--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 13 number: 8 published: 1910-06 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations, "Passing Events," *Improvement Era* 13, no. 8 (June 1910): 764–768.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera1308unse transcription: Transcribed from the Internet Archive scan of each issue (the item for each issue is named in the issue's own source); unnumbered advertising leaves are omitted, printed page numbers are kept as page markers. identifier: improvementera1308unse start_page: 764 end_page: 768 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1910-06) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera1308unse publication_year: 1910 note: The Internet Archive item metadata carries a blanket "© Copyright by Intellectual Reserve, Inc." notice. The library owner judged it inapplicable because this issue was published in 1910, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # Passing Events Passing Events. Elder Rudger Clawson, recently called to preside over the European Mission, was for some years president of the Box Elder stake of Zion. He won the hearts of the people. President Oleen N. Stohl recently invited Elder Clawson and his family to visit Brigham City, which invitation they accepted, and on the 30th of April, at 4 o'clock, a banquet was held in their honor at the home of Mr. and Mrs. John Anderson, where about seventy of their former neighbors and friends were present in their honor. On the same evening a social was held in the stake tabernacle, which was beautifully decorated, and to which all were invited. A part of the program consisted in the presentation to Elder Clawson of a beautiful gold watch, which was handed him by Bishop Lorenzo Stohl, in behalf of the people assembled. The inscription reads, "Rudger Clawson, from your Brigham City friends, April 30, 1910.'' Elder Clawson was greatly affected, and in a happy speech thanked the people for the honor shown him. Elder Clawson left for Liverpool May 16. The Era wishes him inspiration, success and happiness in his new and responsible calling. Ex-President Roosevelt gave a talk on peace before the Nobel prize committee, members of royalty, and other personages distinguished in the political, educational and social life of Norway, on the occasion of his visit there, May 5. It will be remembered that he received the Nobel prize, in 1906, in recognition of his services in bringing to a conclusion the Russo-Japanese war. He said, among other things: ' 'Peace is generally good in itself, but it is never the highest good unless it comes as the handmaid of righteousness; and it becomes a very evil thing if it serves merely as a mask for cowardice and sloth, or as an instrument to further the ends of despotism or anarchy. We despise and abhor the bully, the brawler, the oppressor, whether in private or public life; but despise no less the coward and the voluptuary. No man is worth calling a man who will not fight rather than submit to infamy or see those that are dear to him suffer wrong. No nation deserves to PASSING EVENTS. 765 exist if it permits itself to lose the stern and virile virtues; and this without regard to whether the loss is due to the growth of a heartless and all absorbing commercialism, to prolonged indulgence in luxury and soft, effortless ease, or to the deification of a warped and twisted sentimentality. "Moreover, and above all, let us remember that words count only when they give expression to deeds, or are to be translated into them. The leaders of the Red Terror prattled of peace, while they steeped their hands in the blood of the innocent; and many a tyrant has called it peace when he has scourged honest protest into silence. Our words must be judged by our deeds; and in striving for a lofty ideal we must use practical methods; and if we cannot attain all at one leap, we must advance towards it step by step, reasonably content so long as we do actually make some progress in the right direction.'' The Roosevelt Dam will be completed this month, and the project, it is announced, will be formally opened next fall. There is a movement in Arizona to have former President Roosevelt open the project on the 27th of October, his birthday. This is the greatest reclamation enterprise undertaken by the government, and when completed will cost $8,640,000. It will irrigate 240,000 acres of land in the Salt River Valley, and the fertility of the desert and the general conditions of climate are of such a character that it is estimated by expert agriculturists that the crops of a single season will return enough to repay the entire investment of the government. The resevoir created by the dam is the largest artificial body of water in the world. The dam is 280 feet high, 180 feet long on top, and contains 326,000 cubic yards of masonry. Reference to the dam, with pictures thereof, are found in the January, 1909, number of the Era, page 201-12. "Mark Twain," Samuel Langhorne Clemens, the greatest American humorist, died at Redding, Con., April 21. He was born in Florida, Monroe Co., Missouri, November 30, 1835, and three years thereafter the family moved to Hannibal on the Mississippi. In 1851 he learned the business of pilot on the Mississippi. He became a tramp printer, went to the mines in Nevada, where he first experienced the western spirit, and was a local editor of a newspaper in Virginia City, in 1862. Later he reported on the papers in San Francisco, and in 1866 visited the Sandwich Islands. He again entered the newspaper business in Buffalo, and finally settled in Hartford, Conn. His leading works are: Roughing It, The Jumping Frog (1866); Innocence Abroad (1869); Tom Sawyer (1876); A Tramp Abroad (1880); The Prince and the Pauper (1882); Life on the Mississippi (1883); Huckleberry Finn (1885): A Yankee at the Court of King Arthur (1889 »; The American 766 IMPROVEMENT ERA. Claimant (1892); The £1,000,000 Bank Note (1893); Pudd'nhead Wilson (1894); Tom Sawyer Abroad (1894); Joan of Are (1896); More Tramps Abroad (1897); The Man that Corrupted Hadleyburg (1900); Christian Science (1907K In 1894 he lost his fortune in a printing establishment and later made a tour of the world, giving lectures and readings, and in this way he earned enough to pay the full claims of his creditors, and himself a handsome balance. Woodrow Wilson, president of Princeton, paid this personal tribute to "Mark Twain:" All the world knows that in Mark Twain it has lost a delightful humorist, a man able to interpret human life with a flavor all his own; but only those who had the privilege of knowing him personally can feel the loss to the full— the loss of a man of high and