Editor’s Table

EDITOR^S TABLE. THE SOUTH AFRICAN WAR. The war in South Africa has afforded no important events^, from a military point of view, within the last two months; however, on May 15, as we have heretofore noticed in the Era, three envoys of the Boer Republic arrived in America. Their purpose, as they expressed it, was to receive the material support of this country and the good office of the American government in urging upon the English some terms of peace. It is difficult, however, to see what the Boers could expect more than had already been done. The United States had offered its services in case England was prepared to enter upon any negotiations whatever with the Transvaal republic. The offer was promptly declined, and this republic could go no further. That there has been a general sympathy throughout this country for the struggle of the Transvaalers has been evident from the sympathy shown them in the halls of Congress. A number of United States Representatives met the Boer envoys in New York and escorted them to Washington. Of course, the Boer delegates have received everywhere the highest consideration; but the United States could not, would not, intervene to complicate the situation between this country and England. After the surrender of General Cronje's army. Lord Roberts and the soldiers encamped in the capital of the Orange Free State — Bloemfontein. From points both north and south of the capital, desultory attacks were made upon the English by the raiding armies of the Transvaalers. From that time to the present, there

EDITOR'S TABLE. 777 have been no decisive encounters. The Boers have gradually retreated before the onward movements of Lord Roberts, until, finally, the British found themselves in possession of Pretoria. No prolonged effort, however, was made to defend the Transvaal capital. This was a great surprise to many who had read of the military defenses which the Boers had arranged to defend Pretoria. It was thought by many that the defenses would become impregnable, but the Boers evidently realized that the overwhelming numbers of the English were too great, and concluded, therefore, to avail themselves, in their final defenses, by occupying the natural and almost impregnable fortresses of the Drakenburg mountains in the Leydenburg district. The Leydenburg district contains small valleys that may be cultivated, while its natural defenses are as strong fortifications as could be found in the Alps. From these mountain heights, the Boers have begun to harass the English army, and on one occasion captured an entire batalUon of the Imperial yeomanry. On May 15, Mafeking fell into the hands of the English relieving force, and"thus ended a long siege, lasting nearly seven months, in which the English put forth, under Baden-Powell, the most courageous and heroic efforts to maintain themselves against surrender. The last few months their rations consisted largely of horse flesh. There seemed to have been greater rejoicing in England over Baden-Powell's release than over the surrender of Cronje's army. It is safe to say that when the soldiers of this army return, Baden-Powell will receive the second place in the ovations which the English nation will give to her returning heroes. General Buller has now cut his way from the northwest boundaries of Transvaal into the Boer Republic, and his army is at present united with that of Lord Roberts. At present, there is no indication of any disposition whatever on the part of the Boers to sue for peace. President Kruger has taken his private car to the Leydenburg district, and wherever his car goes, that is the capital of the republic. It is now generally believed that there are not more than ten or twelve thousand Boers under arms. The Dutch prime minister of Cape Colony has resigned his position, largely because of his sympathy for the Boer cause; and

778 IMPROVEMENT ERA. the indications are that the Dutch of Cape Colony will sympathize more and more with the Burghers of the Orange Free State and Transvaal. Mr. Reitz, secretary of state for the Transvaal, in an open letter, has declared that the Boers will never surrender. Their ultimate independence will be the patriotic effort, not only of those in the Dutch republics, but those under the control of England in Cape Colony and Natal. If the determination of the Boers is continued, it is not unlikely that England will find herself confronted with another Irish question. Up to this date, no distinct line or policy has been outlined for the future government of the alleged fallen republics. Under what circumstances England may hereafter undertake to control the country which she has now conquered, is one of quite universal speculation, and one that may prove of great interest in the immediate future. MORALITY ALONE IS INSUFFICIENT FOR SALVATION. In this number of the Era, Elder Levi Edgar Young explains that there are models of true manhood and womanhood living about lis who are often passed by unnoticed, their worth not appreciated, because opportunity has not uncovered their virtues to our admiration, while we seek for perhaps less worthy prototypes among the great lives of the past. He appropriately points out how these people may become patterns to the young men, good counselors, worthy examples. He gives as an illustration, the story of a friend from whom he has gained many valuable hints on the conduct of life, and asks the young people to find likewise noble models for their lives, all of which is commendable and worthy of adoption. In the discription of his good friend, however, unfortunately we are led to believe that he is one of those noble men of the earth who is satisfied with terrestrial glory, who has not thought it necessary to

