--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Unknown collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 28 number: 1 published: 1924-11 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: "Unknown, “Editors’ Table,” *Improvement Era 28, no. 1 (November 1924)*: 77–88." source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera2801unse 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: improvementera2801unse start_page: 77 end_page: 88 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1924-11) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera2801unse publication_year: 1924 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 1924, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # Editors’ Table EDITORS' TABLE 77 services. The price of those lands then was very insignificant, but I was assured that the very land turned over to General Doniphan is today worth more than ten millions of dollars. After returning from visiting the Western and the Central States missions, in June, I went East and visited the Northern States mission, the Canadian mission and the Eastern States mission. I had the privilege for the first time of visiting Montreal, in Canada, and of attending one of the sessions of the Rotary Club in Toronto. The work in ail of the missions I have visited since the last conference is progressing in a splendid way. Since our last conference, President Anthony W. Ivins and Elder Richard R. Lyman have visited the Hawaiian Islands with members of their families. The work there is progressing splendidly. Our sugar plantations there are progressing more satisfactorily at the present time than for many years past. New chapels are being erected in many of our missions. A site for a new chapel has been purchased on one of the principal streets in Washington, D. C, and we expect to erect a place of worship there that will be a credit to the Latter-day Saints, and worthy of that city of beautiful churches, wonderful public buildings, and palatial resi- dences. We hope to have a building there that will be as much of a credit to us at Washington as our magnificent office building is to us here — not as expensive, of course, but in every respect worthy of the Church of Christ. Brother James E. Talmage has been chosen to preside over the European mission. Elder David O. McKay will have been in that mission two years by the time he leaves it. Previous to his being called there, he and Brother Hugh J. Cannon spent a year in traveling around the world, visiting nearly all of the missions in the world. Therefore 'we felt it was only fair to him to allow him to return to his mountain home without staying the usual three years that the brethren spend in England. We have sent considerable sums of money to the Norwegian and Danish missions for final payment on meeting houses purchased years ago. We have purchased a fine large meeting house at Rotterdam. There has been erected a splendid meeting house at Honolulu; and others are now authorized in the Hawaiian Islands. We have secured a long lease of farming lands for the Tongan mission, not being able to purchase and get title there. The baptisms in the missions during the past six months number 3,156 — a very decided increase over the average in years past. Two new stakes have been organized since our last conference, namely, the Grant stake, taken from the Granite stake, and the Minidoka stake, a part of the Blaine stake. Twelve new wards have been organized during the past six months. A large number of new meeting houses are being erected in Zion. I believe more building is going on at the present time in the various stakes of Zion than for many years past. We have ordered a monument to be erected at the grave of Martin Harris, in Clarkston, Utah. 78 IMPROVEMENT ERA A new home is being provided for the Lamanites located near Cedar City, in order that they may be more comfortably situated. Successful conventions of auxiliary organizations are in progress at the present time, all over the Church. Quite a number of seminary buildings have been erected by the Saints in various parts of the Church. There is a large and increased attendance at the Brigham Young University and our other Church schools. A very remarkable increase is noted in the attendance at all of our temples. The Manti temple has been overhauled, and extensive repairs made there, making it very much more comfortable and convenient than in the past. The repairs being made at the Salt Lake temple are now all completed. Rapid progress is being made in the erection of the Arizona temple. We have decided to erect on this block a monument in honor of the Three Witnesses (perhaps we will include the Eight Witnesses), to be located in the rear of the statues of Presidents Joseph and Hyrum Smith. The design has not yet been decided upon; but we will endeavor to have something that will be as attractive and as creditable, and that will preach the wonderful message proclaimed in