Editor’s Table: Which Will You Save?

Editor's Table. Which Will You Save? To observe the Sabbath day properly is the plain duty of every Latter-day Saint— and that includes the young men and women and the boys and girls. It may seem strange that it should be necessary to repeat this often-asserted fact. But there appears to be some people, and sometimes whole communities, who neglect this duty, and therefore stand in need of this admonition. What are we required to do on the Sabbath day? The revelations of the Lord to the Prophet Joseph are very plain on this subject, and these should govern us, for they are in strict harmony with the teachings of the Savior. Here are some of the simple requirements: The Sabbath is appointed unto you to rest from your labors. The Sabbath is a special day for you to worship, to pray and to show zeal and ardor in your religious faith and duty — to pay devotions to the Most High. The Sabbath is a day when you are required to offer your time and attention in worship of the Lord; whether in meeting, in the home, or wherever you may be— that is the thought that should occupy your mind. The Sabbath is a day when, with your brethren and sisters, you should attend the meetings of the Saints, prepared to partake of the sacrament of the Lord's supper; having first confessed your sins before the Lord and your brethren and sisters, and forgiven your fellows as you expect the Lord to forgive you. On the Sabbath day you are to do no other thing than to prepare your food with singleness of heart, that your fasting may be

EDITOR'S TABLE. 843 perfect, and your joy may be full. This is what the Lord calls fasting and prayer. The reason for this required course upon the Sabbath is also plainly stated in the revelations. It is that one may more fully keep himself unspotted from the world; and to this end, also, the Saints are required to go to the house of prayer and offer up their sacraments on the Sabbath day. Now, what is the promise to the Saints who observe the Sabbath? The Lord declares that inasmuch as they do this with cheerful hearts and countenances, the fulness of the earth is theirs: "the beasts of the field and the fowls of the air, and that which climbeth upon the trees and walketh upon the earth. Yea, and the herb, and the good things which cometh of the earth, whether for food or for raiment, or for houses, or for barns, or for orchards, or for gardens, or for vineyards." These are all made for the benefit and use of man, to please the eye and to gladden the heart, to strengthen the body and to enliven the soul. All are promised to those who keep the commandments, and among the commandments is this important one, to observe properly the Sabbath day. The Lord is not pleased with people who know these things and do them not. Men are not resting from their labors when they plow, and plant, and haul and dig. They are not resting when they linger around the home all day on Sunday, doing odd jobs that they have been too busy to do on other days. Men are not showing zeal and ardor in their religious faith and duty when they hustle off early on Sunday morning on the cars, in teams, in automobiles, to the canyons, the resorts, and to visit friends or places of amusement, with their wives and children. They are not paying their devotions in this way 'to the Most High. Not in seeking pleasure and recreation do they offer the-'r time and attention in the worship of the Lord; nor can they thus rejoice in the spirit of forgiveness and worship that comes with partaking of the holy sacrament. Boys and young men are not fasting with singleness of heart, that their joy may be full, when they spend the Sabbath day loafing around the village ice cream stand or restaurant, playing

844 IMPROVEMENT ERA. games, or in buggy-riding, fishing, shooting, or engaged in physical sports, excursions and outings. Such is not the course that will keep them unspotted from the world, but rather one that will deprive them of the rich promises of the Lord, give them sorrow instead of joy, and unrest and anxiety instead of the peace that comes with works of righteousness. Let us play and take recreation to our heart's content during other days, but on the Sabbath let us rest, worship, go to the house of prayer, partake of the sacrament, eat our food with singleness of heart, and pay our devotions to God, that the fulness of the earth may be ours, and that we may have peace in this world and eternal life in the world to come. "But," says one, "in our settlement we have no other day for amusements and sports, excursions and outings, ball games and races." Then demand one. Is it possible that parents, in the face of the promises of the Lord, will deny a day in the week when their children may have recreation; and so force them to spend the Sabbath in sports! One prominent man, in one of the northern stakes, where ball games and other sports are said to be the rule on Sunday, asked what could be done to remedy the evil. He was told to try a half holiday on one of the week days —say Saturday. "Then," he replied, "we can have no change nor remedy. Here are hundreds of acres of hay and ripening fields crying for workmen, and we cannot spare our boys for play." The best reply to such an argument is the question: Which is best, to let the hay go to ruin, or the boy? Let the hay go; save the boy. He is worth more than all your material possessions. Save him in the spirit of the gospel, — protect him from Sabbathbreaking, — by offering a little temporal sacrifice, and the Lord will keep his promises to you. Get together in your ward, unitedly select a day for play and recreation; and, like faithful Saints, demand that the Sabbath day, as far as you and yours are concerned, shall be devoted to the Lord our God! Joseph F. Smith.

