What They Say

WHAT THEY SAY A Collection of Sentiments on the Value of the Y. M. M. I. A. The figures indicate the number of years 3 member; h. p., high priest; and h. c-. high councilor. It is a great help and inspiration. — Zadok K. Judd, Jr., h. p., Kanab, 40. It has been a great benefit to me. — Richard G. Layton, h. c, St. Joseph. 49. The M. I. A. has done everything for me. — J. L. Ballif, Jr., h. c. Fremont, 3 5 I think, "once a member, always a member." — W. O. Ridges, h. c, Mt. Ogdcn. 47. My greatest joy comes from lessons learned in Y. M. M. I. A. — Bp. F. Earl Case, 2 5. Of the greatest pleasure, giving me faith in the Church. — J. C. Hawley, h. c, Desert, 30. It was the starting of my activity in the gospel work. — S. F. Taylor, h. c. Grant, 27. It has been one of the guiding factors for a better life. — L. A. Nielson, h. c, Kolob, 3 0. It has been the greatest source of education I have had. — F. F. Salmon, h. c, Taylor, 34. It has given me spiritual, educational and social development. — H. T. Jacobs, h. c. Burlcy, 12. Wonderful help and the source of a lot of information.- — Philip Quayle, h. c. Box Elder. 2 7. It is an excellent organization. I am a life member. — Wm. Ellsworth, h. c, St. Joseph, 3 5. • It was my initiation into public work and an inspiration to mc. — James Nielsen, h d Teton, 3 5. I am spiritually bigger and better ihrough having been a member. — Wm. T. TeW, h. c, Kolob. 4 5. I was a member of the General Board Y. M. M. I. A. about ten or fifteen years. — Rudger Clawson. It is where I learned to give a lecture and to open and dismiss meetings. — Bp. Lucius B. Whiting, 3 2. Intellectual, spiritual and social developer. It has made the road ahead clearer. — D. H. Major, h. c, 30. I have learned some of the best things I know in M. I. A. work. — Hyrum Oakey, patriarch. Montpclicr, 45. It has strengthened my character and given me very valuable experience. — Paul P. Ashworth, b. c. Grant, 24. It might hnvc been of the greatest value if I had followed it persistently. — Heber M. Wells, h. p., Ensign, 10. I am a better Latter-day Saint than I should have been had I not joined. — Samuel Humphries, h. c, 49. It helped build mc up spiritually and gave me additional moral strength. — Tracy Y. Cannon, h. p.. Pioneer, 5. It has been educational and a stimulus to higher ideals in life. — A. Rowley Babcock. h. c. Lost River, 18. With the lessons and experience I am better fitted for the duties of life. — Bp. W. Heber Wilde. Coalville, 18. It has furnished me a training that I could not have gotten anywhere else. — Bp. William B. Stapley. Castledale, 20.

WHAT THEY SAY 829 A medium through which I was aided in that greatest of achievements: "Man know thyself." — Robert S. Campbell. I still find as much to learn and as much pleasure in M. I. A. as at first. — OiVen Bennion, stake president, Duchesne, 40. It has been of lasting benefit to me and of assistance in my present calling. — Bishop C. H. Peterson, Star Valley, 2 5. My first real lessons in Church history were learned in the Y. M. M. I. A. — ■ Elmer F. Taylor, stake president, Young, 3 8. It has been a fruitful source of information and a strong influence for good. — David W. Cummings, h. c, Los Angeles, 10. It has given me an opportunity for self-improvement unparalleled by any other Church activity. — Seth Pixton, h. c, Grant, 26. It has been a support and school of learning which has helped me to improve each year. — Wm. B. Lake h. c, San Juan, 3 3. It has always been of great worth in keeping before me correct ideals. — Lewis Telle Cannon, General Board member. Ensign, 3 9. It inspired a desire to live a clean life and to devote myself to a life of service. — Peter M. Hansen, stake president, Bear River, 50. It has been the main source of my education and affored me training for public work. — J. Henry Thompson, h. c, Raft River, 15. It has been the main source of my education and afforded me training for public work.- — J. Henry Thompson, h. c, Raft River, 15. It has given me personal confidence, inspired faith, and helped me realize and cope with life's problems. — John M. Bclnap, h. c, Weber, 10. It has been a vital factor in my life's training, spiritually and physically. — James H. Anderson, General Board Y. M. M. I. A., 50. The lessons learned in the M. I. A. have been of great value to me all through my life. — Bp. William Wood, 24th ward, Salt Lake, 48. It has been a stimulant and prompted me to "seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness."- — Henry Moyle, patriarch, Alpine. 3 0. It has increased my faith, affording me opportunity for development, and helped to keep me morally straight. — Millroy Twitchell, h. c, Garfield, 15. It has been one of the greatest factors in teaching me the gospel and instilling in me a testimony of its truth. — Arthur McKinnon, h. c, Woodruff, 3 1. It has been the greatest stimulus of my life and a guide of my soul and has helped me to resist when being sorely tried. — Bp. Joseph Orr, St. Anthony, 3 2. Service is the surest and most profitable way to development, and as I have gained in service so have I gained in development. — Brigham S. Young, Ensign, 5 0. It has furnished me my chief Church activity as ward member, secretary, president, stake superintendent and General Board member. — Geo. Q. Morris, Ensign Stake, 3 5. It gave me a bigger insight into the purposes of life and helped make me more sociable and free with my associates. — Bp. Thos, B. Child, 10th ward, Liberty. 2 2. I have been much benefited by reading The Contributor in my early youth, the Era in later years and in attending meetings nearly all my life. — Charles P. Anderson, h. c, St. Johns, 48. It found me. It blessed me. It gave me opportunity for my best work and has graciously rewarded me with my greatest joys. — Oscar A. Kirkham, executive director Y. M. M. I. A., 33. Furnished incentive to effort, helped to keep ideals high, rightly interpreted life's problems and assisted in their solution; and inculcated faith in the gospel. — Timothy C. Hoyt, h. c, Snowflake, 3 6. (.Others to follow in future numbers of the Era.)

