Priesthood Quorums' Table

Record of Attendance at Meetings From a record of ward teachers' reports of meetings, sacrament meet- ings, etc., for themonth of July, 1919, as compiled at the Presiding Bishop's office, it learned that Bear Lake, Box Elder, Montpelier, and Oneida is stakes, had one hundred percent of families in the wards of those stakes \isited. North Sanpete had ninety-five percent of the families visited; Ogden, ninety-three; San Juan, ninety-two; Weber, ninety-one; South Davis, eighty-four. The average percent of ward membership at the sacrament meetings, ranged from six percent in Sevier stake to thirty-five percent in Alberta; thirty-four Raft River, thirty-four, in Bannock; twenty-five in Deseret; twenty-eight, in Bear Lake; twenty-seven Montpelier, twenty- eight in Curlew; thirty-two Snowflake, twenty-five Tintic, and twenty- seven Young. The average percent of attendance at weekly Priesthood meetings dur- ing July ranged from one in Panguitch and Sevier, two in Boise, and St. George, to thirty-one in Juarez, twenty-nine in Alberta, twenty-six in Black- foot, twenty-five in Ogden, and twenty-three in Pioneer and San Juan.

Responsibility for Conduct

The presidency of the Utah Stake of Zion, Joseph B. Keeler, J. Wil- liam Knight, Amos N. Merrill, have issued a brief word addressed to the Latter-day Saints of Utah Stake on the responsibility for conduct, a pamph- let of three pages, well worth the consideration of the Latter-day Saints. We quote in part from the pamphlet: What responsibilities do parents share for the unbecoming conduct of the young? Second: What responsibility does society share for the conduct of its members? The attention of the Latter-day Saints and others dwelling in the Utah Slake of Zion is directed to these questions. The Lord warns parents that in case they fail to teach their children faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, repentance from sin, and baptism by immersion for the remission of sins, — and if because of this failure the children commit sin the sins of the chil- dren shall be upon the heads of the parents. (Doc. and Cov., Sec. 68:25-28). It is obvious that some parents are guilty already of the sins of neglect to a greater or less degree, and if this neglect is continued to a point where the children not only fail to become members of the Church, but for the want of parental teachings and direction sin against society and sacred law, the parents will surely be held accountable before the bar of public opinion and of God. Parents who truly love their children never cast from their shoulders the weight of parental responsibility. The love of parent- hood is so like the love of Godhood that while parent and child tarry in the flesh, there is a yearning on the part of the parent for blessings and peace to follow the child * * * and in eternity who shall say that even parental anxiety is in the least abated? All signs of the times point to the fact that these are the "last days." Paul in writing to Timothy (2 Tim., 3:1, 2) said: "This know also that in

1094 IMPROVEMENT ERA ihe last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affections, etc." Some insist that this is in course of fulfilment today. One thing is certain, nothing pleases the adversary more than to see this in fulfilment in the homes of the Latter- day Saints, and nothing should give parents greater anxiety than to ob- serve its fulfilment at their own hearthstones. * * *

What Can be Done?

Let everyone advocate the ideals of purity and right conduct, such as characterize Saints. Let everyone do everything in his power to create a fear for sin and a burning desire to do right. Let parents become informed as to what is going on. Young people love the dance, and in communities, such as ours, every dance is more or less public. This is a wholesome pastime, but in the excitement of the music and the dance, emotions run high, and when emotions run at high tide there is need of restraint. In every ballroom there is a need of restraint of some kind. This is supplied when parents are in attendance. No advantage or privilege is taken when parental eyes look on. * * *

Law and its Enforcement Let laivs be enacted and enforced regulating places of amusement. There are many good laws already upon the statute books of our towns and county, such as prohibit the smoking of cigarettes by minors, regulat- ing the use of automobiles and the control of the dance hall, etc. These should be rigidly enforced, and the civil authorities should feel they have the weight of public opinion and the support of the parents in the en- forcement of these regulations. More stringent measures should be enacted and enforced regulating restaurants, catering parlors and drug stores in which young people are enticed into indulgences that are harmful. These measures should grant to the parents the right to prohibit the proprietors and managers of such places from extending any accommodations to their young people against the wishes and request of the parents. Again let it be emphasized, that every parent and every other member of society should feel the respon- sibility for proper conduct to such an extent that they will lend their influence to the enforcement of all such regulations. Again, measures should be passed prohibiting men or women from conducting resorts, catering parlors, or any other places of amusement or entertainment, who will tolerate at any time questionable conduct which leads into temptation and sin, and who are constantly trying to evade the law. Young people and old people alike must learn, and recognize that amusements which are worth while leave no vain regrets as an aftermath; that social practices that are becoming of Saints leave no tinge of con- science with those who participate in them; that the dance, the theatre, the music hall, the social hall are all intended to sweeten life, and when participated in rightly leave behind them pleasant memories to which they return as the traveler to an oasis in the desert

Sunday Morning Testimony Meeting Additional information in relation to manuals and class study has been sent to stake superintendents by General Secretary Moroni Snow: "At our late June conference, at the morning testimony meeting, the Sacrament was administered, and it is the sense of the General Board that wherever it can be arranged in connection with the stake conventions, held separately from quarterly conferences, it would be eminently proper to have the Sacrament administered in the Sunday morning testimony meeting. If this suggestion is adopted, it will be necessary for officers to take the matter up with the stake presidency and the ward authorities, where the convention is to be held, so that all arrangements can be made under their authority."

