--- 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: 21 number: 10 published: 1918-08 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations, "Mutual Work," *Improvement Era* 21, no. 10 (August 1918): 923–931.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera21010unse 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: improvementera21010unse start_page: 923 end_page: 931 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1918-08) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera21010unse publication_year: 1918 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 1918, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # Mutual Work MUTUAL WORK 925 Sunday, 2:00 p. m. Stake Conference Sunday, 7:30 p. m. (Sunday, 7:30 p. m.) Joint Meeting of Y. M. and Y. L. M. I. A. and Religion Class 1. Special testimony meeting, participated in by local officers of the M. I. A. and Religion Class. 2. Testimonies and remarks by the visiting Board Members. 3. Special music will be provided by the Stake M. I. A. Boards. M. I. A. ACTIVITIES The following work is outlined for 1918-19: 1. Contests. A. Public Speaking Contest. This contest is for Seniors only. Tryouts will be held in wards, stake districts, stakes, and Church districts as heretofore, and will be governed by the same rules as formerly made. Officers are urged to concentrate their efforts in making this event worth while. This is the only event outlined by the General Boards to be taken up, first in the ward, then the stake district, the stake, the Church district, and at the grand finals. The five preliminary programs printed in this circular suggest subjects for public speaking which may be used as contest addresses. For Church districts, see Y. M. M. I. A. Hand Book, 3rd edition. Regulations Senior Public Speaking (10 minutes). Open to Seniors only. Points for judgment: 1. The idea— 20 per cent. 2. — The development 50 per cent. a. Introduction. (1) Simple, direct, earnest, suggestive of material to follow. b. Body. (1) Develop theme which should be persuasive rather than merely matter-of-fact. c. Summary. (1) General conclusion taken from the body of address. All individuals entering the grand finals in Salt Lake City must send type-written copies of addresses to the General Boards no later than May 25. B. Declamation Contest. This contest is for Juniors only. Tryouts will be held in wards, stake districts, and stakes. The preliminary programs printed in this circular suggest subjects which may be used in contest. C. Junior Chorus Contest (6 or more members, boys and girls sep- arate). This contest is for Juniors only. Tryouts will be held in wards, stake districts, a~d stakes. The preliminary programs printed in this circular suggest songs which may be used in contest. D. Drama Contest. m This contest is open to all members. Tryouts will be held in 926 IMPROVEMENT ERA wards, stake districts, and stakes. The drama suggested for contest: "The Power of Loyalty," a war-time play of today; price 25c. May be purchased at Deseret News Book Store. Other plays of like character may be used. II. Scoring Record. A. Individual Record. An individual record will be kept. Blanks for this purpose will be prepared by the General Boards and furnished to the organizations at cost. One record blank for each member will cover the entire season. These should be filed under suitable cover. Records of the Young Men's and Young Ladies' Associations are to be kept separately. It is recommended that members other than secretaries be ap- pointe 1 to have this work in charge, they, however, to co-operate with the secretaries. The record can be easily kept; in giving credits for activities participated in, the individual only (not the group) is to be consid- ered. At the end of each month, the credits of all individual members of both associations will be totaled, placed on the ward scoring blank and sent to the stake secretaries. Awards will consist of red, white and blue colors. Each stake board may design its own awards; these should be inexpensive. Wards with population of 500 or over: Each ward association (whose ward population is 500 or over) scoring 300 pointts will receive the red color; each association scor- ing 500 points, the red and white colors; each association scoring 700 points, the red, white, and blue colors. Wards with population of less than 500: Each ward association (whose ward population is under 500) scoring 100 points will receive the red color; each association scor- ing 300 points, the red and white colors; each association scoring 500 points, the red, white and blue colors. The ward earning the red, white and blue colors (combined) three months or more during the season, one of which must be the closing month, will be awarded the colors permanently. Any ward earning a color one month and failing to make the required number of points the following month gives up the color. Stakes having 50 per cent or more of their wards permanently winning the three colors will receive honorable mention at June Con- ference, al o in the Era and Journal, and a special certificate from the General Boards signifying excellency in M. I. A. Activities. For list of activities in which individuals may score, see scoring blank, page 6. B. Association Record. In addition to the individual scoring record, the associations may also score on the following points: 1. — Ward Officers' Meeting. For each weekly officers' meeting held with order of business and 50 per cent or more of the officers present at the appointed time, 10 points. 