Back row: Scott W. Anderson, Robert L. Anderson. James Purdy. Front: James H. Wailis, Henry H. Rolapp. Insert: Edmund Halliday. FIRST Y. M. M. I. A. IN ENGLAND By James H. Wallis These facts concerning the organization of the first Y. M .M. I. A. in England are taken from the records kept at that time by Robert L. Anderson, eldest son of Scott Anderson. President of the Liverpool branch, and well known to the English Saints forty-six years ago, and who, with his family, emigrated to Salt Lake City, shortly afterwards, where he and his sons engaged in sign writing and billposting. A copy of these records was made in 1881, for James H. Wallis, by Scott Wm. Anderson, another son of Scott Anderson, and well known as manager of the Utah Bill Posting Co. Prom this copy was taken the following data: "At the suggestion of Elder Wm. Budge, president of the European mission, the young men in the Liverpool branch, on July 27, 1879, met on Crosby Sands. Waterloo, near Liverpool, and organized the first Young Men's Mutual Improvement Association in Great Britain. The following officers were eelcted; President, James H. Wallis; first counselor, Edmund Halliday;

FIRST Y. M. M. I. A. IN ENGLAND 831 second counselor, Scott Wm. Anderson; secretary, Robert L. Anderson; treas- urer, Scott Wm. Anderson. "Regular meetings were held, and interesting programs were rendered, shortly afterwards it was decided to issue a weekly manuscript paper, and James H. Wallis was elected editor. It was called Excelsior, and eventually grew to sixteen pages and was issued monthly. Among the contributors were Elders Wm. Budge, John Nicholson, Francis Cope, Lyman R. Martineau, Charles B. Felt, Henry H. Rolapp, with a number of poems by James H. Wallis. "In January, 1880, the Association was re-organized, with James H. Wallis, president; Henry H. Rolapp, first counselor; Scott Wm. Anderson, second counselor; Robert L. Anderson, secretary-treasurer. James H. Wallis continued as editor of the Excelsior, with Henry H. Rolapp and Robert L. Anderson, assistants. "At the next meeting following this re-organization, on January 4, 1880, Elder Henry H. Rolapp delivered a wonderful talk on the Life of Christ, considering that he was at that time learning to speak the English language." Our Pioneers 'Tis the voice of the past, speaking to us again. In memory of the brave, struggling women and men Who fought with a purpose, unwavering and true, And in the heart of a desert began life anew! From the top of a hill, overlooking the scene Their leader surveyed it with satisfied mein; And with prophetic eye, and a smile on his face. Cried to his people: "This is the place." They grubbed up the sagebrush, fought back the weeds, And with prayers for a harvest, planted their seeds. Thus with toiling and reaping — tasks smilingly done, They conquered — who can measure the victory won! Through the heat of the days, scarcely resting for slumber They sweated and toiled through days without number. And for that — a reward for their dear willing hands — Utah to their glory, a monument stands. Say we now to our hearts: "Here's a lesson to see, Their battle was fought for what we might be. Let us, here in the land of Untrammeled Desires, Build well, and be Vue to the Faith of our sires." Now the voice of the Future hails us, as then, In the memory of brave struggling women and men. Forever we'll praise them, their memory revere, Oh, the conquering Heroes! the brave Pioneer! Monticello, Utah. A^NA PRINCE REDD.

cUhe Stream's Whisper^ Day has burned out, the twilight smolders low, Vague is the pathway on the stream's vague edge, And through the willows comes the fading glow, The autumn dew lies thick upon the sedge. Cold glide the waters o'er the cold gray stones, The far hills vanish in the gathered cloud, The gleaming gold melts from the twilight tones, A white mist gathers like a nature shroud. Yes, day is dead, the bats begin their flight, List! The stream's whisper comes unto the ear — Thus life's day passes, death comes as the night, For thee the Reaper of Mankind is near; Ah! whispering waters, from the sight withdrawn, Whence came the night; from thence will come the dawn. Alfred Lambourne.

