Bureau of Information and Church Literature

EDITORS TABLE. 899

him, and so great was his belief in this superstition, that he died within a week, and we were without a cook when we returned. As Israel of old were enjoined to obey the law and the testi- mony given to them by Moses, so the Latter-day Saints are com- manded to turn to the gospel law restored anew tc them, and to live so that they may enjoy the Holy Spirit of promise. A senti- ment against belief in the power of witchcraft, and all other evil things should be cherished among the Latter-day Saints, for persons who believe or express faith therein are in danger of los- ing the Spirit of God, and of f lacing themselves under the influence of the adversary whose footsteps lead to death. Joseph F. Smith.

BUREAU OF INFORMATION AND CHURCH LITERATURE.

Our associations as missionary agencies among unbelievers, was a topic for discussion at the June conference, and the matter had received prior consideration by the members of the General Board. It had long been asked whether anything was being done to enlighten touriGts and visitors who frequently come into our cities, villages and towns, and who have never heard anything

about the gospel, and 'only ill reports about the people. It was found that while we were sending hundreds of missionaries far away to teach the truth and to allay prejudice, the strangers within our gates, and even residents who are not members of the Church, were mostly left to draw their information from non- and often anti-"Mormon" sources. To remedy this evil, the attention of the General Board was called a year ago to this subject by Elder Le Roi C. Snow, upon whose motion a committee of inquiry was appointed, consisting of Rudger Clawson, Le Roi C. Snow ani H. S. Tanner, and as a result of their labors a Bureau of Information and Church Literature has been established by the First Presidency. A small building, of which we give a cut in this number of the Era, was planned and erected at the south entrance of the Tem- ple grounds, at a cost of about $500. A general committee, consist-

ing of Elders Benjamin Goddard, (chairman), Thomas Hull, (secreta- ry), Arnold H. Shulthess, and Josiah Burrows, was called to take charge of the Bureau, and direct the permanent work of "distribut- ing literature and disseminating information among tourists and other visitors" to Salt Lake City. One of these brethren, or his rep- resentative, has been constantly on the ground since the day the Bureau opened, August 4, 1902, and will continue to take charge hereafter. One hundred and five suitable brethren and sisters, many of them members of the M. I. A., have been called to assist under the direction of the person in charge, and during the Elks' convention some forty or fifty of these were constantly on the ground. There is a regular system for work, and meetings of the missionaries for instructions, reports, and interchange of experi- ence, and ideas, are held at intervals in the L. D. S. University. Certain tracts, as well on doctrine as descriptive of the Temple Block buildings, and other points of interest, are given away; and others, together with books, portraits, and views, are kept on sale. There are easy chairs, writing tables and other conveniences, free in the building. All the workers serve free, and tips are absolutely prohibited. There is a visitor's register at which over five-thou- sand people had already registered at the close of the fourteenth day. Articles of Faith cards, and small tracts on the doctrines of the Church, had been given to most of these, in addition to the conversations held with the missionaries who answered numberless questions, doctrinal and descriptive, bore thousands of testimonies and distributed many thousand information leaflets. It is the testimony of the missionaries that they enjoy the work immensely, and that great good is resulting from this labor. One illustration: Brother was conducting three young men about the grounds, and came at length to the Temple whose dimensions, cost, and time of building, were dilated upon. "What is it for?" asked one of the young men. This gave a splendid op- portunity for explaining briefly the "Mormon" doctrine of salvation for the dead. When Brother finished his remarks, one of

the young men said: "That is a beautiful doctrine, but it is diffi- cult for me to believe!" Another one presented Brother with a five-dollar bill, and bade him accept it. "I cannot do that," said the latter, "but I will tell you what I can do. Where is your