the Book of Mormon as effectively as the Sea Gull Monument preaches the wonderful deliverance wrought by the Lord in the days when the crickets threatened to destroy everything. Undoubtedly some of the inspirational passages of the Book of Mormon, also the fact that these three witnesses declare that an angel of God came down from heaven and laid before their eyes, that they beheld and saw the plates of the Book of Mormon, and the engravings thereon, and that the voice of the Lord commanded them that they should bear record of it, with other incidents that proclaim the divinity of the Book of Mormon, will be features of the monument. We are pleased to note that there is an improvement in the support of our foreign newspapers. There are many faithful, diligent Latter-day Saints who, having embraced the Gospel in foreign lands at an advanced age, cannot read the English language, and it is a great comfort and blessing to them to have some of the sermons, messages, and news, regarding the work of God published in their own language. We bespeak for these papers the loyal patronage of those of foreign birth. Young men who have prospered here in the things of this world should be willing to assist in circulating at home and abroad the word of God through the papers published in the mother tongue of their parents. We have been called upon during the past six months to part with one of our loyal stake presidents, — President Andrew Kimball. It fell to my lot to have the privilege of going to Thatcher, Arizona, and attending the funeral, at which there was a wonderful outpouring of people, showing their respect and love for- their president. It was a source of satisfaction to me to have the opportunity of paying a tribute of love and respect to him at the services. We have to announce the death of Sister Elizabeth C. McCune, EDITORS' TABLE 79 who, in connection with her husband, presented to the Church some years ago the magnificent McCune mansion on upper Main street, the name of which has been changed since the death of Sister McCune to the McCune School of Music and Art. We hope at no far distant date to have a portion of that building devoted to the fine arts in the form of beautiful paintings and sculpture. There are two magnificent pieces of sculpture there now, probably the finest in our state, which were presented with the mansion at the time it was given to us. I believe this covers the activities of the past six months that I thought would be of interest to the people. Of course, you will realize that if I were to enter into detail regarding these activities I could occupy not only the entire time of this morning's session with interest to the Saints, but even longer. On my way home after attending the funeral of Brother Kim- ball, in Arizona, I stopped for a few days in California, and the work in the California mission is progressing in a very favorable way. The Divinity of Jesus Christ There is one thing that I desire to refer to, and a part of one of the revelations that I desire to read. There are no revelations in the Doctrine and Covenants that have made such a profound im- pression upon my heart and my mind as the one known as The Vision, recorded in the 76th Section, and the one known as Prayer and Prophecies, given in Liberty Jail, and to be found in the 121st Section. I rejoice every time I read the wonderful testimony of the Prophet Joseph and Sidney Rigdon as contained in the Vision. When bishops over large churches in England announce that Jesus Christ was not the Son of God; that he was not divine, but merely a great moral teacher; when men who are ministers deny the divinity of Christ and are being tried for their lack of faith, I rejoice in reading the testimony of these two men, and never read it but my heart swells with gratitude to God: "And now, after the many testimonies which have been given of him, this is the testimony, last of all, which we give of him: That he lives! "For we saw him, even on the right hand of God; and we heard the voice bearing record that he is the Only Begotten of the Father — "That by him, and through him, and of him, the worlds are and were created, and the inhabitants thereof are begotten sons and daughters unto God." I rejoice that the Church of Jesus Christ is founded upon the first great vision that was enjoyed by the boy Joseph Smith over one hundred years ago. He declared that he saw two heavenly beings, whose glory and grandeur were beyond the power of man to describe, and that one of them addressed him and pointed to the other and said: "This is my beloved Son, hear him." There cannot be any 80 IMPROVEMENT ERA doubt in the heart of a Latter-day Saint regarding Jesus Christ being the Son of the Living God, because God himself introduced Him to Joseph Smith. It is a fundamental truth of the Church of Jesus Christ in our day that Joseph Smith was and is and ever will be a prophet of the living God; and with Joseph Smith recognized as a prophet of God, and