Clay model of Monument lo the Handcart Pioneers to be erected on the Tabernacle Block. A MONUMENT TO THE HANDCART PIONEERS By Elizabeth Cannon Porter What the Battle of the Marne was to the world war, the Hand- cart Expeditions were to western immigration. They proved a costly victory. No greater martyrs are found in history than the men who pulled the handcarts until their last day of life. These literally died in the harness. Brave allies were the women and children who treked by their side. The survivors played their part in the "winning of the west;" the dead paid the "price of the prairie." A monument to the handcart pioneers has been modeled by the Norwegian sculptor, Torleif S. Knaphus. This will be cast in bronze and placed on the Tabernacle grounds in Salt Lake City. Subscriptions to this have been raised by a committee of ladies of the society of the Daughters of the Handcart Pioneers. The late President Seymour B- Young was active in support of the monument. The aid of the presiding bishopric will make its completion possible. The rough sketch in clay as I saw it at the sculptor's studio on Richards' street presented an interesting ensemble. A rickety cart, with much-worn wheels is depicted. From one side of it sags a ragged quilt, from which protrudes a frying pan. On the seat sits a small child'; in the traces toils a man, bearded and inured to hardship. By his

834 IMPROVEMENT ERA side walks a woman, trim in sunbonnct and basque. There is also a boy and a dog. "Do you know if they brought any dogs?" the sculptor asked me anxiously. "I don't know," I replied, "but I think that if I had a dog, and were starting on a western trip, I'd bring him." Mr. Knaphus presents a fine head on massive shoulders. He is about forty years of age, and already has achieved much. He had a three years' scholarship in art at Christiania, (Osio), Norway. He afterwards studied at the Academie Julian in Paris where he took honors for his monument designs. He also spent one year at the Art League in New York. He deprecated that he had not done more. "But," he said with a characteristic shrug of the shoulders, "one must live." Since coming to Zion be has done notable work on the new temples. He helped decorate the beautiful temple at Hawaii, famous for its terraces and gardens. He moulded the gigantic bas relief that stands at the entrance to the temple at Cardston, depicting the Savior at the well with the woman of Samaria. He showed me a picture of the baptismal font of the Canadian temple. The heads of the oxen that support the tremendous bowl of crushed granite are interpolated with water lilies. Sculptor Knaphus was enthusiastic over the work on the Arizona temple at Mesa. In collaboration with the artist A. B. Wright, in- structor of art at the L. D. S. University, he moulded eight bas reliefs near the corners of the southern temple depicting ihe gathering of all nations by the gospel. Among the various groups of figures different modes of transportation are shown such as ships, Indian packhorses, Hawaiian shark fishing canoes. The handcart migration is an epic of the west. Taken as a whole it was wonderfully successful, and made it possible for many old- world people to come to Utah who otherwise must have waited. Ten companies numbering about 4,000 people largely from England and Wales crossed the plains with handcarts in the years 1856-60. These came about a decade after Brigham Young led the first ox-cart companv into the Salt Lake valley. Says Andrew Jenson: "In the thirteenth general epistle of the First Presidency of the Church, dated Salt Lake City, October 29, 1855, the Saints were advised that an opportunity would be given to the poor to cross the plains on foot, thus saving the almost prohibi- tive expense of wagons and teams. A plan was outlined by which it was shown that, provided with handcarts upon which to carry their tents, food, clothing, bedding, etc., the journey might be made with safety. Provisions were made for such as, through age or infirmity, might be unable to walk, to be carried in wagons which would be sent with each company. It was also stated that, through the Perpetual

MONUMENT TO THE HANDCART PIONEERS 835 A Rough-draft Front View of Monument to the Handcart Pioneers. Emigration Fund, those who were unable to pay the expense of the voyage across the ocean, and the journey to Iowa City, Iowa — the outfitting post — might receive assistance." The movement was launched at the earnest solicitation of the Saints of Europe, many of whom had despaired of ever reaching the "Promised Land." In 1855 the crops in the Salt Lake Valley had been almost a failure, due to drought and grasshoppers. The Church was embarrased financially and not able to purchase wagons and teams as it had done heretofore.

