Mutual Work

1 MUTUAL WORB^, EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT The Slogan "We stand for law, for the people who live it. and the officers who enforce it." This slogan is a specific declaration of the institutional attitude of the M. I. A. towards the laws of the country, the state, and the municipalities in which we live. It is a re-affirmation of the article of our faith: "We believe in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law." The slogan is so full of patriotism that there is no room for a particle of partisan- ism in it. * * * It is the production of the joint efforts of the Y. M. M. I. A. and the Y. L. M. I. A. It should be presented at the monthly joint session of the M. I. A. in the wards, at the joint Sunday stake conference meet- ings, and at the stake group conven- tions. The presentation of the slogan should be preceded by some exercise that will produce an atmosphere for thought and determination. The following is a sample of material for a slogan setting: From an Historical Address by the Great Champion of the Constitution, Daniel Webster "And let me say, gentlemen, that if we and our posterity shall be true to the Christian religion, — if we and they shall live always in the fear of God, and shall respect his commandments, — if we and they shall maintain just, moral sentiments, and such conscientious convictions of duty as shall control the heart and life, — we may have the highest hopes of the future fortunes of our country; and if we main- tain those institutions of government and that political union, exceeding all praise as much as it exceeds all former examples of political associations, we may be sure of one thing — that, while our country furnishes materials for a thousand masters of the historic art, it will afford no topic for a Gibbon. It will have no Decline and Fall. It will go on prospering and to prosper. "But, if we and our posterity reject religious instruction and authority, vio- late the rules of eternal justice, trifle with the injunctions of morality, and recklessly destroy the political constitution which holds us together, no man can tell how sudden a catastrophe may overwhelm us, that shall bury all our glory in profound obscurity." The utmost order should precede the presentation of the slogan. If the presentation of the slogan is placed at the close of a program, the clos- ing song could appropriately emphasize the slogan, such as "Do What is Right, Let the Consequence Follow," or "Shall the Youth of Zion Falter." The slogan should be kept before the public by placard, and care should be given to the position and the protection of the placard. While the placard and the presentation of the slogan at meetings will no doubt stimulate in the direction of sustaining the law, the effective putting of the slogan into action against lawlessness can be ac- complished best through projects. Projects that will provide for the study of the strength and of the weaknesses of law observance in the community, causes of lawlessness and putting on foot meas- ures for assisting officers in the enforce- ment of the law: 1 . Present the slogan seriously. 2. Placard the slogan conspicuously. 3. Put the slogan over judiciously by project.

688 IMPROVEMENT ERA Joint Monthly Sunday Evening Meetings All exercises should be in nature and grade consistent with Sunday sacredness: everything to lift and nothing to lower. The program should provide for a Gos- ple message in some form and for an equitable distribution of time between the Young Men's and the Young Ladies' or- ganizations. Suggested material in outline arrange- ment for programs is published in the Era and the Journal. These outlines are in no way directive, but it is hoped that they will receive consideration as helps to be used or substituted, in whole or in part. From reports coming in these outlines are appreciated in the ward. Stake Conference Sunday Evening Meeting The privilege of using the Sunday even- ing of a stake conference is one which should be appreciated by our organizations in every stake of Zion. The programs for these meetings should receive the care- ful joint consideration of the stake board and the endorsement of the stake president. They should be judiciously advertised in advance. Whatever else the exercises may consist of, the major part of the time should be devoted to one or more messages to the youth, preferably by representatives of the General Church Authorities, or of the M. I. A. General Board. It is hoped that these meetings will be so interesting and instructive that no thought of dispensing with them will be entertained. THE ADULT DEPARTMENT The 1928-29 program for the Adult Department is another step in the direc- tion of the comprehensive scheme of adult education which the Advanced Senior De- partment outlined for the M. I. A. three years ago. In its broader aspects, however, it represents an attempt to meet certain leisure-time needs of the adults of the Church. The coming year's program includes the following types of activity: a. The course of study. b. The reading course. c. The citizenship projects. d. Other types of liesure-time activity. The Course of Study Continuing the plan of last year, each ward will choose one of the following subjects for its course of study throughout the year: a, Moral Teachings of the New Testa- ment; b, Outline of Current Literature; c, Captains of Industry. By a recent action of the General Authorities, the Genealogical Society meet- ings are also to be held Tuesday evenings. It is suggested, therefore, that the members of this group meet under the auspices of the M. I. A. and that the Genealogical course of study be considered a fourth pos- sible choice of subject matter for members of the Adult Department. As announced at the June convention, excellent materials are available for each course of study. Dean Milton Bennion's book, Moral Teachings of the Netv Testa- ment, is now on sale at the Deseret Book Company (price $1.00). The manual "Captains of Industry" is now in press and will be available about August 15 from the Era office (price 25c). Ma- terials for the "Outline of Current Litera- ture" course will be furnished through the pages of the Era and the Journal. Each month, beginning with the September number, the Era, for example, will con- tain a three or four-page review, by eminent L. D. S. writers, of some recent outstanding book. The Journal for the same month will also contain a similar review of another outstanding book. By this means it is hoped to furnish two re- views each month, or a total of about

