Problems in Leadership, I

— B -/*y ! i ri i i tt 11 1 IM-Ui^

One Goal to be Attained

According to General Secretary Moroni Snow's annual statistical report,the Y. M. M. I. A. reached the largest active membership of its history for the year ending June, 1920, viz., 40,226. — We fell somewhat below our aim 50,000 although — quite a number of the stakes went above the required ten per cent of the Church population, but there were others that did not reach it, as will be seen from the report in detail in this issue of the Era. Without doubt, the number this season will be largely added to, but our task must be to hold our present membership, and to have each stake reach a full quota if not during the coming season, at least by the date of the Jubilee year of our organization, June 10, 1925. Elder Junius F. Wells, under direction of President Brigham Young, effected the first organization of the Y. M. M. I. A., June 10, 1875, in the 13th ward, Salt Lake City. He is k

now editing the Millennial Star, Liverpool, and in a recent editorial comment on the late June M. I. A. conference he takes occasion to suggest that he would like to have the Y. M. M. I. A. accomplish three things by that date, besides acquiring a membership of 50,000, which he understood had been done this year, five years ahead of time. He says: It was the writer's happy privilege, five years ago, to admonish the young men's associations to reach for a membership of fifty thousand by the fiftieth anniversary— its jubilee year. It has done so five years ahead of time. It was also urged upon them to have among that membership more young men under twenty-one years of age than any other society could produce, of whom it could be said: they have read the Bible through from lid to lid; they pray regularly; they keep the Word of Wisdom. These three things should be achieved within the next five years. If ten per — cent are so reported that will be five thousand; if fifty per cent, it will represent the largest single body of young men in the world of so clean and wholesome and splendid a character and accomplishment. Think of twenty-five thousand young men in any community who reverence and pray to God regularly every day, who have already read the word of God as contained in the Bible, every word of it; who neither drink hot drinks nor spirituous liquors, nor use tobacco in any form; who have learned to order their lives according to the mind and will of the Lord! Their influence and power in the social world would be sublime. It could not fail to excite the wonder of all civilized people, and win the favor of the wellwishers of humanity. It is within the power of the Young Men's Association of Zion to attain this, and we do not doubt that it will be accomplished.

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Neither do we 50,000 membership who pray regularly :

25,000 who have read the Bible from lid to lid; all observe the word of wisdom! It is a good suggestion, a worthy goal; let us set about to accomplish the achievement! A.

Temple Work The following questions have been submitted by a reader of the Era, and are answered by Elder Joseph Fielding Smith, of the Council of the Twelve: First: Will there be among the righteous who are to be caught up to meet the Savior at his coming, any who have not been baptized; hence are hot members of the Church? Second: Will resurrected beings who are not baptized be baptized in person, or will mortal beings act for them as they now do for the dead? Third: Will the resurrected Saints do temple work in the Millennium for the dead, and officiate for those who are not resurrected who belong to the telestial kingdom? Answer to the First Question: In a revelation given November 4, 1830, the Lord said, "And there are none that doeth good except those who are ready to receive the fulness of my gospel which I have sent forth unto this generation" (Sec. 35: 12). Again, in Sec. 84, the Lord said, "And the whole world lieth in sin and groaneth under darkness and under the bondage of sin because they come not unto me. For whoso cometh not unto me is under the bondage of sin, and whoso receiveth not my voice, is not acquainted with my voice, and is not of me. And by this you may know the righteous from the wicked and that the whole world groaneth under sin and darkness even now." (Doc. and Cov. 84:49-53.) Such passages as these indicate that only those who have received the gospel will be privileged to fellowship with the Savior. It is true that the promise is made that others (see Sec. 45:54) will have part in the first resurrection, but the Scriptures do not indicate that they shall be caught up. In section 88, verses 96-99, we are given to understand that "the Saints that are upon the earth who are alive shall be quickened and be caught up to meet him," not those who have not come unto him through baptism, etc., and hence are under the bondage of sin. Answer to the Second Question: Baptism is an ordinance which pertains to mortal life and those who have passed be- yond, whether they were in the spirit world or had passed through the resurrection, no longer belong to mortality, and therefore cannot be baptized in person. If this could be done, there would be no need for us to officiate for the dead by proxy now, for they could act for themselves after the resurrection.