2. — Correlated Program. For each correlated preliminary pro- gram, 10 points. 3. — Stake officers' Meeting. For each officer present at stake monthly officers' meeting, 3 points. 4. — Punctual Attendance. For every person present at the time M. I. A. meeting should begin, 1 point. (Officer at the door count and MUTUAL WORK 927 record those who enter before r'*ue meeting should begin. Credit for punctual attendance may also be counted on joint Sunday evenings and Activity evenings.) 5. Reading of Lessons. — For the reading of lesson prior to eve- ning meeting, 1 point. (Before preliminary program, call for rising vote of officers and members prepared). In addition to the above, the totals of points scored by individ- uals in the different activities will be added to this association record. Ward scoring blanks will ^e furnished by the General Boards. Stake secretaries should keep these monthly reports on file, in order to make report to the General Boards at the close of ihe season. There will be four special activity evenings during the season: November 26 (debate); January 28 (dance); February 25 (contest in short drama) ; March 25 (ward contest in public speaking, declama- tions, and Junior boys' and girls' choruses). Time for scoring. The time for scoring in all events except the reading course and War Savings Stamps begins on October 8, 1918, and ends on March 25, 1919. Scoring in M. I. A. activities is limited to regular weekly and monthly M. I. Association meetings. In the regular class association meetings, scoring must be limited to the preliminary programs so as not to interfere with lessons. Special M. I. A. gatherings called and presided over by M. I. A. officers mav be held for scoring in dramas, debates, and reading course, but for no other events. — Stake Officers. Stake officers should keep a record of their scor- ing in M. I. A. Activities, this record to be kept separate from ward reports, but to be sent to General Boards at close of season. M. I. A. ACTIVITIES 1918-1919 Personal Report Blank Name Ward Stake. ACTIVITIES Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar. 1. Reading ( Reading Course { Era and Journal 2. Appearance on ( Musical Programs ( Literary 3. Dramas 4. Debates 5. War Savings Certi. Stamps 6. The Fund Explanation: 1. Reading Course Books— 3 points for personal reading, 1 point for group reading. Reading of Era and Journal— 1 point for reading 25 or more current point for group reading. Credits to be counted pages of issue, Vi from June 1, 1918. Credit on the October report the points ored during f the summer. 2. Appearance on Programs— 3 points for initial appearance, 1 point for each additional appearance. Scoring limited to preliminary programs evenings. In and programs given on Activity evenings and Joint Sunday evening of meetorder to score, assignments must have been made prior to 3. Dramas— 5 points for initial appearance, 3 points for additional appearance. 928 IMPROVEMENT ERA 4. —5 points for Debates appearance, 3 points for additional initial appearance. War Savings Stamps— 10 points for each $5.00 Sta.tp purchased 5. since January 1918. Credit on October report the points ^ored to date. 1, i Fund — 10 points for pavment of annual fund before December 31, 6. 1918. Plan for Summer Work Suggestive Programs for Sunday Evening Joint Sessions and for Special M. I. A. Gatherings or Rallies SIXTEEN Sunday Evening Joint Session, September * General Subject: "Religious Forces that Have Influenced Nations." Exemplars of Righteousness 1. Opening hymn, "Hope of Israel." 2. Prayer. 3. Hymn, "Come, Follow Me" (Hymn book, p. 404). 4. Three Exemplars of Righteousness. a. Joseph who was sold into Egypt. b. Alma, the elder. c. Paul, the apostle. 5. Closing hymn, "True to the Faith." SEVENTEEN Patriotic Rally or Special Gathering, Tuesday Evening, September 10 General Subject: "Our Allies." Japan 1. Opening hymn, "0, Ye Mountains High." 2. Prayer. 3. Hymn, "Battle Hymn of the Republic." 