--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Smith, Andrew K. collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 15 number: 11 published: 1912-09 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'Andrew K. Smith, "Articles of Determination," *Improvement Era* 15, no. 11 (September 1912): 1046.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera15011unse 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: improvementera15011unse start_page: 1046 end_page: 1046 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1912-09) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera15011unse publication_year: 1912 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 1912, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # Articles of Determination 1046 IMPROVEMENT ERA Answer: Joseph Smith the Prophet was a Mason. Question 18: Was Joseph Smith, Jr., a polygamist? Answer : Joseph Smith introduced and practiced plural marriage. The proofs of this are abundant and complete. These questions are answered, so that it may not be truthfully claimed that we avoid them. Some of them are not subjects of discussion among the Latter-day Saints, but are brought forward usually by persons who desire to cavil and contend, and rarely from a real desire for information. It is to be hoped that our correspondent is not among that number. Yours sincerely, Charles W. Penrose, Of the First Presidency. Articles of Determination Elder Andrew Kimball Smith, son of President Joseph F. Smith, recently attended a conference of the Netherlands-Belgium mission with many elders and with Presidents Rudger Clawson of the European ; Andreas Peterson, of the Swedish ; Martin Christopherson, of the Scandinavian; R. W. Eardley, of the Netherlands-Belgium ; and H. W. Valentine, of the German, mission. Elder Smith writes to his mother: "We had twelve meetings and were kept busy digesting good advice and counsel. Each missionary was expected to take part in the discussion. I returned to Leipzig with many new ideas, and also many resolutions. I believe it was President Lund who once said, Tt is better to make resolutions and break them than not to make any at all.' I am going to tell you what a few of my resolutions are : "I intend to rise at 7 o'clock in the morning, or before, r(gardless of the time I retire. "2. I intend to eat regularly and moderately, and never break the Word of Wisdom. "3. It matters not whether I distribute three or seventy-five tracts, I intend to do two hours of conscientious tracting a day, for five days in the Week. "4. I do not intend to visit my room between 9:30 a.m. and 9 at night, except upon extraordinary occasions. "5. I intend to be punctual at every meal, invitation, and meeting. "6. I intend to study my Bible-class lesson, Sunday school lesson, brothers'-meeting lesson, Priesthood meeting lesson, etc., as faithfully as any other missionary and Saint in the branch. "7. I intend to obey in spirit and letter all instructions and admonitions of those rjlaced in authority over me.