--- 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: 17 number: 5 published: 1914-03 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: "Young Men's Mutual Improvement Associations, \"Priesthood Quorums' Table,\" *Improvement Era* 17, no. 5 (March 1914): 485–487." source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera1705unse 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: improvementera1705unse start_page: 485 end_page: 487 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1914-03) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera1705unse publication_year: 1914 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 1914, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # Priesthood Quorums' Table Priesthood Quorums' Table Looking Ahead for a Mission Many men who are capable, morally and physically, and who are really desirous of doing missionary work, find that their financial condition is such as to prevent them performing missions without great sacrifice. It is in connection with this latter class that I would like to make a suggestion, also to fathers and mothers who may later in life be called upon for the services of their sons in the mission field. I am safe in saying that it costs on an average, everything taken into consideration, at least $500 a year to maintain an elder in a mission field, or about $1,000 to fill a two years' mission. This amount distributed monthly over a two-year period is often a burden which, though cheerfully borne, frequently works a hardship. If the cost were distributed over a number of years, it would become less burdensome. If in the beginning of their married life the heads of families would make it a practice to save a small amount, say 50 cents a week, from the birth of a child until he reached the age 'of twelve years, and the amount were carefully invested, a sum sufficient for the missionary fund would be gotten together, when the young man should come of age. Or, if a boy or a young man who has started to work for himself, would save a larger amount, say $4 or $5 a month, at the proper age he would have a sum sufficient to meet the expenses of a mission; especially if this sum were carefully invested in a good interest-earning proposition. As to the investments for such savings, there is no better place than a safe Building and Loan Association, where security is greater, and the interest-earning power of the small monthly savings larger in proportion, than in most any other concern. Let me give a concrete example, $4 deposited monthly in a Building and Loan Association will earn 8% interest, compounded, semi-annually, and in twelve years it would amount to $1,000 principal and interest. As a matter of fact, the Association virtually would do as much toward the missionary fund, as the family themselves, since the amount actually paid would double itself, in that length of time. Four dollars a month means just $1 a week, or about fourteen cents a day. That is really a small amount. Many children frequently spend a sum twice that large, monthly, in moving picture shows and in other undesirable ways. Ts not this matter one of importance? Would it not be a wise thing for the average family to try this method, and so accumulate a fund to be used for no other purpose than the one named, except in an emergency?— Bent. F. Tanner. 486 IMPROVEMENT ERA The Ninetieth Quorum of Seventies, Maricopa stake of Zion, held a Seventies' convention in the stake tabernacle, November 30, 1913. There were three meetings, morning, afternoon, and evening at which appropriate programs were carried out. Among the addresses were: "Objects of the Convention," President J. S. Allen; "The Calling and Duties of a Seventy," J. Elmer Johnson; "Value of a Good Example," J. Alvin Stewart; "Our Work Among the Boys," Louis Ellsworth; "Reaching the Wayward Boy," Pratt Grower; "How to Hold the Wayward Boy," Floyd Grimmer; "How Best to Prevent Boys from Becoming Wayward," W. S. Lewis; "Business Relations and Misunderstandings Among Seventies," Alma Davis; "Thanksgiving," James Miller, Jr.; "Value of Fraternalism," Don C. Babbitt. There were songs and discussions interspersed. The convention was a success in every particular, its object being to create enthusiasm and a feeling of brotherly love among the Seventies; also to discuss and adopt methods and plans of obtaining the best results in the work ass'gned to them for the winter by the stake presidency, that of laboring among the wayward boys. A portrait of the organization is presented herewith. — Joseph L. Standage. "Gospel Themes" — Here is a continuation of questions and suggestions that will serve as helps to class instructors and students, prepared by Elder David O. McKay. See Era for January and February, for questions on the first eight iessons. part hi — the way of salvation (continued) Lesson 9, Chapter III — Faith (continued). 1. What is the meaning of "rational belief"? PRIESTHOOD QUORUMS' TABLE 487 2. Name three essentials for a perfect faith. 3. Give instances of manifestations of the principle of Faith. 4. Show that faith is a positive force. 5. What is its negative? _ 6. Give one of Carlyle's illustrations of the power of this principle. 7. What constitutes the main strength of a nation as well as of an individual.'' 8. Define "formalism." 9. Explain the reference "Incense to Diana." 10. What was the "Pantheon"? 11. Memorize and repeat the Articles of Faith. Lesson 10. Chapter IV — Repentance. 1. Explain how Repentance becomes the first fruit of Faith. 2. What must be the condition of one's spirit before Repentance is possible? 3. Explain the difference between Chagrin and Repentance. Between Mortification and Repentance. 4. How does Repentance become a gift from God? 5. Show that remorse is an element of Repentance. 6. Define Repentance. 7. What is the inevitable consequence of rejecting salvation? 8. What is the difference between a blunder and a sin? 9. Bv what is the degree of condemnation of the sin measured? 10. Who are they who inherit Celestial glory? The Terrestial glory? The Telestial glory? Lesson 11, Chapter V — Water and Spirit Birth. 1. Explain the difference between a principle and an ordinance. 2. Why is baptism called an initial ceremony? 3. Explain the two-fold significance of baptism. 4. Memorize and explain John 3:3-5. 5. Memorize Matt. 3:13-15. 6. Quote other passages bearing upon baptism. 7. Give reasons for believing that Jesus' baptism was not a vicarious one in the sense of making individual baptism unnecessary. 8. Quote at least three scriptural passages that prove infant baptism unnecessary. 9. Apply the Lord's instruction to Adam as a parent (Moses 6:55-60), to parents of today. 10. How did the fallacy of infant baptism creep into the early vhurch? 11. Show the reasonableness of baptism for the dead. 12. Give reasons for believing that vicarious work is acceptable to God. Lesson 12, Chapter VI — Purpose and Effect of Baptism. 1. By what power are sins forgiven through baptism? 2. Prove that water and Spirit are indispensable in proper baptism. 3. Define "Regeneration." 4. Exnlain the relation of the "Spirit, the Watj", and the Blood" in the soul's regeneration. 5. Give the significance of the terms used by the eiHy fathers in rehiiiYn to bap':'>-*r!. 6. Give a five-minnte talk on "Baptism Essential to Salvation." 7. Memorize at least two passages bearing upon this phase of baptism.