Our Work: Annual Conference of the Mutual Improvement Associations; Manual for 1899–1900

OUR WORK.

THE ANNUAL CONFERENCE OF THE YOUNG MEN'S AND YOUNG LADIES' MUTUAL IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATIONS. (Continued.)

MONDAY, MAY 29TH, 1899, 10 A. M.

President Lorenzo Snow presiding. Meeting opened by singing the hymn, "How Firm a Foundation ye Saints of the Lord." Prayer was offered by Apostle Francis M. Lyman. A solo was sung by Sister Eva James. President Snow stated that he had pleasure in introducing some of the brethren and sisters which were in a company which had visited the southern settlements of the state, who had some matters to present of the highest importance. The President then referred to the law of tithing and spoke at some length upon that subject. Apostle Abraham 0. Woodruff addressed the meeting upon the same subject, and was followed by Bishop Wm. B. Preston, who pre- sented statistics showing, among other items, the number of tithe pay- ers in the different years, the average amount paid by each tithe payer, and a general statement of the tithing at present paid. He stated that about one-third of all the tithe payers in the Church were women. President Joseph F. Smith and Apostle Francis M. Lyman then spoke upon tithing. All the speakers urged the young people to faithfully observe the law presented that they might receive the blessing of the Lord and be preserved in the day of evil.

790 IMPROVEMENT ERA.

After singing by the congregation, the meeting was dismissed with prayer by Sister Minnie J. Snow.

MONDAY 2 P. M. OFFICERS' MEETING OF Y. M. M. I. A. IN LECTURE ROOM OF THE LATTER-DAY SAINTS' BUSINESS COLLEGE.

Singing, "We Thank Thee, God for a Prophet." Prayer by Elder J. Golden Kimball. Singing. Roll call showed thirty-one Stakes represented. The financial report was read by the treasurer as follows:

RECEIPTS.

Balance on hand per report May 31st, 1898 $ 926.17 Received from General Improvement Fund 1845.31 Interest 25.50

Total $2796.98

DISBURSEMENTS.

Expense: Railroad fares, etc., members of General Board attending conferences in stakes $ 317.50 Expense— General; 1018.49 including: Secretary's salary $600.00 Railroad fares for members of General Board attending Board meetings 60.50 Discount on Mexican silver 52.33 General expense 305.66 Balance on hand May 31st, 1899 1460.99

Total $2796.98

On motion, the report was ordered filed. The Treasurer stated that Juarez and Maricopa Stakes had paid the full amount due on their Improvement Fund. A brief discussion followed upon the subject of the Association rolls, some feeling that there were being carried on the rolls a number of dead names, and suggesting that all such be eliminated. On motion of Elder Abraham 0. Woodruff, it was decided that the rolls remain as heretofore, and that hereafter the Associations report

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the various classes of membership as per blanks to be supplied by the General Board. President Lorenzo Snow addressed the meeting for a few moments and blessed the young men present. Adjourned until Tuesday at 10 a. m. Benediction by Elder Willard Done.

TUESDAY, 10 A. M.

Singing, "0 Jesus, the Giver of all we enjoy." Prayer by Elder Nephi L. Morris. The subject of the Improvement Era was presented and the entire meeting occupied in a general discussion of Era matters. Elder B. H. Roberts stated that as he expects shortly to leave the city and take up his labors in Washington, he had resigned the position of Associate Editor and his resignation had been accepted, to take effect May 31st, 1899, and Elder Edward ;H. Anderson had been appointed to succeed him. On motion of Elder George M. Cannon, it was decided to be the sense of the meeting that the rule of cash in advance for all subscrip- tions be maintained. At the last conference it was promised that the names of the fifteen Stakes having the highest percentage of their population as subscribers to the Era, should be read at this conference and the secretary therefore read the following list:

1 Juarez,' 7 1-5 * per cent. _ ( Davis ) D 3-4 , .

_ tl 9 i „ , , > 3 per cent. F 2 San Juan 5 '* " ( Malad j (Alberta 10 Box Elder 3 2-3 " " I „ „ d ( Maricopa )'* 11 Morgan 31-3 " " " " 4 Cassia 4 1-3 Parowan ] ( " " 5 Snowflake 4 3-10 12-] Bingham V 2 1-2 " " " " 6 San Luis 4 1-4 ( St. Joseph )

Kanab G 7 Weber " " 13 IL ;X1 21 - 3

Wayne 3 8-10 14 Juab 2 1-4 15 Millard 2 1-6 per cent.