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Answer to the Third Question: Saints who have received their resurrection may assist in temple work by furnishing information, but they will not act or officiate in the temples, for the reason given in answer to question two. President Brigham Young said such beings will reveal to mortal men the necessary information, so that every soul who is entitled to receive the ordinances of the temple may and will have that privilege by proxy. The temple work pertains to salvation and exaltation in the Celestial kingdom. Those who belong to the Telestial kingdom will not receive these blessings.

Arizona Temple Day

In order that every Latter-day Saint who desires to contribute may do so, Sunday, September 12 has been set aside as "Arizona Temple Day". It is requested that each bishop in the Church provide means by which all who desire may make these donations, and we hope each bishop will encourage every member of his ward to become a donor. Further details concerning the handling of the funds, record of donors, and the manner of remitting the donations will be given by the Presiding Bishopric, who will collect these funds. Heber J. Grant, Anthon H. Lund, Charles W. Penrose, First Presidency.

M. I. A. Slogans We stand for a sacred Sabbath and a weekly half holiday. We stand for a weekly home evening. We stand for state- and nation-wide prohibition. We stand for thrift and economy. We stand for service to God and country. We stand for spiritual growth through attendance at Sacrament meetings. We stand for the non-use and non-sale of tobacco.

Messages from the Missions

A Two Hundred Mile Trip in Boats to Conference The extremely scattered condition of the Islands of the Tahitian Mission renders it almost impossible for all the islands to meet together for the semiannual conferences. We have Tahiti as the headquarters with the Tubuai

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branches about three hundred and fifty miles south and the Tuamotu Islands scattered out from two hundred and fifty to seven hundred miles to the northeast and east. Faite, of the Tuamotuian group, was set apart for our April conference of 1920, for that group, but due to the impossibility of obtaining ships, many of the islands were not represented and the ones that were represented came in small sailing boats. The Takaroa branch, the branch furthest out that was represented, made the trip of three days and two nights, in two five-ton boats and one three-ton boat. Elder L. R. Mallory was in charge of one of the boats, the "Manahiki," and Elder Melvin Strong was in charge of the "Ofai" and one of the native elders, Tamanaha, in charge of the other. It was certainly an inspiring sight when all the branch met at the shore to bid us God speed, and for a short meeting and prayer, for forty-five of us who were ready to start out on a two hundred mile trip, over the mighty deep, in a heavy wind, with canoes, almost, for the island that was set apart for our conference. We started out in a heavy sea and the little boats would rise and lower with the waves so much that at times one would be lost, to the view, behind the large swell of the sea. We had not been out long until the sea calmed down and remained very calm and agreeable during the remainder of the trip. When the three boats arrived at the destination we went ashore and held another short meeting and thanked God for our safe arrival. We held a three days' conference, or spiritual feast, for the Spirit of the Lord was indeed in attendance and all felt greatly benefited and doubly paid for the struggle they made to be there. There were some baptized and confirmed members of the Church. The three branches of Tubuai met at Taahuaaia and the same peaceful, uplifting, good spirit was witnessed there throughout the entire sessions. Also some new members were received into the fold. This Tahitian Mission is the oldest island mission in the world. It was opened up in the year 1844, when three elders landed at Tubuai after a seven months' trip from Nauvoo going around cape Horn. The work of the Lord is progressing in the Tahitian mission and our daily experiences prove to us that the Spirit of the Lord is with this native people. This mission is also one of the most fortunate in the world in that no missionary has, thus far, lost his life while performing his duties in this part of the vineyard. Our main drawback at present is the lack of missionaries, but we are living in hopes of almost doubling our present number in the near future. Elder W. Melvin Strong, Papeete, Tahiti, June 26, 1920.

Conference in Omaha

Elder Chares L. Day, writing from Omaha, Nebraska, July 1, says: "The work of the Lord is steadily growing in this conference in spite of marked opposition in certain sections. We held 15 open-air meetings last month in the large cities of Nebraska. The success attending our efforts has encouraged us to emphasize this feature of our missionary work. On May 8 and 9, President John M. Knight of the Western States Mission and President Winslow F. Smith of the Northern States Mission were in attendance at our conference. The sessions were well attended and the exercises appreciated by our friends and investigators who attended. Since conference we have had 13 baptisms, 9 children have been blessed, we held 167 meetings, disposed of 32,054 tracts, 4,659 pamphlets, 293 other books and sold 62 Books of Mormon. We acknowledge the hand of the Lord in all things and hope to continue our efforts in his great work. We welcome the Era and look forward with pleasure each month to reading its pages of inspiration and testimony. It is a valuable asset in our work."