Woman’s Place in
the Church. The Church
teaches that men and women differ only in their natural physiological functions.
Woman therefore stands by the side of man within the Church. She has access to
every Church privilege save that of the Priesthood and its offices. She may
hold auxiliary offices of great importance and may take part in the teaching,
proselyting and temple activities of the Church. She has always had full voting
franchise, and joins with man in sustaining by vote, the officers of the
Church. She has always had full voting franchise, and joins with man in
sustaining, by vote, the officers of the Church. As far as the Church has been
able, she has also been given full civic franchise. The first civic election in
the United States in which women took full part was held in Utah, when the State
was largely “Mormon” in 1870.
Woman does not hold the Priesthood, but
she is a partaker of the blessings of the Priesthood. That is, the man holds the
Priesthood, performs the priestly duties of the Church, but his wife enjoys with
him every other privilege derived from the possession of the Priesthood. This
is made clear, as an example, in the Temple service of the Church. The
ordinances of the Temple are distinctly of Priesthood character, yet women have
access to all of them, and the highest blessings of the Temple are conferred
only upon a man and his wife jointly.
The Church recognizes the different functions
of man and woman within the family. (By natural law woman is the childbearer,
and in general practice, the rearer of the family. No greater responsibility can
devolve upon any member of society. Because of this important function woman is
cherished and held in high regard. Since she is the teacher as well as the
bearer of children, full educational opportunities are provided here, and
several auxiliary organizations of the Church are directed by women for women’s
welfare, and others are available as readily to women as to men. Man is the
presiding officer of the household, the spokesman, and the provider for the family.
Woman of necessity, during many years of her life, is kept at home; man is in
active service outside of the home. Man holds the Priesthood, and performs the
many necessary outside Church duties; woman receives the blessings of the
Priesthood, and is obliged to spend much of her time in the home. In this
manner, a fine type of teamwork is developed between a man and his wife, for
the development of their family and themselves.
The Latter-day Saints look with disfavor
upon any attempt to make woman an inferior being. (John A. Widtsoe, Program
of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints [Salt Lake City: The
Deseret News Press, 1937], 80-82)