Adjourned until 2 p. m. Benediction by Elder Geo. H. Brimhall.

AFTERNOON, 2 O'CLOCK.

Singing, "Come let us anew our journey pursue."

792 IMPROVEMENT ERA.

Prayer by Elder Edward H. Anderson. Singing, "Hark ye Mortals, hist! be still." President Joseph F. Smith referred to the missionarywork which had been done during the past winter, and stated that a most excellent work had been accomplished. He said that the committee felt, however, that the methods followed heretofore, entailed a vast amount of labor, and much difficulty had been experienced in obtaining the right kind of men as missionaries; and ;it had therefore been suggested that a new plan for this work be adopted for the coming season. Elder B. H. Roberts spoke briefly upon the proposed plan for mis- sionary work. He said that it was suggested that we call about fifteen or twenty experienced young men and have them visit the stakes, going one to each stake or perhaps two to the larger stakes, and call upon the officers, as representatives of the General Board, and instruct them in their duties and assist them in every possible way; the understanding being that the local officers would take up an active missionary labor in their stakes and wards: call local missionaries and send them out to labor among the wayward and indifferent. i

Elders Joseph C. Bentley, Brigham F. Grant, Owen M. Sanderson, Carl Johnson, John E. Heppler and J. W. Hubbard each spoke in favor of the missionary work as heretofore carried out, and bore testimony to its great usefulness. On motion of Elder C. A. Welch, of Morgan Stake, it was decided that the matter of the plan of missionary work for the coming season be left with the General Superintendency and Board of Aids. Elder B. H. Roberts stated that a committee had been appointed and were already at work preparing a new Manual for the use of the Asso- ciations next season. The subject decided upon by the General Board was "The Dispensation of the Fullness of Times," and would include the history of the Church from the birth of Joseph Smith until the expulsion of the Saints from Missouri. President Lorenzo Snow then addressed the meeting.

PRESIDENT SNOW'S ADDRESS.

I feel, brethren, that I am addressing an important body of men whom the Lord has blessed with understanding and with wisdom, and with long experience, as many of you have had. You are capable of understanding a proposition when it is presented, and you could talk upon it far better than I could; I understand all this, but there are cer- tain times when the most simple thing is required to be presented to the

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Latter-day Saints that does not require great education to understand, it requires only the Spirit of the Lord; that, you certainly possess and

accompanied with the great advantage of being learned. Some of you are fine speakers, especially in politics, if you will excuse me for saying it. You are men of intelligence and will understand what is required of you. There are hundreds of thousands of dollars in notes that are coming up now for payment, and we have no reserve at all, but I am just as sure that we will be able to settle our troubles here in regard to the debts of the Church, just as sure as I see you here, but it will not be done without exertion in reference to the paying of tithing. President Smith, President Richards, Brother Lyman, Brother Woodruff, Brother Seymour Young and some others, were with me in the south. We talked plainly to the people, and we had the Spirit of the Lord. There was not a difference of opinion among us, as was shown among you today, we all saw the point exactly alike and we talked plainly upon it. We hoped to present it yesterday morning to the young know why it was, we did not have the spirit that people, but I do not we hoped to have. I understand however that there were persons in the meeting who were making sport, and were not united with us. Now, brethren, we shall visit all the stakes in Zion and we shall see you again in the parts where you reside. We wish you to consult your- selves and the Spirit of the Lord in reference to this principle. People

who have never paid a cent tithing go into the temples. This law of

tithing is one which if it is not kept, the land shall not be sanctified unto those who disobey it, and it shall not be a land of Zion unto them. This is a plain and simple statement and can be understood by the most ig- norant. Here we have been getting into debt to the Lord. Now I will just give you an illustration: A poor woman, or a poor man, has ten dollars. It is hard for her to support her children; she has ten dollars and goes and pays one dollar tithing, which is used for the benefit of the temple, or for other purposes. Here, on the other hand is a man who has thousands of dollars and pays no tithing. There are thousands of people, pretty good people, but they are ignorant and do not understand what they tithing should do, but I do not know why they should not, they pay no given but they go into the temples just as the poor woman, and they are the same privileges as she, they receive the same blessings; her dollar

goes to pay the expenses of the temple and they pay nothing toward it.