4. Our Ally, Japan. a. Her position as a world power. b. Her part in the war. c. Thrift and loyalty of her people. d. Display and explanation of the flag. 5. Closing hymn, "High on the Mountain Top." EIGHTEEN Patriotic Rally or Special Gathering, Tuesday Evening, September 24 General Subject: "National Efficiency." Efficiency Review 1. Opening hymn, "God Speed the Right." 2. Prayer. 3. Songs of Home and Country. a. "My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean." b. "Old Oaken Bucket." c. "Lead, Kindly Light." y MUTUAL WORK 929 4. Efficiency Review. a. National (Summarize the work accomplished in the Nation). b. Local (Summarize the work accomplished in your community). 5. Closing hymn, "Now, Let us Rejoice." Note. —Provisions for reporting this work will be made in the annual report. Officers will therefore keep a record. The Senior Manual for 1918-19 "Some Epoch-Making Events in the History of the Church" By "epoch making events" is meant those events out of which have come the growth and development of the Church as an institution, and the happiness of the members of the Church. The Aims of the Course are: 1. Putting our young men in possession of the fundamental facts concerning the origin, growth and development of the Church. 2. Awakening a new interest in the study of Church history. Producing a fixedness of conviction that the Church is under the direction and protection of a wisdom and power greater than man, and that to be in it and of it is the safest and most successful condition on earth. 4. Increasing the efficiency of our young men as defenders of the truth in private conversation, correspondence and public speaking. 5. Producing more joyfulness in gospel living among the young men of the Church. Each lesson outline will contain: (a) Topical headings. (b) Brief paragraph statements of facts concerning the event. (c) Stimulating problems and review questions. (d) Bibliography. Lesson Topics 1. Joseph Smith's first vision. 2. The visits of Moroni. 3. The translation of the Book of Mormon. 4. The restoration of the Priesthood. 5. The organization of the Church. 6. Building of the first temple. 7. Establishing a missionary system. 8. The gathering to and expulsion from Missouri. 9. The rise and fall of Nauvoo. 10. The martyrdom of the Prophet and Patriarch. 11. Concentrated review. Five minute orations on the events passed over. The appointments for these orations should be made considerably in advance of date to be given. 12. The first succession in the Presidency. 13. The pioneer journey to the valleys of the mountains. 14. The Mormon Battalion. 15. Settling Utah. The Land of Promise. The place.. 16. Settling the Land of Promise, continued. The plan. 17. Settling the Land of Promise. The results. 18. Condensed connected review. Five-minute orations. Making Class Work Effective Equip. Elevate. Energize. 1. Survey your field for information. 930 IMPROVEMENT ERA Collect facts. Classify facts. (a) Core facts. (b) Collateral facts. Decide on the Lesson Aim. Supervise the Attendance: By always being at the preliminary program exercises. By a roll call and inquiries about the absent ones. By consulting the attendance record and heeding its needs. M. I. A. Calendar, 1918-19 Tuesday Evenings October: January: 8. Opening Social. 7. Lesson 10. 15. Lesson 1. 14. Lesson 11. 22. Lesson 2. 21. Lesson 12. 29. Lesson 3. 28. Special Activities. November: February: 5. Lesson 4. 4. Lesson 13. 12. Lesson 5. 11. Lesson 14. 19. Lesson 6. 18. Lesson 15. 26. Special Activities. 25. Special Activities. December: March: 3. Lesson 7. 4. Lesson 16. 10. Lesson 8. 11. Lesson 17. 17. Lesson 9. 18. Lesson 18. 24. Christmas Eve. 25. Special Activities. 31. New Year's Eve. j Sunday Evenings October: January: 6. Sunday Joint Program. 5. Sunday Joint Program. 8. Opening Social (Tuesday). 12. Lesson 10. 15. Lesson 1. 19. Lesson 11. 20. Lesson 2. 26. Lesson 12. 27. Lesson 3. November: February 3. Sunday Joint Program. 2. Joint Program. 10. Lesson 4. 9. Lesson 13. 17. Lesson 5. 16. Lesson 14. 24. Lesson 6. 23. Lesson 15. 31. Testimony Meeting. December: March: 1. Sunday Joint Program. 2. Joint Program. 8. Lesson 7. 9. Lesson 16. 15. Lesson 8. 16. Lesson 17. 22. Lesson 9. 23. Lesson 18. 29. Testimony Meeting. Advanced Senior Class Study The first three lessons for this class will appear in the September Era. For Lesson topics and plan see page 835, July, 1918, Era. Y. M. M. I. A. General Fund In the list of stakes that paid 100% or more for the Y. M. M. I. A. General Fund, 1918, there were two stakes inadvertently omitted in the list MUTUAL WORK 931 which was published in the Era for July, on page 837. These two stakes are: Teton stake, 129.6%. Raft River stake, 102.4%. This adds two stakes to the twenty reported in the July number of the Era, and it will be noted that Teton stands second in the whole list, Boise being first. Raft River takes the eleventh place, with 102.4%. We repeat that the General Board is sincerely thankful