MUTUAL WORK 889 eighteen or twenty during the Mutual season. These reviews will contain digests of, extracts from and criticisms of the most recent literature in the fields of biography, travel, natural science, fiction, philosophy, social science, art, etc. In addition to the two monthly book reviews, the magazines will furnish a list (with comments) of noteworthy articles in the current issues of the leading American magazines. Reading Course The book adopted for the Adult De- partment this year is Michael Pupin's From Immigrant to Inventor, published by Scribners and securable from the Deseret Book Company (price $2.00). Citizenship Projects A new departure this year are the citizenship projects announced at the June convention. It is proposed that each ward devote one Tuesday each month to a con- sideration and execution of the following: A. Law Observance: 1. Study of: (a) nature and extent of local law- breaking, (b) adequacy of existing law-en- forcement machinery. 12. Formulation of a local program for law observance: (a) providing for public discussion of the problem, (b) group resolutions, (c) cooperation with other groups and with law-enforcement of- ficials. B. Voting: 1. Study of: (a) the nature of Federal, State, and local laws pertaining to elec- tions and voting (b) the nature and extent of recent local (city, county or state) election and voting practices. 2. Educational work with local voters, as to: (a) their privileges as voters. (b) the time and place of elections. (c) the issues involved in a given election, (e. g., providing facts and analyses of arguments for and against the issues). The above projects fit in nicely with the slogan for this year. They also make it possible for the M. I. A. to become an even greater power for social righteous- ness in the communities where we are or- ganized. Appropriate materials and suggestions for the execution of these projects will be furnished from time to time through the pages of the Era and the Journal. Other Types of Leisure-Time Activity Where there is time, energy or need for other types of leisure-time activity in the Adult Department, such as amuse- ments, "socials," home evenings, etc., stake and ward officers are referred to the forth- coming edition of the M. I. A. Handbook for specific suggestions and guidance. The Joint Committee of the General Boards encourages the stake and ward of- ficers to take adequate time and opportu- nity in planning the work of this depart- ment for the coming year. The splendid achievements and rapid growth of this department during the last two or three years should be an additional incentive to even greater effort during the year ahead. On behalf of the General Boards. Arthur L. Beeley (Y. M. M. I. A. i Mary C. Kimball (Y. L. M. I. A.) Chairmen, Adult Department. M. I. A. Conference in Berlin By Superintendent Arthur Gaeth The "Gruen-Gold Freud-Echo," as the first M. I. A. conference in the German- Austrian mission was called, was held in Berlin, May 26-28, 1928, under the direction of Superintendent M. Elmer Christensen. The special guests were President and Sister Fred Tadje and Superintendent George Albert Smith, Jr.,