thousands This illustration might be extended. There are thousands and of such cases. Many poor people pay tithing and it goes to support the permitted temples, while the other people who pay no tithing at all are

794 IMPROVEMENT ERA.

to receive the same blessings. What do you suppose the Lord thinks of this? And how far does this go to sanctify and preserve us here in this land? President Young came here and knelt down and sanctified the land and dedicated it to God, and here come thousands of people and ignore that law, which if kept, will preserve us; and if not observed, we will have to leave here, or some general calamity will come upon us. Those who went to Jackson County had much more to do than to pay tithing, and because they failed to observe the law which was given them, they were driven from the country. It is wonderful to me how far the Lord has blessed us and the easiness we have had to comply with the laws of God. It is strange to me and wonderful when we look upon

this. The Lord has raised you up and fitted you to come to the rescue? and if we fail to get that assistance from you we shall have to no I — shall not say it, for we would not give up, we will remain faithful to the Lord and try to execute his will. I have given myself to this work, and I do not propose to turn away from the Lord, neither shall I neglect my duty even if it is unpleasant to talk about these things, but I bope it is

not unpleasant to you. I was going to suggest, if you had agreed to lay aside a reserve fund, I should have asked you if you would not first set apart one-tenth of it as tithing. The poorest of the poor can pay tithing; the Lord requires it at our hands, to lay this matter plainly before the people, and we are going to do it. It is the temporal salvation of this Church, it depends upon obedience to this law. If the Young Ladies' Mutual Improvement Association have a fund, I am going to suggest that they pay tithing on it. I do not know whether the Deseret News pays tithing on its profits or not, but if they

wish my name at the head of their paper they must do so. Now I sup- pose some will find fault, but I hope not, and it matters not if they do, we are going to carry this out, the Lord being our helper. I am surprised that I am in this position. I am not a speaker. I

used to, when I was younger, try to take up a text and to talk upon it^ but I was not very successful. But I can tell what the Lord wants of me, and I know what my duty is, and although I never desired but one thing, one office in this Church, and that was to be an Elder, and that I received under the direction of Joseph Smith, the Prophet, I have gone along from one thing to another, with much fear, knowing my inability. I devoted myself wholly to discharging my duties and the Lord has helped me through, and he will continue to help me. I have my coun-

selors here and we are one. Of course President Cannon has been away for some time, but he will see eye to eye with me as President Smith does-

OUR WORK. 795

I can depend upon my counselors and I know they will support this prin- ciple, thateverybody should pay tithing. This law shall be observed now, and things will go along pretty well, and we will pay our debts. The Lord has told us not to get into debt. In regard to building temples he gave a revelation that they should not go into debt, and it was not proper for the Presidency to go into debt in building temples, and it cer- tainly does not look wise for us to become involved in any enterprise. The brethren are mostly in debt. The Lord has let this go on inasmuch as the people have not paid their tithing and even at the expense of our homes that our families live in; that is bad. Now brethren, I do not wish to detain you, but I want you to reflect upon this matter. Read the law of tithing in the Doctrine and Covenants and then why it was that the people who disobeyed this law in Jackson County were expelled, and see what the whisperings of the Lord to you are. We want to introduce this matter mildly but firmly. God bless you. I intend in the future to take more interest in your meetings. I have taken an interest in you and prayed for you and for those who have the direction of your affairs. Now that I see what you are doing I feel that you are strong and that you will do as the Lord requires you to do. God bless you.

At the conclusion of President Snow's address the followiug resolu- tion was presented by Elder B. H. Roberts: Resolved: That we accept the doctrine of tithing, as now pre- sented by President Snow, as the present word and will of the Lord unto us, and we do accept it with all our hearts; we will ourselves observe it,

and we will do all in our power to get the Latter-day Saints to do likewise. The resolution was unanimously adopted by all present rising to their feet and shouting "Aye." Apostle Francis M. Lyman then arose and said: "President Snow: I believe this body of men are about as clear upon this law and have about as faithfully met their obligations in regard to tithing as any

body of men in the Church. It is a splendid thing, brethren, for us to be always in shape to accept the will of the Lord when it comes." Visibly affected, the President then arose and said: "Brethren, the

God of our fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob bless you. Every man who is here, who has made this promise, will be saved in the Celestial Kingdom. God bless you. Amen." The meeting and the conference then adjourned, benediction being pronounced by Elder Douglas M. Todd.