the testimony in our hearts of that fact, there will never be any schism, so to speak, in the Church of Christ. Any individual who does not acknowledge Jesus Christ as the Son of God, the Redeemer of the world, has no business to be associated with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This Church is, as I read to you it should be, a marvelous work and a wonder. There is nothing like it in all the world, because Jesus Christ, the Son of God, established it, and is the head of it; because Jesus Christ manifested himself to the Prophet and Oliver Cowdery, and to others; and because God, in answer to prayer, has given to people all over the wide world where the Gospel has gone, an individual knowledge and testimony regarding the divinity of the work in which we are engaged. A Profoundly Impressive Comparison Never have I been more profoundly impressed with the power and blessing of God than I was when I visited Nauvoo, upon my recent trip East. Three quarters of a century ago there were twenty thousand prosperous Latter-day Saints in that city, with a magnificent temple. Today there is not a single stone left of the temple where it was once erected, and the population has dwindled to about one thousand people. Men have told me that the site of the City of Nauvoo is one of the finest, if not the finest, to be found upon the great Mississippi river, yet to get there now you have to cross the Mississippi river in a little tub of a steamer, on the deck of which there are but five chairs, and as there happened to be six in our party one of us had to stand; and there are cities with thousands of inhabitants on the Mississippi and on the Missouri that have grown up since that was the great city of Illinois. When I contemplate all these things and then come home and gaze upon the Temple of God in the eastern part of this block; when I look at our office building, at the Utah Hotel, and at the magnificent bank buildings in our city; when I think of the prosperity of the Saints, with beautiful temples, not only in Utah, but in Canada, in the Hawaiian Islands, as well as pne in course of construction in Arizona; when I think of all the accomplishments of the work of God, my language utterly fails me to speak in just praise of all that has been done. When I realize the condition of the place from which we were driven, the lack of prosperity and of success in that country, I thank God that we are located here in these mountains. I feel that the very persecutions and frpubles through which we passed prepared us and educated us and EDITORS' TABLE 81 strengthened us as a people for greater things. Perhaps the very finest residence, with one exception, to be found in Nauvoo is the one erected by Erastus Snow. They told me that it was erected by Lorenzo Snow, but I have since been informed that the people there were mistaken, and that it was erected by Erastus Snow. One of the fine dwellings there was built with stones taken from the Temple block. I rejoice in the testimony of my dear mother, also in the testi- mony of Aunt Emmeline B. Wells and scores of men and women who were present upon that memorable occasion, after the martyrdom of the Prophet Joseph, when Sidney Rigdon endeavored to be appointed as guardian of the Church. I rejoice in the wonderful manifestation that was given to the people there, including my mother and other relatives of mine, when the mantle of Joseph Smith fell upon the Prophet Brigham Young, and he, Brigham, stood there and talked as with the voice of Joseph, his face being illumined and in ap- pearance like unto the face of Joseph. The sheep knew the voice of the true shepherd. And from that day to this, of the hundreds who were present on that occasion, nearly every one has lived and died faithful and true to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, loyal supporters of the Prophet Brigham Young and his successors. How to Exercise the Power of the Priesthood I desire to read part of the wonderful revelation given to the Prophet Joseph in Liberty Jail. Remember, though he was chained in that prison, the Lord Almighty could and did speak to him, and gave to him a revelation that I commend here today to every Latter- day Saint. I particularly commend it to every man presiding in the stakes and wards of Zion, and in the various missions throughout the world. If we exercise the power of the Priesthood of the living God as He tells us in this wonderful revelation to exercise it, then there never can be and there never will be any just complaint made against the Church of Jesus Christ, because of the use of the Priesthood that has been restored again to the earth. It is when men do not follow the teachings and the revelations given of God to us through his prophet, that mistakes are made. This revelation declares that by incarcerating the Prophet Joseph men could not rob him of the inspiration of the Living God, which revealed to him these wonderful words in that prison. Starting