Mutual Work: The M. I. A. Fund

Mutual Work The M. I. A. Fund BY THOMAS HULL, OF THE GENERAL BOARD Y. M. M. I. A. In the year 1891, a number of missionaries were called and set apart to go into all the stakes of Zion, in the interest of the Young Men's Mutual Improvement Associations. Just before they started upon their labors, a meeting was held in the office of the First Presidency, in Salt Lake City, at which Elder Moses Thatcher, who was then one of the General Superintendency, presided. At that meeting several topics were discussed and one of the missionaries present suggested that some funds were necessary for the work of the organization, and proposed that a fund be collected from each member annually. This proposition met with instant favor, and the M. I. A. Fund was inaugurated. It was made fifty cents per annum. In 1897, when a new impetus was given to the Y. M. M. I. A., an effort was made, with considerable success, to awaken an interest in the fund. The collections in 1897-8 were $900, and the balance in the treasury on March 31, 1898, was $800, and this was a considerable advance over previous years. About this time the plan was adopted of allowing the stakes to retain a certain percentage for stake expenses, and the receipts rapidly increased. A little later, at the suggestion of Elder Heber J. Grant, the fund was reduced from 50 cents per annum to 25 cents, the whole amount to be forwarded to the General Board, with the result that the collections increased until, in 1902-3, they reached the sum of a little over $2,600. The collection has reached very nearly that amount on several occasions since that time, but for some time past the amount has been falling off. The collection for the M. I. A. year 1911-12 was $1,943.44, while the disbursements on account of the purposes for which the fund is collected were:— General Expense, $2,060.98; Missionary Expense, $950.70; total, $3,011.68 or $1,068.24 more than the total amount collected during the year. During the earlier years when the effort was put forth vigorously to push the collection of the fund, the expenses were much lower than they now are. The traveling expenses of the Board members were very much lower, for the reason that in those years half fares were given to all the Board members to all railroad points, while today full fares must be paid to all points outside of Utah, and only

1132 IMPROVEMENT ERA very few of the members of the General Board, who hold free transportation, can use it for any part of an interstate trip. During those years of lighter expense, a balance was accumulated, so that, notwithstanding the fact that last season the collections fell nearly $1,100 below the expenditures, we were still able to meet the necessary expenses. It is easy to see, however, that this condition cannot long continue, for our balance is not large enough to permit, except for a very limited time, such a serious draft upon it. It has always been our ambition and, so far, our pride, to have at least sufficient for one year's expenses on hand at the beginning of the year. Since the year 1897, the year of the inauguration of what may be termed our financial era — the year in which the Improvement Era was launched and the fund was given impetus, the Y. M. M. I. A. has never been in debt, has never paid one cent of interest, has never been a borrower but, on the contrary, has always been a lender and has drawn interest. Our organization has never defaulted in a single instance, but has met every obligation promptly and in full; in fact it has been a complete financial success. We cannot afford now, to permit it to even falter in this splendid work; this splendid example to our young people. Yet, unless we wake up in the matter of the fund, we shall, ere long, be in danger of failure in the financial department of our work. Now, a word as to the uses to which the Fund is put. In the days when we had no means, we necessarily could incur but very little expense, and that little, or most of it, had to be met by the Church. Now, however, and for the past fifteen years, the M. I. A. has been a very live organization in the Church, and such an organization necessarily costs considerable to keep it up. The uses to which the Fund is put are the payment of salaries of General secretary, stenographer, fieldman, office assistants, office rent and general expense, stationery, printing, furniture, etc. The amount referred to as expended for missionary expense in the figures given above ($950.70) is the expense incurred by members of the General Board, in traveling to and from the conferences and conventions of the M. I. A., and in filling appointments made in response to requests for speakers in outlying wards and stakes. I have named every avenue of expenditure of this fund. No part of it is used for any other purpose than for the legitimate and proper expenses of the office and Board. The annual entertainments given to the representatives of the stakes and wards at the General M. I. A. conference, in June, are not paid for, in any part, from this fund. Furthermore, only a portion of the expenses named — salaries, office rent, furniture, etc. — are paid out of the fund, these expenses all being apportioned between the Era. General fund, and Manual accounts. The present permanent enrollment of the Association is 33,969, and the active enrollment is 23,554. If the fund were collected from the total active enrollment, therefore, the income would be $5,888.50. Think of the energy that would be put into the work if this amount

MUTUAL WORK 1133 were received each year. Libraries could be established, gymnasiums equipped, the scout work inaugurated, and the vocation and industries work given impetus in the stakes, and Board members could make more frequent visits to stakes and wards. All Mutual Improvement activities would receive renewed life, and the associations become, in every ward, the powerful agency for the uplift of the young men of Israel, which it is their mission to be. Now as to the value of the fund, to the members who pay it, as an educational factor: It is part of our financial system, the success of which has already been referred to and which is certainly an inspiration to all our young men. It affords a lesson in the responsibility of membership — the duty of each to bear his share of the burdens of the organization established for his good and in the benefits of which, as a member, he participates. It furnishes a good primary training in the value and blessing of giving. "It is more blessed to give than to receive." According to the Apostle Paul, these are the words of the Lord Jesus. In his second epistle to the Corinthians, Paul, in speaking upon the subject of giving, says: "But this I say, he which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully, shall reap also bountifully. Every man according as he purpos'eth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity; for God loveth a cheerful giver." Then follows a promise: "And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work." (II Cor. 9:6-8.) In Proverbs 11:24-25, the following remarkable passage occurs: "There is that scattereth and yet increaseth, and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty. The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered himself." In the same chapter, in verse four, we read: "Riches profit not in the day of wrath; but righteousness delivereth from death." The young man who pays his M. I. A. fund is getting a training in manliness — he bears his share of the burdens of his organization. He will bear, manfully, his share of the burdens of society — the burdens of citizenship. He will never be found shirking his financial •or other responsibilities, and permitting some one else to carry all the burdens, while he pulls down a full share of the benefits. So, too, the boy who is so taught and trained that he gladly complies with this little requirement, will be found faithfully and cheerfully paying his tithes and his offerings — will become one of the financial supports of the Church. It is humiliating to hear it said that this fund is burdensome to the young men. Think of it— one half cent per week —2 cents per month— 25 cents per year, burdensome! To permit