Editor’s Table

EDITOR'S TABLE 1001 meetings must be devoted by the membership to correct living, so that testimony may be increased and come in richer fulness to us all. — A. Betting on Horse Races In most of the United States, practically in all of them, betting or gaming or gambling is illegal. Only in very few states is open betting permitted. Utah is among the latter, to our shame be it said, a fact that was little known until last month, when horse-racing and the "mutuel bets" system of wagering was thrown open in the State Fair Grounds to the astonished natives. We had slumbered in the belief that the gaming vice with all its accompanying evils had been subdued and had no place in staid, conservative and religious Utah. We believed it had been killed, but while the people and their accredited representatives were asleep apparently, that vice, which above all others, infested the western United States in early days, and England universally in the eighteenth century, and France and Germany in the nineteenth, came silently stealing into our capitol and planted its roots in the very government of the state. We had achieved such measure of success in battling against petty games of chance, slot machines, cards and other devices for gambling, that we had nearly forgotten about them, when here comes a legislative act in effect legalizing gambling, giving per- missions that have been mostly relegated to oblivion in England and Germany, and New York and nearly all other states of the Union years and years ago. What to do about it? It was a grave, not to say criminal moral mistake, to set this vice upon its feet. The only thing to do now is to right it as far as it can be righted at our next legislative election. A campaign to this end should be vigorous. In the meantime, attention is called to an enlightening article by H. Grant Ivins on the subject in this number of the Era. The great majority of Utah citizens will agree with the conclusions of the author. The specious argument that races will be of advantage to horse breeding is a subterfuge. In New York, when the governor called an extra session of the legislature, and the Percy-Gray measure became law, making gambling in or out of the race tracks illegal, a great fall- ing off in attendance and value of purses at the Metropolitan tracks took place. It was not the better breeding of horses that kept up the interest but it was gambling. Thousands of dollars of money daily during July were put up in Salt Lake City by men and women who could not afford the losses they must endure in the end, if not to begin with. The old cavalcade of the saloon and licensed prostitution lie in wait for the innocent in the wake of gambling. Men and women who are habitues by the hundreds of the track are investing in the pot and looking mostly in vain for their dividends. The results for evil will be felt throughout the land if this unfortunate condition is to continue.

1002 IMPROVEMENT ERA When gambling was at its height in England the consequences of gaming were often still more lamentable than those which usually attend such practices. A noted writer of the time says in relation to this matter: "It would happen that a lady would lose more than she could venture to confess to her husband or father. Her creditor was probably a fine gentleman, or she became indebted to some ricTi admirer for the means of discharging her liabilities. In either event the result may be guessed. In the one case, the debt of honor was liquidated on the old principle of the law merchant, according to which there was only one alternative to payment in purse. In the other, there was likewise but one mode in which the acknowledgement of obligation by a fine woman would be acceptable to a man of the world." When we begin to sell morals for money, men and women have no hesitancy in bartering virtue. — A. To What Do Our Words Portend? "Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers." — Ephesians 4:29. I heard a story sweet and chaste Which helped and made me glad. And then another — rude and low — Which hurt and left me sad. My memory tried to cleanse itself, And clear the stain away, Which like an evil, mocking imp Derisively would stay. 'Twas like a form that would be pure In spotless white arrayed, Upon whose robe with smirching marks, A filthy hand was laid. Can I be pure while thus my soul, A hateful memory grips? Or, like Isaiah, a man of old, Am I "of unclean lips"? And are my people still undeansed O'er whom vile waves have surged? Lord, "lay live coals upon our mouths," And let our "sins be purged." Let us become the pure in heart Who may thy favor claim, Prepared thy sacred work to do And worthy of thy name. St. George, Utah. « L- LULA GREENE RICHARDS.