836 TMPROVEMENT ERA Five companies left Iowa City for Utah late in the season of 1856. Iowa City is 260 miles east of Omaha, and Omaha is 1,031 miles east of Salt Lake City. It took the first companies four weeks to reach Omaha, as they averaged less than ten miles a day. The captains of companies were Edmund Ellsworth, Daniel D. McArthur, Edward Bunker, James G. Willie, and Edward Martin. The companies of Ellsworth and McArthur made the trip success- fully. They arrived at the mouth of Emigration canyon September 26, where they were joyfully received by the Saints of Utah, with feasting and acclaim; Bunker's company, composed mostly of Welsh people, was accompanied by a wagon train part of the way. They arrived October 2. The last two companies of this season, commanded by Willie aud Martin, suffered terrible hardships, largely because of the lateness of their start, and the fact that an unusually early winter set in that year. They were immigrants who arrived late in America. Because of their numbers, difficulty was experienced in providing them with handcarts. Willie's company, which contained aged people, women, and children, reached Florence, or old Winter Quarters, August 10, where they rested a week. Levi Savage urged that they remain the winter there, but such was their zeal that they preferred to push on. In the journey across Iowa many of the wheels went to pieces. The travel- lers used their bacon grease as a lubricant. Despite their heavy loads, fifteen miles a day were* made. Songs and laughter rang out. The handcart people had a little song of their own: "For some must push and some must pull As we go marching up the hill. So merrily on the way we go Until we reach the Valley O." At Wood river, Nebraska, after they had gone a distance of about 1 72 miles, they found the plains alive wrth buffalo. One even- ing the cattle were stampeded. They had oxen to haul the tents and heavier camp equipment: each one hundred persons and twenty hand- carts, five tents, and one wagon drawn by three yoke of oxen. When the cattle were rounded up thirty were missing. This left but one yoke of oxen to each wagon. Much time was lost in trying to utilize milk cows and heifers for draft animals. As this failed they were compelled to load more supplies on the already overladen handcarts. At the North Bluff Fork of the Platte, they were overtaken by Elder Franklin D. Richards of the Council of the Twelve, who was returning from Europe with a party of missionaries. These" pushed on ahead to have additional provisions sent to the "voyagers." At Laramie, after an advance of 522 miles, they found that they still had 509 miles to go. The ration of flour was cut from sixteen ounces down to twelve for adults. On approaching the mountains they found

MONUMENT TO THE HANDCART PIONEERS 837 them mantled in snow. The nights were cold, their seventeen pounds of clothing insufficient, and the old and feeble began to droop and die. Scarcely a camp was left in the morning without a funeral or two. They received notification that aid was being sent. As they approached the Sweetwater they were forced to wade streams while the snow swirled around them. The sick and weak were put into the carts and pulled by the men. Says Captain Chislett: "Many pulled their carts in the morning, gave out during the day, and died before next morning. And they died with the calm fortitude of martyrs." While toiling on to reach firewood for the nights' camp they were delighted to meet two young men, William Kimball and Stephen Taylor, sent out in the van of the supply train for their relief. The weather-beaten pilgrims greeted them effusively. That night they went into camp in the willows. In the morning they were under a foot of snow and five persons had passed from sleep to death without inter- vening consciousness. They were all buried in one grave. That morning they killed two of the cattle and distributed the meat, Their flour was now exhausted. They were reduced to two barrels of dry bread, some rice, a few pounds of sugar and some dried apples. Captain Willie pushed on to meet the relief train. He was gone three days, the same storm that had overwhelmed the handcart pioneers had forced their rescuers into camp. When they appeared on the evening of the third day over the brow oi the hill the women rushed out and embraced their deliverers. Quilts, blankets, buffalo robes and clothing were distributed, followed by food, and such is the resilience of human nature, again the songs and laughter rang out that night. Yet they encountered other difficulties. The vitality of some was so lowered that they succumbed to the cold that they had yet to endure. They advanced through the snow knee deep when they reached the divide, and it took collective effort to move each cart. Some were so sunk in lethargy that they could not be roused. At the camp on Willow Creek thirteen persons were frozen in the night. Their grave was protected from the wolves, and two more died before the camp was vacated. Of the four hundred who embarked, sixty-seven persons lost their lives on the journey. Willie's company arrived in the valley, November 9. Martin's company, which did not get in till the end of that month, was worse overwhelmed with the snows. Two more companies came in with handcarts in 1857, one in 1859, and two in 1860. A company of missionaries going to their fields of labor in the east or to foreign lands, crossed the plains with handcarts very success- fully in 1857. In 1869 came the railroad, the "iron horse" that tore through the Rockies, and from that time travel was made easy.