Editor's Table

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have also been sent to each subscriber, and we trust that each will send in his own renewal immediately. Blanks for subscriptions have been sent to the presidents of associations for distribution to the ward officers. A canvass for the magazine should begin immediately, and every family in the Church should be visited and asked to subscribe, so that the efficiency credit in the monthly report for each association may be earned. Officers should get at the work without delay, and set a definite time to complete it, letting it not drag on during the season. Every page of the Era will be crowded with good reading.

Nation-Wide Prohibition, 1919

Prohibition on liquor has been postponed until July, 1919, but the following questions, appearing in a recent number of the iVeic York Independent, are still pertinent and were not answered in the postponement. Let us be thankful, however, that Nation-wide Prohibition is in sight:

If— Why Not

If coal will win the war, why not save the 60,000,000 tons used by the saloons last year? If food will win the war, why not save the 3,150,000 bushels of grain used for brewing last year? If transportation will win the war, why not save the 157,915 cars used to transport beers, wines and liquors last year? If ships will win the war, why not quit sending abroad the 1,647,777 gallons of whiskey we withdrew for export last March? If labor will win the war, why not put to work at some essential indus- try the 1000,000 bartenders and 54,000 brewers' workers now in this country? If money will win the war, why not spend on something useful the $2,000,000,000 we spent on drink last year?

Messages from the Missions

Successful Concert for Meetinghouse Fund A. Glen Wright, in a letter dated Thames, New Zealand, gives the fol- lowing information to the Era: "On July Fourth we held a bazaar and concert for the benefit of our building fund of the new meetinghouse which we contemplate erecting. The Relief Society sisters worked night and day for weeks getting useful material on hand. We have eight families of Saints here. A number of our friends gave kindly assistance. The business people especially were good in giving donations of money and material. The net proceeds of the bazaar and concert were $230. Our success is an indication that the Lord indeed blessed us, and that we have a great num- ber of friends here. With this support we feel that it will not be long until

1096 IMPROVEMENT ERA

our new church will be built. Thames has a population of 2,500. The work is progressing nicely here, and we know that after our new chapel is erected it will grow still more rapidly. The elders enjoy the Era very much, and look forward to its coming. The Saints also and friends enjoy it in their homes. We also put a copy monthly into the public library where undoubt- edly it is extensively read by those who visit."

OFFICE FORCE, WESTERN STATES MISSION, DENVER, COLO. Top row: Elders W. Freeman Mallory, Shelley, Idaho, and Percy L. Hoare, Salt Lake City, Utah. Sitting: John L. Herrick (mission president), Sister Zelma Shaw, Ogden, Utah, and Elder Henry L. Bartholomew, Fayette, Utah, who was released May 1, 1918, after thirty months of service, as mission secretary. Church Work in Scandinavia The statistics of the Scandinavian Mission, for the year 1917, are printed in the April 1 number of Skandinaviens Stjerne. It appears from this re- port that there are 27 branches in the mission, which includes the nations of Norway and Denmark; a total of twenty-three elders are laboring in those two countries including three high priests, twelve seventies and eight elders. The total membership of the mission is 2,681 which does not in- clude the 618 children under eight years of age. There were fifty-nine bap- tisms in Denmark, and sixty-seven in Norway, making a total for the year of one hundred and twenty-six. Only forty-one people emigrated during the year. This includes sixteen children. In the Swedish mission there were eighty-three baptisms during the year 1917.

Few to Preach the Gospel "Elders laboring in the British mission, who attended the Nottingham conference, May 12, 1918: Standing, left to right: Arnold G. Holland, clerk

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of the Norwich conference; Leland Hair, clerk of the Sheffield conference; sitting:W. E. Bodily, Liverpool conference; State England, clerk Notting- ham conference; Leroy S. Dickson, president Nottingham conference; Orial L. Anderson, president Norwich conference and Hugh S. Latimer, president ;

Sheffield conference. "We enjoy reading the Era very much, and look for it

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y - nr-tWrm^flSk^ill w&z | £±-~ -iriiiiifir- &£± ii:J to make its appearance on this side of the mighty water every time an edition is sent out. We also enjoy our work, and although there are but few of us now, we feel that with the Lord's help we will be able to carry it on. There are many good, honest-hearted, God-fearing people in this country who would readily accept the gospel if we could but find a way to get in touch with them." State England.

