--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 29 number: 12 published: 1926-10 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: "Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations, “Westerners in Action,” *Improvement Era* 29, no. 12 (October 1926): 1168–1175." source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera29012unse 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: improvementera29012unse start_page: 1168 end_page: 1175 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1926-10) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera29012unse publication_year: 1926 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 1926, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # Westerners in Action WESTERNERS IN ACTION Three Pioneers At a recent quarterly conference in Richmond, Utah, Benson stake of Zion, Elder George Albert Smith of the Council of the Twelve was in attendance. He gave some valuable instructions, which were highly appreciated by the people. One of the features of our quarterly conference was the testimonies of three brethren over eighty years of age, who spoke with feeling in our Sunday morning conference meeting. These brethren were William Waddoups, left; Marcus Funk, center; John Jenkins, right. They have been active all their lives in the Church, and their testimonies were extremely faith-promoting. Left: Wrn. Waddoups; center: Marcus Funk; right: John Jenkins. Elder Waddoups was born August 19, 1840, at Sowe, Warwick- shire, England, and baptized a member of the Church on the 20th of April, 1856. He arrived as an immigrant at Salt Lake City on the 13th of August, 1863, and was ordained a seventy on the 18th of August, 1869, by Joseph Young. On the 30th of June, 1901, he was ordained a high priest and set apart as bishop of Lewiston First ward, by Elder Marriner W. Merrill of the Council of the Twelve. Four years thereafter, on the 5 th of November, he was set apart a counselor to Stake President Alma Merrill, by President Francis M. Lyman. On the 23 rd of October, 1921, he was ordained a patriarch by Elder Melvin J. Ballard of the Council of the Twelve. Marcus Funk was born in Denmark on the 3rd of December. WESTERNERS IN ACTION 1169 1842, and joined the Church in 1854, coming to America in 185 7. Two years thereafter he arrived in Utah, and settled with his parents in Ogden, and a year later went to Cache valley. He was also a pioneer of Dixie, to which place he was called as a settler in 1874. He has been a member of the Church for 72 years. John Jenkins, son of Evan and Ann (Davis) Jenkins, was born May 8, 1845, at Cowbridge, Glamorganshire, South Wales. His parents joined the Church before he was born. Leaving their native land, they came to America when John was four years and ten months of age. They crossed the ocean in the good ship Commodore, making the trip in two months. They settled in Iowa, where they lived for eleven years, coming to Utah in 1861, where they endured the usual pioneer hardships. Brother Jenkins was well known for his dexterity with a rifle. For three years he returned, at the call of the Church, for emigrants, in 1863, 1864, and 1866, making seven trips in all, bringing emigrants to Utah. In 1865 the Indians were so troublesome on the plains that no teams went. He took part in the Morrisite war in 1862. His parents settled in Farmington, where he lived until he was married to Mary Oviatt, December, 1867. In 1869 he moved to Cache valley, being the first settler in what is now known as New- ton, where he has since made his home. He has been very active in civil, social and religious affairs. He is the father of thirty-five children, twenty sons and fifteen daughters, twenty-five of whom are now living. His testimony of the goodness of the Lord towards him is faith-promoting to all who hear. — J. W. Funk, president Benson stake, Richmond, Utah. A Story of that Other Birthday By Ellen L. Jakeman Mr. Matthew Peterson, of Lehi, familiarly known as "Matt Peter- son," celebrated his eighty-first birthday in the open at Ogden, Aug. 15, 1926, in company with his wife and other members of his fam- ily and a few friends. A splendid banquet was served, and a program commemorating the varied exploits of the honored guest's distinguished endeavors. Besides being a pioneer and Indian war veteran, Matt lived through the hazards of the journey from his native land, Scandinavia, the hardships of the thousand mile journey across the plains, and the bleak years that followed, augmented by grasshopper and cricket in- vasions, and is still able to make a very creditable quality of shoes and a wonderful garden. He also extracts music from a violin made from a licorice box without paint or varnish; and, make no mistake, — it is music! Having a wonderful memory, rich with the unique experi- 1170 IMPROVEMENT ERA cnces of the past, he is well worth listening to; and this birthday party set Mr. Peterson to recalling past experiences: "This birthday ' j all right," he said, with his engaging and humorous smile, "but nothing to compare with one celebrated when I was a