Editors’ Table: Our Battle, To Conquer Evil

Editors' Table

Our Battle— To Conquer Evil"

BY PRESIDENT TOSEPH F. SMITH

I feel very grateful for the excellent peace and spirit which have pervaded all our meetings. It is true, we are all engaged in a warfare, and all of us should be valiant warriors in the cause in which we are engaged. Our first enemy we will find within ourselves. It is a good thing to overcome that enemy first, and bring ourselves into subjection to the will of the Father, and into strict obedience to the principles of life and salvation which he has given to the world for the salvation of men. When we shall have conquered ourselves, it will be well for us to wage our war without, against false teachings, false doctrines, false customs, habits and ways, against error, unbelief, the follies of the world that are so prevalent, and against infidelity, and false science under the name of science, and every other thing that strikes at the foundation of the principles set forth in the doctrine of Christ for the redemption of men and the salvation of their souls. We should war against coveteousness, against pride and vanity, haughtiness of spirit, against self-sufficiency, and imagined or supposed almighty power that some people think they possess. God is the greatest man of war of all, and his Son is next unto him, and their warfare is for the salvation of the souls of men. It would not be necessary for men to* use violence or force, nor to permit their children to use violence or force in order to conquer, if they woud but humble themselves, and obey the truth. For after all, nothing will conquer, nothing will win but the truth and;

so far as the wars that are going on in the world are concerned, we not only want to see peace established among the children of men, but also justice, but above all things, truth, that justice, peace, and righteousness may be built upon this foundation and not depend upon the coveteousness, pride, and vanity, evil desire and lust for power in men. That is what we want and I pray that the spirit of truth may ;

be poured out upon all men, as well as the spirit of peace. In fact, we will never have peace until we have truth. We will never be able to establish peace on earth and good-will until we have

Closing speech at the semi-annual conference of the Church, October 6, 1914.

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drunk at the fountains of righteousness and eternal truth as God has revealed it to man. This is my testimony to you, and I desire to emphasize these simple thoughts, and say to all my brethren and sisters: let us conquer ourselves, and then go to and conquer all the evil that we see around us, as far as we possibly can. And we will do it without using violence we will do it without interfering with the agency of ;

men, or of women. We will do it by persuasion, by long-suffering, by patience, and by forgiveness and love unfeigned, by which we will win the hearts, the affections and the souls of the children of men to the truth, as God has revealed it to us. We will never have peace, nor justice, nor truth, until we look to the only true Fountain for it, and receive from the Fountain-Head. God bless you, my brethren and sisters I thank you for your ;

attendance, for it has been a strength to us, and it has given us consolation and comfort to see you here and to know that you are here because you love the truth, just as we love it; and many of you love it even more than some of us know how to love it. For I know r' people in the world who are true Latter-day Saints from the vciy core they do not have many things to contend against in ;

themselves, either. It is easy for them to be Latter-day Saints, and truly the children of God, because they love the truth and they live pure lives, many of them. I am satisfied of it. Many there be. however, who have a good deal to fight against within themselves, and some of us are not any better than we ought to be. Such will doubtless gain a great reward if they conquer. Now, in conclusion, let us go home, those of us who are relieved to go home, carrying with us the spirit of the gospel, rejoicing that we have the liberty that we enjoy, the liberty to worship God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and according to the promptings of the testimony and of the Spirit of God within us and let us abide in the truth. My blessing I give ;

to you. May peace dwell in your hearts. May it abide and abound in your homes. May you be blessed in your outgoings and incomings, when you lie down and rise up, in your basket and in your store, in your business and in all your lawful and worthy transactions of life, and in your ministrations for the salvation of mankind the Lord bless you in it. ;

