Y. M. M. I. A. Fundamentals

Y. M. M. I. A. Fundamentals

A Restatement of the Aims, Purposes, and Plans of the Young Men's Mutual Improvement Associations

A committee of the General Board was appointed some months ago to consider the aims, purposes, and working plans of the Y. M. M. I. A. Their labor of many weeks resulted in the following recommendations which were carefully discussed and later unanimously adopted by the Board as here presented. The general and specific recommendations suggest interesting details that will prove effective guides. All officers and work- ers are requested to make a careful study of them GENERAL RECOMMENDATIONS PREAMBLE First. In order that we may secure greater efficiency and definiteness in M. I. A. work, we recommend that the aim of the Y. M. M. I. A. as a Church organization be stated briefly and clearly. Second. Since young men can be reached most effectively through the me- dium of the activities of life, we recommend that the aim be so formulated as to make it possible for the Y. M. M. I. A. to direct its efforts along any one or all of the following principal activities of man: 1. Worship. 2. Service. 3. Work and recreation. The Aim of the Y. M. M.I. A. Third. Recognizing the fact that President Brigham Young, under divine inspiration, understood thoroughly the mission of the M. I. A., we recommend furthermore that the statement of the aim of the Y. M. M. I. A. epitomize his instructions to the men upon whom he placed the re- sponsibility of beginning and organizing the great M. I. A. work. Fourth. We recommend that the general aim of the Y. M. M. I. A. be stated as follows: The aim of the Y. M. M. I. A. is to assist every young man to com. latter-day work. plete living on the foundation of faith in God and his great living on the foundation of faith in God and his great latter- Complete standards day work, means living in perfect harmony with the established of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ, A. In relation to God. B. In relation to one's fellowmen. C. In relation to oneself. ,

Fifth. In explanation of the aim we submit the following excerpt and Brigham Young. brief definition from the instructions of President President Concerning the general purpose and mission of the M. I. A., Young said: "Mutual improvement of the youth; establishment ot indi- the great latter-day work; vidual testimony of the truth and magnitude of that have been bestowed upon the development of the gifts within them, God; cultivating a them by the laying on of the hands of the servants of of the great science knowledge and an application of the eternal principles

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of life." * * * "Let the consideration of these truths and principles be the groundwork and leading idea of every such association; and on this foundation of faith in God's great latter-day work, let their members build all useful knowledge, by which they may be useful in the establishment of his kingdom. Each member will find that happiness in this world mainly depends on the work he does and the way in which he does it." Sixth. Such complete living may be attained through correlated de- velopment along three lines of endeavor:

Aim to be Attained Through Three Lines of Endeavor Making use of every opportunity to learn and to do what the Father I. requires of his children. II. Making use of every opportunity to live rightly in relation to one's fellowmen. III. Making use of every opportunity for self-improvement.

Classification of the Three Lines Seventh, The activities and responsibilities of life may be classified under the three lines of endeavor as follows: I. Making use of every opportunity to learn and to do what the Father requires of his children. Theme: "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind." "This is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent." A. In learning and maintaining right relations to God. B. In learning and maintaining right relations to the gospel. C. In learning and maintaining right relations to Church duties .and Church activities. II. Making use of every opportunity to live rightly in relation to one's fellowmen. Theme: "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." A.In the home and family life. B.In the community life. C. In the political life. D. In the vocational life. \ E. In the Church life. HI. Making use of every opportunity for self-improvement. Theme: "The glory of God is intelligence:" "It is impossible for a man to be saved in ignorance." "Truth is knowledge of things as they are, and as they were, and as they are to come." A. In correct living. B. In life's work. C. In expressional activities.

