PERMANENT DEPARTMENTS. 59 can have perfect faith in him. And that knowledge we can obtain through becoming acquainted with Jesus Christ; for he is God, that is, God the Son; and he is, moreover, the express image and likeness of God the Father, through whom the Father shone, "For," as it is written, "it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell."* And again: "For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. "f "Who is the image of the invisible God, the first born of every creature.":): "Who being the brightness of his [the Father's] glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power. "§ "He that seeth me," said Jesus, "seeth him that sent me."|| "Philip saith unto him, Lord, show us the Father, and it sumceth us. Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long with you, and yet thou hast not known me, Philip? He that hath seen me hath seen the Father."^ All of which plainly means that Jesus was like his Father in his person and in the attributes of his soul. As the Son is, so men will find the Father to be; their oneness is complete, and by becoming acquainted with the Son men shall learn to love and honor the Father. In view of all this, the General Superintendency concluded that the best way to establish faith in God in the hearts of members of the Young Men's Associations—and thus make our present efforts contribute to the achievement of the end of Mutual Improvement—was to arrange a course of exercises that would teach them something of God; and as Jesus Christ was God manifested in the flesh,** beyond question the best way to learn the character and attributes of Deity is to study the life and character of Jesus Christ, and hence our course of study as outlined in the Young Men's Manual for the year 1897-8. THE AGENTS OF THE "ERA." The Improvement Era is the organ of the Young Men's Improvement Associations. It is not the personal property of any man nor company of men. It is published under the direction of the general board of the young men's associations, it is true, but they do not own it. It belongs to the young men of the improvement associations alone. If it succeeds financially, as we now have every reason to be confident it will, the benefits must go to the building up and making more efficient the work of Mutual Improvement. There is no other purpose to which any profits that may arise from our publication can be applied. It is thoroughly identified with the work of the associations. The Era is theirs; and their interests, welfare and progress are the Era's first concern. It is the young men's magazine, not only because it is owned by the Young Men's Associations, but also for the reason that it is designed to supply their necessities for a class of literature adapted to the peculiar station they occupy by reason of their acceptance of the new dispensation of the gospel of Jesus Christ, revealed to the world by the prophet Joseph Smith. It is intended also that it shall both assist in awak- *Coloss. 1: 19. fColoss. 2: 9. JColoss. 1: 15. §Heb. 1: 3. ||John 12: 45. ^St. John 14: 8-9. **I Tim. 13: 16.

60 IMPROVEMENT ERA ening the loftiest aspirations within them and point the way in which they may be satisfied. This is the Era's high purpose. This its high station; and it will be the ambition of its publishers to make it worthy of its place and mission.

In view of these facts concerning the Era the presidents of ward associations have been called upon by the general board to act as the Era's local agents, and the superintendents of stakes to act as supervisory agents, and that without compensation for their services. The general board had no capital with which to start the publication of the Era, except their confidence in the loyalty and unselfish devotion of the young men of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to the cause of Mutual Improvement. This is the only capital we have, but we are confident it will be sufficient. We know in whom we have trusted. And we appeal to them to sustain that high opinion which the servants of God who stand at the head of this great movement within the church of Christ have of them. It is expected that these agents will be prompt in looking after the interests of the Era in their respective wards. They have been furnished with receipt blanks, and as the magazine will be sent only to those zuho £ay for it in adva?ice, the transaction of the business will be very simple. It will consist merely in taking the subscription price, two dollars, giving a receipt for the same and sending the name and address of the subscriber, with the money, to the Era office, Templeton Block, Salt Lake City. There will be no complicated accounts to keep, as we have resolved upon payment in advance and sending the magazine only to those who pay for it, being the invariable rule, and this will simplify all our transations. It is for our agents thus called into service in the interests of the Era to be active and earnest in their efforts to secure subscribers. It is expected that stake superintendents when visiting the associations of their respective stakes will enquire into the work being done for the Era, and where there is any lack of interest or of promptness in attending to its affairs they will give such counsel and instruction as the circumstances may warrant; and in this matter presidents of associations must know that the stake superintendents represent the general board. Not only should presidents of associations be active in securing subscriptions, but all the officers of each association should take an interest in obtaining as large a list of subscribers as can be secured. We call upon all the young men of our associations to be friends and supporters of this magazine, confident that in urging them to do so we but enlist them in a work which is their own and of which they may well be proud, and that in turn it will benefit and bless them and the community in which they live. But it will be understood that the president of each association in the respective wards and settlements in Zion is our authorized agent to receive subscriptions and to attend to whatever business may arise in connection with the magazine, and to them our patrons are recommended.