One word more. I wish to say to my sisters, and especially to those who are called to be teachers among their sex : Please set the example before your sisters that God would have them follow. When we teach people to observe the laws of God, and to honor the gifts that are bestowed upon them in the covenants of the gospel of Jesus Christ, we don't want you teachers to go out and set an example before your sisters that will destroy their faith in our teachings. I hope you will take that to heart, forit

has a meaning to it. I am talking to the teachers among the sis-

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162 IMPROVEMENT ERA ters. We hear it reported, from time to time, that some of the teachers that are sent out among our sisters not only do not set the example that they ought to set, but they set the example that they should not set before our sisters. They teach them by example to break the word of wisdom, rather than to keep it. They teach them to mutilate their garments, rather than to keep them holy and undefiled, by setting the example before them and we ;

can tell you the names if you want to know. I am not scolding I don't want it to be understood that I am finding fault, I am only telling a solemn truth, and I am sorry that I have it to say, but I want it to be distinctly understood. We see some of our good sisters coming here to the Temple, occasionally decorated in the latest and most ridiculous fashions that ever disgraced the human form divine. They do not seem to realize that they are coming to the House of God, and we have to forbid them entrance, or find fault with them, and they go away grieved and say sometimes, "We don't want to go there any more." Why? Because they come unprepared, like the man who was found at the feast without the wedding garment, who also had to be turned out. (Matt. 22:1-14.) We have to turn them out occasionally, because they will not hearken to the counsel that has been given to them. May the Lord have mercy upon us, and bless and help us to do our duty in all things, I humbly pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Christ, the King

BY PRESIDENT CHARLES W. PENROSE

Christ is King! He is the spiritual Lord of all who believe in him as the Son of God and the Savior of man. Once the despised and rejected, even of his own race, he is at this Christmastide the most highly honored by more millions of all nations, tribes and tongues than any monarch of the ages. Each succeeding anniversary of his bodily birth brings him nearer to the earthly throne, on which he will reign as King of kings and Lord of lords. Hail to the coming of the mighty One who is "God manifest in the flesh," who conquered death and lives forever more ! Christ is not only "the Lamb that was slain" but the "Lion of the tribe of Judah." He was meek and mild to the good, and forgiving to the ignorant and erring; but he was also stern and forceful against the hypocrite and wilfully wicked. He stands for justice as well as mercy, and is the embodiment of all the virtues and all the powers of divinity. He was and is the authorized representative of the Eternal Father, "full of grace and truth," and "no man cometh to the Father but- bv him." He is a nerve-center of life

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and light in God's universe. He was the first-born in the family of spirit sons and daughters destined to progressive experience and trial for the honor and glories of complete immortality, and he is their Leader and Redeemer. Through untold cycles of companionship with the Father he witnessed the works of Deity, and "all things that the Father doeth" were shown unto him. Thus he was qualified to figure personally in the creation, and to act for and manifest himself as "the very Eternal Father of heaven — and earth." The story of his earth-life and ministry his sacrificial death and glorious resurrection — has been all too briefly told by New Testament writers, but sufficient has come down to modern readers to lift him in their minds above all the sons of men as the one sinless and perfect Exemplar. Therefore we adore him and sing his praise. We commemorate the day celebrated in Christendom as the date of his nativity, and we echo the song of the angels when he came into this lower world, "Glory to God in the highest," for sending his beloved Son to rescue humanity from the grasp of him that hath the power of death, and to be the Resurrection and the Life ! In these quiet vales, surrounded and protected by the mighty mountains, let us enjoy the sweet spirit of Immanuel, even though nations afar off revel and riot in war while professing to worship him as the Prince of Peace ! He will yet turn and over-turn, wielding the rod of his power until he makes a full end of the rule of this world, and then brings in a Christ's day of gladness, a millennium of rest, the universal reign of earth's rightful and everlasting King. To the readers of the Improvement Era, all the enjoyments and benisons of the season

Drunkenness in Russia

The Russian government, in order to augment its income from taxation, some years ago, took over the control and sale of intoxicating liquors, and became the greatest saloon-keeper on earth. About ten years ago the revenue for the empire from the sale of vodka and other liquors reached two hundred and fifty millions a year. That was merely the revenue, the amount of liquor sold was, of course, enormously greater. Before the war, the revenue to the government from such sales reached the enormous amount of five hundred millions. Such a revenue plainly indicated that drink and drunkenness had increased enormously in that country. The Emperor, being moved by the alarming reports that came to him about the sale of liquor, made some personal investigations. He traveled in different parts of the empire, incognito and verified the sickening reports that came to him about the drunkenness of his people.

