--- 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: 30 number: 7 published: 1927-05 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: "Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations, “Mutual Work,” *Improvement Era* 30, no. 7 (May 1927): 653–662." source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera3007unse 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: improvementera3007unse start_page: 653 end_page: 662 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1927-05) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera3007unse publication_year: 1927 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 1927, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # Mutual Work What To Do In May Make every effort to continue successfully the class work. Make provision for holding the attendance by variation in the program, by snappy, active and attractive activities. Make preparation for M. I. A. Day. This day is intended to provide the opportunity of exhibiting your activity program, displaying your accom- plishments, honoring the contest winners, etc., and also to provide a day for play. Its purpose is to bring before the general public the strength of the M. I. A. and give opportunity for an exhibition of the story of your general program. The instructions in the Year-round Recreation Program and Contests are that the morning be devoted to literary and musical activities, contests, pageants, or historical drama; with a noon luncheon consisting of an old-time picnic: the afternoon to be devoted to athletic and field events for Advanced Seniors, Seniors and Juniors, with activities provided for each of these groups. The evening may be used in presenting a drama or a one-act play used in the wards during the year. In stakes where con- test work has been featured, the morning of this day may also be used for the tryouts. Among the suggestions for a program is that a brief history of the association work for the past year may be given, also an original poem, essay or speech by members of the association. See the Year-round Recreation Program and Contests, 1926-27 , pages 20-22. for detailed account of May Day exercises and M. I. A. Day. Winners in the Waters-of-Mormon Contest In February, the Improvement Era offered to the M Men of the. Y. M. M. I. A., a two-years' subscription to the Improvement Era for the best 500-word story and application connected with the Waters of Mormon. The winner in this contest is Thomas Last, Lewiston, Utah, Benson stake. The Era also offered for the second and third-best stories a one-year's subscription each. The second-best story has been awarded to Gerald Burr. R. D. No. 2, Box 97, Provo, Utah, Sharon ward, Utah stake. The third-best has been awarded to Frederick H. Peck, Jr., 1854 West 2nd South, Salt Lake City, 32nd ward, Pioneer stake. We thank all who contributed, and commend them for their effort and interest. The story winning first place follows: The Waters of Mormon By Thomas Last Abinadi. a descendant of Nephi and a prophet of the Lord, was teach- ing faith and repentance in the land Lehi-Nephi. and denouncing evil doers. The wicked King Noah became incensed at Abinadi's words and ordered him slain. But one of King Noah's young priests, named Alma, who was likewise a descendant of Nephi. believed Abinadi's teachings, and pleaded with the king to spare his life. At this the king became very angry, and Alma fled from the land, whereupon the king sent his army to follow and slay him. Alma fled to a wilderness a short distance from Lehi-Nephi which was called Mormon, having received its name from the king. This place was in the 6 54 IMPROVEMENT ERA borders of the land and was infested by wild beasts. Alma hid himself in a thicket, from the searchers of the king. His followers came to him and were taught by him through the Spirit of God. ■ "Now there was in Mormon a fountain of pure water," a sparkling pool in which no pestilence lay, and to this pool Alma and his followers resorted, and he baptized them. For the Spirit of the Lord was upon him. "and he did teach them and preach unto them repentance and redemption and faith on the Lord." And he said to the people: "If ye are willing to carry one another's