Passing Events

864 IMPROVEMENT ERA. the Weber stake into three, in 1908, he was chosen a member of the high council of the Weber stake, which position he still holds. In the fall of 1909, when the Betterment League was organized in Ogden, at the head of which is Elder David 0. McKay, of the quorum of twelve apostles, Heber Scowcroft was chosen by the president as chairman of the executive committee of the league, and he has devoted much time to this organization, which promises much for the civic betterment of Ogden. He has held no political offices, though often importuned to accept the nomination for member of the city council ; and for mayor in two different campaigns. He has always contended that his spare time was better taken up with Church work, and that he could not well accept the political positions, since in them he would have to cater, to some extent, to the liquor and sporting elements of the city. He is a strong advocate of public education, and is also a patron and advocate of Church schools, being at present a member and secretary of the Board of Education of the Weber Stake Academy, located in Ogden. He is a young man of splendid business ability, strong in mortfl qualities, and one of the most energetic Church workers in the community. Theodore Roosevelt received the degree of D. C. L. at Oxford on June 7th, on which occasion he delivered his Romanes lecture which dealt with "Biological Analogies in History." The ceremony took place in the Sheldonian Theatre, where for three hundred years and more it has been the custom to hold these exercises. His reception surpassed in enthusiasm anything within the memory of the oldest Oxonians. Following the lecture, Mr. Roosevelt and one hundred and fifty Americans, including the Rhodes scholars, lunched together. Here is an extract from the close of his sermon: I believe that we, of the great civilized nations of today, have a right to feel that long careers of achievement lie before our several countries. To each of us is vouchsafed the honorable privilege of doing his part, however small, in that work. Let us strive hardly for success, even if by so doing we risk failure, spurning the poorer souls of small endeavor, who know neither failure nor success. Let us hope that our own blood shall continue in the land, that our children and children's children, to endless generations, shall rise to take our places and play a mighty and dominant part in the world. But whether this be denied or granted by the years we shall not see, let at least the satisfaction be ours that we have carried onward the lighted torch in our own day and generation. If we do this, then, as our eyes close and we go out into the darkness, and other hands grasp the torch, at least we can say that our part has been borne well and valiantly. Col. Roosevelt arrived in New York June 18, having sailed from there March 23, 1909.