--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Wells, Junius F. collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 28 number: 12 published: 1925-10 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: "Wells, Junius F., “Historical Sketch of the Y. M. M. I. A.: First Period IV,” *Improvement Era* 28, no. 12 (October 1925): 1149–1154." source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera28012unse 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: improvementera28012unse start_page: 1149 end_page: 1154 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1925-10) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera28012unse publication_year: 1925 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 1925, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # Historical Sketch of the Y. M. M. I. A.: First Period IV HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE Y. M. M. I. A. First Period IV By Junius F. Wells SUGGESTIONS For the further organization of the Young Men's Mutual Improvement Associations, by the Council of Apostles. First. — This institution must not interfere with the priesthood of any of its members; but each individual member must be subject to the quorum of which he may be a member, and to the regularly organized authorities of the stake with which he is associated. Second. — Every stake organization to be under the authority of the stake organization of the priesthood in that stake, and to have for its superintendent a High Priest selected by the president of the stake and his counselors, sanctioned by the high council of the stake, and voted for and sustained by the stake conference and associations of the stake. Third. — This stake superintendent may call two or more persons to his assistance, who may or may not be High Priests. They shall be known as assistants and counselors, and shall be approved by the president of the stake and his counselors, sanctioned by the high council of the stake, and sus- tained by the vote of the stake conference and associations of the stake. Fourth. — The Twelve may appoint a General Superintendent from time to time, who may, when convenient, be one of their council, who shall have the general superintendance of the stake organizations. Fifth. — The general superintendent may direct the action of all stake superintendents, and preside over all the officers of the associations in all the stakes, and may have two of the Twelve, when convenient, as counselors; and they may call upon such assistants, secretaries and other help, as may be required. The whole to be under the general superintendence of the Twelve as the Presidency. The editor of the Contributor, and the paper, to be sub- ject to, and under the general direction of, the superintendent and council. All books used in libraries, for the use of the association, to be inspected and approved by the general superintendent and his council, and all works con- taining skeptical, immoral or improper doctrines or principles to be excluded therefrom. Sixth. — The general superintendent and council to make arrangement for the purchase of books for the libraries and other purposes on the best possible terms; and all profits arising therefrom, after paying the necessary expenses, to go for the use and benefit of the Associations who may order such books. It must be understood that this organization is not formed as a separate or distinct Church organization or body of priesthood, but for the purpose of mutual improvement of the members and all connected therewith. ADDRESS Salt Lake City. April 14, 1880. To the Officers and Members of the Young Men's Mutual Improvement Associations of Zion: Dear Brethren: Having been, called to labor with you in the cause of mutual improvement, we beg leave to say that you have our hearty good will and warm support. Consistent with our duties of a more extended nature, you shall have from us such assistance as we may be able, by way of encouragement, to render you. We are pleased to learn that many of the stake superintendents 1150 IMPROVEMENT ERA are already High Priests. Others will be ordained as circumstances may require, so that our organizations shall conform strictly with the suggestions and instructions of the Presidency of the Church, as given by President Taylor at our recent conference meeting, held in the Salt Lake Assembly Hall, on the evening of the 6th instant. Desiring that everything connected with the various associations may, as heretofore, move forward harmoniously, we respectfully suggest a careful and thorough study by all concerned of the instructions of the Presidency to us, as published in this number of the Contributor. We have pleasure in naming as our assistants, with duties as heretofore, Brothers Junius F. Wells, Milton H. Hardy and Rodney C. Badger. As secretary, Brother Heber J. Grant, and as treasurer, Brother Wm. S. Burton. At your quarterly conferences we trust that you will sustain with your unanimous vote, these brethren to the offices here named. Under our supervision, we assign, with pleasure, to Brother Junius F. Wells the editing, publishing and management of the Contributor, a publication which we hope you will not only sustain by liberal subscriptions, but with your carefully written contributions. It