burdens, to mourn with those that mourn, to comfort those in need, and to stand witnesses of God at all times, in all things, and in all places; that ye may be redeemed of God, and numbered in the first resurrection, what have ye against being baptized of the Lord as a witness of the covenant ye have entered into?" At these words, they clapped their hands with joy. Then he took Helam, one of the foremost brethren, and stood in the water, crying out to the Lord: "O Lord, pour out thy Spirit upon thy servant, that he may do this work with a holiness of heart." Then he said: "Helam, I baptize thee, having authority from Almighty God, as a testimony that ye have covenanted with God to serve him until your body is dead, and may he grant you eternal life through the redemption of Christ, whom he hath prepared from the beginning of the world," after which words they were both buried in the water, and came forth out of the water rejoicing and full of the Spirit. After this manner everyone who believed was baptized, in all two hundred and four souls, but not again did Alma bury himself. "Yea, and they were baptized in the waters of Mormon, and were filled with the grace of God." Alma, having authority from God, ordained priests, one to every fifty of their number, to preach to them concerning the kingdom of God, and they called this the Church of God, and thus was the Church of God established among the Nephites. And soon Alma and his followers were driven from among the des- cendants of Nephi and dwelt among the Lamanites. in Zarahemla, and built up the Church of God, after the manner that he did by the waters of Mormon. The Nephites repented, and the Lord was with them, and they captured the city of Zarahemla from the Lamanites. And Alma died, and his son Alma took up the work, calling the Nephites to repentance, and exhorting them to remember his father and the Church of God that was builded in the wilderness by the waters of Mormon. Leiviston, Utah. M. I. A. In Lethbridge Stake Stake Superintendent Chas. F. Steele, of the Lethbridge stake Y. M. M. I. A., reports that the Mutuals in that stake are prospering: "We have already staged our finals in the debating league — the Barnwell and Lethbridge wards clashed on the question of arbitration as a means of pre- venting war. The Lethbridge speakers, Harold Shields and Theodora Ostlund. upholding the negative, were the winners. Lethbridge also won out in the one-act play. "The Unequal Yoke." with Barnwell, second: Claresholm. third: and Orton, fourth. The Taber players were unable to appear on account of illness. We are now pushing hard for M. I. A. Dav and the Tri-Stake meet to find material to send to the Grand Finals in Salt Lake, in June. We hope to have Canada represented in a number of the com- petitions this year. The Lethbridge stake is also planning a Gillwell Camp for the training of Scout leaders in July. This will likely be followed by our Fathers and Sons' Outing, when we would like one of the field men of the General Board with us." MUTUAL WORK 655 Special Meeting For M Men Leaders A meeting devoted to the M Men's activities was held in the Bishop's Building on Monday morning, April 4, at 8 o'clock, to take advantage of the many leaders who were present from all parts of the Church. It was called to discuss the problems that confront the M Men of the Y. M. M. I. A. The meeting was addressed by Oscar A. Kirkham, Executive Director Y. M. M. I. A. He stated that the growth of the Senior department of the M. I. A. had exceeded any other one department of the organization, and had accom- plished a great awakening among the young men. Problems relating to basketball, age limits for eligibility, attendance at meetings of athletes and other contestants, and rulings regarding eligibility of school letter-men on M Men teams, were discussed, a lively interest being taken by the various leaders. Superintendent Melvin J. Ballard advised that our activities be kept in proper relationship to the organization. The Y. M. M. I. A. is a great rescue force, a place of wholesome environment and preparation for service in the Church. Sometimes in it we have to tolerate that with which we really have no sympathy, in order to lead the members to better things. Our