boy. It was a season following a grasshopper raid which had skinned the country of vegetation, and my father's family, as well as many others, h2d been living on bran bread, fish from Utah lake, wild mustard greens, jack rabbits, and whatever else we could get; and we were pretty gaunt. "I was in a field gleaning wheat with my sister, Christine, who was older than I, and I think I must have lagged some, for she said to me along in the afternoon: 'Do you know what day this is?' " 'Yes,' I answered, 'a mighty hot day, and I'm tired.' ' 'Well, it's the fifteenth of August, and your birthday,' she an- swered. I said nothing, and she let that soak in for a few moments, and then went on: 'Mother i9 going to cook a birthday dinner for you. It was good white flour father brought home from Provo last night. Just a little for use if any of us are sick, but she told me this morning that she was going to cook something nice for you out of it because it was your birthday, so let's hurry and get through so we can go home.' "I had been feeling rather rebellious, but the fact that mother remembered my birthday in celebration gave me a warm feeling of always having been welcome. The prospect of having something different to eat from roast beets and bran bread gave me enthusiasm for more diligent efforts, so our gleaning progressed rapidly, and as the sun went down we arrived at home. "Mother kissed me and wished me many more happy birthdays, and spread a small, white cloth on the corner of the kitchen table (for I was to have my treat alone) . Scrubbed and combed, and feeling my importance in the family and the world generally, I sat up to a cov- ered dish and said grace. "Then mother uncovered the dish! "There were six light, delicately browned pancakes! Mother lifted one to my plate and covered it with a sweet, sticky, yellow syrup made by boiling down squash juice. The sight set my mouth to watering! The smell was delicious! "Before I had eaten more than a bite a neighbor stepped in. He started to say something to mother, but he saw those pancakes and began to swallow, forgetting what he came for. " 'Why, they must be made of white flour!' he said, stating an unbelievable fact, rather than asking a question. I knew what made him keep swallowing that way, — for that is just what I did when I first saw them. " 'Yes,' mother answered him. 'It's Matt's birthday, and I made them just for him. Would you like one, brother?' WESTERNERS IN ACTION 1171 " 'I sure would,' he replied with an eager yet shamed look. 'I've three little children over to my shanty that haven't tasted white flour in three months, and not much of anything in the last three days. I've got the promise of something tomorrow, but goin' home tonight empty handed' — and he choked! "I had eaten one while this was going on. Mother took four of the five remaining pancakes, and looked around for something to put them on, and our neighbor just held out his home-made straw hat, and she dumped them in and put the remainder of the squash syrup on them. ' 'God bless you, Sister Peterson,' he said, and with tears rolling down his face he bolted for the door, forgetting the errand on which he came. We heard him repeat that fervent prayer and benediction several times before he got out of hearing. "I ate the last pancake without the sweetening we were all so ravenous for, and was perfectly satisfied. "The powerful earnestness behind that blessing, must have car- ried it straight to the Throne of Grace, for the backbone of our own difficulties seemed to be broken from that day. " 'His hat? Oh, he could just slosh that out in the creek and it would be all right. We were not so finical about our hats in those days!" Active Spiritual and Temporal Cooperation This picture represents the large and remarkable family of Alva N. Murdock, Sugar City, Idaho. Brother Murdock is the second son of Patriarch N. C. Murdock, an early pioneer. Alva N. resided in Wasatch county until 1911. He married Margaret Watson, the highly accomplished daughter of Andrew Watson, known as the honest man of Provo. She is the mother of seven of the older children, and she was in her time a great favorite and very popular at the Brigham Young University, in the days of Karl G. Maeser. After her death Brother Murdock was again fortunate in marrying Sarah C. Larson, of Manti, a daughter of Hon. Christian P. and Mary Matthews Larson. She is the mother of the other seven children. Elder Murdock has good cause to be thankful to the Lord, and even proud of the entire family. They are all active workers in the Church. In expressing his appreciation of his family and their characters and action, he gives the reason in two words, "Good mothers." There is not one of the family but observes the Word of Wisdom and is clean in act and language. Five of the married children were united in the temple, and doubtless all will follow the example, and be joined together with their parents in the right way, for time and all eternity. The family are extensively, and in cooperation, engaged in farming and ranching, particularly in sheep raising. They all work 