Messages from the Missions. Elder A. R. Babcock writes from New Haven, Conn.: "Gospel and life, as the Latter-day Saints understand them, are attracting the attention of many cultured citizens of this city. The cottage meetings held speak louder than words. On December 15, the first one in a dozen years was held here. January, 1910, there were four held, with an attendance of ten persons at each. In February, there were seven held; in March, ten; and in April, fifteen, with an average of twenty-five persons present. We receive our pay in full every day in contentment." ELDERS LABORING IN NEW HAVEN, CONN. From left to right: Don C. Smith, Snowflake, Arizona; A. Leroy Staker, Teton, Idaho; A. Rowley Babcock, Lost River, Idaho; and J. Wayne Peterson, Heber, Utah. President J. C. Larsen, Jr , writing from 375 Moss Lane East, Whitworth Park, Manchester,England, May 14, 1910, says: "A special public

846 IMPROVEMENT ERA. meeting was held at Manchester, April 20, for the purpose of opening and dedicating our new hall. In spite of the inclement weather, there were one hundred Saints and friends from this and other branches of the Manchester conference present, who were comfortably seated in the large room, and greatly enjoyed the spiritual and intellectual feast. President Charles W. Penrose came over from Liverpool to be with us on the occasion. The congregation sang, "We thank thee, 0 God, for a prophet.'' Prayer by Elder John E. Layne. Singing, "This hous-> we dedicate to thee." Conference President J. C. Larsen, Jr., welcomed all, and briefly told how the building had been acquired. President Penrose then dedicated the ground and building to the service of the Lord, asking the blessings of God on it, and on all who may come to it, either to preach the gospel or to learn the will of the Lord. Elder Nathan Done sang the sacred solo, "Sometime We'll Understand." President Penrose occupied the remaining time, explaining some of the duties and possibilities of Latter-day Saints. He showed the difference between eternal life and eternal existence. Said all God's children would have an eternal dwelling place somewhere, but to become heirs of God, and joint heirs with Jesus Christ in the kingdom of the Father, they will have to ELDERS IN MANCHESTER CONFERENCE. Left to right, back row: W. C. Mills, L. G. Taylor, W. E. Mitten, J. McMurdie, S. 0. Bryson, H. C. C. Rich. Second row: J. F. Bagnalt, D. L. Pugh, N. R. Pixton, J. T. Williams, J. E. Layne. Third row: J, H. Bankhead, N. F. Bullen, George Briggs, Charles Porter, A. A. Atkinson, F. B. Meads, William Chappel. Fourth row: S. B. Wallis (local), D. R. Wilding, W. A. Langton, A. J. Munns. Front row: W. S. Glenn, Nathan Done, C. W. Gibbs, J. C. Larsen, Jr., (Conference President), H. Chamberlain, J. L. Barrow and C. D. Spence.

EDITOR'S TABLE. 847 keep his commandments and exhibit the Christ-like spirit of brotherly love. There was an excellent spirit at the meeting. Both Saints and friends are well pleased with the new church, and feel it to be a long-felt want fully realized. The brick building contains three good sized rooms and a cloak-room. It is fitted up with gas and water, and has other modern conveniences. It has ample back and front yards, and is enclosed by a neat iron railing and hedge. It is located in ^ 4'*'% ' ' "■' ■ i •■-.. Tm .■ * W . ml m v: H W " ; • -- '- .4 ■ • '' WW'"" BHBB^^S sssssi New Latter-day Saints' Church, Manchester, England, 88 Clarendon, Rd. Off High Street, C on M., as taken before the building was fixed for use. a very quiet and respectable residence district. The final settlement was made, and the deeds delivered just a few hours before the building was dedicated. We are very happy, and are most grateful to our mission president and to the Church authorities, at home in Zion, for buying us such a splendid place of worship. We feel it will be a power for good in spreading the truths of the restored gospel. We are all well, and the work is in a prosperous condition. We all read the Era with much profit.