Economic Aspects of L. D. S. Achievements

Economic Aspects o£ L. D. S. Achievements HOLINESS to the Lord" in- scribed over the door of a mercantile house and the word "Zion" incorporated into the names of banking and other busi- ness institutions indicate an un- usual and significant condition in the business world of the twentieth century. The names of presiding Church officers set out and adver- tised as corporate heads and officers of large business enterprises call at- tention to a situation which has few if any counterparts through- out the country. Indeed so com- pletely have business and the church been divorced in recent years throughout the world generally that the mere mention of religion in connection with financial affairs usually evokes only a sneer or smile of amused contempt. Re- ligious principles, sentiment and dominance have long since passed in the world of secular affairs. With their passing the church as the representative of organized re- ligion has admittedly lost a great part of the vital influence that it once held over the lives of men. It is more than "passing strange," therefore, that in this day our Church- — the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints-should boldly and frankly own, man and operate active, competitive business institutions. It stands out as pe- culiar as does many another fea- ture of our Church work and or- ganization and its real significance can be understood only by those who comprehend the underlying genius of the organization and mission of the Church. ^[7E interpret the restored Gos- pel in terms of living. Our theology is not a mere abstract philosophy which has no applica- tion to life. Anything which con- tributes to the happiness, well-be- ing and eternal good of man is within the province of religion. Since man's happiness is largely By STEPHEN L. RICHARDS Of the Council of the Twelve dependent on his temporal welfare, the Church has never hesitated to interest itself in these temporali- ties. This has made the Church vital to its members. The King- dom of God in the conception of the Latter-day Saints is ultimately to be a temporal as well as a spirit- ual kingdom, and the preparation which the Church makes for the establishment of the Kingdom must of necessity contemplate ma- terial things. This view, however, is not in opposition to earthly gov- ernment, for it is a cardinal prin- ciple subscribed to by all Latter- day Saints that the governments of men shall be supported and up- held by them. Then, too, the Priesthood as the presiding and directing power in the Church has always been charged with the re- sponsibility of conserving not only the spiritual but also the temporal welfare of the people. This power is not exercised by compulsion but by persuasion and kind direction. It has been a most potent factor in guiding the financial destinies of the people. Even direct revela- tions from the Lord have been given in these latter days concern- The Author ing temporalities, and so much at- tention has been devoted by the Priesthood and Church organiza- tions to the prosperity and financial welfare of the people that we have been charged by our critics with gross materialism in our worship. 'TTIEY who have so criticized us, however, have not understood that this apparent materialism has been underlaid with a foundation of intense and sincere spirituality; that in the conception of a Latter- day Saint his material advance- ment is but incident to and neces- sary for the accomplishment of his chief purpose in life, which is to promote the work of God and win for himself exaltation in the celestial kingdom. All of the means and property which the Church or its members accumulate are in the true conception of things to be regarded as trusteed assets to be consecrated and devoted to the establishment of the Kingdom. It is not expected that all of a man's property shall be turned into the treasury of the Church for official distribution. He is expected to be a steward of that portion which is left in his custody and discharge his stewardship always with re- spect to the objectives just men- tioned. So, with these understandings on the part of our Church as an organization and its people indi- vidually, it is not so strange that from its earliest days the Church has sought to make every contri- bution possible to the temporal welfare of the people and the com- munities in which they live. TTS contributions have consisted not alone in the advancement of money, but also in bringing to the people inspired direction and coun- sel with reference to their needs and problems and a spirit of co- operation and organization which have been invaluable in meeting

The Improvement Era for April, 1930 393 the situations with which they have been confronted. This di- rection and cooperation and the spirit of deferential obedience to the Priesthood have been chiefly responsible for the well-merited reputation of our people as notable colonizers and empire builders. It would be impossible within the scope of this brief article to even name the many projects of a secular character to which the Church has made contribution. There is scarcely a single phase of the economic and commercial de- velopment of the country wherein its members have resided which has not been touched and directly in- fluenced by it. The members of the Church for the greater part of its history have lived on the fron- tier. Ever pushing and being pushed westward from the Atlantic seaboard, they have constantly been confronted with the problems and hardships of the pioneer. The Church as an organization has been their sustaining friend, giv- ing infinite aid in the making of roads, the building of bridges, the construction of reservoirs, ditches and canals, comprising extensive irrigation systems, the stocking of farms and ranches and the acquisi- tion of the land itself, the estab- lishment of stores, factories, mines, banks, insurance companies, light- ing plants, water systems, rail- roads, commercial buildings and substantially every other activity and enterprise involved in the eco- nomic development of a country and a people. A LMOST any one of these items would furnish an interesting theme for study and exposition in relation to the participation of the Church therein. A volume, for instance, could be written on such a subject as the contribution of the Church to irrigation, or to the beet sugar industry. How engag- ing and romantic would be an account of the organization, op- eration and decline of the old silk factory in Dixie! I never pass the remnants of the old mill but that my imagination is stirred and thrilled at the courage and au- dacity of such a project when the country was so new and forbid- ding. Some day I think these interest- ing stories will be written and pub- lished. When they are, they will recount a record of achievements and a genius for organized, co- operative helpfulness in the eco- nomic life and struggles of a peo- ple and a country, the like of which has never before been set out. California Poppies By MARY C. SHAW Shining faces greet the sunrise, Breeze-blown in warm noontide's glow, Closing gently with the twilight — Poppies everywhere we go! Golden theme of tale and legend Woven into Spanish lore, Filling all with glinting beauty — Native of our western shore. Sun-spilled blossoms of the southland Springtime hills and vales enfold, Sea-green laces, jewel's splendor — California's cup of gold. "C ACH and every flower of our gardens is native and in its very own, true home somewhere or other in this wide earth. Eschscholtzia or California pop- py, as the name indicates, grows wild in many sections of the state, and all through springtime its flowers paint our hillsides with splashes of glorious color. In those early days when the Spaniards sailed along our coast, they called it "The Land of Fire," while mariners twenty-five miles at sea, because of the vivid color, were guided by these gorgeous poppy fields glowing so brilliantly in the sun. This "cup of gold" was studied and named Eschscholtzia, for him- self, by a German botanist, J. F. Eschscholtz, more than a hundred Charming, too, as Cut Flowers. years ago, and since then the flower has become more and more popular for the garden, both in our own country and in Europe. The plant is very lovely, indeed, even before the blossoms appear, for it has delicate, finely-cut, gray- green foliage and a neat and attrac- tive habit of growth. Sprays are unusually satisfactory when used as greenery in boquet mixtures, so the plant is really one of the very best even for small gardens. '"THE flower itself is composed of ■*- four satiny petals which push off a tiny green nightcap and un- fold very early in the day. There have been many changes from the original wild form for busy hybri- dizers have wrought wonders. The late Luther Burbank, along these lines, worked with the pop- pies for years. From a few scatter- ing ones which showed distinctive characteristics and a tendency to break away from the ordinary bloom, he started his wizardry. And from these so-called "sports" Mr. Burbank finally developed crimson, snow-white and mar- velous fire-flame poppies, so one can now have an almost endless variety of beautiful tints and shades. Besides the well-known golden-orange there are lemon, cream, tangerine, copper, apricot, rose buff and ivory white, while many flowers are two-toned, hav- ing a lining of a different color from the outside of the petals, and some are even double. Select a sunny location for the California poppy. The plant is quite adapted to any soil. It does not, however, relish too great a supply of moisture but will endure drought exceedingly well, growing and blooming in the meantime. Sow thinly very early in spring and where the plants are to remain, for like all other poppies, they are always averse to transplanting. (Continued on page 431)