EDITOR'S TABLE 779 embrace the ordinances of the Gospel; or, it may be, has never had them presented to him to his understanding so that he could embrace them. As if Church affairs were secondary and unimportant considertions in the law, Elder Young says, in his eulogy of his friend: "This man never prayed in public, nor did he ever cry aloud repentance, and baptism, but his quiet unassuming way won souls unto Christ." Again we are told, as if those omissions were virtues : "He may never have entered a church, nor sung a hymn, but his spirit dwelt at home with his Maker." These omissions, however, are deficiencies in his friend which in the end may lead him away from Christ, and make him anything but a man to pattern after; when, therefore, young men seek Christian models it is well to look for them amongst such friends as are not only morally as near perfect as men become, in this world, but who besides, are practical believers in the principles, practices and ordinances of The Church. For to be moral alone does not fulfill the law; to be honest, and to have uprightness in dealing coupled with sincerity, justice and probity, is still not enough to complete the requirements of the law of the Gospel. The initiatory ordinances must be complied with, they are also the necessary means by which men are kept moral; and to the possession of these virtues named must be added the contrite heart and the obedient spirit. These lead into the adoption of the practical principles and ordinances of the Gospel, produce the practical worker and believer. We desire to add this much because there is a tendency among the young especially, and it is not lacking even among older members of The Church, to belittle the necessity of men taking a practical part in the work of God. If, they argue, a person shall be strictly honest, and chaste in word and deed, considerate of his fellows, circumspect in his actions — a moral example, in other words — his salvation is sure; he has fulfilled the requirements of the law of God. The result of such argument is that there are many good people who become inactive and do little or nothing publicly for The Church. And another result is that practical believers, those who are engaged in public work, are severely and often unjustly criticised, if what is termed their moral qualifications are not as perfect as those of the good people who take no active part

780 IMPROVEMENT ERA. hi preaching, exhorting and calling to repentance. The fact is, none are perfect who do not practice both— who are not both moral and active believers. The insufficiency of morality only as a means of salvation is clearly illustrated in many examples in the Holy Scriptures. It was beautifully shown in the life of the perfect Master, himself, who came to John to be baptized of him. For when John objected, Jesus answered: "Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness." It was still further exemplified in the young man who came to Jesus saying: "Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?" Jesus answered: "If thou wilt enter mto life, keep the commandments." The young man thinking that some one commandment was greater than another, asked, "Which?" Then Christ repeated most of the decalogue, including the great command, "Thou shall love thy neighbor as thyself," and was told by the young man: "All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet?" "If thou wilt be perfect," answered the Lord, "go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me." "But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions." Do you notice how this good young man, the observer of all the moral law, lacked in two things; and how lacking in these, he turned away from the inheritance of everlasting life. First, he was selfish; and, second, with all his morality, he could not obey and follow Christ. What did follow Christ imply? Do as Christ did. To be baptized, to devote his time to crying repentance and proclaiming the precious doctrines of the Gospel, to be persecuted, reviled of the world, to be stripped of everything, and crowned with thorns, and even to be crucified for his fellows. In other words, this young man feared the practical part of what is required to be a follower of Christ. He would keep the commandments, if that could be done in his own way. But Christ demands the whole heart, and that we shall keep his commandments in his way; and no person can give his heart to Christ unless such person is filled with the Spirit of Christ, with the Spirit of God, with the Holy Ghost. With all his goodness and moral virtues, the young man had not the selfsacrificing spirit of the Gospel, and so, while he was perfect as far

EDITOR'S TABLE. 781 as the moral law went, his heart was not right, and he forfeited the inheritance of the faithful. Now it will be noticed that not a word of condemnation was said against the moral law — against being honest, just, virtuous, truthful, chaste, modest, loving and obedient. These and all the moral qualifications are expected of good men and women, but the point which we desire to make is that even these virtues alone do not make acceptable and perfect followers of Christ. Coupled with them, there must be a living, anxious desire to follow Christ in all things, have faith as he had faith, to be baptized as he was baptized, both in water and with the Spirit, to be a practical worker in his cause as he was a practical worker, to sacrifice as he sacrificed, to conform to the will of the Father as he yielded when in his greatest agony he exclaimed: "0 my Father, * * * not as I will, but as thou wilt." If one can be placed in such a position, the fruits of the Spirit of God will be manifest in him. He may not always be perfect; nor even as perfect, in some things, as men who boast of perfection in portions of the moral law, but he has the satisfaction of knowing that he is trying to do right in the right way, in the way the Lord would have him go. The good man who is properly baptized, is better than the good man who is not baptized; and we may even ask whether the man not quite so good, who is baptized, is not better than the good man who is unbaptized? And so with one who is striving to comply with all the ordinances, and with the active works of the Gospel. He is a better man with his failing; s than the self -perfect man, who does not comply, is with his boasted perfections, but who, like the Pharisee of the parable, is satisfied with his own virtues instead of crying, "God be merciful to me a sinner." No matter how much good is wrought through their administrations, there is no other church so good as the one which God has established according to the pattern of his holy will; no matter how great the influence for good a man may have, who is moral only, and not a member of the Church, the man is better who is an active member, who is baptized,who prays, and who takes living part in the practice, principles and ordinances of The Church, in the way God has appointed. From among such, and there are many about your