164 IMPROVEMENT ERA Dr. J. M. Tanner recently gave the Era a statement of the Russian liquor situation. He says "Drink is the fashion every- :

where in Russia. They drink whisky in tea. They drink it with meals. It is a national beverage of such universal use as to be common in every condition of social life in Russia. The increase of drunkenness is not merely reflected in the increasing poverty of the people, but is lessening the national efficiency. School children even are degraded by it. Homes are filled with discontent and quarrels. Society is debased and the evil passions of the masses are so easily excited that they become the prey of agitators and men whose motives are misleading and base. "If the Russians heretofore have been unable to cope with the shrewd, industrious, and economizing Jew, they are doubly so now. The people in that unfortunate empire are exploited almost everywhere, and made the victims of base deceptions practiced upon them by all kinds of speculators. Drunken brawls in the villages have become more frequent. The peace of society is undermined, and the morals of the masses seriously threatened. The craze for drink in Russia has been the subject of repeated warnings from outside sources. This, and the cheapness with which liquor may be obtained, and the indirect encouragement by the government to its use, gives drunkenness a certain license that is degrading to the men and women and children of the empire. The Czar has become greatly alarmed at what he witnessed, and doubtless fully determined to abate the evil as far as possible, even if it could not be wiped out. Of course, Russia must have a large income, and every device is resorted to in order to take the money from the great masses of the people, but it is discovered that Russia is losing in wealth in precisely the same degree that it destroys the efficiency of its people, and their ability to accumulate wealth. Russia perhaps affords the most dreadful spectacle with respect to drink of any nation in the world." But all this was changed at the outbreak of the war. The Czar then ordered the prohibition of the sale of vodka. The order was, at the time, thought to be temporary, but so much improvement resulted among the people that on September 30, the Russian minister of finance received orders that the prohibition would be continued indefinitely after the war. Press reports from Southern Russia say that there is such a change in that region that the country is hardly recognizable. Peasants who before the war had fallen into hopeless indolence and depravity already have emerged into self-respecting citizens. These people now save 55 per cent of their earnings which formerly was spent for drink, and they have increased their earning capacity through sobriety. This startling regeneration of the peasantry, in the opinion of the Russian authorities, is likely to have an important effect on the social and economic conditions of all Russia.

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A change in the large cities also is noticeable. Liquor still is sold in first-class cafes, but these are practically empty.

Motherhood

The human interest in this letter from a young Utah mother will appeal to many. With her husband she moved to Colorado. A little boy came to them, stayed a while, and left. She writes home, under date of October 1 — Beloved Mother and All: It is just a year ago since I was at home. What changes and experiences have been crowded into that short space of time! Truly, life is made up of sunshine and cloud, and it is sometimes hard to tell which predominates. But for one, I can say, "Father, thy will be done." My boy has been so near me yesterday and today that it seemed if I would but call, his angelic face would light with his mystical smile and his rose-tipped fingers would fondle my face. It seems years ago since I wrote in my journal my dreams of the complete life. Even then I realized that my life would always lack something, until I felt the keen joys and pangs of wife- and motherhood. The '

Lord has been good. Those experiences have been mine. "Praise God from whom all blessings flow." For there came to my home, one evening in spring, an angel spirit. He came, nestled into my heart, and then quietly answered his Father's call. Oh, the sublime joy that was crowded into those few brief months! What precious sips of heavenly bliss, what glimpses of the divine life! Only those who have been through the refiner's fire can appreciate such exquisite joy. Only those who can taste to the full the joys of life can drain to the dregs its agonies. My boy has gone to a more exalted sphere where his wonderfully intelligent spirit may have a greater scope for usefulness and development. His influence has not left me, for each evening in the west I see it in the brightest star so like him. Like Bishop Newman, I look to the stars, and say:

"Lead, kindly light, amid the encircling gloom, Lead Thou me on! The night is dark, and I am far from home, Lead Thou me on!" My boy does lead me. He is the connecting link between memake and the eternal.Through my love for him, I constantly strive to my life such that when I hear the angel voices, I, too, can smile and say "Father, I am ready. Lead Thou me on."