aim should be, not to lower our standards, but to seek to have the young men directed in a way that shall influence their lives to conform to them. All our activities are a means to a glorious end. Our program is calculated to appeal to the young people regardless of their original religious attitude, and is a means to bring about the conversion of the young people to the principles of the gospel. There should be a sympathetic cooperation between the officers and the young men themselves. Introduction, M. I. A. Slogan, May, 1927 "We stand for a testimony of the divine mission of Joseph Smith." Monthly Themes: October — How to obtain a testimony. November — The announcement of the restoration of the gospel. December — The need of the restoration of the gospel. January — The heavens are opened and the Lord speaks. February — The Book of Mormon a testimony of the divine mission of Joseph Smith. March — Authority. April — Works. May — Testimony. Read clearly and deliberately each week paragraph 3, section 135, Doctrine and Covenants. New Stake Superintendents R. H. Clayton has been appointed superintendent of the Y. M. M. I. A. of the Nebo stake, vice Golden Taylor, as we were informed March 22, 1927. Current Events A Study for the M. I. A. Advanced Senior Classes, 1926-27 (Prepared by the Advanced Senior Committee) LESSONS FOR MAY, 1927 I— POLITICS AND INDUSTRY I. Disarmament. Again the United States is taking the initiative in the program for naval-disarmament. Five or six years ago President Harding 656 IMPROVEMENT ERA took the initiative in the same subject. Many naval groups in the United States, however, have not taken kindly to reduction in our naval program. They do not approve the 5-5-3 ratio for capital ships which was established between Great Britain, Japan and the United States. These three naval powers, at the Washington arms conference of 1921, agreed to limit the strength of their navies in capital ships and air craft carriers, but failed to set any bounds to the building of light cruisers and submarines. Great Britain and Japan are building cruisers much faster than the United States, so if these three powers can agree to a 5-5-3 ratio for cruisers to correspond to that for capital ships, it means that the former two countries will either have to scrap many vessels or the United States will have to build more. Questions 1. What is your opinion on this subject of disarmament? 2. Do you think the United States is right in encouraging a decrease in the appropriations for naval purposes? 3. What effect did the Harding Naval-Power Conference accomplish? Has it been lived up to? 4. Why were Italy and France unwilling to join? Why are they unwilling to join at the present time? 5. Would a decrease in naval armament tend to bring about world peace more quickly? Reference: Literary Digest, March 2 6, 192 7, pp. 5, 6, 7. II. Fear of Nationalists in the German Government. At the present time there are many political parties concerned in the administration of the German government. The new cabinet differs from preceding ones in that it is based largely on an alliance of the Center with the Nationalists. The latter party has always been strong for the return of the former government, while the people at large have favored the Republican regime. At the present time, therefore, there is considerable anxiety as to how far the Nationalists can and will push their power. Greater power for them will not conduce to a more rapid development of friendly relations with France, but to the contrary. However, some of the German papers think it is nonsense to believe that the Republic is menaced. Questions 1. Name and explain the different political parties in Germany and state what they stand for. 2. How do the people at large regard these different political powers? 3. Is there a sentiment growing in favor of the Nationalist's party or do the people still want to develop a republic? .4. What would it mean to the world if Germany should go back to her old form of government? 5. What is the Locarno policy? 