Advancement of Women

Advancement of Women

This quote came from a leader of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints

"In the initial meetings of Relief Society, the Prophet Joseph Smith taught that the society 'is not only to relieve the poor, but to save souls.' (Minutes, 9 June 1842, p. 63; History of the Church, 5:25.) A later First Presidency explained: 'One of the purposes of the organization of the Relief Society was that a system might be inaugurated by which study of religious subjects, or Church doctrine and government, might be pursued by women. The administration of charity under the direction of the Bishopric . . . was to be part of their active work. But this was not intended to absorb their activities to the exclusion of the development of faith, and the advancement of women in literary, social and domestic activities of life.' (James R. Clark, comp., Messages of the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 6 vols., Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1965–75, 5:217.)"
Dallin H. Oaks, "The Relief Society and the Church," Ensign, May 1992, 34