--- 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: 11 published: 1927-09 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: "Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations, “Message of General Superintendency to M. I. A. Workers,” *Improvement Era* 30, no. 11 (September 1927): 1049–1049." source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera30011unse 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: improvementera30011unse start_page: 1049 end_page: 1049 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1927-09) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera30011unse 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. --- # Message of General Superintendency to M. I. A. Workers MESSAGE OF GENERAL SUPERINTEN- DENCY TO M. I. A. WORKERS One hundred years are gone since the Angel Moroni presented the plates of the Book of Mormon to the Prophet Joseph Smith, and nearly a hundred years have passed since the translation of the plates was completed. We look back with astonishment at the rapidity with which this important labor was performed. Oliver Cowdery, a stranger, came to the home of Joseph Smith on April 5, 1829. Two days later he began to write the transla- tion as the Prophet Joseph dictated. The entire work was com- pleted by the first week in June, in not to exceed two full months. This sacred record has had little or no revision since the original dictation. The most experienced author or writer would find it impossible to produce such a volume, of 522 pages (in its present form), containing the teachings of many prophets and the words of many teachers, all expounding doctrines which agree with one another and with the teachings of the Bible. This remarkable accomplishment is but an evidence of the in- spiration attending Joseph Smith as he translated the writings of those who, for a thousand years, had made a record of the teachings and doctrines of the people living on this Western continent. The spirit which accompanies the reading of the volume itself is its most impressive feature. The influence of the book is elevat- ing. There is not an immodest suggestion in it. Its doctrine is sound. The loftiness of the principles it enunciates is an evidence that the work is divinely inspired. The study of it will produce love of God, love of fellow-men, love of virtue, and will lead all those who adhere to its teachings into a state of righteous living. The story of the simple faith of Nephi; the sublime courage of Abinadi; the heroism of General Moroni; the marvelous pres- ervation of the lives of the two thousand boys under Helaman, have delighted and interested thousands of our young people and helped them to a better understanding of the divine plan of our heavenly Father for the salvation of mankind. It is our desire that all the young people of the Church will partake of the pure, sweet spirit of this sacred book and understand the soundness of its doctrines. If well studied, it will influence their entire lives, both in time and in eternity, and will be an im- portant factor in helping the young people of the Church to solve the problems confronting the present generation. It is our hope that the near future will find us all with a fuller knowledge and a greater appreciation of this precious volume of scripture. George Albert Smith. Richard R. Lyman, Melvin J. Ballard, General Superintendency. '■*-V (??TTTT'»T r •*"• • v w y y v w