782 IMPROVEMENT ERA. doors, you should select your prototype. Morality alone, though good and sure of its reward, is not sufficient unto salvation and exaltation in the highest glory with God; and, further, it is dependent for its existence upon a possession of the Holy Spirit, and this can only be obtained by compliance with the ordinances of the Gospel in the way God has instituted. THE MINISTERS AND SALTAIR. It is generally conceded that no people are more law-abiding and moral than the Latter-day Saints. And this should be the case, from the fact that the doctrines of their religion strictly observed make them so. But notwithstanding this, there are still men and associations who would have them better. They show this by pointing out seeming or real defects in them which would receive no notice in other people. This also is good, and doubtless has its effect in making them still more law-abiding, more moral. But that is not what we wish to speak of, it is the motives underlying such criticisms that we desire to analyze. What, for instance, can be the motive of a minister of the gospel, who himself drinks wines and smokes tobacco, when he condemns these evils in a ''Mormon"? It is evidently a desire to belittle the "Mormon" and detract attention from his own faults. That is the incentive which, it would appear, actuated certain Salt Lake ministers when they recently made a great moral display by condemning the sale of liquor at Saltair. In a meeting, they departed from the discussion of the more formal topics of their ministerial association to declare practically that the liquor privilege at Saltair must be revoked and the pavillion patrolled in the interests of morality. Why? Was it that Saltair was worse, in

EDITOR'S TABLE. 783 this or any other respect, than other resorts? No! but Saltair is controlled by "Mormons," and they should be perfect. Even if we admit the latter, why should the Ministerial Association concern itself so much to see that the ''Mormons" are so perfected. Such perfecting, however, is not the motive, though it has such a tendency; but the hidden desire appeared to be to belittle the Latterday Saints and to cast disrepute upon them, and to detract from the faults of others who are not "Mormons." The Saltair management is doubtless ready to become perfect, if not ministerial like, in its business affairs, when the public is ready for it. As long, however, as the ministers resolve not against other resorts whose conduct is not as good as that of Saltair, there is no sufficient reason for them to set themselves up as moral reformers of this particular place, especially since, while being so engaged, they appear to cast sly winks of approval at other pleasure resorts. Saltair is conducted as properly as any other place of amusement in the land, and will continue to be so conducted. It is true that those who demand that liquor shall be sold at the lake are not Latter-day Saints. It is true, also, that whenever a body of people, who are patrons of Saltair, desire it, the saloon may be closed. It has been closed several times this season, on the request of patrons. Can this be said of all other resorts? The answer is, no! Is Saltair, then, not more moral than other places? Then why should the ministers select Saltair as a target? The conclusion is that it is because they think the management, which is "Mormon," can be injured thereby, not because the morality of the people may be improved. If the ministers desire, and can get enough followers, they need not have the saloon open when they visit the lake resort; can so much be said of all other places? If not, then let the Ministerial Association resolve against the worst, and not the best. This applies not only to the lake resort, managed by leading "Mormons," but to all things "Mormon" — their religion, their morals, and their every practice of life. The Latter-day Saints, though far from being perfect, aim to stand at the head, to be the first and best in all good things. One of the leading declarations of their faith is: "We believe in being honest, true,, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men. * * *

784 IMPROVEMENT ERA. If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things." THE VISIT OF CUBAN TEACHERS. A remarkable enterprise, planned by Alexis Everet Frye, superintendent of the Cuban schools, is the coming of fourteen hundred and fifty Cuban school teachers to the United States. The whole expense is to be paid ^by the United States government and the authorities of Harvard University and their friends. A special summer course with reference to the needs of these teachers has been arranged at Harvard, and instructors conversant with both languages will impart the instruction. The ideas gained will be distributed over the whole island, the result being the Americanizing of the schools. The teachers, at the close of this six weeks' course, will be taken to see American homes, museums, libraries, laboratories, parks, public buildings and works, including trips to Washington, Chicago, Niagara Falls, and New York, where their free entertainment will be provided for. Five large government transports have been designated by War Secretary Root to take the teachers from Havana to the States. The only expense to each teacher will be his expense to the seaport from which the transport will sail, and his incidental individual outlay. With the great revolution already inaugurated, the improvements in education which will result from this visit will doubtless place the Cuban schools on the high road of modern advancement. It will result in a complete change from the restricted efforts of education permitted by the Spanish goverment, which forbade the education of Cuban children in the schools of the United States. There are now [three thousand and seventy-nine schools on the island, with about one hundred and forty thousand children enrolled. It will be observed from these facts, that the importance of this excursion, in its far-reaching effect on the character of the future citizens of Cuba, cannot be over-estimated. It is the worthy act of a generous nation, helping a liberated people in their onward struggle for knowledge, advancement and liberty.