--- 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: 23 number: 3 published: 1920-01 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations, "Editors’ Table: Danger of Unearned Praise," *Improvement Era* 23, no. 3 (January 1920): 266–269.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera2303unse 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: improvementera2303unse start_page: 266 end_page: 269 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1920-01) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera2303unse publication_year: 1920 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 1920, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # Editors’ Table: Danger of Unearned Praise 268 IMPROVEMENT ERA publication, the Romance of a Missionary. Willard Dean, a young, inexperienced elder from the West, fills a mission in England where he meets with many tests and trials, both pleasant and unpleasant; he als meets a > charming English girl, Elsa Fernley; and Grace Wells, quite as charming, from his home town, with results and complications that are attractively developed in the story, and which will hold the reader interested to the end. As with all of this pleasing author's productions, there is much of gospel teaching in the text, which in itself is compensation for the reading. The volume is neatly bound, with a decorative gold title. Ten half-tone illustrations of English scenes lend beauty to the pages. Carita'sNew World, by Lucy M. Blanchard, the Page Co., Boston, Massachusetts, 339 pages, price $1.50. Carita and How She Became a Patriotic American, was recently reviewed in the Era. We have now to call attention to the sequel, Carita's New World, which is just off the press. As the keynote of the first was "Patriotism," so in this second book, there is an underlying theme of "Americanization," for Carita adjusts herself to her new home in the United States after her troublous life in Old Mexico. The text leads the heroine into many delightful situations and innocent social pleasures, in all of which she imbibes lessons of patriotism, and she is imnrrssed with America as a wonderful and glorious country. The text is rlr?n, natural, and easy, and is beautifully adapted to interest and instruct young girls. Messages from the Missions A Successful Conference Charles P. Lloyd, writing from Butte, Montana, November 14, reports that a very successful semi-annual conference was held there on Sunday, November 9. The elders and lady missionaries of the conference were all in attendance except those on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation. It was too far for them to come. Mission President Heber C. Iverson delivered two very effective sermons. A number of the elders spoke with great spirit on various subjects pertaining to the gospel. President Iverson occupied most of the evening meeting speaking upon pre-existence, analyzing the hymn, "0 My Father." At the early morning priesthood meeting very valuable instructions were given to the elders by President Iverson. The missionaries departed to their fields of labor with new determination to bear the gospel message to all who are seeking after truth. The harvest is ripe but the laborers are few. Good Reports in Northern Indiana "We rejoice in the prospect for the rapid spread of the gospel, which northern Indiana now offers. Consistent efforts, we feel, will bring consistent results, and the Spirit of the Lord is abundantly manifest in our endeavors. We rejoice each month in receiving the Era. To read it brings keen pleasure, and instils a profound feeling of spirituality. We wish you every success in your noble work. Missionaries, standing, left to right: Samuel H. Barnhurst. Hatch: A. Russell Jeppsen, Mantua; lone Sanders, Fairview; L. E. Davis, Annabella; Philla Shields, Tooele; M. N. Warnick, Pleasant Grove, TTtah; Karl Goodman, St. David, Ariz. Sitting: C. H. Parker, Lanark, Idaho; D. Rees Jensen (conference president), Ephraim, Utah; German E. Ellsworth (retiring mission president), Winslow F. Smith (incoming mission president), A. M. Newbold, Riverdale, Idaho; Gail McDonald, Salt Lake City. — PRIESTHOOD aUO- \ -RUMS' TABLE to Studies for the Priesthood Quorums, 1920 Gospel Doctrine, by President Joseph F. Smith. Price $1.50. This book is a text for the Melchizedek Priesthood Quorums, and for the Priests of the Aaroni; Priesthood. The second edition is now being distributed. | Old Testament History is the title of the text for the Teachers for the year 1920, beginning January 1. This is a book of about 100 pages, bound in paper, and costs 25c per copy. Order all copies from the Improvement Era, 20 Bishop's Building, Salt Lake City, Utah. Incidents from the Lives of our Church Leaders is the book for the Deacons to study for 1920, beginning January 1. This also costs 25c per copy, and should be ordered from the Improvement Era. Gospel Doctrine may be ordered directly from the Deseret News Book Stoic, or the Deseret Sunday School Union Book Store, Salt Lake City, or from the Improvement Era, when cash accompanies the order. The Guide to aid in the study of Gospel Doctrine will serve for the whole of 1920, the second part will serve for 1921, at the close of which ar all quorums are expected to finish the text book, Gospel Doctrine. Send orders to the Improvement Era, price 15 cents per copy. Suggestive Helps in the Preparation of a Lesson (Prepared by the Correlation Committee of the Church.) Steps in Preparation I. The Proper Attitude of Teacher a. Toward God. b. Toward Class Members. It would seem almost needless to say to regularly authorized workers in the Church that the first requisite in the preparation of a lesson is the teacher's spirituality, his close relationship to God our Father, and yet, so vital is it to successful teaching that we wish to emphasize it by giving it first importance. The teacher needs Divine guidance and inspiration. If he cannot or does not pray for these in the preparation of his lesson, his study wiU do him little good and the members of the class less. It is true that, "If you are not right toward God, you can never be so toward man." He who earnestly prays for something is usually willing to work to obtain it; and prayer and work combined is a mighty force for good. The second requisite to successful teaching is a thorough and sympathetic knowledge of the members of the class, not only as a group, but as individuals. Familiarity with home, school, and play conditions will give a teacher ability to plan lessons that will touch at points of vital interest in the experiences of the members of the class. II. Accumulation of Material. It is evident that a fundamental element in the preparation of a lesson — PRIESTHOOD QUORUMS' TABLE 271 is to become thoroughly familiar with the whole context. By studying the original text, and all available comments about it, the teacher will be able to look at the lesson as a whole, as an artist might view a landscape scene from which he desires to paint a beautiful picture. As the teacher's comprehension of his subject broadens different points of view present themselves — views, at first somewhat hazy, but familiarity gradually clears the mist, and the whole stands before the mind in the clear light of day. By studying this, the teacher, to change the figure, has not only decided upon the kind of a house to build, but has accumulated the material with which to build it. III. Selection of Central Truth or Aim. The lesson is to be given not just to teach a few facts in sacred geography or of biography or history, hut to bring the class members in closer relationship to God. Often facts in the lesson are only means to an end the teaching of a spiritual truth. Alesson may contain several truths, but it will be stronger and more interesting if the facts be so arranged as to emphasize only one. Others may be touched incidentally, but the focussing of the lesson rays on one point makes the truth more impressive. See the truth clearly; and as a test that you do, write it concisely. IV. and Grouping. Classification 1. Emphasize material bearing on aim. 2.Eliminate irrelevant matter. 3.Outline the lesson. When the material for the lesson has been thoroughly absorbed by the teacher and he feels sure that he can express the aim definitely the next thing is to make careful adaptation to the class. It now becomes necessary to choose from the accumulated material those facts which will most directly and interestingly bear the truth home to the minds of the cla s members. Use only that part of the material which can be understood and through which the application of the aim may be expected to work out in action. Some of the matter will be found inappropriate and some irrelevant. This should be submerged or rejected, and the relevant and appropriate elements arranged logically. V. Suggestive Headings for Lesson Outline. 1. The subject. 2. The text. 3. The lesson setting. a. Time. b. Place. c. Customs, etc. 4. Central truth or aim. 5. Groupings. Headings may be indicated in the followi g form: I 1 a b 6. and re-enforcement. Illustrations 7. Discovering attitude of class. (Has the message reached the hearts of the class members? Ascer- tain whether all of them believe it.) 8. Application. 9. Assignment of next lesson.