Our Work: A General Officers’ Meeting

OUR WORK.

A GENERAL OFFICERS' MEETING.

A short but important and lively meeting of the officers of the Y. M. M. I. A. was held in the choir of the Tabernacle between the morning and afternoon conference meetings, on Sunday, April 7. It was called by the General Board on short notice, but a large number of officers gathered from all parts of The Church. Several matters of moment were presented by members of the General Board, as follows:

CONJOINT MEETINGS AND SUMMER CONFERENCES.

Elder Edward H. Anderson called attention to the necessity and importance of continuing the monthly conjoint meetings during the summer months, when the regular weekly meetings were adjourned. One Sunday night each month should be so spent. The nature of the programs should be carefully considered in their monthly meetings by the officers, and an effort made to have them interesting and to the point, with singing, music, and lighter exercises interspersed. The main sub- ject each evening might be taken from the lessons of the Manual, espe- cially in case the latter had not been completed in the regular meet- ings. Lectures by leading speakers, should also be arranged for, and an earnest effort made to keep the interest in the association alive through these means. A committee consisting of N. L. Morris, Rulon S. Wells, Thomas Hull and B. S. Hinckley have been appointed to give dates for the summer conjoint conferences, and to suggest a program for such -gatherings, as far as the young men were concerned. It is the desire of the Board that the leading and most capable young men in each stake shall be appointed to take part, so that the meetings may indeed be

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made young people's conferences. This committee will report further through the Era.

THE NEXT MANUAL.

Elder B. H. Roberts reported that the Manual Committee consisting of Elders B. H. Roberts. M. F. Cowley, Edw. H. Anderson, Thos. Hull, Geo. H. Brimhall, and Willard Done, were at work on the manual for 1901-2, which would treat on the first principles of the Gospel up to and including baptism. It will this season be doctrinal instead of historical

as heretofore. Manual lesson shall occupy It is not intended that the committee have decided to recommend all the time, and therefore the

the adoption of a miscellaneous program, the suggestive outlines of which will be printed at the head of each lesson. The officers were requested to be prepared to promptly distribute the work when com- pleted, so that it may be in the hands of the members in good time for the opening meeting in October next. To this end, every effort will be made to have it ready for distribution no later than September 1, this year.

MISSIONARY WORK.

Elder J. Golden Kimball stated that a missionary committee com- posed of Elders J. Golden Kimball, B. F. Grant and Jos. W. McMurrin had been recently appointed to consider the missionary work among the young men. The local missionary work of last year had not been as successful as it had been hoped, and it was therefore intended this sea- son to call competent general laborers on missions to the various stakes of Zion to represent the General Board and to devote their time com- He hoped that such competent pletely to the work for several months. men would be found, and that when called upon, there would be no delay nor difficulty in getting them promptly into the field, in order that the work might go on without hindrance, and with accelerated enthusiasm. The local work should in no wise be abandoned, but rather pursued with greater vigor than ever. The general missionaries would help, but would not replace the local laborers. The committee will soon meet and decide upon the line of work, and as soon as the General Board shall adopt their report, the labor will proceed, and the officers be made familiar therewith. He requested their prompt action and united sup- port.

THE ANNUAL CONFERENCE AND REPORTS.

Elder Thomas Hull called attention to the annual conference. A*

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committee consisting of Edward H. Anderson, Rodney C. Badger and Le Roi C. Snow were at work upon the program, which, with the date, will soon be decided upon and announced. He urged the secretaries to be prompt with their annual reports. These should be carefully com- piled and immediately forwarded to him, so that there may be no stake unreported and no delay in the preparation of the annual general report. The stake secretaries and superintendents should take up this work immediately, and see that it is promptly performed. He urged association presidents who had not yet settled for the Manual to report, with remittances or Manuals, immediately, in order that the accounts for the year could be properly closed.

THE ERA AND THE GENERAL FUND.

Elder Heber J. Grant said that since the division of the Sanpete stake there had been commendable increase in subscribers. Last year there were only 114 in the whole stake; now there is a total of 398, or an increase of 284. The same is true of Salt Lake Stake. Before the division, there were only 308 subscribers in the whole stake, now there are 175 in the Granite Stake, 80 in the Jordan Stake, and 288 in the Salt Lake Stake, a total of 543 or an increase of 235. What does this show? It demonstrates that all that is required is work. Box Elder Stake has again reached the number required, viz., five per cent of its Church population. He urged the officers of stakes which were behind in this matter not to give up now, but to continue to obtain subscribers for we are able to supply all that come. We have succeeded, and done well, but there is always room to do better and more. Let the work of taking subscriptions still continue, and let us not wait to be urged further in this matter. The money for the general fund has partially been remitted to the secretary. Those who are delinquent are urged to forward the amounts immediately. The amounts show which officers are doing the work, in this as in the case of the magazine. In a general way, Elder Grant commended the brethren for their labors, and urged them to press onward with renewed zeal in the glorious cause.