890 IMPROVEMENT ERA of the Swiss-German mission and President and Sister Hyrum W. Valentine of the German-Austrian mission. The total at- tendance at the Saturday and Sunday meet- ings was about 5,000 people, and more than 700 attended the excursion on Mon- day. Translated, "Gruen-Gold Freud- Echo" is "Green-Gold Echo of Joy." Saturday afternoon final contests in public speaking for men and women, re- told stories, ladies trios, male quartettes, male choruses, ladies choruses, instrumental trios, Boy Scout activities and poem and story-writing were held between winners in the different districts. More than 400 people from outside Berlin were present as witnesses or contestants. Konigsberg on the extreme north, Breslau on the east and Vienna on the southeast were well repre- sented. For the past four months the Mutuals of this mission have been con- centrating on these events, and more than 1000 people have in that time taken part in the contest work. In the evening, the Boy Scouts met in a jambouree, real American style, with ac- tivities in first aid, mouth organ choruses and lantern-slide lectures on German birds and trees. At the same time the Bee-Hive girls presented a dramatization of the "Spirit of the Hive." The G Men (M Men) gathered at a banquet and listened to a literary and musical program; the recrea- tion committees met and saw the presenta- tion of a drama and were given instruc- tions concerning proper amusements and dancing. Following the departmental work a "Freud-Echo" social and dance was held for all Mutual workers present at the convention, at which time the contest winners were awarded prizes. Sunday morning, after a fervent testi- mony meeting, President Hyrum W. Val- entine presented each of the 30 registered troops of Boy Scouts with a German na- tional flag, admonishing them to honor the Fatherland and obey its laws. This presentation left impressions that will help make these boys honorable citizens of their country. Ninety scouts gave the scout oath and pledged allegiance to their flag. This movement started by the "Mormon" Church is the only organization in Ger- many having the same standards as the International Organization of Boy Scouts, and in the not far distant future this movement will be recognized by the Ger- man government, for thinking men al- ready realize the value of this non-partisan, patriotic endeavor. Presentation of badges to new Scout head of German-Austrian mission, and to new district Scoutmasters.

MUTUAL WORK 891 President Hyrum W. Valentine presenting German flag to the thirty registered Scout troops. A special feature of the closing session of the conference was the convincing two- minute testimonies of ten missionaries who were honorably released after thirty months of service. Brother M. Elmer Christensen. mission superintendent of M. I. A., who had just been released to re- turn home after thirty-two months of service and who was the originator of the "Freud-Echo." was presented with a leather-bound handbook by the incoming superintendent, Arthur Gaeth, on behalf of the M. I. A., in appreciation of his splendid work as the first general super- intendent of auxiliary organizations of the German-Austrian mission. The G. F. V. (M. I. A.) Handbook, in German, was his work, and is in the nature of the handbooks used in the stakes of Zion. Monday all members attended the ex- cursion and participated in the enjoyment furnished. The districts of the mission met in a competitive track meet, from which the Berlin district emerged as victor. The following article dealing with our work, was printed in the Berlin Vor- warts, the Social-Democratic organ of the country, on the 2nd of June, 1928: "Primarily, this American organization takes up its labors with the youth and ap- plies pedagogics that keep the minds and the senses of its young people alert and refreshed. They scorn overdone piety and combine refined arts and science, par- ticularly natural science, with ethical vows in the measure in which the receptive hearts of the young require them. But most interesting of all is the "Mormon" system. The boys are grouped together in Boy Scout organizations and are educated in nature through long hikes, in signaling, in Morse telegraphy, and are instructed in first aid and many other practical fields. The girls are combined in Bee-Hive swarms and receive instructions in house- hold management, nursing, sewing and embroidery work. At each meeting the youth verbally renew their pledges, the first stipulation of which is tolerance, and which obliges them to look earnestly at life and serve their fellow-man. The German mis- sion lies wholly under the direction of young Americans. In the activities of their conference it could be observed that dances, even fox trots and waltzes, formed a part of the program. The organization is carried on according to definitely printed laws, established by the Americans and no deviation therefrom is permitted. From the handbook of instructions issued by the organization the following is