Community Singing Since there is no special provision made in the program for the M. I. A. conventions for community singing, it is suggested that a wide-awake leader be appointed to direct in singing some good songs, while the people are assembling, preceding the ten-thirty and the evening meetings. These are excellent times to throw in a little enthusiastic singing. These exercises should neither be demonstrations, nor practices, but a "Sing." Printed copies of the words should be distributed ; needless to say, the leader and accompanist must be familiar with the words and the music. It is not necessary to have trained choristers, nor to beat time, in these singing exercises, but through ordinary, simple but enthusiastic instructions to the audience, during the time of singing, each person Is stimulated to sing and to enter into the spirit of the work. Select any of the following titles, to which add a familiar patriotic song: "Put your shoulder to the wheel." "Ring out, sweet bells of peace." "Hark, listen to the trumpeters." "After all." "We will keep Old Glory flying." (For songs, ask any music store).

Y. M. M. I. A. Class Study for 1919-20 For Senior Classes. "Some Epoch-making Events in Church His- tory." This is series of eighteen lessons in a manual of one hundred a and four pages, which treat on many epoch-making events in the history of the Church, unusually attractive and beneficial for study. The manual is ready and on sale at the Era office, 25c per copy, post paid. For the Advanced Senior Class. "Prophecies and Promises of the Lord," as recorded in the book of Doctrine and Covenants, a course for joint Senior M. I. A. classes. A complete explanation of this attractive study, which is composed of eighteen lessons on leading prophecies and promises in modern revelation with their application to present-day life, will be found in the Improvement Era for September, with the text of first three lessons printed in full. Other lessons will follow monthly, until the whole eighteen are printed. Three, in this Era.

1096 IMPROVEMENT ERA

For the Junior Class not doing scout work, the Junior Manual, divided into fifteen "Lessons on Success" on the development of character and gen- uine success in life, with stories illustrating the points. Especially interest- ing for young students. Manual ready, 25 cents. For Junior Class doing regular scout work— The "Twelve Scout Laws," with correlated outlines from the Manuals, beginning in this number of the Era. For the Advanced Junior Class. This class will study outlines en- titled"A Mission as a Factor in Education." These outlines will appear monthly in the Improvement Era. The lessons will be very interesting and will cover a great deal more than the title implies, and many prob. lems will be asked and discussed of special interest to that class of boys. See first three lessons in this month's Era. There will be two manuals only for Senior and Junior classes, but the manual on "Success" may be used to great advantage in all three Junior classes; and where three classes can not be organized, the grades may be merged into one, with the Junior manual for the lesson text. These manuals cost 25c each and cover the whole season's work. Orders should be sent immediately to the secretary, Improvement Era Office, 22 Bishop's Building, Salt Lake City, Utah. No free manuals are sent with the Era for 1919-20. The Era for one year, $2.00, containinj the outline lessons, and also the Advanced Senior Class lessons.

Granite M. I. A. Outing

On July 15, the Granite stake Y. M. & Y. L. M. I. A. held a very successful outing at Liberty park. The main feature of the outing was a free canteen lunch served from 6 to 8 p. m., which consisted of "hot dog" and an ice cream cone. The lunch, was supervised by Miss May Green, president of the Y. L. M. I. A. In the park two booths were erected, where ice cream and luncheon were served. Tickets for the luncheon were issued to all M. I. A. members by ward presidents. The program was printed on the reverse side. The tremendousness of the undertaking can be imagined when it is known that over 2000 "hot dogs" were served, with over 2000 ice cream cones. It iequired four large baskets of rolls, a half beef, 2 gallons of mustard, a d 45 gallons of ice cream. There were over 3000 people in the park to witness the sports. The as- sistance given the M. I. A. board by certain friends in the Stake is much appreciated. After the lunch all joined in sports. Each ward provided partici- pants to each event, and a hearty response was received. There were 10 events, each event counting 10 points. There are 16 wards in the Stake, which made quite a number of participants for each event. Charles Spencer, Jr., had charge of the program, and Oscar A. Kirkham of the General Board was master of ceremonies. The first event was a centi- pede race. It consisted of eight boys astride a rope, one hand on the rope and one hand on the next fellow's shoulder. It was tied by Emerson and Hawthorne wards. The second event was a junior girls' race, won by Forest Dale. The Junior boys' race was won by Wandamere. The Senior girls' clothes pin race came out a tie between Wandamere and Wasatch wards. The senior boys' race was won by Forest Dale. The sixth event consisted of a senior girls' cherry crate-making race. Speed and neat- ness were the points of score. Forest Dale also won this event. The 7th event, a men and boys' crab race caused much amusement. The partici- pants turn on their backs, face up, and run on their hands and feet; many a one had a fall. Emerson Ward won this event. The Hoop race con- sisted of four men and four girls from each ward. The object was to get through the hoop. Wandamere ward took th-s event. No. 9 was a secret.