Our Work: Membership Permanent

MEMBERSHIP PERMANENT. We have several times called attention to the fact that it was the decision of the last annual conference that membership in the association should be considered permanent;—by which we mean that once a member of the association, always a member of the association, unless a member should commit some act by which it would be necessary for the association to withdraw its fellowship from him. Yet notwithstanding this action of the General Conference, a record of which will be found in the August number of the Era, we receive word occasionally to the effect that some associations refuse to adopt in their practice this regulation. Of course we come to the conclusion that it must be because such associations have not yet learned of the action of the General Conference; for certainly no president or other officer would be guilty of a direct refusal to comply with a decision arrived at by the action of the

annual conference of the associations. In order therefore that all maybe informed we once more allude to this matter, and publish herewith the record of the action taken by the conference: " On motion of Elder Fred Beesley it was decided that the names of all parties enrolled should be continued on the roll, until removed by proper action of the associations for cause. "Apostle F. M. Lyman said the rolls should be kept as they are and never diminished, unless some good reason could be shown, and then the matter should be disposed of in a regular way and by the action of the association, and a record of the action kept. Our business is to look after those who are enrolled." This action received the unanimous support of the officers of the associations in conference. It must therefore be the settled policy of the associations, and we ask them to conform to it. Let the enrollment of membership be kept permanently; and if any who have become members of the associations become indifferent to the work, the fact that their names are enrolled and that they are accounted members of the association gives the officers the right to call upon them and labor with them to awaken an interest in them for the work of Mutual Improvement. It may be true that we shall not always be able to get all the enrolled membership into active co-operation with us, but we shall get more of our young men into active work by retaining their names on the rolls and working with them from time to time, as above described, than if we failed to regard the membership as permanent. One of the disadvantages under which Improvement Associations have had to operate has been the notion that has obtained in some quarters, that the society is dissolved with the adjournment in the earlyspring, and that it has no existence until reorganized in the fall or early winter. We desire that this impression should be obliterated. Our associations are permanent institutions, and the discontinuance of meetings in the spring is but an adjournment of the association which still continues its existence. If this latter idea prevails it will increase the prestige of our organization and do away with very much of the difficulty connected with

ment of members should be carefully preserved, and the officers should see to it that no young man is lost sight of. If some become indifferent to the work a labor should be taken up with them and the very best effort made to draw them into active membership and association work. In the case of not succeeding the first time "then another effort and still another one should be made until success is obtained. We call our missionaries' attention to this matter and ask them wherever they find associations who are not carrying out the expressed wish of the last General Conference in this particular, that they take up a labor with the association officers and insist that the policy of considering membership in the society as permanent be adopted.