Messages from the Missions Conference, North- Elder Ray Finlinson, president of the Montana :ern States Mission: weste "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-d ay without hands-and set up Saints-the stone cut from the mountain will continue to grow until it fills the in 1830. is moving along and

166 IMPROVEMENT ERA whole eartli.Having been organized of the Lord, its doctrines have illuminated minds of all believers, the influence and manifesta- the tions of God's power has spread rapidly throughout the universe, being circulated through the humble efforts of the 'Mormon' missionaries. Notwithstanding the opposition and prejudice existing among many people, we have been marvelously prospered in the cities of Montana, so that the progress made this season exceeds that of any previous year. Elders in East and West Montana Conference, Butte,

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March 22, 1914: left to right, top row: Ira L. Kenningt'on, Afton, Wyoming; John Q. Dutson, Oak City; Henry Williams, Vernal; Leon Matthews, Providence, Utah; middle row: Edgar Hill, Granger; Z. W. Mitchell, Escalante; Peter E. Anderson, Hinckley, Utah; A. A. Barney, Thatcher; J. M. Savage, Woodruff, Arizona; G. J. Henderson, Cannonville, Utah; sitting: C. H. Peterson, president of the Butte Branch, Butte, Montana; O. E. Peterson, president of the West Montana Con- ference. Hyrum; President Melvin J. Ballard, Northwestern Stated Mission; Ray Finlinson, president of the East Montana Conference, Oak City. Utah; W. H. Roundy, president of the Idaho Conference, Escalante, L^tah. Elder L. Albin Erickson, conference secretary of the Skone Conference, Sweden, writes from Malmo, August 31: "The prejudice against us here is rapidly dying away as the people learn that what has been falsely circulated about us has no foundation. Many are investigating the doctrines of the Latter-day Saints, and we are receiving invitations from a number of places to hold meetings. During the summer our labors have been confined to the country districts, where we have made good success in selling books and bearing our testimony to the restoration of the gospel through the Prophet Joseph Smith. We have five branches in this conference with two elders in each branch. Three of these conferences have halls and hold regular meetings and Sunday Schools. The Malmo branch, the largest of the conference, has a Mutual Improvement Association which is meeting with good success. Many new visitors and investigators have met with us and say that our meetings are the best they have ever attended. Though our progress is slow in the matter of new converts, yet we

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believe in due time the efforts we put forth will bear fruit, as the elders are laboring diligently in the spirit of the gospel. Front row, left to

right: Peter Magnusson; Mission President Theodore Tobiason; President Hyrum M. Smith, and son, of the European Mission; Olu!' Monson, retiring conference president; second row: L. A. Oakeson, Carl W. Jonsson, Charles A. Fjelstrom, L. Albin Erickson, conference secretary; Jens R. Nelson, released; third row: Henry Moray, released; John A. Carlson, conference president; Francis Lundell, H. Erick Petterson, Clans Persson, Leroy Olson.

Nephi Nordgran, Gothenborg, Sweden. September 18: "My testimony has been greatly strengthened. I have observed how persecution

against the truth has been the means of spreading the truth the more. I have learned that 'God moves in a mysterious way, his wonders to perform,' and that the north blasts only help to lift to greater heights the eagle in his flight. Elder F. O. Dahl of Farmington was brought before the church council at Jonkoping, some months ago, and sentenced to jail on the charge of preaching false doctrine, although ho proved that he preached only the gospel which Christ taught. Through this means Elder Dahl had the chance to oreach the gospel within tinprison walls for twenty-three days. Elder Erick VV. Johanson and Gideon Omer were both called before the church council and likewise convicted. They appealed their case, and it so remains unto this day, but the incident had the effect of giving us a chance to bear our tes timonies to the truth. Brother Emil Neilson, of Afton, Wyo., and Walter Turnquist, of Ogden, who labored later in Gothenborg, were arrested at three different times and brought before the council, at one time being held in jail for six hours. Brother Erick W. Larson and Walter Turnquist were convicted by the church council and fined seventy-five crowns, one of them having to serve in jail for eleven days. A motion had recently been made before the Swedish parliament to expel all foreign missionaries of the Latter-day Saints. President Theodore Tobiason was called before that body last July to answer

