Content preview - You need a premium account to view this content.
Temporal Affairs
Even though the ultimate goals of the Church are spiritual, there are many temporal concerns involved in making its religious programs available. These include providing the essential financial support and also dealing with legal, business, and other matters generally regarded as temporal. Modern tools, such as the computer, have facilitated this aspect of the Church's administration.
The Church's worldwide growth, especially during the years following World War II, required that increasing attention be given to these matters. For example, the postwar expansion of stakes and wards in North America, as well as rapid growth in the mission field, created an unprecedented need for buildings. As such demands on the Church's financial resources mounted, the General Authorities were blessed with divine guidance as they made decisions concerning the expenditure of these sacred funds.
Church Economics
A Book of Mormon prophet spoke of the appropriate role of worldly wealth in doing good (see Jacob 2:17-19), and in the present dispensation the bishop was directed to establish a storehouse where material means might be accumulated for the benefit of the poor (see D&C 42:30-36).
The Lord's Law of Revenue
Percentage of tithing and other general Church funds spent for various purposes based on 1925-55 statistics
Tithing may be described as "the Lord's law of revenue" (see D&C 119:1-4). Concerning the importance of these funds, President Henry D. Moyle of the First Presidency declared:
. . . Truly we are in the day and age when we can and we are and we will preach the gospel to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people. And that is what the Lord has indicated he would permit us to do, through our own diligence in these latter days. And that is just the beginning. As I see the tremendous growth and development of the church in all of its ramifications... I say to myself, "We are just beginning to scratch the surface." But we cannot get below the surface, and we cannot even scratch the surface (and by that I mean take the benefit of all of the opportunities that present themselves to us day by day to preach this gospel and to save souls), without the payment of the tithes of the Latter-day Saints.
We are grateful. The increase in the tithes in the last 15 years has been tremendous, but I say to you my brethren... that the day has come... to double the tithes of the church. We're not going to leave the President of the Church in the position where he has to say "no" to any opportunity the Lord presents us, to continue to establish His Church and kingdom here upon this earth. He will hold us as his leaders (holding the keys of Presidency) responsible. And what was done in the days of President Snow can be accomplished today. So far as I am concerned it is just as urgent for us to meet this problem. While we have no immediate financial difficulties, we do have so many means by which we can present our message to the world that we need more and more funds with which to do it ....