will be well, at your earliest convenience, to request the assistance of the presidency of the stake, in which you reside, to aid you in completing your Stake Organization on the basis named in the instructions alluded to. We are) authorized, by the Council of the Apostles, to request the presidency of the stakes, and we do so now, to ordain, when necessary, to the office of High Priest, those whom they and the High Council may nominate as superintendents, and who have been sustained by vote as required in the instructions named. Praying God to bless, inspire and lead you by the unerring counsels of his holy Spirit, we are your brethren and fellow laborers in the cause of Mutual Improvement. Wilford Woodruff, General Superintendent. Joseph F. Smith, Moses Thatcher, Counselors. Persuant to above assignment to act as assistant to the General Superin- tendency "with duties as heretofore," I received the following letter of appointment. Copies of it were also sent to Elders Hardy and Badger, my former counselors; also to Heber J. Grant, Secretary; and Wm. J. Burton, Treasurer. Salt Lake City, May 5, 1880. Elder Junius F. Wells, Dear Brother: This is to notify you of your appointment as Assistant to the General Superintendency of the Young Men's Mutual Improvement Association, with duties as heretofore, and as they may be made known in the future. We trust you will accept this appointment and continue your labors in the cause of Mutual Improvement with the same earnestness that has characterized your efforts in the past, as an officer of the organization. Your brethren in the Gospel, (Signed) WILFORD WOODRUFF, Joseph f. Smith, Moses Thatcher, General Superintendency. The missionary labor heretofore contemplated was approved and a num- ber of young men were called to take short missions under the following certificate and letter of instructions CERTIFICATE OF APPOINTMENT THIS CERTIFIES THAT ELDER has been duly called and appointed to labor as a missionary among the Young Men's Mutual HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE Y. M. M. I. A. 1151 Improvement Associations, in company with Elder in the following Stakes of Zion; with instructions to aid the Stake Superintendents, whose co-operation is requested, in perfecting the organization, wherever necessary, in introducing systematic exercises, encouraging the establishment of libraries and reading rooms, extending the circula- tion of the Contributor, and to preach, exhort, and labor with the youth, as he may be led by the spirit of his mission. We pray God to bless Elder in this mission, and we commend him to the hospitality and attention of the authorities of the Stakes and Wards he may visit, with a request that they aid him in the discharge of his duties, as time and circumstances may permit and require. (Signed) WlLFORD WOODRUFF, joseph f. smith, Moses Thatcher, General Superintendency Y. M. M. I. A. INSTRUCTIONS Upon taking up your mission, which should be as soon as practicable, you will report to the Superintendents of the Stakes you visit; they, upon consulting with the Stake Presidencies, will appoint meetings for all of the Associations in their respective Stakes, and so far as practicable accompany you in your journey. At your meetings which will be of a general character, you will present the instructions of the General Superintendency, as they are published, and speak upon subjects relating to the mutual improvement of the young. We recommend you to hold business meetings with the officers of each Association, and to instruct them in regard to keeping correct rolls, taking minutes, making reports, conducting exercises upon the pro- gressive, systematic plan herein presented, and upon such details as you may discover them to be deficient in observing, that uniformity, so far as practicable, may be secured in the working of all Associations. We desire the young men to take up the study of the Scriptures and Church History, and proceed systematically in their researches. We have examined the lists of subjects taken from the records, and prepared by Elder Milton H. Hardy, and recommend their adoption to the Associations. Complete lists of these subjects will appear, in their order, in the Contributor. We here present an extract from each, which will give you an idea of their character, and supply you with an example to speak from: BIBLE SUBJECTS Dispensation of Adam, period, 4004 B. C. (account, Genesis, 1-v) : 1. The Creation. 2. Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. 3. The Fall. 4. Cain and Abel. 5. Enoch and the ten Patriarchs; followed by the dispensations of Noah, Abra- ham, Moses, the Prophets, etc., in the same order. BOOK OF MORMON SUBJECTS Dispensation of Nephi, period, 600 B. C. (account in Books of Nephi) : 1. Zedekiah, King of Judah. 2. Lehi's Vision — his family — departure from Jerusalem and temporary home. 3. Return of Nephi and his brethren for Records. 4. Nephi's second journey to Jerusalem. 5. Lehi's Third Vision, etc; and so on through the record. CHURCH HISTORY SUBJECTS First Period, Joseph Smith: 1. Ancestry and birth of the Prophet, 1805. 2. Joseph's First Vision, 1820 3. Revelation of the Plates, 1823. 1152 IMPROVEMENT ERA 4. Possession of the Plates, 182 7. 5. Exhibition of Characters, 1828. 