Messages from the Missions

EDITOR'S TABLE 173 friends at Plainfield, in the New Jersey conference, whom we have visited a number of times this summer. Their study of the gospel has made great changes for the better in a number of their homes. We are meeting with large opposition there. A minister, named Bascom, of Logan, Utah, rehashed the article which appears in Everybody's magazine, and added a few more false statements, on Sunday evening, August 25, and he succeeded in stirring the people against us to such extent that they threatened to throw us out of the church when we asked permission to refute his false statements. Recently we were turned away from the camp meeting of the Holy Jumpers. We asked for entertainment for the evening, but were refused and handed a paper containing some of Hans Peter Freece's articles against us. Three of the congregation, however, walked home with us, and asked us questions on the way, and we made friends of them." Elders of the South Carolina Conference: Back row, from left to right: Marion L. Tanner, St. John, Ariz.; Jos. H. Pollock, Tropic, Martin Lang, Buckhorn, Leslie N. Rollins, Salt Lake City, Utah; August L. Harder, St. Anthony, Idaho; Lewis W. Poole, Lorenzo, Idaho; Daniel Perkins, Bluff, Utah; Jesse J. Remington, Parker, Idaho; Chas. I. Boyce, Murray, Utah. Middle row: Nephi L. Smith, Central, Ariz.; Edward J. Gibbons, conference president, Logan, Utah; Chas. A. Callis, mission president; Wm. P. Rowley, Colonia Pacheco, Mexico; Leroy Black, Huntington, Utah; Thos. R. Jones, Malad, Idaho. Front row: Samuel C. Hall, Bennington, Idaho; Henry Salisbury, Marysville, Utah; John Hair, Vernal, Utah; James Wm. Hurren, Hyde Park, Utah.

Priesthood Quorums' Table The Seventy's Conference. — A conference of the Seventies of the Church, held in the Assembly Hall, Salt Lake City, during the general October conference, was attended by close on to five hundred of the brethren. An interesting program was carried out, including addresses on the work of the Seventy and what is expected of them during the coming season. President Seymour B. Young, in his address of welcome, made a report on the work of the past season, and gave some interesting figures as to the number of Seventy engaged in the work of the auxiliary organizations, including the Sunday schools and Mutual Improvement associations. In many of the stakes, more Seventy are engaged in such work than the members of any other organizations of the priesthood. One stake president remarked that his greatest support came from the quorums of Seventy, as they seemed to be always progressive and eager for a knowledge of the gospel. "We expect the Seventy," said President Young," to ever be valiant for the truth, and to become the humble scholars of the Church, ever ready to explain the principles of the gospel intelligently, and with a sincerity that carries conviction." President Brigham H. Roberts, the author of the Fifth Year Book, explained its object, and the general subject of which it treats. He gave a brief, but clear exposition of the meaning of the Holy Ghost and the expression Divine Immanence, and asked that all the Seventy be determined in coming to an understanding of the great fundamental truths of the gospel of Jesus Christ. "Let us ever strive for light, and obtain light through our work and faith," said President Roberts, "then life in all its beauty will become known to us." In all, the meeting was a great success, and if the brethren who were in attendance will make an extensive report to their respective quorums on the suggestions and teachings which they received, the influence of the meeting will be felt far and wide. It is the intention of the First Council of Seventy to hold such a conference semi-annually along with the general conference of the Church. The following was the program which was carried out: Seventies' Meeting, 4:30 p.m. Saturday, October 5, 1912. — Singing, "Ye Who are Called to Labor," congregation; prayer, Elder Alma O. Taylor; quartette; opening address (ten minutes), President Seymour B. Young (Welcome to Seventies and summary of work in the home and foreign ministry. Also calling attention to the need of Presidents exerting themselves to rousing to activity the inactive and indifferent members of the quorums); address (three minutes), "on attention of quorums to missionaries and their families," N. T. Curtis, Forty-sixth quorum, Payson City; address (three minutes), "Permanent missionary fund," E. T. Parry, Forty-eighth quorum, Manti City; address (three minutes), "Honoring the passing of a faithful Seventy," Leo J. Muir, One Hundredth quorum, Bountiful: address (15 minutes), "Suggestions on presentation of lessons," Levi Edgar Young; address (twenty-five minutes), "Review of Fifth Year Book," President B. H. Roberts; singing, quartette; benediction, Elder Duncan McAllister.

PRIESTHOOD QUORUMS' TABLE 175 Ward teaching is the great problem before bishops of wards at the present time. At the late semi-annual conference the Committee on Priesthood Outlines presented a report offering suggestions and recommendations of great importance on this topic which was printed in the November number of the Era. A number of wards have taken up the subject with new zeal, and have succeeded admirably in the matter of visiting the people each month. The reports that follow show that ward teaching may be performed both in city and country wards with 100 per cent of the families visited each month. From the nine months' report ending September 30th, rendered to the Presiding Bishop's Office, three reports have been selected from different parts of the Church which we present below: !• — The report of the visits made by the ward teachers, by districts, in the Thirty-third ward of the Liberty Stake of Zion, a typical city ward, shows: District Average Number of N mber of Teachers Families Visited During Number Families in District in District July | August September 1 7 2 7 7 7 2 6 2 6 6 6 3 6 2 6 6 7 4 5 2 5 5 5 . 5 6 2 5 6 5 6 6 2 6 6 6 7 6 2 5 6 6 8 5 2 5 5 5 9 4 2 4 4 4 10 5 2 5 5 5 11 5 2 4 5 5 12 5 2 5 5 5 13 5 2 5 5 5 14 4 2 4 4 4 15 4 2 4 4 4 16 5 2 5 5 5 17 5 2 5 5 5 18 6 2 6 6 6 19 5 2 5 5 5 20 5 2 5 5 c 21 4 2 . 5 4 5 22 5 2 3 5 6 23 5 2 6 5 5 24 5 2 5 5 5 25 5 2 5 5 5 26 6 2 6 6 6 27 5 2 5 5 5 28 5 2 5 5 6 29 4 2 4 4 5 30 5 2 5 5 5 31 5 2 4 5 5 32 6 2 6 6 6 33 4 2 4 4 4 34 4 2 3 4 3 35 5 2 5 5 5 36 4 2 4 4 4 36 182 72 177 182 | 186