lovely character, a friend quick to excite and give affection; a citizen of the world, who loved every wholesome adventure of the mind or heart; an American who spoke much of the spirit of America in speaking his native thoughts. Bjornstjerne Bjornson, "the Victor Hugo of the North," as he was called years ago by a French writer, died in Paris, April 26, 1910. He was also called, by the Norwegians, "the uncrowned king of Norway,'' because of his strong efforts put forth for the absolute freedom of his country. He was born December 8, 1832, in Kirkne,Hedemarken,in the wild and lonely Dovre,some short distance south of Trondhjem. From the rugged nature of his early home he imbibed the leading characteristics of his life. His passing takes from Norway the last of her triad of grand old men — Grieg, Ibsen, Bjornson. The second died in May, 1906. Bjornson was a play-writer and a journalist in early days, and later a politician and social reformer, which brought his writings prominently before the general public. But he was a Norwegian first, and he championed first and foremost the race, genius and tongue of Norway against the persistent encroachments of the Danes, Germans and Swedes. Once he advocated that Norway become an independent republic, but in 1905 he favored the election of a king as the best scheme of government for Norway. His many novels, dramas, plays, songs and miscellaneous writings are full of grandeur, beauty and charm. Many of his fatherland songs have become national songs. One of the fascinations of his writings is the moral force in his woman characters, and his charming insight into woman's life, and much of this was due to the wise influence of his faithBjornstjerne Bjornson. PASSING EVENTS. 767 ful and loveable wife, Carolina Bjornson, who for years acted as his secretary. A Correction.— In the santiment by Elder B. F. Grant, on page 626, May number of the Era, a typographical error appears. In the remarks attributed to President Winder it reads: "I am dying," and it should read: "I am thine.'' King Edward VII of England died at his palace in London, May 6 On the afternoon of the day of his death, during a waking interval, and when he was critically ill, he said: "Well, it is all over, but I think I have done my duty." He was born in Buckingham palace, November 9, 1841, and baptized as Albert Edward. On the following 14th of December, as heir-apparent, he was created Prince of Wales. He received his education at the Universities of Edinburg, Oxford and Cambridge. In 1860 he went to Canada, and by special invitation of President „, . T„, Buchanan visited the United States, where King Edward VII. , . , ,. . , . ' „-,,.„ he received a cordial reception. In 18b2 he was promoted to the rank of general, and in the spring of that year visited Egypt, Palestine, Syria and Athens In 1863 he took his seat in the House of Lords, and on the 10th of March of that year was married to Princess Alexandra the eldest daughter of the King of Denmark. In 1875 he visited India, and in 1885, with the princess, made an extended trip through Ireland. When Queen Victoria, his mother, died, January 22, 1901, he became King of Great Britain and Ireland and Emperor of India, and chose to be known as Edward VII. He was a tactful, genial and amiable character, and made a much better king than it was generally conceded he would make, prior to the death of his mother. He was very fond of sport, but after he became king he settled down to his duties and performed them to the great satisfaction of his people. His eldest son, Albert Victor, died January 14, 1892, and on the morning of the 9th of May, 1910, his second son, George Frederick Ernest Albert, born June 3. 1865. was publicly proclaimed King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and the British dominions beyond the seas, defender of the faith and Emperor of India, from the friary court balcony of St James palace, with all the pomp of medieaval custom. He chose to be called George V. 768 IMPROVEMENT ERA. David Josiah Brewer, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, appointed in 1889, died suddenly at Washington, March 28, aged nearly seventy- three. He was the son of missionaries, and was born at Smyrna He served as Judge of the Supreme Court of Kansas, 1870-1884, and Judge of the U. S. Circuit Court, 1884-9. He was more widely known to the people of the United States than any other member of the Supreme Court, due partly to his popularity as a public speaker on topics of wide interest, and to his deep religious convictions which supplied the occasion of many of his public addresses, and were known and respected everywhere. On April 25, President Taft appointed Governor Charles E. Hughes, of New York to succeed Justice Brewer. The Governor accepted the appointment, was later confirmed by the Senate, and will enter upon his duties October 10. Of the new Judge it is said, "He was taken from the state to enrich the nation." Professor H. V. Hilprecht reported, on March 18, at Philadelphia, at a gathering of friends of the University of Pennsylvania, at the home of Provost Harrison, his discovery of a fragment of cuneiform tablet believed to be of the period of 2,100 years before Christ, and bearing an account of the deluge, described in the Bible, and agreeing with the narrative of Genesis. The fragment which has just been deciphered, says the account, was one of those excavated from the lowest stratum of the oldest part of the ruins of the temple library of Nippur, and was brought here by the expedition sent out by the University of Pennsylvania in 1899. It is of unbaked clay and measures 2f inches at its greatest length and 2| inches at its greatest width. As translated by Professor Hilprecht, the narrative contained on the tablet follows: (I declare unto thee) that confess of heaven I will loosen, a deluge I will make, and it shall sweep away all men together; but thou (the Babylonian Noah) seek life before the deluge cometh forth; for to all living beings, as many as there are, I will bring overthrow, destruction, annihilation . . . build a great ship and . . . total height shall be its structure. It shall be a houseboat carrying what has been saved of life. . . . With a strong deck cover it. The ship which thou shalt make, into it bring the beasts of the field, the birds of heaven and the creeping things, two of everything instead of a number . . . and the family . . . The oldest tablet heretofore known containing an account of the flood is the "Layard deluge tablet,'' now in the British museum, but the latter only dated from 650 B. C. The "Layard tablet" agrees with the details of the biblical narrative in only a few particulars.