6. Conferring the Aaaronic Priesthood, 1829; and so on through the record. These subjects may be presented as follows: A member should be assigned one of the subjects as: The Creation, Lehi's Vision, or Birth of Joseph; and all of the members be instructed to read that portion of the Records relating to the subjects. On the evening of the meeting, the member appointed will simply narrate, in his own language, the subject assigned him, with such references and quotations as he may be able to remember. At the next meeting the succeeding subject on the list should be taken, and so on regularly, through the records. The Bible subjects should be rendered at every meeting, while the Book of Mormon and Church History may alternate. A record of the number of subjects from each should be kept and reported. Besides these exercises, we recommend the bearing of testimony in each meeting, not to consume all the time, but that a few minutes be so spent. The presidents should vary the exercises by introducing essays, declamations, select readings, addresses, answering questions, etc., etc. With these and the published instructions we believe you will have sufficient matter to lay before the associations and to occupy your time profitably to those you visit, we therefore pray the blessings of the Lord to attend your efforts in the interests of the youth. At this date when the General Superintendency was first organized, the general and stake officers of the associations were as follows: GENERAL AND STAKE OFFICERS OF THE Y. M. M. I. A. General Superintendent: Wilford Woodruff. Counselors: Joseph F. Smith, Moses Thatcher. Assistants to the General Superintendency: Junius F. Wells, Milton H. Hardy, Rodney C. Badger; Secretary, Heber J. Grant; Treasurer, William S. Burton. Stake Superintendents: Bear Lake, Hyrum S. Woolley; Beaver, S. A. Wixom: Box Elder, Thomas H. Wilde; Cache, George L. Farrell; Davis, B. H. Roberts; Juab, Thomas Crawley; Kanab, W. D. Johnson, Jr.; Millard, Alma Greenwood; Morgan, William G. Brough; Panguitch. David Cameron; Parowan, John Parry, Jr.; Salt Lake, Joseph H. Felt; Sanpete, J. F. Allred; St. George, Miles P. Romney; Sevier, D. E. Harris; Summit, Oscar F. Lyons; Tooele, Henry B. Haynes; Utah, Milton H. Hardy; Wasatch, David L. Murdock; Weber, Joseph A. West. As this period marks the close of the pirst epoch and beginning of the work under the perfected organization, I think it might be of historic interest to insert the following editorial in the Contributor, May, 1880. THE GENERAL SUPERINTENDENCY The action of the apostles in placing three of their number at the head of the Young Men's Mutual Improvement Association, recognizes the organi- zation as an institution of power, closely identified with the social and in- tellectual welfare of the people, and as the most important civil organization of the community. The steady and rapid growth of the Associations, their widespread influence for good, the harmony that has existed between them and the Church, the fostering care they have received from the priesthood, and the return they have made in qualifying young men for offices and missions of trust are some of the causes that have called forth this action of the apostles, which has been taken in appreciation of the fruits of the organization, so far as it has commenced to bear, with a desire to secure its firm establishment and perpetuation among the people. No more emphatic reproof could be given to the prating of some enthusiasts, who have been unable to see good in anything but their own immediate occupation, and have freely predicted HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE Y. M. M. I. A. 1153 the breaking up of the organization, by the authorities, when they should give it their attention. The benefits to the association which we anticipate from the General Superintendency are varied, and are of great consequence to its prosperity and success. There are matters of importance connected with its government, and exercises upon which difference of opinion may arise among the officers and members. There may also be differences in regard to its place in society, the proper field of action for the exercise of its authority and influence, etc. Upon all questions of this kind an appeal to the general superintendency may be taken, and its decisions will be the end of controversy. The tone and character which the names of the distinguished brethren who have re- ceived this appointment, will give to the organization, all will readily see and appreciate, while the attention they will be able to give to the details of its management will doubtless result in promoting its strength and power to do good, beyond what could reasonably be expected, without the immediate recognition and support of the apostles. With this addition, we now have a most complete organization, but the work required of it is only fairly commenced. There are a large number of associations, with a promiscuous membership engaged in an endless variety of exercises, all having in view the same ultimate object, but pur- suing its accomplishment in ways diverse and often remarkable for their unique originality. Out of the mass, consisting of the intelligence and vigor of the youth, in which there is, however, more or less