Priesthood Quorums

^Priesthood Quorums New Stake Presidency The Wayne stake presidency was reorganized, August 8, 1926, during the conference at Loa, Elder Richard R. Lyman of the Council of Twelve being present. President William H. Gallahan, who is about to move to Provo, was released, with thanks, and Wm. F. Webster, of Loa, his first counselor, was appointed to succeed him, with George W. Okerlund and T-'orge F. Eckersley as counselors. An Annual Outing An annual event for the Aaronic Priesthood of the Twentieth ward, Ensign stake, is a trip to Brighton. This year the trip was made over Pioneer Day. Thirty boys and young men, under the direction of Louis R. Wells and David R. Watts, counselors in the bishopric, spent three delightful days at the head of Big Cottonwood canyon. This is the fifth consecutive year for that outing and it promises to be a permanent affair. f Supervision in Grant Stake The Stake Aaronic Priesthood Committee of the Grant stake is ener- getically engaged in supervising the activities of the members of that Priesthood. The report for the past six months shows that all of the fourteen wards are following the instructions relative to the enrollment and activity of all members of this Priesthood and that twenty visits have been made by the Stake Committee members to the various wards. Granite Leads in Highest Average Attendance The highest' average attendance shown by any stake of the Aaronic priesthood at class meetings during the first six months of the year is that of the Granite stake, which shows an average attendance for that period of 43%. The next in point of attendance is Alberta stake with 37% of the Aaronic priesthood in attendance, followed by the Grant stake with 34%, and the Ogden stake with 33%. In practically all of these stakes active stake and ward supervision is being followed throughout, which would indicate the success attendant upon thorough, enthusiastic super- vision. Visits in Active Supervision Among the stakes that are actively supervising this important work are the Cache stake with 150 visits of the stake Committee to the various wards, the Deseret stake with 25 visits, and Fremont stake with 20 visits, the Granite stake with 24 visits, the Grant stake with 20 visits, the Liberty stake with 18 visits, the Nebo stake with 27 visits, the North Weber stake with 31 visits, the Ogden stake with 26 visits, the Oneida stake with 20 visits, the Pioneer stake with 18 visits, the St. George stake with 20 visits, the St. Joseph stake with 18 visits, the South Davis stake with 29 visits, and the Weber stake with 93 visits. In most of these stakes the wards are organized in accordance with the standards proposed.

PRIESTHOOD QUORUMS 1105 Why We Are Not Understood During the past few years I have had occasion to meet a considerable number of people and quite frequently the topic, "Why has the 'Mormon' people been so illy understood?" took the center of the stage in our "Round Table Discussions." There is but one answer, Ignorance, which breaks into prejudice, and intolerance. These three are triplets, the latter two dependent on ignorance for their existence in the order named. The Spaniards, in centuries past, ignorant of the ideals of the English, persecuted and subjected them to "the thumb-screw and the stake," culminating in the "Spanish Armada." For the same reason the English harrassed their own kin-folk, the Pilgrim Fathers, which terminated in the Declaration of American Independence. The recent World War was the crucial test of these triplets, removing the last great barrier between ourselves and the millennium, thereby opening the door for a Court of World Problems. Not long ago I heard a neigh- bor berating another neighbor very maliciously. The berator was ignorant of the attitude of the person whom he had erst-while condemned. Today they are bosom friends. I am acquainted with a young woman who, less than a year ago, very dexterously criticised a certain young man who was endeavoring to pay her his attentions. Today they are man and wife. The most flagrant demonstration of ignorance was when the Master, whom but few understood, was nailed on Calvary. Why? Because his crucifiers were ignorant of his purpose in life and the ideals he stood for. Hence, their prejudice and intolerance brought him to the cross. Knowledge, eliminates ignorance, banishes prejudice, imprisons intoler- ance, and courts the brotherhood of man. Today the true status of the "Mormon" people, their purpose and ideals in life, has taken root, and the tree, just as Christianity did, is casting its shadow of peace and love in every civilized land where knowledge is crystalizing the scales of ignorance, causing them to fall as the mists vanish when an Arizona sun takes the center of the stage. — Don. P. Skousen, Phoenix, Arizona. Sing the L. D. S. Hymns With Spirit By Charles Kent Let the voices of the young and old once more be heard, in the wards and branches of the Church, to train our children to take part in divine service, in order that they might become familiar with the chief elements of Latter-day Saint worship. Let us be satisfied with our own. Let us sing the hymns of the Latter-day Saints with spirit. May these services help to kindle the spirit of devotion and prayerfulness in many a heart and home. It is eminently proper that hymn books intended for Latter- day Saint worship should be Latter-day Saint in character. In these years the moulding of character, the development of high ideals, and the forming of good taste and artistic discrimination, are of great importance. Encouragement, rather than criticism, is needed; inspired leadership, rather than critical authority. A beautiful voice is the most appealing, compelling thing in all human experience. To have such a voice is a normal and legitimate ambition; but something more than ambition is necessary to such an achievement. Talent is only a mental trend in a certain direction, a liking for a certain thing, but it by no means relieves one of the responsibility and joy of hard work. Music is largely mental. That which we put into our brains in the way of knowledge is translated into actual technique; but we never obtain musical prestige from the manner in which we use our knowledge. Singing