158 IMPROVEMENT ERA some of the charges brought against us. He explained the truth so clearly to them that most of the members could plainly see that the charges made against us were false. One of the speakers, Hon. Mr. Tengdahl, in a masterly speech, defended the Latter-day Saints, producing statistics and facts showing that he had given a great deal of thought to the subject. The outgrowth of the whole matter of this discussion, on the 12th of August, was that as far as Sweden is concerned, the Latter-day Saints have won religious freedom by a vote cast in our favor of 73 to .49. The results of the present European conflict has been to help bring the thoughts of the people toward religion, and they now stop to listen to our humble testimonies, all of which shows that everything is working to give opportunity to bring the glorious gospel truths, as well into the jails as into the high places of the king's courts, and among the middle classes through the press. We feel greatly encouraged; twenty-four people have entered the waters of baptism from April to September, and the prospects are bright for more. The greatest desire of our hearts is that the war shall not disturb us, but that we may remain to continue our work until honorably released. My testimony is that God's glorious plan of salvation is rapidly spreading over the earth in many mysterious ways.'' [Since the above was written many of the elders in Sweden and other parts of Scandinavia have been released or appointed to other fields of labor. Only a few remain to take charge of the missions and conferences. A large number of elders left Copenhagen, October 14.-TEditors.1

"Elders of the Gothenborg conference, Swedish mission, July, 1914, back row: A son of Hyrum M. Smith, Erick W. Johanson, A. Gideon Omer, A. Edwin Blomquist, Emil A. Neilson, Walter Turnquist; front row: Otto A. Harrison, President Theodore Tobiason of the Swedish mission; President Hyrum M. Smith of the European mission; President Nephi Nordgran, of Gothenborg conference; Erick W. Larson."

President H. W. Valentine, of the Swiss-German mission, recently devised a plan for bringing into closer association the home and the mis

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v^kly repor given him. The report for each clay shows tracts, books, gospel "conversations, visits, and a report on how the evenings of the missionary are spent, as well as the number of meetings attended, and other information pertaining to the elders' activity. The letter is intended for the family at home and calls attention both to the instructions to the elders, and their weekly reports. It requests that the parents check up and co-operate with the elder in seeing that the instructions are carried out. After the elder has passed to his field of labor and entered upon his work, copies of the letter, the instructions and the weekly report, are sent to the parents or family at home. In this way those who are at home may follow the daily and weekly activities of their representatives in the mission field with comparative intelligence. The scheme should be a great advantage, both to the home and to the missionary. The Instructions to Elders follow: 1. Learn these instructions and apply them. 2. Send in your address promptly. 3. Get out of bed at 7 o'clock in the morning. 4. Begin work the first day and keep it up. 5. Tracting: Standard, two hours per day, daily, minimum. 6. Attend all meetings where you belong. 7. Stick to the law, the testimony, and your own field. When transferred, go direct and at once.. 9. Be orderly, energetic, and systematic. 10. Counsel with your companions. Argue with no man. 11. Observe strictly to keep "The Word of Wisdom." 12. Discourage dancing. Refrain from it yourself. 13. — Act as the escort of no woman anywhere. 14. Keep the Saints here. Keep still about America. 15. Baptize no married lady, nor children, without the consent of husband and parents respectively. 16. Be dignified men. Familiarity breeds contempt. 17. Expend your own money; save your parents'; spare the mission's: borrow not the Saints'. 18. Write your folks Saturday. Enclose your week's report. 19. Study daily: Gospel, Language, Music. 20. Our natural sightseeing is so rich: don't ask for specials. 21. Keep a record of important things: neatly, accurately. 22. Love this people. Respect their laws. Criticise not their customs. 23. Fight your weaknesses: they are your enemies. 24. Keep your expenses within twenty dollars ner month. P S. Set up your own ideal and keep it before you.