with verse 33, I read: "How long can rolling waters remain impure? What power shall stay the heavens? As well might man stretch forth his puny arm to stop the Missouri river in its decreed course, or to turn it up stream, as to hinder the Almighty from pournig down knowledge from heaven upon the heads of the Latter-day Saints. "Behold, there are many called, but few are chosen. And why are they not chosen? "Because their hearts are set so much upon the things of this world, 82 IMPROVEMENT ERA and aspire to the honors of men, that they do not learn this one lesson — "That the rights of the priesthood are inseparably connected with the powers of heaven, and that the powers of heaven cannot be controlled nor handled only upon the principles or righteousness. "That they may be conferred upon us, it is true; but when we under- take to cover our sins, or to gratify our pride, or vain ambition, or to exercise control or dominion or compulsion upon the souls of the children of men, in any degree of unrighteousness, behold, the heavens withdraw themselves; the Spirit of the Lord is grieved; and when it is withdrawn, Amen to the priesthood or the authority of that man. "Behold, ere he is aware, he is left unto himself, to kick against the pricks, to persecute the saints, and to fight against God. "We have learned by sad experience that it is the nature and dis- position of almost all men, as soon as they get a little authority, as they suppose, they will immediately begin to exercise unrighteous dominion. "Hence many are called, but few are chosen. "No power or influence can or ought to be maintained by virtue of the priesthood, only by persuasion, by long-suffering, by gentleness and meekness, and by love unfeigned; "By kindness, and pure knowledge, which shall greatly enlarge the soul without hypocrisy, and without guile — "Reproving betimes with sharpness, when moved upon by the Holy Ghost; and then showing forth afterwards an increase of love toward him whom thou hast reproved, lest he esteem thee to be his enemy; "That he may know that thy faithfulness is stronger than the cords of death. "Let thy bowels also be full of charity towards all men, and to the household of faith, and let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly; then shall thy confidence wax strong in the presence of God; and the doctrine of the priesthood shall distil upon thy soul as the dews from heaven. "The Holy Ghost shall be thy constant companion, and thy scepter an unchanging scepter of righteousness and truth; and thy dominion shall be an everlasting dominion, and without compulsory means it shall flow unto rhee forever and ever." I feel that I cannot close my remarks with anything better than this wonderful revelation given to the Prophet of the living God. God's Blessings Invoked Upon the Church and Nation I pray God's blessings to be upon the Latter-day Saints all over the wide world. I pray for those who stand as the General Authori- ties of the Church. I pray for those who preside in the stakes and the wards and the branches, and in all parts of the Church, from Canada on the North to Mexico on the South, and for all those who preside and labor in the various missions all over the wide world. I pray for the people of the world; not only for the Latter-day Saints, but I pray God's blessings upon every loyal, patriotic man and woman that is endeavoring to do right, and to uphold the laws of the countries where they reside. I pray God's blessings upon the Presi- dent of these United States of America. I thank God for the loyalty and the patriotism of the Latter-day Saints. I thank God that we believe that the constitution of our country was given to us under Lhe inspiration of the Living God, and that the Lord supported EDITORS' TABLE 83 George Washington and the patriotic fathers of this country. I pray that God will inspire us to continue loyal and true to him, to our country, and to its institutions; and that we may in very deed preach the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ by our acts; that, as we grow in years and increase in understanding, we may grow in the power and ability to live the Gospel, that our example of integrity, of honesty, of loyalty to God and country may inspire others to investi- gate the message of life and salvation. Closing Testimony Before sitting down, I bear my testimony to you and to all the world that God lives, that Jesus is the Christ, the Redeemer of the world, the Savior of mankind, the Creator of heaven and earth; that Joseph Smith was His prophet, the instrument in His hands of establishing again the Gospel of life and salvation. That we who have that knowledge may live the Gospel is my prayer, and I ask it in the name of Jesus Christ, our Redeemer and Savior, Amen. "The Song of the Great Migration" John G. Neihardt, called the "epic poet of the pioneer west," was born in Sharpsburg, Illinois, in 1881, having since lived in dif- ferent parts of the west; was a