to the officers of these twenty-two stakes who came within the requirements for the Fund and trust that others, seeing their good work, will add to the number at least fifty more stakes, for the season that will soon open. The War Savings Stamp Campaign , The Y. M. M. I. A. are sincerely and effectively behind the War Savings Campaign. Officers are urged from the highest to the least, to take an active part, either in the formation of War Savings Societies, or in standing back of such organizations as are already established in the different wards throughout the intermountain region. Pushing the War Savings Campaign is one of our summer activities, and a most perceptible impetus should be noticed in this activity during the present month. At present there are thousands of dollars being collected every week and sent to the Post Offices through the Boy Scouts of America who are associated 'with the Y. M. M. I. A. Other thousands are being collected by our membership in working through other organizations and societies, and particularly through the ward organizations which are being largely supported, as far as the work goes, by the Y. M. M. I. A. members, every one of whom considers it his patriotic duty to save and to buy War Savings Stamps and get others to do the same thing. It makes no difference whether as an organization we get the credit or not. If we can get it, so much the better. But no matter, just so that the work is accomplished. While it may discourage some of our boys not to have the credit for the work that they are doing, it is not so much a matter of credit as a matter of getting the work done and of supporting the organizations that are formed to have it done. Every member of our organization should own a certificate and he should likewise be energetic in obtaining one from every other citizen in the land. Work for promises and collections, and get them early and often and let there be no slacking in the work until the organizations that you are interested in shall go "over the top" in this respect as in all others: A war savings certificate for every man, woman and child. Push the work today, a little harder tomorrow, and stay with it until you have accomplished the purpose. Every officer of the Y. M. M. I. A. should ask himself these questions: Are you personally doing your full duty in this respect? Is your Association doing its full duty? Are the members of your association and the scouts of your organization engaged actively in this work? What is the result? If ihe answers to these questions are not satisfactory, stir up new effort and see that the work is not neglected until every man, woman and child, in your association or ward, have subscribed and paid $20 for a War Savings Certificate. The General Board Y. M. M.I. A. TTTTTTT EH£ ^ETTTT m PASSING EVEN T$ Hon Joseph Howell, former Republican Congressman of Utah, died at Logan on the morning of July 18, stricken with hemorrhage of the brain. John Wells, for twenty-eight years chief clerk in the Presiding Bishop's Office, waschosen on July 18, by the Presidency and the Twelve, as second counselor to Presiding Bishop Chafes W. Nibley. The Federal Prohibition Constitutional amendment, generally known as . the Federal Dry-law, was ratified by the legislature of the state of Georgia on June 26. Georgia is the twelfth state to ratify the amendment. Taxes on incomes and excess profits for the fiscal year ending June 30 last, levied under the War Revenue bill enacted by Congress last year, totaled $2,821,340,801, the total revenue collected from all sources was $3,671,918,236. The French National Holiday was celebrated in the United States, July 14. The Stars and Stripes and the Tri-color floated from flag staffs through- out the Union. Churches held exercises, libraries arranged exhibits of things pertaining to France, and in other way^ the French people were remembered in their present struggle for freedom from the oppression of the Huns. Edward Moore, first shell-shock victim to return to Utah, and who was referred to in an item in the Era, for July, page 638, was there called a native of Utah who enlisted in Canada, January 8, 1915. We have since learned that Mr. Moore is a native of Oldham, Lancashire, England, and that he had been here in Utah about seven years when he went to Canada to join the colors. He is not a citizen of the United States but is a native of England. Profiteering exists among American industrv at the present time to a con- siderable extent, due in part to advantage being taken of war pressure for heavy production, and in part to inordinate greed and bare-faced fraud. This was an announcement by the Federal Trade Commission on June 29 in the report sent to the Senate. It did not escape Utah. A flouring mill in Salt Lake 'City was ordered to pay the Red Cross $1,000, and close