1106 IMPROVEMENT ERA is as spontaneous as prayer, and songs are mostly prayers. Music ex- presses love; and if love, either for our Creator or fellow mortals, goes out of the heart, the gift of song departs. Every man should render some service to the world in return for what it gives him. Whatever the service is. it should contribute in a measure to the joy of living. The singing of sweet hymns and tunes will go further to cast the devil out of men's minds than any other exorcism which I know of. I For the singer there is very little difficulty in putting his soul in his instrument, because his instrument is his voice, and his voice is the instru- ment of the soul. Why is it that we so much prefer a clear, mellow voice to a hoarse, cracked one? Now this pleasure which clear, mellow, rich tones give our sense of hearing is the first and the simplest appeal that music can make to us. Music is one of the factors that can help to give the soul such vision of its destiny. Rock Springs, Wyoming. J New Lyman Stake Organized Lyman stake, in Wyoming, was organized out of the old Woodruff stake in July, 1926. H. Melvin Rollins, Lyman, Wyoming, was chosen pres- ident, with John C. Walker, first, and James E. Eyre, second counselors. The wards and bishops comprising Lyman stake, formerly a part of Wood- ruff stake, follow: Ward Lyman Rock Springs Green River Superior Reliance Millborne Mt. View MicKinnon Manila Branch The following Cumberland Diamondville Evanston Kemmerer Randolph Woodruff Almy Branch Hilliard Name Not Received John Young Albert Manwaring Laurance E. Harris Joseph F. Kilburn William A. Stringer Bryant Fields Joseph A. Terry Andrew J. B. Stewart (Acting) Address Rock Springs, Wyoming Green River, Wyoming Superior, Wyoming Reliance, Wyoming Millborne, Wyoming Mt. View, Wyoming Burnt Fork, Wyoming Manila, Utah wards and bishops remain in George F. Wilde Wm. J.Jensen Harold E. Brough John McPhie Oluf Larson Thomas J. Ringey Jared Bowns Joseph M. Martin (On miision) William P. Lester the Woodruff stake: Cumberland. Wyoming Diamondville, Wyoming Evanston, Wyoming Kemmerer, Wyoming Randolph, Utah Woodruff, Utah Almy, Wyoming Knight, Wyoming (Acting Bishop) Memories Memories of yesterday, happy and gay, Bend low before me, then fade away, And their footsteps are filled with the faith and the hope That tomorrow will bring us new joys unknown. That our lives may be full, sincere and true To our God and fellowmen, be they many or few. Springville, Utah. CAROL BIRD.