6. Let those who have recently traveled in Germany, and. therefore, know first hand the political conditions especially, discuss this Subject. Reference: Literary Digest, March 26, 192 7, pp. 16-18. III. Our Canal Problems; It looks like, sooner or later,, a canal will be constructed in Nicaragua by the United States. While the building of the Panama Canal formed a link between the Atlantic and the Pacific oceans, the Nicaragua canal would tend to enhance the relationship between the peoples of the two oceans. While the people of the United States are proud of the Panama Canal and its monumental fete of engineering, there are some who are not satisfied with it on account of the serious obstacles that come in its way in the nature of earthquakes and the like and. therefore, are very anxious to build a canal through Nicaragua. MUTUAL WORK 65 7 Questions 1. Why is the United States at the present time strongly in favor of the construction of a canal in Nicaragua? 2. Why is not the Panama Canal sufficient? 3. What advantages would the former have over the latter? 4. Why did we not build the Nicaragua canal first? 5. What is the feeling on the part of other countries concerning our making this investment? 6. Has the Panama Canal been successful financially and otherwise? 7. Should the Nicaragua canal be built? 8. For what reasons is it likely to be more successful than the Panama Canal? Reference: Literary Digest, March 2 6, 192 7, p. 2 6. IV. The Farmer vs. Tariff. In the agricultural West the farmers who lost their congressional fight for governmental relief would have "Protection for all, or protection for none," and, therefore, anti-tariff agita- tion is growing. It appears to the farmer that there is relief for the banks, the steel group, the railroads, trusts, and big business, but none for him. Some think that the veto of the Farm Relief Bill will result in more favorable legislation for the agricultural interests in the next Congressional Administra- tion. However, the farmer must soon have relief, and he is going to fight to get a reduction of the high protective duties unless they are for all. The statement that, the tariff is a trap set for the farmer for the benefit of industry is not true, however. In many ways the farmer is as much the bene- ficiary of the protective tariff as the manufacturer, because by allowing foreign products to enter the country without restraint would also affect the farmers' home markets. Questions 1. Why are the agricultural interests 60 insistent upon relief at the present time? What is the main trouble? 2. Will a reduction of the tariff relieve them or not; that is, will the destruction of one industry benefit another? \ 3. If all tariff is removed, it will undoubtedly hurt manufacturers. Will it help agriculture? 4. What method will help both parties, i. e., what is the logical solution to the problem? References: Literary Digest, April 2, 1927, pp. 13-14: Saturday Evening Post, April 2, 192 7, pp. 3-4-5. II — SCIENCE AND INVENTION "Keeping the Bugs at Bay" To the Desetet News, April 1, 1927, we are indebted for some striking facts from the pen of an eminent educator and editor, Glen Frank, who tells us that our annual bug bill is two billion dollars. The laboratory man is doing more than the laboring man to keep the bugs from winning the battle for possession of the. earth. "In the fight to see which shall survive, man or the insects, the insects are better equipped. They have greater tenacity of life, can multiply more rapidly, can dodge danger by a protective shape and color, and are more facile in adapting themselves, than man." What does the annual "bug bill" of the United States cost each one of its inhabitants? How may this enormous expense be reduced? Tell the story of the "Cannibal Tree," recorded in the Literary Digest. March 19. page 23, and apply it to human conduct. Discuss the following in the light of the information given on page 21, Literary Digest, March 19: "Plants resemble human beings in that it is not good for them to stay up too late at night," "Every man. woman, and child in the world, actually lives on the life 65 8 IMPROVEMENT ERA of plants." "By keeping their secret safe from us, plants force us to cultivate them and keep them alive." "Rain is both food and drink for plants." The Strength of Women — Which are stronger, college women or women who work in factories? Why? In which industry are the best type of industrial