Editors’ Table

936 IMPROVEMENT ERA Brevity No words of the editors can fully express the appreciation we have for the indispensable help that the contributors, the authors and the writers, have so freely given to make the Improvement Era instructive, lively, and readable. Owing to the lack of space, necessarily it is not possible to give place to all the articles that are received. Frequently there are other reasons: The subject may be covered in some other article; the paper may need a great deal of revision, and so is laid aside for future consideration; or it may be crowded out by other contributions (considered ctf more importance). Last of all, but not least — it may be too long. We have only one hundred pages a month and are frequently in receipt of enough to fill three or four times that much each month. This does not mean we want less material. On the contrary, we want more. But, of course, it must be of a character to fit our needs, one of which is brevity. Few articles are hurt by condensation ; and many are helped. So we request our friends, after they have written an article, to look it over, and strike out every unnecessary word and sentence. A short article has one hundred chances to one of a long one to find space in the Improvement Era. — A. Books The readers of the Improvement Era will be glad to learn that the comprehensive literature of the British Mission has been enriched, lately, by the addition to it of a neatly printed brochure by Elder Orson F. Whitney, of the Council of the Twelve, president of the European Mis- sion. It is entitled, The Way, The Truth and The Life. It is a re-statement of the principles of the gospel, dealing with obedience, redemption, atone- ment, salvation, etc., with considerable originality, and in the clear, ele- gant style of which the author is a master. In the closing chapters "The world of spirits" and "The eternal goal," are discussed. This pamphlet is of value and interest, not only to missionaries, but to Church members and others. Messages from the Missions Home of the Exiled Kaiser Wililam Levi Phillips and Roy E. Weight, writing from Holland, give an account to the Improvement Era of a visit which they made to "Doom Huis," the enforced residence of Ex-emperor William II, the exiled mon- arch, concerning whom the question has often arisen, "How much wood does the ex-war lord have to chop a day in order to remunerate the

EDITORS' TABLE 937 stricken world for the millions of souls who have passed prematurely be- yond the 'Great Divide''?'" They left Utrecht by rail to the quiet, beau- tiful city of Doom. The surrounding country between these cities forms the fairyland of interesting and picturesque Holland. The elders were successful in obtaining a picture of the entrance to the palace where the ejdKaiser is located, and were successful in interesting the guard in their mission to preach the gospel. "The guard seemed to be interested in our gospel message and told us that he had heard many bad reports about R. E. Weight, secretary of the Netherlands Mission at the Ex-Kaiser's front gate us, promised to read our tracts, and then told us that he admired our pluck and sincerity in the matter, and believed that there must be more in our gospel message than is generally set forth in the slanderous tales which he had heard." The missionaries were not successful in obtain- ing an entrance to the grounds, but left to enjoy the beautiful woodlands surrounding, where they were carefully watched by soldier-policemen. They decided that Ex-emperor Wilhelm II was well protected and taken care of by the Dutch Government. Many of the contiguous states are owned by rich Germans, and the defeated monarch has retired to a quiet life of luxury on his own land, "Doom Huis," which, through the courtesy of the Dutch Government, is exempt from all taxes. Persecution has Helped to Fill the Meeting Halls From G. Osmond Hyde, president of the Hull conference, England, we learn that in spite of the war that the English press and motion picture companies have been waging against the work, the cause is steadily going forward in the Hull conference. These events have been of an undesirable nature, but in face of it all, the cause of the Lord has been advancing. Fol- lowing the unsuccessful attempt of the yellow press of the country to have us sent home, the motion picture people took up the battle, and placed before the public many lies in the form of pictures. The London Daily Mail film critic classified them all when he branded the first one entitled,

938 IMPROVEMENT ERA "Trapped by the 'Mormons' " as "an insult to public intelligence." The balance of them cannot even be classified from the intellectual point of view. Elder Hyde, however, says: "The advertising received from these unfortunate conditions has done much to help fill our meeting halls. Since the first of the year our meetings are better attended than at any time since the war. We have more investigators out than have been present for years past." He assigns the persecutions as the cause for this success. People read these sensational stories, and as a result, come out to see what all the noise is about. "In one of our branches two young ladies came to one of the meetings for the purpose of laughing and having a good time at our expense. Instead of laughing and carrying on as they intended, they found they could not let themselves carry out their plans. They heard things they had never heard before, and they could not laugh. One of them is now one of our strongest supporters in that little city. We held our spring conference there recently, and it was better attended than ever. We have opened a new branch which has been closed for nearly three years in the city of York." Missionaries left to right, standing: Alpheus Harvey, Kaysville; Denald E. Rose, Salt Lake; Gordon W. Mathis, St. George; Edward L. Burten, Jr., Salt Lake; sitting, Marion Rogers, Snowflake, Arizona; Esdras Whitaker, Ogden; Conference President G. Osmond Hyde, Downey, Idaho; Melvin T. King, Raymond, Alta., Canada; Francis A. Madsen, Salt Lake City, Utah. Placing Books of Mormon in Japan Elder Aldo Stephens, mission secretary, Yakuojimachi, Ushigome, Tokyo, Japan, under date of June 16, reports a spring conference of the mission held from May 3-11, in which was taken up a study of the Book of Mormon. Each missionary had a topic to treat, and then discussions followed, and many important points were brought out. The elders en- joyed the conference sessions very much, and the Spirit of God was made

