Mutual Work

MUTUAL WORK. CONFERENCE DATES. The attention of stake superintendents is called to the resolution adopted at the last annual conference, providing that the dates for the annual stake conferences of the M. I. A. shall be fixed by the officers of the Young Men's and Young Ladies' associations of the respective stakes, and that the dates so set be sent to the General Boards. The time has arrived when annual conferefices should be held, and where no provision has yet been made by the officers of the conjoint associations, this matter should be attended to at once, and the General Boards notified of the dates. The programs and general conducting of these annual conferences should be provided for by the stake boards, whose original ingenuity should be exercised in devising plans for profitable and instructive gatherings, both for the young people and others who are not members of the associations, by which the former may be given practice aad the latter may be male familiar with the value and impartaace of our work, j M. I. A. MEETINGS AND THEATRICAL SHOWS. It has come to the attention of the General Board that in some of the stakes of Zion, and particularly in certain wards of such stakes, the regular evening devoted to the M I. A meetings is frequently interfered with by traveling shows. In one ward reported, where the ward meeting house is also the amusement hall, it is no uncommon thing to adjourn the Improvement Association meeting for the benefit of theatrical exhibitions. The excuse given is that the money received for rent of the hall is necessary to keep up ward expenses. We think this is a very poor excuse. Certainly the ward organizations should come first, when it is the question between the appearance of a transient show company, or even a local show company, and a religious meeting. But where the officers of the associations are thus situated, of course, they must do the best they can to keep the association together, where meetings have thus been postponed or held ahead of time for the benefit of shows.

230 IMPROVEMENT ERA. Probably only a very few of the wards are situated so that the meeting house and the amusement hall are in one building. But there are wards, however, where there are numerous meeting places, and yet, where it is customary to adjourn the association whenever there is an entertainment on the evening devoted to M. I. A. work. The excuse in such cases is that the people will not attend a Mutual when there is a show in town. In such cases the association members and the people generally might be informed that as a rule meetings will be held promptly, and will be adjourned, say at 8:45 p.m, thus giving time for those who desire to attend the show on the same evening. Arrangements may, perhaps, be made with the show people to postpone the opening of their entertainment from ten to fifteen minutes, so that there will be no clash between the meeting and the entertainment. In no case, however, should the meeting be abandoned. Cases have come to the notice of the General Board where the play-house is owned by leading members of the Church, and who by virtue of their position, use their influence to adjourn the association whenever a traveling show happens to appear, on the evening devoted to Mutual Improvement work. This is done to increase the custom of the hall, and is a very pernicious practice that should be entirely abandoned. Again, the young men should learn to be loyal to their organization, and should attend to their meetings promptly on the night appointed. If they desire to attend entertainments, they should determine to go on other nights in the we»k. Where an association is adjourned for say two weeks, as was the case in one of the wards recently, in a stake referred to, it breaks into the work so seriously that it requires the rest of the season to make up for what has been lost, and to revive the attendance. Stake superintendents should look into the subject where conditions of this kind are found, and endeavor to have no interference with their regularly appointed evening meetings. FOR SUPERINTENDENTS OF STAKES TO CONSIDER. It will be well to consider the following questions, and require the presidents of the wards to give you a report upon them or similar ones at your annual conferences: Is your enrollment what it should be? If not, what are you doing to make it so? What is your average attendance, and what per cent of that attendance are you interesting to the extent of active work? What number who ought to be enrolled are not enrolled in your association? What missionary work are you doing? What is the preparation and class work of your members? Have you a chorister? Is your association fully organized? What missionary work is being done by your associates? Have you tried getting your five per cent Era subscriptions?

MUTUAL WORK. 231 Is the General Fund receiving attention? Is there harmony and fellowship among the officers of your association with the ward and stake authorities? Please remember that as stake superintendents you cannot do full justice to the cause wiLhout regular weekly or monthly officers' meetings. The secret of your success will be in persistent, united work. This must be outlined and be made clear to the officers of your board -in these meetings. Plan your work, and work your plan. This also applies with like force to ward officers. 1 ou should see that they are either planning their work 'or working your plans. RESULTS OF CONVERSION AND WORK. Elders W. "W. Rawson, 0. A. Snow and R. Ray Nixon, "Ward Y. M. M. I. A. presidency of Idaho Falls, Bingham stake, write under date of December 7: "We have some seventy families in our ward, and by a small effort have secured as many subscriptions as we have families. This is about 13 per cent of the total ward population. We are not through yet, for we are converted to the fact that the Era has the proper food for the spiritual growjfch of our young W. W. RAWSON. 0. A. SNOW. R. RAY NIXON. men. Therefore, we are anxious that they should peruke the messages contained in its pages. 'We were converted to the belief that the Era is necessary for our mutual improvement, and with this thought in mind 'we worked' and 'kept everlastingly at it, ' with the result stated. Wa are having good success in our manual work, with the help of the Lord." At the'ERA's request, portraits of these officers are given. NUMBERS OF VOLUME 10 WANTED. We are out of numbers two, three and four of the Improvement Era of Volume 10, and request missionaries and others who may have them to return

232 IMPROVEMENT ERA. them to this office, and we will exchange them for other numbers, or pay the regular price for them. M. I. A. FUND. Every member of the Y. M. M. I. A. is expected to contribute 25 cents annually to the General Improvement Fund. Payment is made during the second week in December; but, for those who did not pay at that time, the second week in February is fixed upon in which to make payment. Eavelopes for these collections have been mailed to the stake officers. A stake aid should be appointed to look after the distribution of the envelopes and the collections. A like agent or officer should be appointed in each ward who should credit all payments to this fund in the roll and record book, and send the names of all who pay, in December and in February, with the money, to the stake superintendent or his agent. The stake superintendent or treasurer is requested to report promptly to the secretary of the General Board, remitting the amouot collected in December as soon thereafter as possible. The amount collected in February should be sent to him, not later t! an March 1, 1908. Address: Alpha J. Higgs, General secretary, 214 Temple ton Bldg, Salt Lake City, Utah. THE OLD AND THE NEW YEAR. {For the Improvement Era.) Aye, tenderly close his failing eyes ! As he hath lived, e'en so he dies. His burden borne of joys and woes: Let none disturb his last repose. Well hath he served, lo, even now. The death beads settle on his brow ! The erd draws near, e'en as we tell Farewell, Old Year, a last farewell. "What, ho, within!" What voice of cheer Thus falls upon the startled ear? The son, say'st thou? Come to attend Upon his aged sire's end? This robust youth, with smiling face; And come to fill his father's place? Right well, then, do we greet thee here! Welcome, thrice welcome, thou glad New Year! Lorenzo J. Haddock. Salt Lake City, Utah.