1172 IMPROVEMENT ERA unselfishly together as a unit in complete harmony, with no cross words or family jars. Last season they harvested thirty-two thousand bushels of grain, besides tending to their other business affairs, their sheep and ranching. The most remarkable thing about the family, when we consider the selfishness extant these days, is that they have only one bank account. Each of the children is given his own check book and per- mitted to draw as his needs demand from the general fund, each helping the other, the account having been in the father's name, but now, as he stated, is in the name of one of his sons. He says that he has never, so far, had to chide any of them for extravagance. This family is an example of thorough cooperation. They remind one of Alma's first Mormons, who looked forward with one *''■ w V 1 t Iff -' ^f if1" • ■ ■ +& *jf ■i m 3 m f * ^ rf ^ ■' ... frnm Alva N. Murdock and Family, Sugar City, Idaho eye, having one faith, one baptism, their hearts knit together in unity and love one towards another. They bear one another's burdens that they may be light, mourn with those who mourn, comfort those who stand in need of comfort, and stand as witness of God at all times in all things and in all places, looking forward to the time that they may be redeemed of God and numbered with those of the first resurrection that they may have eternal life. They seek to walk uprightly before God, give thanks to him, keep holy the Sabbath day, labor with their own hands for their support, imparting to one another both temporally and spiritually according to their needs and their wants. "How blessed are they, for they shall sing His praise forever,"- — A. Boy Scouts on Upper Snake River Top: A bridge constructed by scouts in the Council Camp conducted during 1926 by the Teton Peaks Council, B. S. A. Bottom: Teton Peaks Council Camp with scouts getting daily "setups." H. S. Alvord, Executive, Edwin Keller, Assistant Camp Director, Idaho Falls, Idaho, 192 6. The Teton Peaks Council, B. S. A.; H. S. Alvord, Scout Execu- tive; Edwin Keller, Assistant Camp Director, conducted a camp during 1926 on the upper Snake river. Here 188 boys and men spent a week or more in camp. Altered campfire programs were conducted, and many activities carried out on the scout program, to the great edification and advantage of those who attended. At Pine- view, shown in the picture, there is a dining hall and quarters for inspection. These pictures give some idea of the camp and the work accomplished. Bishop M. E. Brown of Milo, also Scout Master of Milo, with a group constructed and conducted altered campfire pro- grams at the Council Camp- " Top: Dining hall and quarters for instructions, located at Pineview, Idaho. Bottom: Company street and daily morning inspection. Teton Peaks Council Camp, Idaho Falls, Idaho. The bridge and swimming pool, where the scouts of the upper Snake river, Teton Peaks Council, held their Summer encampment, 188 boys and men spend- ing a week or more in camp. Betray Not His Trust Sad, sad, when the mind shall wander far On a dark, forbidding sea, Tossed hither and yon by the waves of doubt. And burdened by misery, Seeking ever the harbor that never is found And rest that can never abide: For the soul that has bartered the jewels God gave Is swept on by eternity's tide. Sad, sad, on that day, when eternity's span Unfolds to our wondering sight, And we see in the crown that another shall wear Our jewels, resplendent and bright. For Christ has decreed, if we keep not the trust Of his jewels, untarnished and fair, We shall lose to another the treasure he gave; And their splendor we never can share. "Take heed," he said, "that you harm not a hair On the heads of my little ones here; For they dwell in the light of the white throne of God Where his glory and presence is near. It was not you who chose them, but they who chose you — Their father and mother to be — To round out the measure that God gave you here, And fulfil his eternal decree." Sad, sad, to you, then, if this trust you defile Through earth-lust, or treasure, or gain; For the hearts that shall barter the gifts of Christ's love Shall never find surcease of pain. They shall seek for it here, and shall search for it there; They shall hunger and never be filled, For the voices of little ones robbed of their love In our bosoms can never be stilled. The wife that God gave you, as helpmeet and friend, Sometime will be asked at your hand; Or the husband he gave you, to guard you through life, Some day he will surely demand. What shall profit us then, to cry out of our trials Or excuses that come at our will? Will he not say for you: "I, too, bore my cross And suffe'red on Calvary's hill? "I sweat drops of blood, and drank deep of the cup. That you, with me, joint heirs might be, And I looked forth with hope on the trust that is yours, As I suffered and bled on the tree. My trust is my little ones, treasured with care, My ewe lambs brought back to the fold, And the joys to the hearts that are true to that trust, To mortals can never be told." Rexbucg, Idaho. PAUL H- AtLRED.