--- 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: 12 published: 1910-10 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. 12 (October 1910): 1144–1145." source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera13012unse 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: improvementera13012unse start_page: 1144 end_page: 1145 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1910-10) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera13012unse 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 PRIESTHOOD QUORUMS' TABLE. 1143 unwittingly hurt, and, putting his arms around the boy's shoulders, drew him close to him. "My boy," he said, and he spoke very softly, but every word was audible in the house, "my boy, you will forgive me that I was over rough. I did not know! I did not know!" He turned to his students, and with a look and tone inspired with his great heart, he said, "And let me say to you all, I am rejoiced to be shown that I am teaching a class of gentlemen." Anotner story, and I am through. In an English book called Five Years of Penal Servitude, the writer, who had himself been a convict, tells of an incident he saw at Dartmoor prison. By good behavior, he had caused himself to be transferred from his solitary cell to a large hall, where were sixty-seven other convicts whose obedience to prison regula- tions had also gained for th«m the privilege of associating in a common room. On his first night in the hall he was agreeably surprised to see a display of moral courage on the part of some convicts which commanded the respect of their companions. Just before bedtime a bell sounded, and the men stood up in two rows facing each other The warden called out, "Those who wish to say their prayers, step to the rear. Silence and order for prayers." "Who will have the courage," thought the convict who relates the incident, "to face the sneers and jokes, and kneel before this crowd of criminals?" To his surprise, sixteen convicts stepped to the rear, and for five minutes engaged in silent prayer. Not a word— not even a look from the unkneeling ones— sneered at the bowed men. Every night and morning, during his stay at the hall, there were some convicts who, when the order was given, "Silence for prayers," bowed in humble submission before the Lord. Never did the most hardened prisoners utter a disparaging word. Some of them had been in prison again and again and, seemingly, loved crime for its own sake. Others were as brutal and as ignorant as savages. Scarcely one of them would have endured a five minutes' conversation from a minister of the gospel with- out ridiculing him. Yet they knew a brave deed when they saw one, and, bad as they were, could not help respecting the-men who had courage to kneel in their presence. I think the lesson here taught is apparent. Brethren, always be true to your profession as Latter-day Saints. Passing Events. Some World's Fair buildings at Brussels, including the Bel- gian and English, were destroyed by fire, August 14. Two or three people were killed and many injured; and property said to be worth one hundred million dollars was destroyed, mostly art treasures. President Joseph F. Smith and Presiding Bishop Charles W. Nibley and party returned on September 3, from a tour of Europe. They left Salt Lake City, July 4, visiting Holland, Belgium, Switzerland, Germany, Scandinavia, France and England, and held meetings in all the missions. It was a trip of travel and meetings, and President Smith was greeted with gladness by thousands of Saints and missionaries. The Revolution in Nicaragua, which began in October, 1909, has ended in the complete success of the insurgents. On the night of August 21, President Madriz, accompanied by his chief advisers, left Managua, the capital, which was then occupied by the insurrectionary forces, for Corinto, and sailed from that port to Amapala, Honduras. Before leaving, Madriz turned over the presidency to a brother of Gen- eral Estrada, who took possession of the capital, August 22. Forest fires, in northern Idaho and western Montana, during the month of August, caused enormous destruction of timber and a consider- able loss of life. About one hundred miles square was swept by fire in a district sparcely settled. At Wallace, Idaho, a great part of the town was destroyed, and a number of people were burned to death. Several smaller villages were also burned, and the dead are said to number alto- gether one hundred and eighty, mostly men in the forest service. Timber fires in Oregon have also destroyed thousands of acres of timber. President Pedro Montt, of Chile, died suddenly at Bremen, August 16. He had just arrived from a visit to the United States, and was a passenger on the Kaiser Wilhem der Grosse, having witnessed the attempted assassination of Mayor Gaynor of New York. He became president of Chile in 1906, having rendered distinguished service in both