for a week commencing July 1. It should be said to the credit of Utah business that the concern was a Colorado corporation. Haiti has declared war on Germany. The Council of the State, acting in accordance with the legislative powers given it under the new Haitien constitution, unanimously voted the declaration of war upon Germany which was demanded by the President of the Republic in consequence of the deaths of eight Haitiens on the French steamer, Montreal. This was announced on July 15. Haiti is the twenty-second nation to declare war on Germany. Diplomatic relations with Germany were severed in June, 1917, after the West Indian republic had protested against Germany's unrestricted submarine warfare, demanding compensation for losses to Haitien commerce and life. Army draft men for Utah, for the month of June, numbered nine hundred fifty-three. Five hundred men were sent to Camp Lewis within the PASSING EVENTS 933 five days from .June 24 to 29, then four hundred and fifty-three grammar school graduates with some experience along mechanical lines and an aptitude for mechanical work, were to report to the commanding officer at the University of Utah on June 15, to receive a course of training at government expense fitting them to serve in army positions, requiring knowledge of auto mechanics, driving, blacksmithing, carpentering, electricity, gas-engine, concrete working, and wireless operating, including many kinds of military service both at the front and behind the lines. Forest Montgomery, Headquarters Co., 127th U. S. N. G., A. E. F., France, writes to his father, R. Montgomery, Heber, Wasatch county, Utah, June 5: "I am still alive and well. I have been in the trenches since you heard from me last, some fifteen days. It sure is some experience. I have had large shells hit and burst all around me, but they didn't scare me a bit. I felt perfectly safe at all times. I had no occasion to shoot my gun, but was prepared to. I was operating at a telegraph station, and it sure is a dandy job. I don't know when I will go back into the trenches, but don't worry about me- I think I will last as long as any of them. Write often. I wish I could get a letter or two from any of my friends. Please send me the Wave once in a while and also the Improvement Era." The Twentieth Infantry which has for long months been stationed at Fort Douglas, Salt Lake City, left on June 28 for Fort Riley, Kansas, to prepare for over-sea duty either in Italy or France. They left in six special trains which pulled out of the yards between nine o'clock and three on the day of their departure. There were two thousand, one hundred and eightyeight enlisted men, and eighty-six officers aboard the six special trains. The entraining of the troops was accomplished smoothly and without mishap of any sort. The large crowds of people were somewhat disappointed in having the soldiers march to the train by a street which they had not anticipated, the soldiers going on North Temple street to the station instead of South Temple, as those who had learned of their departure thought they would. Field Marshal Von Hotzendorf, the Austrian commander, has been displaced by a German regime, which will hereafter control the Austro-Hungarian army. General Otto Von Below was placed in supreme control on the Italian front. General Below is one of the most noted of the German army leaders. He commanded the main attacking force which led to the disastrous Italian retreat across the Isonzo river, and as far as the Piave, last fall. Von Below is known, next to Generals Mackensen and Von Hutier, as the most successful break-through tactician and strategist in the German army. Lately he commanded an army in the West in the drive at Picardy, and was one of the most successful in the drive on Amiens, and also between Rheims and Soissons, in the push to the Marne. The Fifth German Drive since March 21, on the Western front, began in the early morning hours of July 15, on a fifty-mile front between Chateau-Thierry thence East to Rheims and beyond. The Americans were attacked at several points, and it is surmised that General Hunter Liggett has an army of 225,000 men both east and west of Chateau-Thierry. They made a number of counter-attacks and captured some ground as well as took many prisoners in their fierce encounters. The Germans made some headway east of Rheims and also east of Chateau-Thierry, but it was generally conceded, on the 16th, that the drive had been a failure. They were reported to have lost over 100,000 men on the 17th. On the morning of the 18th more than 20 villages were re-captured by the French and American troops as well as several thousand prisoners and important war materials, between the Aisne and the Marne, on a front of approximately 28 miles. On the 19th Soissons fell, and the Allies took 30,000 prisoners.