796 IMPROVEMENT ERA.

STATISTICAL REPORT OF THE Y. M. M. L A-

Membership B^ Meetings

a u •°*. V a .3 a (A a . "O STAKE. < a a *• o si u c < V XI J3 be M s 3 I 3 a 3 > fe «4 !5 a

Bannock. 9 288 139 55 49 185 7 14 4 31 262 Bear Lake 21 964 447 73 31 317 33 80 24 5 2 5f 497 Beaver 1898 report 7 325 200 175 109 6 8 3 1 27 154 Bingham 21 591 250 345 23 284 28 75 12 2 11 435 Box Elder 17 1008 467 212 93 361 8 90 23 2 22 599 Cache 26 1592 663 1 160 134 S c8 33 177 12 5 2 94 965 Cassia 8 209 84 121 1 99 lb 3i 7 4 3 11 172 Alberta 6 119 77 10 81 1 9 I 8 1 10 Davis M 1057 373 67 108 248 17 70 29 2 37 5" Emery 13 852 314 175 16 214 28 76 31 2 19 386 Fremont 18 762 3«9 260 43 312 37 89 12 2 7 502 Juab 6 426 237 11 98 4 8 3 2 4 130 Kanab 6 327 154 7« 2 109 8 18 5 2 I 11 156 Millard 10 685 282 152 19 184 4 73 17 2 6 3°5 Morgan 8 357 200 44 6 132 4 41 19 2 2 7 213 Malad 11 5°7 236 49 b 154 3 31 18 1 7 220 Juarez 7 407 175 19 10 135 27 53 13 1 9 248 Maricopa 4 184 77 31 4 93 b 12 8 I 2 126 Oneida i.S 790 34« 127 88 286 33 b2 20 4 2 24 519 Panguitch 11 574 389 178 10 194 8 56 30 I 2 35 336 Parowan 6 291 108 240 28 73 1 3i 4 I 2 3 143 Pocatello 10 405 210 120 15 244 11 40 10 4 I 8 333 Salt Lake 57 4049 1443 1491 128 1335 107 365 33 2 104 2074 Sandwich Island Mission 602 280 2 35 37 Sanpete 20 1489 998 699 205 412 47 119 40 2 47 872 Sevier IS 669 336 406 21 183 52 75 3° 2 27 39«> St. George 23 662 341 261 9 359 22 b3 28 3 1 7 492 St. Johns 7 266 "5 56 b in 9 19 7 1 153 Summit 12 400 200 40 16 240 48 50 4 2 360 Snowflake. 13 249 125 49 9 145 6 21 9 3 2 4 199 San Juan 4 150 80 28 93 7 lb 5 2 123 St. Joseph 4 280 164 «5 ill 17 10 1 23 162 San Luis 7 305 126 103 24 119 12 25 3 2 185 Star Valley 9 262 157 140 8 144 13 5 2 172 Tooele 10 035 202 87 6 199 15 31 11 2 2 266 Uintah 10 356 146 131 6 124 14 14 8 1 29 196 Utah 35 2697 1075 714 99 b83 140 2 so 8b 2 1 92 1353 Wasatch 12 457 181 131 158 b 2b 7 1 198 Weber 25 2187 842 255 247 525 2b 152 80 2 «3 1115 Wayne 7 220 120 4b 5 120 9 17 5 1 1 4 162 Woodruff. 8 400 190 3i 14 140 4 28 3 1 190 So.-Western States Miss. 1 27 27 18 18 1 37 Aintab, Syria I 26 19 6 9 9 9 27 Southern States Mission. 2 5° Colorado Mission .. 1 16

Totals. 1535 |29i54 I12986 I8440 I1521 I9683 [847 12463 I678 J37 64 792 1 I 16085

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FOR THE YEAR ENDING APRIL 30th, J899. Exercises Missionary Libraries. Finance. labors. V) "0 a a o au «m 8 > •a s ^ I* <n «5 51 tJ in E BlS a u o «« 9 a on a V o PQ 2° p. P. vt g s J in h a a)

a O-o A o Ph Q en —cd « & *JCft 3 Pi o < > s H 247 3 35 3 1 38 20 60 $ 32 10 $ 32 10 548 8 240 75 8 323 300 122 20 94 50 27 70 j