confusion, ignorance and inexperience, coupled with erroneous tradition, jealousy and fault finding a perfect system should be evolved, that will reserve and harbor all that is good and expunge every phase of error. Some of the associations have dwin- dled into a mixed membership, consisting of the young and old of both sexes, and instead of being in fact, "Young Men's Mutual Improvement Associations have resolved themselves into week-night meetings of the ward, which the people attend for amusement and the pleasure of an hour's enter- tainment. While occasional meetings of this description may be very enjoyable, we should remember they are destructive of our organization and are very far indeed from those originally designed for the mutual improvement of the young men, of Israel. Our meetings are not intended for the amusement of the public, but were instituted and are especially designed for the in- struction of the young men as a distinctive class of the community, in the principles of life that immediately pertain to their welfare and the duties they expect to perform as men. There are many reasons why the distinctive character of the Young Men's Associations, as well as that of the Young Ladies', should be carefully maintained. The late President Brigham Young, in speaking upon this subject was most emphatically opposed to the two associations meeting together, though he permitted the introduction of joint sessions once a month, he said: "If the associations are mixed, they will become mere courting meetings, the boys will go to take the girls home and the girls will go to be taken, and I shall have nothing whatever to do with them." He pictured us the good that would result from our organization, foretelling that an association of thousands of the young men of Israel would grow out of it, and that there would be many associations in the future of our people, when such an organization well governed and disciplined would be a great help to the priesthood in advancing the interests of Zion upon the earth. The order of exercises introduced two years ago, has been adopted in many places in part, and seems to give tolerable satisfaction, but no universal system has yet been successfully introduced, yet it is the desire of presidents of associations everywhere to be instructed upon the best methods of con- ducting their associations, how to enlist the interest and attendance of the members, and to secure the greatest amount of good in the most satisfactory manner to the largest number. A systematic program of exercises might be 1154 IMPROVEMENT ERA prepared with the experience we have now had, that will, in the main, meet the requirements of the associations, admitting of such changes and variety as the peculiar circumstances of associations may require. When this is done and those exercises which have proved of great benefit to some few associations are adopted by all, reports will be more complete and the results of our labors more satisfactory in every way. We understand it is not the intention of the General Superintendency to make radical changes in the Organization, but rather to encourage the present officers to do their utmost for its advancement, and to continue in the path they have commenced to follow, only making changes when it shall be found necessary for the best good of all. It will be seen by the com- munication published in this issue that the officers of the Central Committee have been retained as assistants to the general superintendency, and that where the right men are in the right place they should be ordained to the proper office in the Priesthood and continue their labors, as directed from time to time. While the instructions of the Twelve direct that the stake superinten- dents shall be High Priests, it does not follow that the presidents of associa- tions are to hold that office, but that elders and others, in fact those already elected, may continue without interruption in the exercise of the offices to which they have been appointed. We trust the associations will be active and energetic in adopting the suggestions made for their guidance by the authorities that are placed over them, and that a stronger effort will be made by the officers and members, when they shall resume their regular meetings, to systamize their exercises according to the recommendations of the general officers as they may be given from time to time, and thus good-will and unanimity of feeling will prevail in all our labors for mutual improvement. All Hail to Thee, Blest Jubilee All hail to thee, blest Jubilee Of our dear M. I. A. And e'er may we God's truths so free Proclaim from day to day. Thy banner fling unto the breeze, And loud the words proclaim, Improvement is our motto, and Perfection is our aim. All hail to thee, blest Jubilee, The influence through the land, Of M. I. A. activities, Is seen on every hand; And many who as shining lights And leaders are, today, Are those who worked within the ranks Of our dear M. I. A. All hail to thee, blest Jubilee, The improvement cause shall spread, Its workers having faith in God And Jesus Christ their head; The Mutual cause light up the earth With bright and cheerful ray, Until the world shall praise the name Of our dear M. I. A. Provo, Utah. WlLLARD BISHOP.