892 IMPROVEMENT ERA quoted: 'The organization creates of- ficers, confers authority, defines duties, promotes obedience, establishes system, secures order, maintains discipline, divides labor, promotes efficiency and fixes re- sponsbility.' Every duty is exactly and definitely defined and all actions of an officer must be reported to his superiors. The work of the individual is judged according to points like the system em- ployed in auto-racing. It cannot be said, though, that the young people do not un- derstand how to fill this inflexible system with living essence, — the enthusiasm dis- played at this gathering was too apparent. Every young person who wishes to advance in the required disciplinary system and fields of knowledge receives little seals which he or she pastes into a book, a re- quired number of which admit him or her into a higher order or degree of the work. "The 'Mormon' Church really under- stands how to take the best out of every existing church and apply it to its ad- vantage; it can be looked upon as one of the most esteemed and valuable branches of American Sectism." Beat This if You Can George A. B. Mclntyre, stake superin- tendent of South Davis Y. M. M. I. A., sends the following: Troop 105, Centerville First ward, South Davis stake, is making a remarkable record in Scouting. Nelson H. Smith was appointed Scoutmaster in October, 1926. The troop was then "Tenderfoot." Its rank now includes six Eagle, two Life, five Star, two First and nine Second-class Scouts. The following is the membership of the troop. Ulysses S. Grant, Max Rich, Clyde Mclntyre, Roscoe Reading, Dale Mowers, Ray Smith, Rodney Porter, John Allen, Allen Barber, Franklin Walton, Clifford Scout Troop No. 105, Centerville First ward. South Davis stake.

MUTUAL WORK 893 Leak, Leon Reeves, Wayne Schofield, Archer Clayton, Leonard Peterson, Irvin Mclntyre, Wendell Holmes, Keith Randall, Frank Duncan, Alton Leak, Melvin Everett, Leroy Fornelius, Gerald Bettridge, Stewart Smith. At the district rally held recently these boys were awarded first place in inspection and first-aid contests, and also awarded the silver trophy for the highest efficiency in scouting for the district contest just closed, in which eight wards competed. Activities in this contest included troop good turns-, specified standard of advance- ment, attendance at troop, Sunday School and sacramental meetings, etc. The troop scored 98 per cent or more in each of these activities during the whole period of the contest. Their bishop, Wesley E. Tingey, is a scout enthusiast, and in the recent re- modeling of the meeting house took per- sonal interest in providing the palatial quarters with showers and other modern facilities now enjoyed by the troop. New Plan for Teacher-Training Classes "July 19, 1928. "To the General Boards of Auxiliary Organizations. "Dear Brethren and Sisters: "This is to advise you that the Gen- eral Authorities of the Church have approved the recommendation of the Church Board of Education and the Auxiliary General Boards that in the future teacher training shall be carried for- ward by the respective auxiliary organiza- tions for their own workers. "As you know, for the past several years teacher training has been a function of the General Board of Education for the teaching personnel of all organizations. This was done under the assumption, which has heretofore been well founded, that general principles and methods of teaching were as applicable to one organ- ization as to another, and that therefore there was no need for more than one teacher training organization. Of neces- sity under this plan teacher training was more or less general in its application. "It is now deemed advisable to make more specific to quorum and auxiliary work the study and application of this important part of Church work. Each auxiliary will carry forward hereafter a line of work more sharply defined and distinguished from all others and of a more specialized nature than heretofore, which has made it advisable that special- ized training be given the workers in each organization. "In taking the responsibility of train- ing our own workers, we desire to express appreciation to the General Board of Edu- cation, Stake and Ward Boards of Educa- tion, and teacher training workers generally, for the good they have done our organization in the past. They have estab- lished a foundation on which we may now build. They have spread through- out the personnel of our organization a desire for personal improvement and ef- ficiency. It is hoped that in the future we may be able to capitalize upon the work which they commenced. "Detailed instructions will be sent for- ward in the near future. "Very truly yours, "Franklin S. Davis, "Secretary Auxiliary Executives."