womanhood found? In a strength test of 3,000 employed work- ing women, 400 unemployed working women and 500 college women, which group showed the highest average strength? Of what special value is this article to society? See Literary Digest, March 19, 1927, p. 25. Do We Really Live Longer? — -Edwin D. Dexter produces some figures that indicate that the average age of the "old codger" hasn't varied much through the centuries, and that it was even slightly longer among the ancient Greeks than it is now. He asks by what method did those old Greeks manage to whip us so soundly in the struggle for long life? His article is a challenge for some of our sanguine statisticians. See Literary Digest, March 26, page 21. How the Camera is helping to give the common people marbleized walls and. wood-grained metal furniture. A bridge five miles long, is described on page 27, Literary Digest. Where is the bridge to be built? Same reference, page 24. Heart Thunderings — Ten million times louder than its natural sound, the heart throbs are heard through an amplifier, the perfection of which took seven years' work in the Bell Company laboratories. See Literary Digest, April 2, page 28. "Traffic Rules for Air Craft." — Best kind of material for a three- minute reading to the class. Same reference, same page, as in preceding paragraph. "Fighting Germs With Sugar" — Is it an "adv." or genuine scientific information? At all events it is intensely interesting to read that "Sugar taken in through the mouth passes by way of the blood to the fluid joints, and there is evidence indicating that it adds to their resistance to infection." Is sugar the world's most useful food? Literary Digest, April 2, page 29. The Powerful Sun Spot — Do the sun spots affect humanity? Are we slaves to the sun spots? What may be expected during the years 1927-1928- 1929, from a sun spot point of view? See Literary Digest, April 2, 1927, page 80. 110-Story Sky Scraper— 224 feet higher than the Eiffel Tower, will cost over 22 million dollars and accommodate 30 thousands occupants. Read about it in Science and Invention, April, 1927, page 1099. Driving An Automobile While Asleep — See Science and Invention. April, page 1132. What's the value of the incident? Scientific Humor — Relate the best joke recorded on page 1140 of Science and Invention, for April. Ill— RELIGIOUS AND SOCIAL MOVEMENTS I. Too Many Churches. The Christian world is shaken from center to circumference. Its division into so many factors is deplored. Some are suggesting one remedy, some another. Frederick L. Collins proposes that 100.000 churches, half the number in the United States, be abandoned and destroyed, claiming that "time and circumstance have already begun their demolition." He points out that two hundred denominations, and representing an investment of $3,000,000,000. costing $300,000,000 a year to maintain, are open only three times a week for religious services. He would suggest then: "Immediate reduction, by 'at least one-half of the number of existing places of worship without reducing existing opportunities for worship. MUTUAL WORK 659 "Use of the savings thus realized for vigorous expansion of religious work in the communities affected. "Not churches of men. Churches of God!" See Literary Digest, March 26, 1927. Questions 1. Point out causes for the conditions called attention to by Mr. Collins. 2. Will fewer churches remedy the trouble? II. Revision of Prayer Book. The Church of England is stirred to its depths over the revision of the Prayer Book. P. W. Wilson in the New York Times of March 20, 1927, asks pointedly, "Is this English Church to develop her Church along Catholic or Protestant lines?" "Whither is the Church going?" ask the anxious ones. "It is not easy for Americans to appreciate how deep are the feelings aroused by such a situation. In the United States the Episcopalians, though influential, are not to be compared in numbers with other major communions; for instance, the Baptists and the Methodists. But in England the Episcopal or Established Church is one-half of the total religious force of the nation. There are many villages where it is the only Church. * * * It is the Established Church that crowns the King and Queen and ministers