Mutual Work

MUTUAL WORK. PRELIMINARY PROGRAMS. The preliminary program is a conjoint work. The best results are obtained by appointing a committee to look after this special part of the work, either by the month or for the season. This committee should consist of at leaat three members — one from each association, and a chorister or other musical member. Programs should be arranged two weeks, or more, in advance, and the committee should be held responsible for the keeping of appointments at the meetings specified. Members of preliminary program committees should work together. The program is not likely to be so harmonious when the young ladies notify the young men what they expect to do, or the young men announce their part alone, as when the committee meets and outlines the entire program. With the sanction of the General Boards it has been decided by the general preliminary program committee to publish three suggestive programs each month in tbe Era and Journal. The local committees will prepare programs for the other nights. The suggested topics for the season will all be along the line of human culture—physical, mental, and spiritual — and are of equal interest to the members of both associations. The talks, of necessity, must be brief — ten minutes, perhaps. For that reason all but the vital parts must be touched upon lightly. But it should always be the aim to emphasize some vital truth. To illustrate the topics, incidents should be used from the lives of men and women who have done humanity service, and whose lives exemplify their belief in and practice of these principles. For instance: Exercise, Work, Recreation — take the life of President Roosevelt, of President Woodruff, of President Winder, of the Prophet Joseph Smith, or exemplary men and women of your locality — make some incident in their lives speak the point you wish to emphasize. The suggested recitations and readings are in keeping with the various topics. Some of these may be published in the Era and the Journal. If not, however, and you have no books containing them, use readings or recitations of your own selection, harmonious with the subject, if possible, but always uplifting. This same suggestion applies to the hymns and songs. To save time it has been advised that the musical number be given first on the program, in place of a second hymn; but that is a matter left to each association to decide for itself. Following are the suggestive outlines for six programs — three for October, three for November. The aim will be to publish others two months in advance :

896 IMPR0VEMEN7 ERA. SUGGESTIONS FOR PRELIMINARY WEEKLY PROGRAMS. Subject: Human Culture. 1. Breathing — a. How and what to breathe, b. Ventilation. 1. Sleeping and living rooms 2. Churches. Poem, "Sexton, Give us Air." 2. Eating — a. Mastication, b. Care of the teeth. c. Quality and quantity of food and drink, d. Mental attitude. Poem: "The Stomach's Complaint." 3. Cleanliness —a. Of person, 1. Bathing. 2. Clothing, b. Home and surroundings. 4. Exercise — 1. Physical and mental, a. Attitude towards, b. Honesty towards God and man. c. Temperance. 2. Recreation, a. Necessity of. b. Temperence in. c. Suitable kinds. Poem: "The Dignity of Labor." 5. Gallantry — a. Correct and incorrect ideas of. b. Story of knighthood. c. Modern chivalry. 1. At home. 2. In society. Poem. "The True Gentleman." 6. Gallantry — (Continued) — 1. Illustrations — Washington's gallantry to his mother. 2. Lincoln's gallantry to his step-mother. 3. Sir Walter Raleigh to Queen Elizabeth. 4. Garfield to his mother. 5. The reply of James- — John 19: 26. Sentiment: "Woman is not a supplement to man; woman is the complement of man." Suggestive hymns : (1) Psalmody No. 53, (2) "In our Lovely Deseret, (3) "Love at Home," (4) Ere the Sun Goes Down, (5) Nay, Speak No 111, (6) Solo: "Friends." SUPPLEMENTARY READING. The following books have been chosen for the reading course of the Y. M. M. I. A. The annual report for the season of 1906-7 shows that there were 750 persons who read True to his Home and John Halifax. For the season of 1907-8, there were 1,635 persons who read one or more books of the presented course: Tom Brown's School Days, Wild Animals I Have Known, Secret oj Achievement, Great Truths, The Strength of Being Clean, and Silas Marner. The course for this season we think will be read by an even greater number than before. The books selected for the young men under 18 years of age are: The Last of the Mohicans, by Cooper, a thrilling Indian story of early days of the United States; Cortez, by Abbott, treating of the Spanish conquests in America. Those recommended for older readers are: A Tale of Two Cities, by Dickens, a standard story dealing mth. the French Revolution ; and Hypatia, by Kingsley, a romance of the famous female philosopher of Alexandria who lived in the fourth century, A. D., and who was finally murdered through the influence of Cyril, the Christian patriarch of Alexandria. The book is a romantic record of the contact

MUTUAL WORK. 897 of early Christianity with eastern philosophy, with a clear view of the struggle that ensued. In this connection we ask the young men and others who are desirous of purchasing these books to forward their orders directly to the Era office, and they will be filled as promptly as possible, at the prevailing prices. Money must accompany every order, and the books may be ordered either altogether or one by one. Address: No. 214 Templeton Building, Salt Lake City. ECHOES FROM THE JUNE ANNUAL CONFERENCE. At the June conference of the Young Men's Mutual Improvement Associations, 58 stakes were represented by 343 representatives. This left one stake not represented. On motion of Superintendent A.M. Merrill of Cassia stake, the conference decided to bind 500 copies of the senior and junior manuals into books containing the two manuals in limp-cloth binding, the cost not to exceed seventy-five cents. These books were to be prepared for the officers of the associations in the various stakes . Both manuals are complete in text, and will not only make an excellent study for the members of the associations, but will prove very interesting and instructive reading to members of the Church who are interested in the science of the Gospel and lives of the early founders of the Church. The books are faith-promoting in every page. There are about 300 pages of reading matter. Paper covers, the two for 50 cents. From the report of President Heber J. Grant, it appears that there are 11,- 537 subscribers to the Improvement Era besides |about 2,000 magazines which are sent to the missionaries in all parts of the world. There was a notable increase in subscriptions in most of the stakes, and only five stakes had fallen below obtaining 2 per cent of the Church population as subscribers. Twelve had obtained over 5 per cent. The associations had set out to obtain 15,000 subscribers, having resolved on that number at the last conference. President Grant thought it would be best not to decide on the number this time by resolution, but he expressed a strong desire that the brethren who are interested in the Era will go to work quietly and effectively to raise the subscription list to 15,000 as contemplated in the resolution of the year before. The General Fund showed an increase, and the total amount contributed was $2,513.35. The conference, as well as the Friday night entertainment in Whitney Hall, was delightful to the visitors, and we trust valuable and effective to the cause. NEW OFFICERS. Elder Heber S. Olsen, JohnR. Anderson and Amasa Rasmussen were recently sustained superintendent and counselors respectively, with James L. Peterson, secretary, of the Y. M. M. I A. of the North Sanpete stake. These brethren reside at Fairview. Elder H. P. Hansen, who was the former stake superintendent, resigned.