cJYLutual Work Program Auxiliary Group Conventions Held in Connection with Regular Quarterly Conference, 1925 DATES OF AUXILIARY GROUP CONVENTIONS — 1925 July 18-19 — Woodruff, Yellowstone. July 25-26 — Curlew, Lethbridge, Lost River, Snowflake. July 30-31 — Alberta. August 1- 2 — Emery, St. Johns, Taylor, Teton. Twin Falls. August 8- 9 — Big Horn, Blaine, Juab, South Sevier, Wayne. August 15-16 — Bannock, Bingham, Blackfoot, Oneida. August 22-23 — Bear River, Idaho, Portneuf, South Sanpete, Panguitch. August 26-2 7 — Kanab. August 29-30 — Bear Lake, Garfield, Gunnison, Millard. September 12-13 — Boise, Minidoka, Montpclier, Parowan, Raft River, San Juan, Roosevelt. September 16-17 — Uintah, Young. September 19-20 — Duchesne, North Sanpete, San Luis, Star Valley, Union. September 26-27 — Carbon, Desert, Fremont, Hyrum, Morgan,' Sevier. October 10-11 — Beaver, Benson, Cassia, North Sevier, Tintic. October 17-18 — Summit, Wasatch. October 24-2 5 — Malad, Shelley. November 7- 8 — Burley, Maricopa. November 10-11 — Jaurez. November 14-15 — St Joseph. November 21-22 — Los Angeles, Pocatello, Rigby. November 28-29 — Franklin, Moapa. December 12-13 — St. George. SATURDAY 10:00 a. m. to 12 Noon — General Session 1. Song. 2. Prayer. 3. Song. 4. Greeting — President of the Stake. 5. Objectives of the Convention — Representative of the General Authorities. 6. Roll Call of Auxiliary Stake and Ward Workers. Spicial Note: At 10:30 a. m.. to march-music all auxiliary stake boards and all stake and Ward priesthood authorities will withdraw from this general assembly to a conjoint meeting of Stake Boards. For convenience in marching out of the general assembly, it is suggested that the stake board members and stake and ward priesthood authorities sit in a body in a convenient place for exit from the hall. The General Assembly will continue as follows: 7. Congregational or special music. 8. Address, "Opportunities of Ward Workers in Auxiliary Groups"— Representative of the General Boards. 9. Address, "Opportunities of Ward Members in Co-operating with the Auxiliary Organizations" — Representative of the General Authorities. 10. Music. 11. Bentdiction.

1004 IMPROVEMENT ERA 10:40 a. m. to 12 Noon — Joint Auxiliary Stake Board Meeting With Stake and Ward Priesthood Authorities (This is the meeting referred to in the "Special Note" above) Room 1 . Prayer. 2. Teacher Training for 1925-26 — (30 minutes) — Representative of the General Board of Education. 3. Teamwork of Stake Boards in Reaching Objectives — (15 minutes) — Represen- tative of the General Boards. 4. Union Meetings — (15 minutes) — Representative of General Boards. 5. Round Table Discussion of Recreation and Other Problems — (30 minutes — Representative of General Boards. 6. Benediction. Interviews with Executive Officers Either preceding or following the meetings programed above, the General Represen- tatives of the various organizations would like to have separate interviews with their respective Stake Superintendencies, Stake Presidencies and Secretaries. 2 p. m. — General Assembly to be Arranged for by the Stake Presidency DEPARTMENT MEETINGS 2 p. m. Note: All Bishops are invited to be present at the Relief Society meeting. Members of High Council and other stake and ward priesthood authorities are requested to attend the meetings of the organizations to which they are assigned regularly. These departments will be held in the rooms assigned them before the date of the convention. Workers will not meet in general assembly first. I. Relief Society Stake and Ward Officers. Room Including Visiting Teachers and Class Leaders II. Sunday School Stake Board Meeting. Room „ III. Y. M. M. I. A. and Y. L. M. I. A. Stake Bo.irds A Joint Meeting. Room ■ 1. The Jubilee Year — Stake Board Member. 2. Vitalizing the Regular Program — Member of the General Board. Text for this discussion: a. The Hand Book. b. Special Instructions contained in Magazines and Bulletins. 3. The Adult and the M. I. A. — Member of the General Board. 4. The New M. I. A. Bulletin on Recreation, No. 5. 5. Round Table Discussion of Recreation and Other Problemss — (30 minutes) — Presentation of Written Problems by Member of Stake Board. B. Separate Meetings. 1. Y. M. M. I. A. Stake Board. Room Checking with the M. I. A. Hand Book on: Plan of Organization. Class Study and Departments. Supervision of Ward Organizations. Records and Reports. General Discussion of Stake Problems. 2. Y. L. M. I. A. Stake Board. Room IV. Primary Association Stake and Ward Officers. Room V. 7:30 p. m. — Stake Reception and Demonstration Under the Direction of the Stake M. I. A. Committee on Recreation