it is well defined that the elder people, the fathers and mothers, generally meet in ward meetings and conferences and that the Sunday Schools are gatherings for the young people.

I think we cannot attach too much importance to the administration of the sacrament in the Sunday Schools. Some of the brethren have been so rigid in construing the counsel of the Presidency that they have come to believe that the sacrament cannot be administered unless the Bishop is present. I remember being in Arizona one time with Elder Stevenson, and there was no Bishop there, and we administered the sacrament. The reason that the sacrament is always administered, and should be, under the direction of the Bishop of the ward, is that there may be order in the Church. It is not because the Elders and Priests are not competent; baptisms are not give into the hands of all the Elders and Priests; confirmations, the blessing of children and such ordinances are not given indiscriminately into the hands of those that actually hold the authority to perform the ordinances, so that there may be order in the Church. The sacrament should be administered properly, and the Bishop is responsible. He should instruct the superintendency of the Sunday School that when neither he nor his counselors are there that the superintendency are perfectly competent to perform this ordinance, (when they hold the necessary priesthood, as nearly every one does) that the Sunday School may not be deprived of the sacrament because the Bishopric is not present.

Question: What do you think of the practice of playing a selection on the organ or having some one speak to the school during the passing of the sacrament?

Answer: That is very good and proper. It is proper to play a suitable selection while the sacrament is being passed; it is also proper that remarks be made. 1 frequently make remarks in the Sunday School while the sacrament is being passed, and particularly upon the sacrament. Let the Spirit of the Lord direct. Let there be a little flexibility in the management of affairs, and let the Holy Spirit guide as to whether there shall be speaking or singing, or whether there shall be a little music upon the organ. And if it happens to be a piano it would do no harm.

Question: Can Deacons pass the sacrament?

Answer: Certainly they can, just as well as anybody else, if they are good, steady, worthy Deacons, and if they do it sedately and properly, as the sacrament should always be presented to the people. But do not think there is no one else in the Church but the Deacons that can do it. An Elder is competent to do it, so is a High Priest or Seventy. The Bishop, however, directs in regard to these matters; but the Deacon is perfectly competent when he is directed so to do.

Question: Should children who are more than eight years of age and are not baptized still partake of the sacrament?

Answer: Certainly; until they can be baptized. Have them baptized just as soon as possible after they are eight years of age. The children of the Latter-day Saints are entitled to baptism after they are of that age, if they are properly taught, or any other children, if their parents consent. If they are the children of Latter-day Saints they are certainly entitled to partake of the sacrament until the ordinance of baptism can be administered to them, which may be two weeks, six weeks, or even more. But do not hurt the tender hearts of the little children who are willing and anxious to be baptized, by withholding the emblems from them, but are possibly neglected for awhile by the parents or by the Bishop who have not made provisions for their baptism.

Question: Does it not seem inconsistent to have playful exercises immediately after partaking of the sacrament?

Answer: Certainly, or before partaking of it in the Sunday School. “Playful exercises,” that is, nonsense, I suppose. Such exercises divert the attention of the children from the sacred teachings imparted by the teacher. We do not go to Sunday School for fun or nonsense, but we go there to worship the Lord and to learn of His ways and His will.

Question: Is not the kindergarten better adapted to the week day primary?

Answer: It is perfectly proper in the week day schools; but there is no reason why the kindergarten should not be introduced into the Sunday School. It is the very training place to do the work that ought to be done in the home, to teach the little children so that when they become six or eight years of age they will understand something of faith in the Lord. Children naturally believe. There never was a child in the world that would not believe everything that was ever told it until it discovered the hypocrisy of older people. Children will believe just what father, mother, uncle or anybody else tells them, until they discover there is deception in the world.

Question: Should not children be taught in Sunday School to attend the sacramental meeting?

Answer: That is, I suppose, the ward meetings. Certainly; everybody should be taught that. They should be impressed with the importance of mingling with the older people and associating with them as much as possible and ‘having the benefits of the ward meetings.

Question: Should those who are going to administer the sacrament be appointed before the school is taken up?

Answer: Why, yes, or just after.

Question: Should the school stand while singing the sacramental hymn or remain seated?

Answer: Of course they should remain seated if the sacrament is being passed; but if the sacrament is not being passed, there is no reason why they cannot stand if the superintendent so directs.

But the very important matter is that the sacrament should be administered, and the Bishop is responsible.

I feel that there are no better men in the Church than in this convention today, and that it is a compliment for us to have the privilege of meeting with this body of people. This is a remarkable gathering, imposing in its appearance. I realize that the very choicest and sweetest of men and women are gathered here from all over the Church. This is the first Sunday School Convention, and you and I are privileged with being the charter members of this institution, which I trust will be perpetuated and continued as long as we live, and that we shall be associated with it and bring in new elements all the time that when we meet in this capacity again we must have the large Tabernacle and fill it as we have filled this Assembly Hall.

Now, I want to make one suggestion, I trust it will have the endorsement of the General Superintendency. I have noticed in blessing the sacrament, the Priests — it is a proper place where the Priests should have a little experience and should be taught before they are called as Elders to go out into the world as missionaries — I have noticed the Priests kneeling on one knee; I have noticed them kneeling on both knees; I have noticed them holding up one hand, sometimes the right hand, sometimes the left, sometimes both hands, and getting into all kinds of shapes, till, if you should open your eyes, it would certainly cause merriment. I have advised for the sake of uniformity, that it is not always necessary to raise the hands to bless the bread or water. I have also advised that it is not always necessary that the hands should be raised in opening or closing a meeting. If we do raise our hands, it should be done pleasantly, nicely and not grotesquely or in a way that would provoke merriment or criticism by strangers that may come among us or by ourselves. We do not raise our hands in family prayers or in blessing the food. Many prayers are thus offered; there is nothing wrong in it that I know of. We should not use a card or book to read the ceremony, but it should be learned. The brethren may see the cards all the week and get ready for the Sunday School or meeting, and then let them alone.

Question: Have members not holding the Priesthood the right to pass the sacrament?

Answer: You pass it to one another, do you not, all the time, all you sisters and all you brethren? Then why ask the question? The administering of the sacrament is not passing it to the people. The administering of the sacrament is when the brethren offer the prayer in blessing the bread or water. That is the administration of the sacrament. That cannot be done by Deacons, nor by members of the Church who do not bear the Priesthood?

Question: Is it proper for a Priest to administer the sacrament when an Elder is present?

Answer: Yes, when the Bishop says so; whatever the Bishop directs in this matter, (if the man has the authority, whether he be a Seventy, High Priest, Elder or Priest,) it is all right.