graduate of the Nebraska Normal Col- lege; a country school teacher, who lived a part of the time among the Omaha Indians; made a 2,000 mile trip down the Missouri river in an open boat; and who now lives in the Ozark mountains at the edge of the little village of Branson, in Missouri, with his wife and children. In 1923, Neihardt began a work on "An Epic Cycle of the West," to consist of five poems, and to cover the entire period of west- ern development from the year, 1822, to the end of the Indian wars on the plains. "The Song of Three Friends," and "The Song of Hugh Glass," are the first two poems already written. The third will be "The Song of Jed Smith," and will deal with the wanderings of that band of men, who, from 1825 to 1832, discovered and explored the central route from the Missouri river to the Pacific ocean. The fourth poem of the cycle will be, "The Song of the Great Migration," and this will deal with the "Mormon" story. "Neihardt," we are told by Jim Tully in the October International Book Review, "chose this episode, not because he was particularly interested in the 'Mormons,' but be- cause theirs was a group adventure, and therefore more suitable to his purpose. Also, the fact that they were driven by the greatest impulses men know — religion and home-hunger — means much for his purpose. Theirs is a wonderful story." Then, we are told, the fifth and last poem of the cycle will be, 84 IMPROVEMENT ERA "The Song of the Indian Wars," telling the story of the last great fight for the bison pastures of the plains with the great tribes, Sioux, Cheyenne, and Arapaho, principally. Neihardt was given the degree Litt.D. by the University of Nebraska in 1917, and was made Poet Laureate of Nebraska by joint resolution of the legislature in 1921.— A. Books Scientific Research and Human Welfare, is the title of a book written by President Franklin Stewart Harris, with Newbern I. Butt, research assistant, which was published by the MacMillan Company, publishers, of New York, in September. The book is printed in large type on excellent paper and is bound attractively. In this, his latest volume, President Harris has followed the discoveries made by men in nine important fields, and has shown how those discoveries have contributed to human welfare. As an instance of the substance matter of the book, the authors in their chapter entitled, "Lengthening Human Life," show how various diseases have been controlled. They tell the story of X-rays and many other inventions and discoveries that have contributed to man's health and happiness. Besides being a very readable book, full of choice information, that has required years of research to gather, it is a very helpful encyclopaedia and chronology of discoveries and inventions. The carefully prepared index and the tabulated chronological history of inventions and discoveries make the volume a very handy one for public speakers and those who wish illustrations along almost any line. — H. R. Merrill. To Mt. Timpanogos Old Timp — I knew you ; First I caught the glint Of parallel, high snow lines 'gainst the sky. I saw you when we left the Goshen hills; I knew you, Timp, direct you caught my eye. For I was lost in those uncharted lands; Strange lakes, strange hills, Strange farms and roads awry; I couldn't feel direction's sense at all; The East looked South no matter how I'd try. But when I saw your horizontal lines I oriented then, and North was North ; I felt the thrill of being right again. God grant — Old Timp — You'll always keep me straight. 'The Ripple" CLAUDE C. CORNWALL. ^Priesthood Quorums Lessons for the Melchizedek Priesthood Classes Subject: DOCTRINES OF THE CHURCH Text-book: A Study of the Articles of Faith INTRODUCTORY NOTES To master the lessons of this course it is essential that every class- member shall have access to a copy of the text book. The work known as A Study of the Articles of Faith, written by Elder James E. Talmage of the Council of the Twelve, and published by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, appeared during 1924 in revised and enlarged form, and in two editions, the Twelfth and Thirteenth. These are printed from identical plates but differ in quality of paper, width of margins, and style of binding. The Twelfth edition is obtainable at one dollar per copy in excellent cloth binding and at a higher price in leather; the Thirteenth, commonly called the Missionary Edition, is sold at fifty cents per copy, cloth-bound. With the book obtainable at so low a price, it is reasonable to expect that none of the members shall be hindered in this important and enjoyable course of study through lack of a copy. Books should be ordered from the Deseret Book Company, Salt Lake City, Utah. In the Assignment of Lessons the new issues named above are referred to exclusively. Chapters in the new editions are numbered in agreement with the Lectures in editions earlier than the Twelfth. It is therefore possible to use copies of the old