EDITORS' TABLE 939 manifest in many ways. All went away determined to get the work of the Lord before the people, and we feel that it is through the Book of Mormon and its inspired teachings that the long sought-for peace is going to come to this war-tired world. A testimony meeting was held at the close of the conference. A slogan was adopted at the conference, in which Saints and missionaries alike showed interest. It referred to the placing of the Book of Mormon before the people during the coming year, and it was resolved to place 500 copies in the homes of the people. Since the first of this year we have placed 220, and are all working hard to keep good the slogan. Our force of missionaries in Japan is small. If each mission- ary could meet and preach the gospel to 200 new people every day — 100 each for the sisters, without resting for Sundays, these ten missionaries would finish their job in 105% years. They are the representatives of truth to 77,000,000 people. , Missionaries, left to right: Irvin Hicken, Heber; Ernest B. Wood- ward, Wellsville; A. Howard Jensen, Brigham City; Orlando Fowler, Henefer; Aldo Stephens, Ogden; William E. Davis, Plain City; front row, Hilton A. Robertson, Springville; Hazel M. Robertson, Springville; Lloyd O. Ivy, mission president; and Baby Ruth Tomoe, Nora B. Ivy, Salina; and Delorss W. Holley, Slaterville, Utah. A Wave of Earnest Investigation Elder George A. Christensen, president of the South Australian con- ference, reports that the semiannual gathering was held at Adelaide, April 16, and consisted of a Priesthood meeting, Sunday School conference, and two general sessions. Mission President Don C. Rushton and Sister Rushton attended, and gave timely and practical advice. The laboring elders gave impressive and genuine Latter-day Saint sermons, and the meetings were well attended by both Saints and investigators. "There appears to be a wave of earnest investigation among the people, and it is not uncommon to find our audiences comprised of at least one-third investigators. The Saints are enjoying spiritual growth, and we are all trying to represent the Kingdom, of God as true elders. The Lord has been exceedingly kind and gracionus to us, blessing us with employment, health, a keener sense of

940 IMPROVEMENT ERA appreciation and love for our fellowmen, and a stronger testimony and conviction that the restored gospel through the Prophet Joseph Smith is the plan of life and salvation." A Book of Mormon Class in Wisbeck, England President William H. Wilson, of the Norwich conference, writing under date of June 17, says: "There are ten of us from Zion laboring in East Anglia. This is a farming community, hence there are many small villages to be tracted, and we do this work on bicycles. The country work is very enjoyable at the present time. People are less prejudiced than the city people towards the message of truth. This is likely due to the fact that they are not so easily led by the crowd, and they think for themf selves. The Wisbech branch holds a Book of Mormon class every Wednes- day night. We hope soon to organize a Mutual Improvement Association. In the ten months that Elders Dent and Coulam have been laboring there, they have found the Wisbech people opposed to our call, but the work has still gone on fairly well." Elders of the Norwich conference, and Book of Mormon Class to the right, back row, left to right: Jesse Petersen, Hyrum; Joseph Crowther, (Yost, Ut.) ; William E. Allen, Provo; Percy Whetton, Ogden; front row, Joseph Coulam, Pleasant Grove; C. Douglas Barnes, Salt Lake City; Presi- dent William H. Wilson, Hoytsville; Peter Tolboe, Castle Dale; Francis L. Dent, Salt Lake City; Russel H. Blood, Kaysville, was absent at this time. Progress Result of Persecution It is a strange thing that whenever the work of the Lord is at- tacked by those who are seemingly desirous of overthrowing it, and by those who take evil means to accomplish their task, the result is favorable to the cause of the Lord. Elder G. Osmond Hyde, conference president of the Hull conference, after describing what the opponents of the Church did in that district of England, some time ago, enlarges upon the progress that is being made in the district, and says. "We are not suffering much from the effects of the tirade that has been raging against us. We are more encouraged today than we have ever been before. The following, from our late President Joseph F. Smith, explains our true position, and the spirit of every missionary in this conference toward this work and those who oppose it: "I do not know but what we owe in some small degree gratitude to those who have bitterly opposed the work of the Lord; for in all their opposings and bitter strife against our people, the Lord has developed his power and wisdom, and has brought his people more