to the royal family. None save Anglican pjayers are recited in Parliament. And the army, the navy, the prisons, the workhouses, the ocean liners, the influential and exclusive schools and universities, all conform, more or less, to the Anglican liturgy." "The revised Prayer Book, interpreted by a sympathetic diocesan, will permit a parish priest to robe himself in eucharistic vestments, to light candles, to burn incense, to pray for the dead, to use genuflexions, to decorate his sanctuary and to reserve the sacrament in a manner not outwardly to be differentiated, so it is argued, from the Roman use. Nor will any serious difficulty arise over the confessional." The battle is most intense over the reservation of the sacrament. To the Protestant the bread and wine when blessed remain bread and wine; to the Catholic they become the real flesh and blood of Christ ,and are to be ^ do red. 1. Do you see in this revision a turning hack to Catholicism? Justify your answer. Ill — For a Protestant Confessional. Dr. Harry Emerson Fosdick's suggestion that Protestantism use the confessional is meeting with strong favor and firm opposition. See Literary Digest, March 5, 1927. 1. Point out the value of the Confessional. 2. Point out its possible evils. IV. — The Decalogue Revised. Eight hundred thirty-five girls of Simmons College have re-arranged the Decalogue thus: 1. Honor thy father and thy mother. 2. Thou shalt have no other gods before me. 3. Thou shalt not kill. 4. Thou shalt not commit adultery. 5. Thou shalt not steal. 6. Thou shalt not bear false witness. 7. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord in vain. 8. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image. 9. Thou shalt not covet. 10. Remember the Sabbath Day to keep it holy. See Literary Digest, March 5, 1927. Question 1. What do you think of this revision? 660 IMPROVEMENT ERA Y. M. M. I. A. Statistical Report, March, 1927 STAKE f? is .2 s 5 S s E 5 E o=3 Ti?» MUTUAL WORK 661 STAKE a ■a •a 2 £ •3 1 M a o & « is" 5m .So a g a .2 9 '33 a 662 IMPROVEMENT ERA STAKE a. B 1 a a 1 a m < 1 © p 8 00 a S S O ■M §g «§ MO as •o s t3 ■o 31 oa 8 2° a "2 v. la es « 3 p Oquirrh 9 5 10 10 10 8 9 10 10 10 91 Palmyra ____— 10 6 10 9 8 8 10 9 10 10 90 Panguitch 8 6 10 2 4 4 5 2 2 5 48 Parowan 7 5 6 5 6 5 6 4 5 6 55 Pioneer 10 5 8 6 10 5 10 8 10 9 81 Roosevelt 10 7 6 1 3 6 8 6 8 7 62 St. George 10 6 10 10 6 8 9 7 10 76 Salt Lake 9 6 10 10 10 8 10 10 10 10 93 San Juan 10 5 10 5 5 9 10 10 10 7 81 Sevier .. - 8 5 10 5 5 4 8 10 10 10 75 South Sevier 4 5 4 4 3 3 6 7 3 3 42 Summit 8 6 10 10 6 10 10 8 5 10 83 Tin tic 5 4 10 8 7 8 10 9 10 6 77 Tooele 8 4 5 2 3 3 4 6 5 4 44 Uintah 10 6 10 5 8 8 9 9 10 8 83 Utah 7 10 9 8 8 6 8 9 9 9 83 Wayne 8 10 5 2 1 2 2 30 Weber _. 8 5 9 6 8 8 7 5 10 10 76 Bannock 8 4 5 7 5 4 8 8 7 4 60 Bear Lake 10 10 8 5 7 8 10 9 9 8 84 Blaine ." . 10 3 10 10 10 7 10 8 9 10 87 Boise 9 6 10 6 10 8 9 9 10 8 85 Cassia 10 6 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 96 Curlew 9 10 6 6 7 10 3 9 4 8 6 9 10 10 10 10 8 6 9 61 Franklin 89 Fremont __ 10- 10 9 10 10 9 10 10 10 10 ■ 98 Idaho Falls 7 5 8 6 8 7 10 10 9 8 78 Lost River 5 5 10 7 ' 6 4 10 10 5 5 67 Malad 10 6 10 9 8 10 10 10 9 10 92 Montpelier 10 5 6 6 5 7 9 9 5 8 70 Pocatello 10 7 10 10 9 10 10 10 10 10 96 Raft River 7 6 7 2 5 8 10 10 7 7 69 Rigby 10 10 8 8 5 8 8 9 9 7 82 Shelley 9 10 10 9 7 4 10 8 10 10 87 Yellowstone __ 8 10 8 3 4 8 9 9 10 9 78 Alberta 10 6 10 2 9 8 10 9 7 10 81 Big Horn 9 5 10 10 8 7 6 8 6 6 75 Lethbridge 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 100 Lyman ._ 10 10 10 8 7 7 8 9 7 6 82 Los Angeles . 10 6 10 10 10 9 7 7 10 10 89 Maricopa 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 100 Moapa 10 5 7 6 9 6 10 10 10 6 79 Nevada 10 6 10 8 6 8 10 10 8 5 81 San Luis 2 5 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 77 Snowflake 10 3 4 4 4 3 5 4 3 3 43 Star Valley 10 6 9 3 7 7 9 10 8 7 76 Taylor 10 10 10 10 10 8 10 10 10 10 98 Woodruff 8 5 10 10" 8 6 9 9 8 7 80 Young 10 10 8 2 2 9 6 8 10 7 72 N. W. States _ 4 6 10 9 5 10 5 6 10 5 70 Calif. Mission 9 10 10 4 4 10 10 9 10 10 86 Please see that your report for April reaches the office by May 10; Seventy-thre? .stakes reported for March. Let us have ninety-six for April.