50 years ago today - Sep 30, 1967

'[Harold B. Lee] conducted a meeting of the Priesthood Committee where the principal item of business was to consider the final draft of a proposed overhauling of the ward teaching program of the past, under the new title of "Priesthood Correlation Program," with those participating as "Priesthood Watchmen." Twelve or fourteen stakes will be selected for the experiment before launching as a church-wide operation.'

"Priesthood Watchmen" had an ominous tone, as Lee later told a general conference while somewhat disingenuously distancing himself from his own terminology: When this was discussed with President David O. McKay, some suggested we could call them watchmen--Priesthood watchmen'-- but the President wisely counseled that we had better not let the membership of the church think of the priesthood ad detectives, that it would be better to call them the priesthood home teachers.

[Source: Prince, David O. McKay and the Rise of Modern Mormonism, by Greg Prince p. 148-149, Harold B. Lee, Conference Report, September 30, 1967, 100, Romney "History of the Correlation L.D.S. Church Auxiliaries."]

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