--- 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: 24 number: 11 published: 1921-09 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: Back to First Principles," *Improvement Era* 24, no. 11 (September 1921): 1029–1030.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera24011unse 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: improvementera24011unse start_page: 1029 end_page: 1030 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1921-09) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera24011unse publication_year: 1921 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 1921, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # Editors’ Table: Back to First Principles Back to First Principles In the group conference-conventions now being held, stress is being placed in the teacher-training department upon the or- ganization of teacher-training classes, which it is hoped will have a tendency to stir the people, and particularly the leaders of the organizations, to a more vitalized teaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ. It has been discovered that attendance at re- ligious services is not as large as it should be; the reading of the Scriptures — our standard Church works — is not as popular as it has been; marriages in the temple are not as numerous, in proportion of the number married, as they should be. Hence, the need of preaching and teaching the gospel more earnestly and impressing its fundamental principles upon the hearts of the young pople. Other delinquencies may be named, among them a lack of a proper observance of the Sabbath day, pro- fanity and bad language among a number of young men, and a perceptible lack of family prayers among the membership of the Church. All these conditions, facts, and problems should stir the people, particularly the authorities and the class lead- ers, to the need of appealing to our membership, young and old, for reform along these lines. As one solution we turn to the teacher-training class, and the text book that it offers for the coming year, in which the leaders of the organization are to devote themselves to a study of the fundamental principles and practices of the gospel. Two courses we have already had in these classes: first, psychology, or, simply and literally, a study of the soul; second, the principles of pedagogy — how to teach; and now, for the coming year, the third course, the principles of the gospel — what to teach. This was given in the Church summer school for teachers at Provo. It is to be hoped that during the conventions these teacher-train- ing departments will be largely attended; and furthermore, that no ward in the Church will be left without a local teacher-train- ing class. What is said and done in these gatherings should lend a heretofore inexperienced impetus to the teaching of the gospel in all our organizations. In a recent speech before all the General Boards, Adam S Bennion, Superintendent of Church schools, emphasized the fact that "we have brought young boys and girls into service in our organizations, who themselves have pleaded that they 1030 IMPROVEMENT ERA have not been trained in the gospel, having been taken out of their organizations before they were taught the gospel fully. Hence next year we are to have a thorough study of the princi- ples of the gospel. Young teachers are now to be taught it, older teachers also are to be stirred to a consciousness of it. We must all be awakened to our needs- We must understand what is to be done. I give it, as my testimony, that there will be wonderful advantage come out of the study of those principles." He went on to say: "In the second place, in a review, and it will be easily possible, of the work we have covered during the past year, we shall be able to discuss how to teach the principles which we shall consider. Too often we have taught with our heads looking over our shoulders, always looking into the past. We teach things concerning ancient Israel, a way off in the Prom- ised Land, leaving our boys and girls here in America wonder- ing, 'What is the use?' We teach great Christian principles, but with our eyes fixed all the time back there. Let us work over here, with our boys and girls today. Better teaching is called for, from one end of this Church to the other, or I am not judging the estimate placed by young men and young women on these things. "I hope that all we have here before us will lead us to a spiritual awakening. I have confidence in this Church, and that confidence grows. I look forward to the greatest time in the history of this Church- We may have been lax in some things while we have gone through a financial period, but I hope we are going back to God. I was stirred the other day in reading a book, The Fundamentals of Prosperity, by Roger Babson, from which I quote the following: Just before I went to Brazil I was the guest of the President of the Argentine Republic. After lunching one day we sat in his sun-parlor, looking out over the river. He was very thoughtful. He said, "Mr. Bab- son, I have been wondering why it is that South America with all its great natural advantages is so far behind North America, notwithstanding that South America was settled before North America." Then he went on to tell how the forests of South America had two hundred and eighty- six trees that can be found in no book of botany. He told me about many ranches that had thousands of acres under alfalfa in ' one block. He mentioned the mines of iron, coal, copper, silver, gold; all those great rivers and water-powers which rival Niagara. "Why is it, with all these natural resources, South America is so far behind North America?" he asked. Well, those of you who have been there know the reason. But, being a guest, I said: "Mr. President, what do you think is the reason?" He replied: "I have come to this conclusion: South America was set- tled by the Spanish who came to South America in search of gold, but North America was settled by the Pilgrim Fathers who went there in search of God." Friends, let us as American citizens never kick down the ladder by which we climbed up. Let us never forget the foundation upon which all permanent prosperity is based.