Our Work

NOTES. 151 "For exchange: a beautiful home, devoted wife, lovely children for drink." "For sale cheap: all the possibilities of a brilliant life, a competence, for one chance in a thousand at the gambling table." "For exchange: bright prospects, a brilliant outlook, a cultivated intelligence, a college education, a skilled hand, an observant eye, valuable experience, great tact; all exchanged for rum, for a muddled brain, a bewildered intellect, a shattered nervous system, poisoned blood, a diseased body, a shameful death." I know of no better expeditions than this right at home, deep down under the sea of neglect and ignorance and discouragement. Near your own feet lie treasures untold, and you can have them all for your own by earnest watch and faithful study and proper care. Let us not be content to mine the most coal, make the largest locomotives and weave the largest quantities of carpets; but amid the sounds of the pick, the blows of the hammer, the rattle of the looms, and the roar of the machinery, take care that the immortal mechanism of God's own hand, — the mind, — is still full-trained for the highest and noblest service. This is the most enduring kind of property to acquire, a property of soul which no disaster can wreck or ruin. Whatever may be the changes that shall sweep over our fair land, no power can ever take away from you your investments in knowledge. — John Wanamaker. The pre-adaptation of the human mind to seek and find pleasure in music, is proved by the universality with which the vocal art has been practiced among men. Each nation and each age steps forward as a separate witness to prove the existence of musical faculties and desires in the race. In cultivating music, therefore, are we not following one of the plainest and most universal indications of nature — the order of that Being by whose wisdom and benevolence nature was constituted? The Creator has made the human mind susceptible to emotions which can find no adequate expression but in song. Among all nations, joy has its chorus and sorrow its dirge. Patriotism exults over national triumphs in national songs; and religious yearning vainly strives to pour out its full tide of thanksgiving to its Maker, until anthem and hallelujah take the rapt spirit upon their wings and bear it to the throne of God. Nature not only points, as it were, her finger toward the universal culture of the musical art, but she has bestowed upon all men the means of cultivating it; the voice and the ear are universal endowments. — Horace Mann.

IN LIGHTER MOOD. Men who spell luck with a "p" in front are invariably successful. * * * Well earned repose: "To Mary, first wife of John Jones," read the first inscription on five similar gravestones in a row. On the second was, "To Jane, second wife of John Jones;" on the third, "To Margaret, third wife of John Jones;" on the fourth, "To Madeline, fourth wife of John Jones;" and on the fifth, "To John Jones, at rest!" * * * "I say, Sherry," said one of two royal dukes, who had met Sheridan in St. James Street, "we have just been discussing the question whether you are a greater fool or rogue. What is your opinion, my boy?" "Why," said the wit, smiling and bowing at the compliment, and then taking each of the dukes by an arm, "i' faith, I believe I am between the two!" — Waters. * * * "Who composed 'The Magic Flute?' asked an old lady of one of the authors of "Pinafore." "Mozart," replied Mr. Gilbert. "Indeed! I never heard of him. Is he still composing?" "No, madam," replied the wit, "he is decomposing;" whereat the lady was somewhat discomposed. A Witty Judge. — While Judge Gary of Chicago was trying a case recently he was disturbed by a young man who kept moving about in the rear of the room, lifting chairs and looking under things. "Young man," Judge Gary called out, "you are making a great deal of unnecessary noise. What are you about?" "Your honor," replied the young man, ''I have lost my overcoat and am trying to find it." "Well," said the venerable jurist, "people often lose whole suits in here without making all that disturbance." — Short Stories Magazine.

OUR WORK. A VOICE FROM A VOLUNTEER. The writer of the following cheering letter is a former worker in one of the improvement associations of Salt Lake City, a returned Utah Volunteer. He was in Stanford, California, when he wrote on October 22, 1900. We wish to point to the fact that all members of The Church are at liberty to explain the Gospel wherever they come in contact with people who desire to hear of its restoration to the earth again through holy angels. "Let him that is warned, warn his neighbor," is the edict of the Lord to all. It is only the slothful servant who waits to be told of each duty to be performed. So as long as our brother was away from the organized missions or stakes of The Church, he did right in promulgating the Gospel and warning the people to repent, without waiting for a special call. "Behold the field is white already to harvest, therefore whoso desireth to reap, let him thrust in his sickle with his might, and reap while the day lasts, that he may treasure up for his soul everlasting salvation in the Kingdom of God." My Dear Brother: — It occurred to me that if the Era could be sent me here, I could get it placed in the reading-room of the University Library, where it will surely be read by many of the students. I have been away from Utah influence so long that I hardly know what The Church is doing or what its present policy is in regard to aggressively spreading the Gospel. While I have had no authority from The Church to do so, I have had the opportunity and the pleasure of explaining our doctrines to a great number of people in the orient. | But nowhere could I find a [soul — even a native — who had not heard something of us. The Catholic priests had taken the case of our Church to preach as a

154 IMPROVEMENT ERA. horrible example unto the savages. Among their pamphlets is one in two volumes called "A Voyage to the Country of the Mormons." On a little steamer plying between Borneo and Sulu, I passed an evening watching a very fiercely contested controversy over the Robert's case between the captain and mate — both of them Australian born Britishers who seldom hear of even America itself, let alone of the State of Utah. While in Utah, I attended only the Mutual meetings of all The Church assemblies, and I had my serious doubts as to many points of our faith. A little worldly experience drove me away from even these; a little more drove me back to these few, and all the rest in addition. I think one needs a little excursion to other peoples to learn how great is the work with its center in the valley of the Great Salt Lake, and how different are the folk of the heart of God's country from the people on the outside. I hope some day to get back among them, and then — you can't lift me out with a derrick. Hoping this "voice of the sentiment of our people" is as powerful as it was in the days before the war, I remain your sincere well-wisher, Isaac Russell. METHODS OF CONDUCTING RECITATIONS. Two of the most popular methods of conducting recitations are the catechetic method and the topic method. Class leaders will notice that the Manual is specially arranged for a combination of both these methods in our class recitations. Let us point out some of the merits or advantages of the topic method under which the Manual is arranged. It cultivates expresssion, for the pupil is required to tell what he knows in his own language, in consecutive sentences. It requires a logical analysis of the subject, and the systematic arrangement of its facts and principles by the pupil in home study. It is therefore a most excellent preparation for writing and public speaking, two qualifications that it is especially desired that our mutual improvement workers acquire. Now some great advantages in the catechetic method are its thoroughness as a test; the opportunity that is given the teacher to