Greetings front Samoa Elder C. M. Ferrin, Savaii, Samoa, July 15, writes: "The elders of this conference express our hearty gratitude for the Era through which we re- ceive many good instructions which aid us in the performance of our mis- sionary labors. We send our best wishes to all our fellow-laborers through- out the world. Since America joined the war, our numbers have been re- duced from nine to three, but we are having great success among the na- tives of this island. Elders who labor here are Arnold D. Madsen, Rigby, Idaho; Clyde M. Ferrin, conference president, Salt Lake City, G. H. Hale, Blackfoot, Idaho.

L. D. S. Maori Agricultural College "The College is now in its sixth year of school work, and is making satisfactory progress in every way. Each year sees a more favorable attitude on the part of the people of New Zealand toward the institution. Recently some of the officials of the Department of Education have favored us with a visit and have been favorably impressed with the work that we are doing with the youth of Maoridom. "President Lambert, of the New Zealand mission, and Principal Welch,

1098 IMPROVEMENT ERA

of the College, have had the pleasure of calling upon several of the mem- bers of the New Zealand cabinet, with a view to acquainting them more fully with our work and establishing relations with the Government de- partments of Education and Agriculture. "From every standpoint this is one of the most favorable and success- ful years of the school's history, and it is one of the most important factors in the spread of the gospel, in this land. "In addition to the teaching staff and farm department the College con- ference includes the elders who are engaged in publishing the mission paper, Te Karere.

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mi . . ** ^w "Missionaries and children of the Maori Agricultural College conference, left to right, standing: Rudolph Church, Panguitch, Utah; Elvis J. Brown, Chandler, Ariz.; James W. Patterson, Bloomington, Ida; Eugene C. Ridges, Ogden, Utah; Geo. R. Schofield, Salt Lake City; Wm. John Wilson, Eden, Utah; Joseph J. Fenton, Salt Lake City; Rulon W. Clark, Farmington, Utah. Sitting: L. L. Cook and Florence D. Cook, Garden City, Utah; James N. Lambert, mission president, John S. Welch, College Principal; and Eulalia S. Welch, Paradise, Utah; F. Earl Stott and Ida F. Stott, Fillmore, Utah. Children: Lila Cook, Mabel Cook, Reeta Stott, Vera Stott, Edith Welch, Ruth Stott."—John S. Welch.

Elders Very Scarce John H. Wilding writes from Antabe Road, Hull, England, August 8 ;

"A good number of investigators and friends attend our weekly meetings in the different branches. Traveling elders are very scarce, but the local brethren, who have been organized and given entire charge of the branch, are doing the work very successfully, with the help of the two regular trav- eling elders and twenty-one lady missionaries who have volunteered to spend a part of their leisure hours in tracting and explaining the gospel princi- ples. We have also been visited by two of Uncle Sam's "Mormon" soldiers, Corporal Sterling D. Lewis, son of Wm. D. Lewis, and Rodney X. Pack, who greatly inspired all who were assembled to hear their testimonies and feel the spirit of love which they carried with them in the service of their country. The Saints enjoyed their visit and treated them to some good

home-like meals. Their photos are enclosed herewith, also the photos of some of the conference workers, as follows: Top row: Robert Watson,

Grimsby; Frederick G. Day, Cardiff, Wales, conference clerk. Bottom row: James R. Skipworth, Grimsby; Wm. D. Lewis, Provo, ex-conference presi- dent; John H. Wilding, Sugar City, Ida., conference president."

The Penrose Family Association was organized on Thursday evening, August 22, at the home of President Charles W. Penrose, of the First Presi- dency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. President Charles W. Penrose was appointed president, Ernest R. Penrose, vice president; H. L. Penrose, treasurer; E. C. Penrose, secretary; E. L. Whitney, correspond- ing secretary; Mrs. Eva C. Penrose, historian; Leo Penrose, finance com- mittee; Jessie Penrose Jones, genealogist.