18 41 80 12 90 28 90 396 27 "5 28 IS 158 114 10 16 45 12 95 3 50 354 64 7 563 58 2 623 1003 90 196 87 172 37 24 5° 463 154 18 1016 138 13 1 167 798 199 60 177 74 21 86 90 10 4 16 16 25 65 2 00 23 65 12 7 5 37 8 3 48 34 75 22 60 22 60 187 49 5 493 32 1 526 35i 30 12 00 3 5° 8 50 247 17 9 305 89 3 387 373 70 41 85 37 85 4 00 306 33 27 18 172 59 27 258 207 45 35 96 28 76 7 20 84 13 4 63 36 14 "3 58 5° 41 05 37 80 3 25 108 12 37 9o 5 90 32 00 164 35 7 123 26 7 156 139 80 5 00 1 5° 3 50 173 13 32 2 4 38 22 25 40 00 40 00 208 25 3 67 13 8 88 93 20 4 00 3 5° 50 no 17 4 109 29 1 139 339 9° 117 88 98 48 19 40 235 3 120 108 2 230 85 00 269 75 170 00 99 75 621 5 94 39 18 151 85 5o 58 85 24 85 34 00 138 24 4 19 14 33 10 70 43 75 35 5° 825 70 3° 5 268 3° 298 438 50 27 20 26 25 95 290 5i 4 1 35 35 30 00 15 75 15 75 1238 2448 167 24 1903 83 16 2012 1230 70 84 19 70 50 13 69

370 15 1988 358 18 2364 1571 75 163 146 7 in 194 5 310 224 30 68 30 56 98 11 32 534 221 9 393 "3 506 547 80 115 80 69 65 46 15 67 81 19 5° 1 25 18 25 "5 4 39 73 16 50 500 5° 3 SO 32 16 50 95 31 126 89 60 28 15 28 05 305 77 5 166 112 4 47 8 3 58 32 50 100 1 00 1 130 27 1 15S 76 00 94 4° 34 55 59 85 42 49 II 102 52 10 12 25 12 25 117 7 4 23 2 32 29 75 8 65 8 65 134 277 4 7 223 248 5 127 17 2 146 163 00 3 3° 3 3° 71 18 3 92 75 00 12 25 12 25 141 524 5 1019 5° 19 3000 694 125 3819 2578 50 123 00 40 45 82 55 904 230 34 6 4 98 184 282 36 55 31 80 4 75 500 2736 19 116 IQ 1266 170 9 1445 1287 55 105 85 63 70 42 15 126 203 6 53 2 55 41 35 12 75 12 75 475 80 4 7o 41 117 17

661 47 II327 I6227 564 1008 I1238 255 113434 I2883 I326 16643 1*12574 86 |$2I50 65 111489 18 1$ 1 j

798 IMPROVEMENT ERA.

On Monday evening in the Fifteenth Ward Meeting House a recep- tion was held. It was an informal affair and a most delightful two hours was spent in handshaking and friendly chat, interspersed with songs, recitations and instrumental selections. About five hundred were present. It was the intention to take a trolley ride through the city,

but a heavy rain prevented the carrying out of this part of the pro- gram, but street cars were provided and all the visitors were carried to the nearest points to their homes and stopping places reached by the street railway. On Tuesday evening in the Sixteenth Ward Meeting House, Mutual Improvement workers, with their wives and husbands, (in all nearly five hundred,) from all parts of the Church, partook of a banquet tendered by the General Board of Young Men's and Young Ladies' Mutual Improve- ment Associations. A most happy and enjoyable time was experienced and all departed declaring the Fourth General Conjoint Conference a grand success.

MANUAL FOR 1899-1900.

The new manual, "Dispensation of the Fullness of Times," for the coming season's study has been written, and the lessons have been passed upon by the Manual Committee, and are now in the hands of the editor. It is expected that the book will be out in ample time for distribution

before the first meeting of the Associations in October. The subject will prove of great interest, and the presidents of associations should see to it that their members are supplied, so that every young man may become an earnest student of the early history of the Church, and the divinely revealed doctrines therein contained.