Passing Events

MUTUAL WORK 287 Joseph F. Smith and the members of the General Board, as per arrangement of Chairman Lyman R. Martineau of the Athletic Committee. Dinner was served by the Young Ladies of the Domestic Science Class, L. D. S. U. Speeches were made by President Smith, B. H. Roberts, Lyman R. Martineau, B. S. Hinckley, and W. F. Dey, for the Board, congratulating the class and pointing out to them the object of their labors in their home wards and stakes. Response was made for the class by George S. Heiner, Superintendent of Y. M. M. I. A. of Morgan Stake. It was a very pleasant affair in all respects. We trust that the members of the class will go to their wards and stakes and teach the young men of Zion to love the Lord, honor the Priesthood and authority, submit to discipline, work hard, tell the truth, and play square. It was suggested by one of the speakers at the dinner that a good motto for the class would be: "Rejoice, O young man, in thy strength."

M.'I/A: Scouts At the meeting of the General Board, held November 29, 1911, the matter of selecting a name for the boy activities was taken up on report of Chairman Lyman R. Martineau, of the Athletic Committee. After thorough discussion, on motion of Elder A. W. Ivins, the name "M. I. A. Scouts" was unanimously adopted for this movement. It was also moved and carried that the age limit of membership of the M. I. A. Scouts be from twelve to eighteen years, inclusive. By this name all the classes in these activities of the Young Men's Mutual Improvement Associations should hereafter be known.

The bishops of the various wards in the Church are required annually to visit their people. Much good has thus been accomplished, resulting in a gradual increase in the attendance at all the organizations, as well as at sacrament meetings. In some instances the increase has been from twenty-five to forty per cent. The visitors have found, according to report to the Presiding Bishop's Office, that the great majority of the people willingly sustain the authorities of the Church. A sample report from Clearfield, Davis stake, by Bishop James G. Wood, states that the organization of that ward was effected four years ago. He then continues: "There were then twenty-two adults that were not members of the Church, eighteen of whom we have since baptized, and one more has just applied for admittance. We are a young community here, but at the close of the year we will reach the number of 425, with about 125 children under eight years of age. All our organizations show thrift and new energy." This condition is largely due to the efforts put forth by the bishopric, as well as by the teachers, in their missionary labors, in this and the various wards of the Church.

288 IMPROVEMENT ERA New Wards and Changes in Bishops, Ward Clerks, etc., for the month of November, 1911, as reported by the Bishop's Office: Stake Clerk. George T. Eckersley appointed stake clerk of the Wayne stake, to succeed Walter E. Stewart. Presidents of Missions. Franklin J. Fullmer was sustained as president of the Tahitian mission, to succeed William Seegmiller; C. Christian Jensen, as president of the Samoan mission, to succeed D. C. McBride; H. W. Valentine, as president of the Swiss and German mission, to succeed Thomas E. McKay.

New Wards. Sharon ward was organized in the Utah stake, with Daniel Dean McEwan as bishop, and Leo. J. Knight as ward clerk; Clear Creek ward, in the Carbon stake, with David McMillan, bishop, and Alfred Hayes, ward clerk; San Jose ward, in the Juarez stake, with Geo. Albert Martineau, bishop.

Bishops. Howard Reese was sustained as bishop of the Benson ward, Cache stake, to succeed H. W. Ballard; Henry E. Henderson, as bishop of the Garden Creek ward, Pocatello stake, to succeed Orson M. Christensen; George H. Wallace, as bishop of the Twenty-first ward, Ensign stake, to succeed M. S. Woolley.

Ward Clerks. Howard W. Young was appointed ward clerk of the Shelley 2nd ward, Blackfoot stake, to succeed C. Ni Williamsen; George T. Wride, ward clerk, Raymond ward, Taylor stake, to succeed S. F. Kimball, Jr.; Edwin Walker, ward clerk of the Rexburg 2nd ward, Fremont stake, to succeed Otto E. Liljenquist; Horace Whitear, ward clerk, Roy ward, Weber stake, to succeed Martin P. Brown; Oscar L. Rider, ward clerk Basalt ward, Blackfoot stake, to succeed N. P. Thompson; Peter E. Olsen, ward clerk of the Koosharem ward, Sevier stake, to succeed Orson H. Anderson.

President Rudger Clawson, writing from Liverpool, November 22, attention to a very interesting conference held in Bristol, calls on the Sunday previous, at which a gentleman, a reporter on one of the papers, arose and, on his own request, which was granted, made a few remarks to the effect that he was acquainted with our elders and their work. He knew them to be enlightened young men of good character, and felt that they were doing good. He was not afraid or ashamed to say so, and thought that other people who recognized these virtues in them, ought to have sufficient moral courage to say so. He deprecated the falsehoods told about the Latter-day Saints and their representatives in England. Elder Clawson adds: "I speak of this incident because such things are rare in the mission field." Active work has begun for the widening of Edge Lane to make way for the street cars. The present street is forty feet wide, but when the change is effected, will be eighty feet. "This improvement," says President Clawson, 'points with an unerring finger to the great white city, promised for 1912."