Practical, Timely, Graded Programs Based on Faith in God Eighth. We recommend that in working out practically a program for M. I. A. work, subjects and activities shall be chosen from the chief activi- ties, associations, and responsibilities of man, as indicated in the outline above; further, that these subjects and activities shall be practical, timely, vital to the full development of young men, and carefully graded and adapted to arouse interest in the several departments for which the subjects and activities are especially prepared. Ninth. We recommend that in preparing the program of subjects and activities, the ideal contained in the words, "on the foundation of faith in God and his great latter-day work," shall be woven into every lesson and activity, and shall be made the motivating force of them, so that the aim of y. M. M. I. A. work shall be attained, and the young men shall be

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brought more nearly to a right adjustment in their relations to God, to so- ciety, and to themselves. Tenth. We recommend that this general plan be adopted to become effective at the opening of the M. I. A. season 1919-1920. We feel assured that such a course as this, if persistently and intelli- gently followed, will make of every boy a man who lives completely as a Latter-day Saint, firmly established on the foundation of faith in God and his great latter-day work.

SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS For the successful operation of the plan herewith submitted, your com- mittee begs leave further to report the following details of department or- ganization, grading, methods, administration, organization, standards, and so forth. The M.I. A. Work Year First. We recommend that the M. I. A. year be divided into two pe- riods: 1st, the winter session of six months; and, 2nd, the summer session of six months; the winter session to begin on the first Tuesday or Sunday after the October general conference, the summer session to begin on the first Tuesday or Sunday after the April general conference.

Four Departments Named Second. We recommend that there be established in the Y. M. M. I. A. four departments, the first providing a course of two years, the second one of four years, the third one of four years, and the fourth a course to be con- ducted jointly with the Y. L. M. I. A. without limit of years. Third. We recommend that these departments be graded as far as con- sistent on the basis of ages, the first to be open to young men 12 and 13; the second to be open to young men 14, 15, 16 and 17; the third, to be open to young men 18 and upward, and the fourth to be open to young men and women 21 and upward. Fourth. We recommend that these departments be named as follows: 1st, the Junior department; 2nd, the Advanced Junior department; 3rd, the Senior department; 4th, the Advanced Senior department.

Studies and Manuals for these Four Departments Fifth.We recommend that the Department Committees select for the va- rious departments subjects of life interest, as follows: Junior Department (ages 12 and 13)— Activities and interests of the latter years of boyhood. Scout-craft. Indoor and outdoor life. Work and play. Stories of men of character and high ideals. Stories of science, of invention, and of achievement, etc. Foundation. Faith in God and standards of proper conduct. Advanced Junior Department (ages 14, 15, 16, 17), Activities and obli-

gations of the early years of young manhood. Advanced scout-craft. Self-improvement, physical or intellectual (under spiritual guidance). Introductory vocational guidance (through stories and study). Studies in science and nature (on the foundation of faith in God). Characters and epochs derived from the standard Church works, etc. Foundation. Faith in God and standards of cleanliness in body, in act,

in word, and in thought. , responsibilities ot Senior Department age 18 upwar 1), Activities and the latter years of young manhood.

998 IMPROVEMENT ERA Family associations. Community relationships. Public service. Economics. Vocational guidance. The Church as a social institution. Modern science as related to the Gospel. The law of Achievement as related to the Gospel. The standard Church works, etc. Foundation. Faith in God; and standards of individual responsibilities. Advanced Senior Department (ages 21 upward), Activities, interests, ob- ligations and responsibilities of manhood and womanhood. Specific subjects elective. Foundation. Faith in God and other standards of eternal values. Sixth. We recommend that a manual be prepared for each year for each department, as the course progress; when desirable manuals may be made to rotate. When necessary, the manuals should be revised or new manuals should be prepared.

Activities of the Y. M. M.I. A. Seventh. We recommend further that to make the Y. M. M. I. A. a directive influence in the lives of young men, general Y. M. M. I. A. stand- ards be prepared for each department, and that the young men be aided and checked in their daily lives by these standards. Eighth. We recommend that the Y. M. M. I. A. endeavor to develop and direct the personal, social, and religious activities of its members, and that, in order to do so, it plan for and outline such activities as these: Preliminary programs Vocational and industrial aids Open evenings Scout-craft Reading course Recreation and amusements Drama Social activities Debating Physical activties, etc. Contests Ninth. We recommend that, when found desirable by the General Board, the Y. M. M. I. A. may affiliate with and co-operate with other worthy organizations. Tenth. We recommend that stake conventions of M. I. A. be held at least once a year, and that where convenient and desirable, these conventions may be held in groups of two or more stakes. Eleventh. We recommend that a general M. I. A. conference be held annually.

