Our Work

OUR WORK.

M. I. A. WORK IN ENGLAND. From the Millennial Star of May 12, it is learned that improvement work in England is active for good: The Mutual Improvement association of the Birmingham branch gave a social in the Handsworth Assembly rooms, on the evening of April 26th. An enjoyable musical program was rendered and light re- freshments were served. The affair was greatly appreciated by the Saints and numerous friends. The Mutual Improvement association of Bradford has an enrollment of ninety-three members, and an average attendance of fifty-six. These figures make it by far the largest association in the mission field, and the officers are to be congratulated on the character of the work that is be- ing done, and on the interest that is evinced by the members, no less than on the numerical strength of their organization.

In the Millennial Star of May 19, there is an editorial on the labors of the auxiliary associations in England, in which the Mutual Improve- ment Associations receive due credit for the good work which they have performed. These associations have been firmly established, and last year witnessed a wonderful growth in Great Britain, in both the Sunday schools and Mutual Improvement associations. New schools and associations were organized, and those already founded increased greatly in numbers and in interest. "They have proved an inestimable blessing to the children and to the young people of the Latter-day Saints, They have afforded to them the same opportunities for development along spiritual lines that are to be obtained in the stakes of Zion. They have put them more closely in touch with the great body of the Church, and have given them personal responsibilities, when, in time past, they were wont only to depend upon others. Especially is the usefulness of these auxiliary organizations shown where local Saints are chosen as presiding officers or as permanent teachers." The Star encourages the officers and members of the associations to continue their efforts during

the summer, and remarks that where the auxiliary organizations are

kept active there will be no trouble in securing a good attendance for the regular Sunday services.

A Mutual Improvement Association was organized at Sunderland, on the 11th inst., with an enrollment of twenty-two members. A renewed interest is being taken in the Gospel in this district. Street and hall meetings are being well attended, and a number of honest souls are about ready for baptism. The newspapers of Sunderland have given the Elders quite fair notices of their work. Millennial Star, May 26.

FLOURISHING NORWEGIAN M. I. A.

The cause of Mutual Improvement is prospering, not only in Zion but abroad also. In Skandinaviens Stjerne, of May 12, the presidency of theYoung Men's Mutual Improvement Association of Christiania, — Norway, Christian Johannesen, Frithjof E. Weberg and Alfred Kaal- stad, —give a very encouraging report of the labors of their association, in that place. The organization has existed for twenty-five years and has at present a membership of fifty, with the usual oflScers. It issues a

monthly paper entitled Knowledge and Light. During the season past, one hundred and twenty-eight subjects of a religious and miscellaneous character were presented, besides music and songs, answers to ques- tions, etc. were held, eleven of which were con- Thirty-five meetings joint meetings with the Young Ladies' Association, besides two special and five business meetings. They have a library of eighty-two volumes which have been loaned during the year, with an income of thirty kroner. The entire assets of the association is four hundred kroner. On the 7th of May, 1902, it was decided that the Christiania association should sustain a local, special missionary for two or three years in the field, which has been done at a cost of several hundred kroner, from a

special fund for that purpose, to the great pleasure and blessing of the members, and the advancement of the Church. The experiment was so successful that this is still continued. One of the characteristics of the association is the preparation of a local chronology and history of the Church, which is carefully recorded by fifteen members of the association selected for that purpose. The committee also keep a scrap-book of all the articles that are inserted in the daily papers, magazines, etc., both for and against the Latter-day Saints. These labors have been carried on systematically for three years, and doubtless, if continued, will be of great historical value to the Church,

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The association has well ordered and comfortable rooms, where the members often gather for an evening in reading, conversation and songs. It is entitled "The Young People's Annex," and has become a social gath-

ering place for them. The association has chosen as its motto, "The glory of God is intelligence," and they bid fair to gather enough of this intelli- gence to steer their course through the labyrinths of life, in a way that will be a credit to themselves, and that will render valued assistance to the builders of the dispensation of the fulness of times.

NEW SUPERINTENDENT CHOSEN- At the quarterly conference of the San Juan Stake, held in Bluff, on the 7th and 8th of May, Fletcher B. Hammond was chosen and set apart as superintendent of the Young Men's Mutual Improvement Associations of that stake. He was appointed to fill the vacancy caused by the death of former superintendent Hans Joseph Nielson.