issues in this course; the paging, however, is different. Specification of pages or chapters of the text book has been deemed sufficient. Numerous scriptural citations appear in the foot notes, and classified sets of References follow the chapters. It is suggested that two or more scriptural passages relating to each of the main topics be memorized by every student. Teachers in these Priesthood Classes are urged to qualify themselves by following the Teacher-Training courses provided for us in every ward. 1 be latest issue, entitled "Problems in Gospel Teaching — Teachers Training Lesson Book," should be carefully studied by all who are called to the work. Facilities are provided for the development of efficiency of teachers in all Church activities; and be it remembered that among these activities the work of the Priesthood organizations holds first place. The teacher should be a true leader of the class, and he should strive to stimulate and maintain live and interested participation by every member. However large the class, if but a few take active part it can not be a success. Home preparation is indispensable to good class work; and in this the teacher must be an efficient example to all the members. Care must be exercised in class to devote the time to the principal topics of the lesson; and while full liberty should be given in the discussion, any- thing in the nature of mere debate is to be avoided. If upon any point a strong difference of opinion or understanding develops, the teacher should kindly but firmly direct that the matter be taken under consideration until a later session, the subject to be carefully studied during the interval. Con- tention over points of doctrine is harmful. Consider the words of the 86 IMPROVEMENT ERA Lord Jesus Christ as touching this matter, recorded in 3 Nephi 11:29, 30. In the following Assignment of Lessons brief suggestions and comments are made in the first part of the course; but in the latter part the lessons are specified with but minor comment or none at all. The text book presents each subject in topical form; and, with the experience gained in the earlier lessons, both teachers and members should be able to follow the text without supplementary instruction. Let every one concerned become thoroughly familiar with the Scriptures relating to each topic. Make every class session a memorable occasion, marked by definite increase of knowledge. Do all you can to master the subject by careful and prayerful study, and the Lord will be your helper. The Council of the Tweive, Committee. Assignment of Lessons The Assignment of Lessons, covering the study of the quorums for 1925, will appear monthly in the Improvement Era, beginning in the December, 1924, issue. Studies for the Aaronic Priesthood The December Era will cover instsuctions for the study for 1925. The titles of the texts are: Deacons — "Duty Stories from the Old Testament." Teachers — "The Bible and its Messages." Priests — "Missionary Themes." Watch succeeding numbers of the Era for helpful items touching teacher and student. An Automobile Caravan This picture shows an automobile caravan in front of the stake house at Driggs, Teton stake, Idaho. These automobiles, loaded to capacity, reached Salt Lake City in time for conference and left again for the home town on Tuesday, October 7. It proved to be an interesting and attractive mode of travel to those who were privileged to come. The Teton stake delegates who came in these conveyances are all active Church workers. Qj^iutual Work Important to Recreation Workers The following instructions from Supt. George Albert Smith, and Prest. Martha H. Tingey, have been sent to members of stake and ward M. I. A. Committees on Recreation: Although relatively new, the recreational movement has already made itself felt. This is due to the earnestness in which our workers have taken on the new responsibility, and the readiness with which they have grasped its meaning. They have made unusual efforts to qualify themselves for the work. During the past year many of them have availed themselves of the opportunity for training in the brief recreational leadership conventions which have been held in a number of stakes under the direction of the General Boards. During the summer season, a large number, also, have pursued courses of study along lines of recreation in the Church and state summer schools. The General Boards express sincere appreciation for the sacrifice and efforts that the recreational workers have put forth. This new movement, however, contains many important details in matters of organization and responsibility which are not quickly grasped, but which are immensely important if our objectives are to be realized. All these details are presented in M. I. A. recreational literature. Pages 156-164 of the Y. M. M. I. A. Handbook and pages 71-77 of Y. L. M. I. A. Handbook, contain a statement of assignments, outline of organization, objectives, duties of the