Elder Cyral A. Watson, Vavau, Friendly Islands, July 24. This note came to the Era office on the 14th of October: "We are laboring faithfully for the upbuilding of this people. The elders teach school from four to five days a week and hold their various meetings, spending the remainder of the week in proselyting. Our schools are the best in the islands at present, and the people are beginning to learn that we have not come here to take away their money, as some of th other churches are doing, but to build up and improve their ways. Our schools are open to all who wish to enter, regardless of religious belief. By teaching the children we are able to gain many friends among the older people, and so obtain an opportunity to preach the gospel. On the 3rd to 6th of July, we held a successful conference in Vavau, and

many of the native brethren, as well as the elders, delivered sermons lhat we hope will do much good. Hopes for the future are verbright." Elders Vavau conference, Samoan mission, back row: Newell J. Cutler, Snowville; James F. Oviatt, conference secretary, Cleveland; Claude D. Billings, Delta; Arzie H. Jaynes, Sandy, Utah; front row, sitting:Conference President Cyral A. Watson, La Grande, Oregon; Mission President John A. Nelson, Jr., Cardston, Canada; Conference President Evan W. Huntsman, Tonga Tabu conference, Idaho Falls, R. F. D. No. 4, Idaho.

Elder Lorenzo R. Parker, Doncaster, Eng- land: "My companion and I have had the priv- ilege of visiting many homes where we have been received by honest friends. Many standard Church works and many thousands of tracts have been distributed by us and we believe have borne fruit on every hand. Many are beginning to realize that 'Mormonism' is a divine truth with the power to make every person better who observes its doctrines. Since the war broke out in this country, our success is greater than ever before. The people are thinking more seriously of the purpose of life and consequently our success in spreading the gospel is greater. Elders left to right: Orson C. Parker, and Lorenzo R. Parker."

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I lector C. llaight. secretary Australian mission, Sydney, Sept. 24: President and Sister Rushton arrived safely, after a somewhat eventful voyage from San Francisco. News of the outbreak of the European war was received by the ship's officials when a few days out from the port "I sail. Fear of the reported German cruisers in the Pacific caused (he precautionary measures of putting out the lights of the boat during a portion of the voyage. At Wellington, New Zealand, their ship, the 'Tahiti,' was taken over by the imperial government for use as a transoort, while the passengers and mail were transferred to another boat before proceeding to Australia. "A combined welcome and farewell social was given by the Saints and friends on the occasion of the arrival of President and Sister Rushton and the departure of President Taylor. The former received assurances of goodwill and support; the latter, words of appreciation for his missionary labors, and best wishes for a continuation of the work upon reaching his home. The missionary work is progressing despite the present crisis in which the motherland and colonies artprincipals. The many calls of benevolent and relief organizations for funds are taking a great deal of the surplus money of the working class, hence the sale of literature has somewhat slackened. Although this condition exists among the masses, the call made by the common wealth for volunteers to go to the front has, to a certain extent, made the majority of the people look more seriously into the purposes of our existence upon the earth. The way is thus opened for us to explain the oresent condition of the world in the light of ancient prophecy, and put before them the plan of salvation.

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i p , ; "Missionaries, front row, left to right: Estus N, Hammond, conference president, Logan, Utah; Mrs. Rushton and Don C. Rushton, conference president, Salt Lake City; W. W. Taylor, retiring mission president Provo, Utah; back row, left to right: G. C. Orme, Tooele; J. A. Bingham, Smithfield; W. I. Ward, North Ogden; H. C. Haight, Jr., mission secretary, Oakley, Idaho; C. L Earl, Fielding, Utah."