Our Work: A Call for Missionaries; A Laudable Labor; Questions for Officers; From California; Philadelphia M. I. A.; In the Hawaiian Islands; The Work in London

OUR WORK. A CALL FOR MISSIONARIES.

The following letter, dated, Salt Lake City, May 13, 1901, has been «ent to the stake superintendents of the Young Men's Mutual Improve- ment Associations: Dear Brother: For some years, the general board of Young Men's Muiual Improve- ment Assosiations has conducted a system of mutual improvement mis- sionary work among the young men. Excellent results have followed this labor. Last year, the general missionary work was abandoned, and an attempt was made to conduct a system of local missionary work. This year the general board has decided to return to the original method and call a number of elders to labor in the stakes of Zion. You are therefore requested to send to the missionary committee, at once, the names of two men from your stake who are suitable for this work. We desire you to exercise the greatest care in the selection of these names, for the reason that they will be required to work with the stake superintend- ents and ward officers; in other words, with the leaders of Mutual Im- provement Associations in various stakes and wards. We want men of intelligence and experience in the gospel, zealous in the work of the Lord, but wise and prudent; congenial, and capable of making friends; able to express their ideas with a reasonable degree of clearness, and to impart the instructions they receive from the gen- eral board. Of course, they must be men of good standing, upright, moral and exemplary in their lives; but it is not sufficient that a man possesses these qualifications alone; he must have, in addition, the ability to perform this special missionary work. Send us men of good address, and of influence, who will have weight with the presidents of stakes and bishops of wards; in a word, representative young men. Before forward- ing any names to us, get them endorsed by the bishop of their ward, and the president of the stake.

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These brethren should be in a position to devote at least five months i;o this mission, beginning September 15. They will be required to come to Salt Lake City and meet with representatives of the general board, and receive instructions before commencing their labors. In making selections, you should not choose any stake or ward sup- erintendents of Sabbath schools. The following brethren have been appointed by the general board •to act as the missionary committee: J. Golden Kimball, Joseph W. Mc- Murrin, B. F. Grant and Thomas Hull. The names of those you select should be sent without delay to them, addressed to Thomas Hull, 214, Templeton building, Salt Lake City. Praying that the Lord will guide you in this matter and bless you in all your labors, we are your brethren, Lorenzo Snow, Joseph F. Smith.

A LAUDABLE LABOR.

The North Ephraim Ward Mutual Improvement Association of San- pete stake, stands among the front workers for the Era —an indication that other branches of M. I. A. labor are also strictly attended to. The association has forty-seven subscribers, which, in the case of that ward, entitles it to a rebate of 25 cents for each, or $11.75. This amount has been refunded, and President C. Willardson writes that the sum has been donated by the association to the Snow Academy, for use in the •erection of the magnificent new building of that institution of learning.

— And so, three ends have been accomplished good literature has been placed in many homes, the Era has been encouraged, and a local insti- tution of learning has been aided — while new life has come to the as- sociation, every member of which is richer for the mutual help. Thanks; try it again; and let others follow the example.

QUESTIONS FOR OFFICERS.

The following questions have been sent to all the ward presidents of Young Men's Mutual Improvement Associations, to be answered by them at the officers' meetings of the summer stake conferences. Similar

634 IMPROVEMENT ERA.

questions have also been sent to the stake superintendents to be answered at the general conference to be held in June: 1. Is your organization complete? 2. How many Manual lessons

have you completed? 3. Have you had exercises from the Era? 4 What have been the gospel fruits of your Manual study ? 5. Have you graded your Association, and with what success? 6. What have you done in missionary work? 7. Have you held regular, formal oflScers' meetings? 8. What means have you considered for improving the gen- eral conditions of the young people? 9. Does your joint session reflect the work of the association? 10. What means have you adopted to maintain interest during the summer? 11. In what respect is your as- sociation a factor for good in the ward? Are you in harmony with, 12. and do you support the priesthood of the ward? 13. Does the Mutual Improvement Association work pay you? 14. How do your general fund collections compare with last year? 15. How many subscribers to the Era have you in your ward? Suggestions on how to improve the Era» the Manual, and class work.

FROM CALIFORNIA.

J. W. Coombs and his wife, of San Jose, Cal., send the Era a credit- able article copied from the local, manuscript paper of the Y. M. M. I. A. at that place. The San Jose Ripples, on "Our Elders." Incidentally they add: "We look forward to the coming of the Era with great interest, and are both entertained and instructed in reading it. The magazine reflects credit upon its publishers, and is not excelled by any other pub- lication of its class." We appreciate their kind words; and there are thousands in Zion who wish with us that the cause of mutual improve- ment, and the gospel of Christ, in which it is such a great aid, will long flourish and do great good in the beautiful city of Los Angeles, as well as in the whole world.

THE PHILADELPHIA MUTUAL IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION.

This association was first organized in March, 1900, and continued until October 4, of that year, the enrollment being twenty-four, with an average attendance of ten. The association met in Camden, New Jersey,

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and had the following officers: H. C. Ballantyne, president; J. J. Gill and William Walker, counselors; Margaret Whewhille, secretary and treas- The organization was urer, Mrs. A. R. Stewart, assistant and organist. known as the Philadelphia and Camden Mutual Improvement Associa- tion, and followed the study of the Manual for 1898-9. The present as- sociation, so the Era is informed by Elder J. J. Gill, meets in Phila- delphia, and has the following officers: H. P. Ipson, president; Joseph J. Gill and E. N. Freeman, counselors. Myrtle Rowan, secretary and treas- urer. The same Manual is used. The average attendance has been eight. Considerable good has been accomplished by these associations to mem- bers and chance visitors. The quarters have lately been changed to a pleasant and agreeable location, with facilities for music, and the officers now hope to greatly increase the attendance, thus making the association a potent factor in the dissemination of the gospel of life. Every worker in Zion will join in wishing them great success.

IN THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS.

By letter from Elders Samuel E- Woolley, Angus Smedley and W. M. Waddoups, it is learned that at the annual conference of the Hawaii- an mission, held in Lai, Oahu, beginning April 5, 1901, the mutual im- provement associations were duly represented by delegates from over the mission who gave good reports of work being accomplished in all

parts. The following officers for the Y. M .M. I. A. were appointed and

sustained, before the close of the conference: A. H. Belliston. president

all Hawaii; David Johnson, B. W. Musser, assistants; A. P. Musser, in secretary.

THE WORK IN LONDON.

Stratford Sister Lydia D. Alder, writing from London, says of the Branch: "Our Mutual is in good condition. The Saints are earnest workers in this line. By the way, we succeeded in getting the Era ad- year or mitted into the reading room of the Leyton Library for the longer; this we rejoiced over. We all appreciate the Era and News as

dear friends.