committees, as well as methods of financing re- creation, the budget system, and the partial budget system. ( Y. M. M. I. A. Handbook, p. 160-162; Y. L. M. I. A. Handbook, p. 75-77). Com- mittees should read carefully these two plans and in the "meeting of execu- tive officers" agree upon the plan most suitable to the needs and circum- stances of the community. We desire especially, to call your attention to Bulletin Number 3. (15c) , and Bulletin Number 4. (5c), which may be obtained by sending to the General Offices, either of the Y. M. or the Y. L. M. I. A. Bulletin Number 3 contains descriptions of a number of activities which are suitable for our communities, and also suggestions as to how these activities should be carried out. Bulletin Number 4 is an important statement of the char- acteristics of the various age groups, and suggestions of materials suitable to them. We sincerely trust that you will secure this material which has been prepared especially to assist you in your work. In our efforts to provide entertainment for the young people, care should be taken to select activities which tend to promote Church objectives. No one should be permitted to direct the recreational activities of our youth who is not familiar with these objectives. In order to keep the activities on a high plane of culture and refinement our leaders must be on the alert. There is nothing we do that leads so quickly to coarseness, vice and im- morality as the pursuit of pleasure for its own sake. Remember our mission is not necessarily to create more pleasures, but to educate youth to a higher and larger enjoyment of life, not momentary pleasure. To All Y. M. M. I. A. Leaders Dear Brethren : — There has arisen some discussion and a number of misunderstandings in relation to the Boy Scout Program in our organization. In explanation we wish to make the following statement: 88 IMPROVEMENT ERA Scouting in the Y. M. M. I. A. 1 . In cooperation with the bishop of the ward, the district com- missioner and troop committee; the ward president of the Y. M. M. I. A. should see that a spiritual-minded man of good character, having a testimony of the Gospel, in love with boys, and whom boys love; is selected to be the ward scoutmaster. 2. A careful study of the Junior manual, of the Y. M. M. I. A., as well as the Scout program, should be made by the scoutmaster, and it should be definitely understood that at each weekly meeting of the troop, the manual lesson be given as a part of the order of business of the troop meeting. The exact place on the program to be left to the discretion of the scoutmaster; not less than 20 minutes to be devoted to this manual study. We recommend further that where Scouting is organized, the scoutmaster be the head of the Junior department and attend the ward officers' meetings. 3. Young men in the Junior department who are not in scouting, or M Men work, should have a special program of activities prepared for them by the local leaders supplementing the Manual work. An earnest effort, however, should be made to have all of our young men join either Scouting or M Men work. 4. All M. I. A. workers in Scouting and any other department of our work should always keep in mind the great fundamental purpose of our organization, that is, that all that we do is toward the great end of building true Latter-day Saints. Respectfully, General Board Y. M. M. I. A., GEORGE ALBERT SMITH, General Superintendent. Advanced Senior Class Teachers The general committee desires that the Advanced Senior Classes shall send to the committee the most important or perplexing questions on Pioneer life in Utah that may have arisen from the first three lessons in October. Send the questions to the committee, care of Improvement Era, or Young Woman's Journal. ■ Winners in Every Case W. E. Colman, Smithfield, Utah, reports the M Men's basket ball team of the First ward Benson stake as winning the stake pennant. They did not lose a game during the whole season. "Every man was on his honor to refrain from swearing and the use of vulgar language during the games and it sure worked wonderfully. The following are the names of the boys: Coach, Claud Quinney, Leo Nelson, Frank Done, Vernon Kimball, Melvin Hillyard, Floyd Williamson, Carol Cash and Don Corbitt." The Y. M. M. I. A. Officers' Meeting On Sunday, October 5, at 8 o'clock a-, m., the fourth floor of the Bishops' Building was filled to capacity with leading representatives of the various stakes, including stake presidents, and bishops, superintendents, presi- dents and workers in the Y. M. M. I. A. A very interesting program as well as attractive and edifying, was presented. A large number of Hand Books, manuals, recreation bulletins and other literature was distributed, and the new efficiency report and its use in the stake was considered by Claude C. Cornwall. These ten items that have been set out as measuring units in our Y. M. M. I. A. work were carefully explained. It is desired that the