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i.
ETERNAL QUEST
By Hugh B. Brown
Of special interest to book lovers is the release of this new book by Hugh B. Brown, stake president, mission president, assistant to the Quorum of Twelve. With skilful and picturesque language, Elder Brown presents the philosophy of Mormonism, i.e., life is an eternal quest for new truth or new applications of old truths. It contains inspiring discourses delivered by the author throughout a lifetime of Church service and is mingled with rich, warm, soul-stirring experiences gained during both peace and war. Includes also his "Rational Faith" series.
— inn
$350
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CHOOSE YE THIS DAY
By Emma Marr Petersen
Here is a delightfully different approach to the problems of youth, particularly those of college age. Entirely fictional and told in an understandable and easy-to-read style, but carefully based upon fact, this vital volume reveals the problems faced by young people in reconciling philosophy, science, and worldliness with religious truths. If you liked "For Time or Eternity?" you'll like this book. An excel- lent aid to youth on such matters as marriage, the Word of Wisdom, recreation, segregation and interracial marriages.
$200
AN ADVENTURE IN FAITH
By S. Dilworth Young
Written for boys by a boy's man, here is high adventure at its very best. It's the stirring story of Jed Colby, who, when just a boy, was shanghaied from his home in England, shipwrecked in the Gulf of Mexico, spared from a watery grave to join the Mormon Battalion and trek to California. This exciting adventure story will appeal strongly to boys of Scout and Ex- plorer age. It is the first release in the youth classics series, a series of good literature, a prime requisite to successful lives.
$1_75
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12. TEMPLE BINDERS
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GENEALOGICAL SUPPLIES
Packet No. 1 Contains 35 Family Group, 10 Pedigree, 5 Fam- ily History, 6 Personal Record, 3 Picture Pedigree Sheets.. $1.00
Acetate Sheets each .20
Lineage Charts, Includes set of 16 charts (Mecham) 1.50
Book of Remembrance Guide Sheets 1.00
Large Pedigree Charts
3 fold - 20
6 fold 30
Single Sheet - 10
Genealogical Workshop Basic Course (Prince) 50
How Book for Genealogists (Everton & Rasmuson) 75
Genealogical Handbook 50
MOTHERHOOD, A PARTNERSHIP WITH GOD Compiled by Harold Lundstrom
The first book written especially for mothers and wives, this authori- tative volume contains the words of the General Authorities on such subjects as chastity, motherhood and wifehood, proper dress, and many other timely subjects. $3.50
TELL ME A STORY
Here is a priceless collection of the best stories from the pages of The Children's Friend. A thrilling companion volume to "A Story to Tell." Throughout its pages, exciting wholesome stories unfold which will delight the hearts of all youngsters. An excellent teach- ing and training aid. $3.00
DOCTRINES OF SALVATION
The sermons and writings of Joseph Fielding Smith
6. VOLUME I.
7. VOLUME II.
8. VOLUME 111.
Compiled by Bruce R. McConkie
This best selling series of three volumes is one of the most authorita- tive works to be made available to the Church in recent years. Simply written and easy to understand, these volumes give new insight to dozens of little understood but much discussed topics. A must for every LDS library. Each— $3.25
9. TEMPLES OF THE MOST HIGH
Compiled by N. B. Lundwall
Revised and enlarged edition of a perennial best seller . . . now includes material on the Swiss, London, and Los Angeles Temples. $3.25
10. PEARL OF GREAT PRICE COMMENTARY
By Dr. Milton R. Hunter
An authoritative work commenting on the doctrines and history of the Pearl of Great Price, and their importance to Latter-day Saints. $3.00
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BOOKS FOR CHILDREN . . .
By Dr. Deta Petersen Neeley
13. THE JOURNEY TO THE PROM- ISED LAND.
14. THE PRECIOUS LAND OF PROMISE.
15. THE LAND OF THEIR INHERI- TANCE.
16. THE SAVIOR VISITS THE PROMISED LAND.
17. A CHILD'S STORY OF THE PEARL OF GREAT PRICE.
Here are five expertly written works for young Latter-day Saints to help them understand the Book of Mormon and Pearl of Great Price. Adults, too, will find these stories appealing, inspirational, and educational. $1.75
THE IMPROVEMENT ERA
The Lasting Gift. . .
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18. THE FIRST 2000 YEARS
By W. Cleon Skousen An absorbing book that covers the salient facts from the time of Adam to the days of Abraham.
$3.25
19. MATTHEW COWLEY, MAN OF FAITH
By Henry A. Smith
All the warm, human drama of a life spent in the service of God and man has been captured in this outstanding book. Faith pro- moting. $3.50
20. THE STORY OF THE PEARL OF GREAT PRICE
By James R. Clark
Twenty years in the writing, this great work is recommended read- ing for every Latter-day Saint. The complete story— not merely in story form. $3.00
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30. HIS MANY MANSIONS
By Rulon S. Howells
No need to guess about what other churches believe . . . this important book authentically lists beliefs of a host of Christian denominations. $2.25
31. FROM THE CROSSROADS
By Richard L. Evans Here is the latest in the> popular series of choice sermonettes de- livered by Richard L. Evans on the world - famous Tabernacle Choir broadcasts. $2.75
32. OUR PROPHETS AND PRIN- CIPLES
Published by "The Instructor", this powerful volume sparkles with biographies of ancient and modern day prophets. Also contains dis- cussions of Articles of Faith by the First Presidency. $2.50
24. TO LOVE AND TO CHERISH
By Emma Marr Petersen A moving account of the heart- break and sorrow caused by flaunting the sacred ties of mar- riage.. A fine story told by a master storyteller. $2.00
