Our Work: Title of Officers; General Conference; Manual 1900–1; Book Mention

OUR WORK.

TITLE OF OFFICERS.

The question having arisen as to the title of the general officers of the Young Men's Mutual Improvement Associations, also the stake and ward officers, the matter was discussed at a meeting of the General Board recently, when it was decided that the general officers shall be entitled general superintendent and assistants; that the stake officers shall be entitled stake superintendents and assistants; and that the ward officers shall be entitled presidents and counselors.

These titles should be applied in all cases where the officers mentioned are referred to, so as to avoid confusion and promote order.

GENERAL CONFERENCE Y. M. M. I. A.

At a recent meeting of the General Board, it was decided that the annual conference of the Mutual Improvement Associations would be held on the 10th, 11th and 12th of June, 1900. These conferences are productive of much good, and essential to instil life into the associations in the organized stakes of Zion; and it is desired that all the superintendents as well as the presidents of these associations shall attend the meetings where they may be instructed concerning that which pertains to their calling, and keep well to the front in Mutual Improvement work. Some very important matters will be presented for consideration, and no

OUR WORK. All

officer can afford to miss the instructions that will be given on this occasion. In passing, it should be remembered that on the first date mentioned, twenty-five years ago, the first improvement association, as such, was organized, and the general movement of the Y. M. M. I. A. received its beginning in the Thirteenth Ward, Salt Lake City. Doubtless some special exercise at the coming conference will be presented to fitly commemorate the event.

MANUAL 1900-1901.

A committee has already been selected to compile and edit the manual for the next season, which will be a continuation of the Dispensation of the Fullness of Times, from the Missouri exodus to and including the exodus from Nauvoo, and the settlement of Utah. This will be the second manual in the historical series, and the fourth manual in the series manual to which have been recently issued for the associations. The the principles of t e follow will undoubtedly comprise a discussion of Gospel as believed in by the Latter-day Saints. P^^^''^^"*^^"^ ,7"'?" the necessary arrangements od.s of the associations should early begin beginning of the season, next fall, tribute the manuals so that at the everything may be in shape to begin work immediately.

BOOK MENTION.

twenty-four page pam- Mormons and Mormonism is the title of a and the author of several writ- T^hlet byCharles Ellis, a non-"Mormon," It is a readable exposition of the industry, people. ings on Utah and her gives a morals of the Latter-day Samts, and Education religion and and the New Crusade" which is very timely chapter o;«^^^^^^^^^ not only as home The pamphlet is valuable under present conditions.

478 IMPROVEMENT ERA

reading, but as good information for investigators into conditions in Utah.

Life op David W. Patten, the First Apostolic Martyr, is the

title of a booklet of seventy-seven pages by Lycurgus A. Wilson, printed and for sale by the Deseret News. In a familiar style, the life story of Apostle Patten is told with a view to interest the present generation in his devoted labors in the cause of God. President Lorenzo Snow, who owes his conversion to the Gospel to the testimony of Apostle Patten, furnishes an introduction to the "Life," in the course of which he says of the martyred apostle: "Almost the last thing he said to me, after bearing his testimony,was that I should go to the Lord before retiring at night and ask him for myself. This I did with the result that from the day I met this great apostle, all my aspirations have been enlarged and heightened immeasurably. This was the turning point in my life. What impressed me most was his absolute sincerity, his earnestness and his spiritual power; and I believe I cannot do better * * * than to commend a careful study of his life to the honest in heart everywhere." The book is full of testimony concerning healing, revelation and spiritual manifestations, as interwoven in the short but devoted life of the martyred apostle. It is dedicated to the missionaries of the Church,

and will be found of value as a promoter of faith among the people.

The Topical Bible, by Orville J. Nave, LL. D., is a new arrangement of all the subjects and matter in the Bible in alphabetic order. It is valuable because all references to any given subject in the Bible may

be found under the given heading. It contains nothing but the classified

words of the Holy Bible, It is, besides being a concordance of topics, a cyclopaedia of Biblical religion, history, biography, legal lore, illustrations, geography, arts, sciences, philosophy, manners and customs: in fact, it is a thorough, exhaustive and searching analysis of the Bible, arranged to save time in the study of the word of God. Dr. Nave, chaplain in the United States army, spent fourteen years arranging his materials, and has succeeded in his work so admirably that no person will wish to be without it. The book is for sale in Utah by Thomas Hull and Nephi L. Morris, Salt Lake City, who will mail it to any address on receipt of price which will be furnished on application.