Recommendations for Supervising Boards Twelfth. Werecommend that there be prepared for the Y. M. M. I. A. suitable handbooks for officers and for members. Thirteenth. We recommend that practical and effective plans be pre- pared and put into operation (a) for the adequate financing of the Y. M. M. I. A., (b) for the permanent and liberal maintenance of our official organ, the Improvement Era. Fourteenth. We recommend that the General Board establish such offices and appoint such officers as may be found necessary to carry out efficiently the plan herewith submitted. Fifteenth. We recommend that the duties of the officers of the Y. M. M. I. A. shall be clearly defined. Sixteenth. We recommend that the General Board be organized into committees necessary to the successful accomplishment of the work of the Y. M. M. I. A., that the duties of these committees be defined and that like committees be organized in the stakes and wards.

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Seventeenth. We recommend that committees be so organized that two or more new members may be appointed to each committee each year, in the place of two or more members who may be transferred to other com- mittees. Eighteenth. We recommend that all standing committees meet regu- larly and as often as may be necessary. Nineteenth. We recommend that in all cases committees shall make written reports of their activities to the General Board. Twentieth. Werecommend that a regular and definite order of busi- ness conforming to the plan herewith be followed for the regular meetings of the General Board. Twenty-one. We recommend that to increase the efficiency of the Y. M. M. I. A. the plan herewith submitted be made subject to constant super- vision and emendation, and that it shall not be allowed to go on for more than five years in any one period without thorough revision.

Conclusion It should become possible for the Y. M. M. I. A., by developing and following the details of the plan herewith submitted, to become the greatest young men's club in the world, without losing any of its ethical and re- ligious virtues, to help young men to live completely as Latter-day Saints, immovably fixed on the foundation of faith in God and his great latter-day work, and thus to secure for every young man a perfect adjustment in his relation to God, to his fellowmen, and to himself. — Respectfully submitted. Approved March 5, 1919. Y. M. M. I. A. General Board Committees and Chairmen 1. — Administration and Standards Superintendent Anthony W. Ivins. 2. — Organization and Membership Preston D. Richards. 3. — Finance and Publication Claude Richards. 4. Junior Department— Briant S. Hinckley. 5. — Senior Department Osborne J. P. Widtsoe. 6. Advanced Senior Department and Conventions and Conferences (Joint) — George H. Brimhall, Lucy Grant Cannon, Ruth May Fox. 7. Social and Summer Work (Joint)—Roscoe W. Eardley, Ruth May Fox. 8. Reading Course and M. I. A. Special Activities (Joint)— Oscar A. Kirkham, Jane B. Anderson, Mary E. Connelly.

An Enterprising Quorum of Seventy The 171st Quorum of Seventy, of the Third and Eighth wards, Liberty are to be commended for their splendid enterprise in furnishing stake, exercises, with the room where they meet every Sunday morning for class real up-to-date furnishings. They have a Seventy's working library con- book-case. Re- sisting of the standard Church works, with a commodious rug, serviceable cently they have furnished their room with a first class their surroundings com- chairs, beautiful art pictures and mottoes, to make have fortable and home-like during their study hour. Not only this, they temporally made splendid head-way in looking after their membership, and spiritually, visiting them frequently, encouraging them in their duties, their physical welfare, blessing the sick and comforting the looking after in the mission held, and needy, besides providing funds to keep a seventy after their loved ones at otherwise aiding their members *nd looking Niels Sand- home Tb» names of the first council are: John S. Perkins. berg,' Jr., Peter Geertsen, William Edward Pugh, Avisson Hoskisson, Le Roy Chamberlain.

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