EDITORS' TABLE 941 fully into the knowledge and favor of the intelligent people of the earth. Through the very means used by those who have opposed the work of God, he has brought out good for Zion. Yet it is written, and I believe it is true, that although it must needs be that offenses come, woe unto them by whom they come; but they are in the hands of the Lord as we are. We bring no railing accusation against them. We are willing to leave them in the hands of the Almighty to deal with them as seemeth him good. Our business is to work righteous- ness in the earth, to seek for the development of a knowledge of God's will and of God's ways, and of his great and glorious truths which he has revealed through the instrumentality of Joseph the Picphet, not only for the salvation of the living, but for the redemption and sal- vation of the dead." i People of the North Interested in the Gospel Elder Isaac P. Thunell, president of the Swedish mission, writing under date of May 18, 1922, from Stockholm, says: "On the 12th of April a number of elders assembled on the banks of the river just outside of the city of Gavle, where, after dedicating the water, Elder Charles Ander- son, baptized a Brother Engstrom. There was an 18-inch layer of snow on the ground. While the sun shone, there was still a sharp wind, making it rather cold, but the brethren did not mind that. After the baptism the new convert was confirmed, and the elders enjoyed a dinner at the invita- tion of one of the Saints. The recent conference in Gavle was well at- tended. People of the north are very much interested in the gospel, and the elders are doing good work all through Sweden, though we are handi- capped by the few workers that we have. We hope we will be able to welcome others soon. Last year we baptized 70 persons with 22 elders in the field. We hope to do as well this year, and have already baptized 9. We enjoy the Improvement Era, some of its articles being well worth the price of the subscription for the whole year." Missionaries left to right, back row: Gideon N .Hulterstrom, mission secretary; Oscar V. Johanson, Victor E. Blomquist, Morris C. Johnson, conference president Norkoping conference; Nathaniel Johanson, Elon Keding. Front row: O. Wilford Monson, Signe V. Hulterstrom, Isaac P. Thunell, mission president; Anna Peterson, Charels Anderson.

942 IMPROVEMENT ERA Hamburg Conference President John H. Zenger of the Hamburg conference sends the Improve' merit Era this picture of missionaries who were present at the Hamburg Conference, May 7 and 8. On the 7th was Mothers' Day, and a fitting program of solos and recitations was given at the Sunday school session, and the seventy-five mothers present were each given a flower. The total attendance at the three sessions of the conference was well over 1,000 souls, and a splendid spirit prevailed. A missionary meeting on Monday was held from 9 a. m. to 1.30 p. m., the program consisting of reports and an inspiring talk from President Serge F. Ballif. Progress is being noted in all the branches of the work and trading is going earnestly forward. The conference closed on Tuesday evening with a social, consisting of a program of singing, recitations, and tableaus, followed by a dance. The evening was delightfully passed, some 300 Saints and friends being present. Othello Hickman, Monticello, and Henry Miller, Salt Lake City, are the first two American elders to secure a release after filling a full mission nere in Germany since the new freedom. ? 1 t f't't ft.t 1 #^ % 4 Names of missionaries: Front row: Orville M. Foulger, Ogden; Christian Rathert, Salt Lake; Fred Korth, Brigham City; William H. Linck, Salt Lake City; Serge F. Ballif, mission president; John H. Zenger, con- ference president, Salt Lake; Joseph Gasser, Hart Rueckert, Clyde Lind- quist, George H. Schmidt; second row. Oswald Vieweg, Breslau; Carl E. Toebe, Neubrandenburg; Daniel G. Shupe, Ogden; Conrad Quinney, Logan; Karl Klug, Chemnitz; Slyvin Van Orden, Idaho Falls; Alfred Dzierson, Freiburg; Delbert Foulger, Ogden; Willard S. Miller, Salt Lake; Othello Hickman, Monticello; Jewel M. Peterson, Fairview; Arthur Bohn, Salt Lake; third row: S. D. Durrant, Ogden; Fred Krueger, Berlin; Carl Ernst, Salt Lake; Emil Geist, Henry Wintsch, Manti; J. M. Squires, Logan; Hans Smyczck, Stuttgart; Ludwig Hierboeck, Muenchen; Henry Miller, Salt Lake; Charles W. Nibley, Los Angeles; Lloyd Kent, Logan, Utah.