Our Work: M. I. A. Conference

OUR WORK. M. I. A. CONFERENCE. The conference committee of the General Boards of the Y. M. and Y. L. M I. A., have prepared the following program for the annual conference, June 7, 8, 9, 1907: The first meeting will be held in Barratt Hall, Friday morning, 10 o'clock. A conjoint preliminary program will be carried out, after which the associations will separate. CONJOINT PRELIMINARY PROGRAM. Opening hymn "Up Awake ye Defenders of Zion." Prayer. Hymn "Zion Stands with Hills Surrounded." Opening Address President Joseph F. Smith. Solo Sister Booth, of Beaver. Announcements. YOUNG men's officers' PROGRAM. Presentation of reports and sustaining of officers. Summer Work Supt. John L. Herrick, Weber. Discussion by Supts. Samuel E. Taylor, Nebo; and A. M. Merrill, Cassia; and Elder Thomas Hull of the General Board. young men's officers' PROGRAM. Saturday, 10 a. m. 1. Rolls, records, etc Alpha J. Higgs. 2. The Era Heber J. Grant. 3. Manual Edward H. Anderson. 4. Wholesome Reading Nephi L. Morris. 5. Miscellaneous. Saturday, 2 p. m. 1. The Spirit of our Work Junius F. Wells. 2. How to Increase the Active Enrollment B. F. Grant. 3. Give the Boys a Chance Joseph W. McMurrin. Musical selections will be given by Walter Wallace, Robei-t Siddoway, and Horace S. Ensign. The next conjoint meeting will be held- in the Assembly Hall on Sunday morning at 10 o'clock. Following the opening exercises the program reads as follows: Home Reading... George H. Brimhall —Literature, Leone Home Nowells. Solo,"IKnow that my Redeemer Liveth"...Melvin J. Ballard of Logan. Remarks —Three 5-minute talks by Stake Superintendents. Singing.

. : : OUR WORK. 635 In the afternoon, at 2 o'clock, the associations will gather with their friends and the general public, in the large tabernacle. The tabernacle choir, under Prof. Evan Stephens, will furnish music, and the following program for that meet- ing is announced: Remarks Edna L. Smith, of the Primary Associations. Remarks Y. L. M. I. A. President Martha H. Tingey. Male Quartette By E. Stephens' Singers. Dvctrine and Covenants H. S. Tanner. Remarks President Joseph F. Smith. In the evening at 7 :30 a conjoint meeting will be held in the same place The following is the program Singing Ladies' Glee Club. Singing Scandinavian Glee Club. Remarks Zina Y. Card of the Primary Associations. Ladies' Chorus, (Salt Lake City). Remarks Julia M. Brixen. Remarks Heber J. Grant. Male Quartette— Oregon. Vocal Solo On Friday afternoon all the members of the Improvement Associations will proceed to Wandamere, at 3 p. m. Extra cars will be arranged for to leave at that hour. At 5 p.m. there will be lunch on the lower floor of the pavilion, everyone to bring lunch. All are expected to make themselves- sociable and ac- quainted. There will be music from 5 to 6 p. m., and at 7 p. m. an informal re- ception will be held on the dance floor of the pavilion. Music from 7 to 8 o'clock. to the There will also be dancing during the afternoon and evening, in addition regular amusements and attractions of the park. The distribution of tickets and coupons will be made at the morning meetings of the officers. The following resolution will be introduced at one of the meetings for adop- tion: Young Be it Resolved, by the officers and members of the Young Men's and Ladies' Mutual Improvement A ?sociations here assembled the hearts That we will use our influence during the coming year to develop in of the Sabbath day. of the young people of Zion the true spirit CHANGE IN SECRETARIES. Elder Edward H. Ander- At a meeting of the General Board, April 17, 1907, acted as manager of the Er.4, and secretary and treasurer of the Y. son who has M. M. I. A. for the past nineteen months, was relieved of this labor, in order that editorial department and to general work he might devote his time entirely to the in the associations. Elder Alpba J. Higgs was appointed assistant manager of the Improvement Elder Heber J. Grant, and general secretary and treas- Era to urer of the Y. M. M. I. A. He entered upon his duty May 1st, and all communi- MI. A. or Improvement Era should be addressed, and checks cations for the orders made payable, to Alpha J. Higgs, 214 Templeton Building, Salt and money Lake City, Utah.

, 636 IMPROVEMENT ERA. In retiring from the business department, I heartily thank the many loyal kind and unselfish workers for the Era and Manual, who have made these publi- cations so successful. It has been a real pleasure to work with you; the spirit of your words and letters has given encouragement and inspiration, and made every task in the office lighter. I bespeak for Brother Higgs, a man of ability and ex- perience, and late business manager of the Millennial Star office, and secretary of the European mission under Elder Heber J. Grant, the same cordial relationship and assistance. Wishing you, and the splendid cause for which we are all labor- ing, continued success, I remain, your friend and brother, Edward H. Anderson. NEW TEXT BOOK FOR THE PRIESTHOOD. First Steps in Church Government is the title of a little work just issued by the press of the Deseret News, and written by Prof. Joseph B. Keeler, of the Brigham Young University. It is a book designed for young members of the Lesser Priesthood in the Church, in whom and in whose quorum work great inter- est has recently been taken. The little work explans in ten chapters what Church government is, and also in a like number of chapters sets forth in readable and attractive style what Church government does. As supplementary reading, it has twenty-one chapters by different authors, giving the personal experiences of prominent men and writers in the gospel work, under each particular division of the work. The book should find a large number of readers and students among the quorums of the Lesser Priesthood, for whom it is specially designed. It is for sale at the Deseret News Book Store. SUMMER WORK IN WEBER. The Era is in receipt of a course of study for the summer season of 1907, in the Young Men's and Young Ladies' Mutual Improvement Associations of the Weber Stake. The plan contemplates the holding of conjoint sessions each Sun- day evening in the nineteen wards outside of Ogden City, and on each Tuesday evening in the seven wards of the city. The course is literary and musical, includ- ing some short talks on religious topics. The meetings will be held no longer than an hour, or an hour and a quarter. There is also provided for a conjoint officers' meeting each month where instructions will be given as needed, and where the outlines of programs wil receive attention. Meetings will begin on Tues- day, of June 16th and 18th, and continue until the 8fch and 10th of September. The object is to retain interest in the Improvement work during the summer months, and to provide the young people with something to do that will be entertaining and instructive in the settlements where Sunday evening meetings are not held, as well as in the city where they are held. The movement is one that should be en- couraged, and it is hoped that other stake superintendencies will devise plans to interest the young people in our work to some extent during the vacation season.