Priesthood Quorums’ Table

^PRIESTHOOD QUO^S -RUMS' TABLE © The Home Bureau Department By Bishop O. P. Miller The Home Bureau is a new department lately established in the Pre- siding Bishop's Office. Its purpose is to stimulate and encourage the "Get back to the Farm" idea, a love for mother earth and husbandry, a means for an independent vocation, the ownership of land, and the pro- viding of inherietances for the rising generations, to benefit the widow and her growing children, and to check as much as possible the increasing tendency of aged and dependent people who leave their humble homes in outlying districts to come to our larger cities, thus becoming dependent on others. These are all matters of great anxiety to the presiding authorities. Never before was there such a demand on the Presiding Bishop's Office by the bishops of city wards for charity funds, as in 1916, and never before was there such evidence of prosperity and independence on the part of those who have stayed with the farms as was experienced during the same year, Widows. An appeal has been sent out to the bishops of outlying dis- tricts to use their efforts in providing suitable homes for our dependent widows and also to use their influence to have members with children refrain from leaving their country homes and moving to our larger cities. It is very apparent that the widows with families who remain on the farm or in farming communities are far better off than those who come to the city. First of all, they are usually healthier and stronger, and conse- quently have fewer doctor and hospital bills to be paid. Living expenses are much cheaper. The educational, social and moral environments are generaly very good. The boys can also acquire savings in land and cattle, and when marrying, usually leave their mother with a little home of her own, while they themselves are surrounded with opportunities to procure land by homesteading, or on easy terms. The girls are generally employed at home, are stronger, more saving, and their requirements are not so great, while their opportunities are better. Aged and Dependent Persons. In Salt Lake City opportunities for em- ployment of aged and dependent persons are very rare, and many good people who have always supported themselves on the farm with a small piece of land, a cow, a few chickens, turkeys and some fruit, find them- selves materially handicapped when coming to the city, and soon after become dependent on relatives, friends, or the ward. After a few years of such life, they begin to lose their desire to earn even what they can, and feel that the ward or Church owes them their living, because of the good things they and their people have done. The advantages of the farm or outlying districts, on the other hand, are felt through the natural thrift and independence which is the part of a farmer's life. In many settlements these elderly people are permitted to go into the harvest fields, and do other work that engenders a spirit of independnce and contentment. Their fireside thoughts and whole lives are in striking contrast to those who are entirely dependent upon others for their living. The Farmer. Of all vocations, that of the farmer is the most important and should be the last to be abandoned, especially at this critical hour for our people and our nation; yet, we are continually hearing of good farmers, with limited means, selling out their possessions and moving to our larger

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cities. Their action almost invariably followed with regrets. is They drift to Salt Lake buy a place where they feel that they are going City, to enjoy the comforts of life. They pay high prices for all kinds of food and vegetables. The family is delighted with the life of the town, moving picture shows, etc., and must dress as others dress, and after a few specu- lative investments, the hard earned savings of their early years on the farm are found to be rapidly diminishing. They see their mistake, and want to get back to the farm. It is this class of men that the Home Bureau De- partment stands ever ready to assist. Again, we have many young men working for wages in our city today, who are born and reared on the farm, and who understand the art of hus- bandry. Having growing families, they find it difficult to get ahead, although they work hard each day in the year with nothing brighter to look forward to. They have a strong desire to get back to the farm but are without means for the opportunity, and many of these have found relief from the Home Bureau Department. One hundred and twentv-eight (128) souls have been taken from Salt Lake City and Ogden and put back to the farm this year. All are now producers, and are doing much better than they could have done in Salt Lake City. Ten widows and fifty-six children have been provided for in farming districts, and 88 others, in various conditions, have received personal ben- efits from this department along the same lines. This department has also acted in an advisory way, and has been helpful to many of our brethren with limited means in securing their farm holdings, without having to pay heavy real estate commissions. Our representative is a man of considerable experience in farming lands, and is generally well posted on the advantages and disadvantages of properties in different parts of Utah and Idaho, including also the Duchesne and Uintah districts. He is acquainted with the Government Land Commissioners, our state and county officers, and aims to keep well posted by attending the agricultural displays, and well posted on oppor- tunities most suited to the class of brethien above referred to. We wish to express our sincere appreciation to the Stake Presidents, the High Councilmen, and the Bishops of the different stakes and wards, who have aided greatly to make this department a success. They have been kind and considerate in providing places for our worthy members. They have counseled and advised with us as to the best land values and opportunities, and the good which they are doing these people will never be fully known to them. We might add, however, that there are still quite a number of families who would like very much to get back to the farm, and trust that brethren will continue their good efforts in making it possible to give a general relief to the conditions above referred to.

Sacrament Meetings It appears from a record of the attendance at Sacrament meetings for September, compiled at the Presiding Bishop's office, that the per cent of ward teachers at sacrament meetings is remarkably high. It is very much higher than the per cent of attendance by the general membership. This, of course, it should be, for teachers should set the example so that the people seeing their good example may attend more regularly themselves. The Ogden stake leads with 54 per cent of their teachers in attendance at their sacrament meetings; and the new stake, Tintic, follows in the wake of Ogden with the same per cent in attendance. Big Horn records 52, and Pioneer stake 50. A number of the stakes have 25 to 40 per cent in attendance. Alberta stake stands at the head in the percentage of ward membership present at the sacrament meetings, the figure being 31. The next highest being Bannock with 29.