25. FOR TIME OR ETERNITY?
By Mark E. Petersen This best seller tells the story of the romance, courtship, and heart- aches of two young people in love. Points out the necessity of temple marriage. $2.00
26. IF I WERE IN MY TEENS
A sparkling series from the "Im- provement Era" . . . written in retrospect by prominent leaders of youth. An inspirational guide for all teenagers. $2.00
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By Max Skousen An insight to the efficacy of prayer and devotion written to help all understand and appre- ciate this most sacred experi- ence. $1.75
22. ADDED UPON
By Nephi Anderson The intermingled lives of six people who live and die in Zion are continued in the life beyond. A unique presentation of the hereafter, $1.95
23. GOD'S COVENANT RACE
By James H. Anderson From the Patriarchal times of the Old Testament to this genera- tion, the author shows the con- tinuation of divine power and priesthood received by Joseph Smith. Further explained by an excellent chart. $2.00
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27. HISTORY OF JOSEPH SMITH
By his mother, Lucy Mack Smith The inspired life of Joseph Smith dictated by his mother in 1845 and edited by Preston Nibley for to- day's reading. Packed with inter- esting and exciting historical back- ground. Intimate truths and information about a son, from his mother. $3.00
28. PAUL'S LIFE AND LETTERS
By Dr. Sidney B. Sperry Many, many interesting facts and experiences in the life and ministry of Paul are authoritatively pre- sented by a great scholar in the field of the New Testament. $3.25
29. GENEALOGICAL RESEARCH IN ENGLAND AND WALES
By Frank Smith and David E. Gardner A must for everyone tracing his ancestry in England and Wales. The authors have spent over 30 years searching among the original rec- ords of these lands. $3.00
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33. STORY OF OUR CHURCH for young Latter- day Saints
True, faith-promoting stories of the restoration of the gospel. $3.00
34. BIBLE STORIES for young Latter-day Saints Rich, beautiful stories filled with scriptural lore. $3.00
35. BOOK OF MORMON STORIES for young Latter-day Saints
Young people will long remember the heart- stirring story of the Nephites and Lamanites.
$3.00
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'The Voice of the Church"
VOLUME 59
NUMBER 11
rfovema
1956
Editors: DAVID O. McKAY - RICHARD L. EVANS
Managing Editor: DOYLE L. GREEN
Associate Managing Editor: MARBA C. JOSEPHSON
Production Editor: ELIZABETH J. MOFFITT
Research Editor: ALBERT L. ZOBELL, JR.
Manuscript Editor: EILEEN GIBBONS
Contributing Editors: ARCHIBALD F. BENNETT - G. HOMER DURHAM
FRANKLIN S. HARRIS, JR. - MILTON R. HUNTER - HUGH NIBLEY
LEE A. PALMER - CLAUDE B. PETERSEN - SIDNEY B. SPERRY
General Manager: ELBERT R. CURTIS - Associate Manager: BERTHA S. REEDER
Business Manager: VERL F. SCOTT Subscription Director: A. GLEN SNARR Regional Advertising Representative: THAYER EVANS
THE EDITOR'S PAGE
Mission of the Church and Its Members .President David O. McKay 781
CHURCH FEATURES
Your Question: The Sons of God and the Daughters of Men
— Joseph Fielding Smith 782
The Church Moves On 777 Melchizedek Priesthood 860
Presiding Bishopric's Page 862
60TH ANNIVERSARY FEATURES
The First Presidency Marba C. Josephson
The Twelve Apostles _ Joseph Fielding Smith
The Patriarchal Priesthood Joseph Fielding Smith
Assistants to the Council of the Twelve Apostles ...Spencer W. Kimball
The Seventy and the First Council Antoine R. Ivins
History and Functions of the Presiding Bishopric ...Joseph L. Wirthlin
The Church Historian's Office A. William Lund
The Unified Church School System Edwin J. Butterworth
The Relief Society Belle S. Spafford
The Deseret Sunday School Union ._ ..George R. Hill
The YMMIA Association Elbert R. Curtis 802
The Growth of the YWMIA Bertha S. Reeder 804
From a Little Rock Church to the World — The Growth of the Primary
Association LaVern W. Parmley
The Genealogical Society Mark E. Petersen
Welfare in the Church Alfred W. Uhrhan
The Tabernacle Choir (A Chronology) 812
The General Music Committee of the Church ..■ Tracy Y. Cannon 814
Profiles of the General Authorities of the Church 815
Editorial
"The Improvement Era" 60th Year of Publication DLG and MCJ 783
SPECIAL FEATURES
The Christ Child Is Born— MIA Reading Course: Jesus the Christ — V
Doyle L. Green 816
There Were Jaredites — "Our Own People" Hugh Nibley 818
Man and the Gospel— (A Reprint) .B. H. Roberts 820
Spoken Word from Temple Square . ...Richard L. Evans 840, 846, 856, 876
784 786 789 790 792 794 795 796 798 800
806 808 810
Exploring the Universe, Franklin S.
Harris, Jr 773
These Times: Volume One, G.
Homer Durham 774
STORIES,
Today's Family —
Snacks: Snappy and Satisfying,
Josephine B. Nichols 868
The Magic Circle, Ethel Hopper ..873
POETRY
To Walk Uprightly Christie Lund Coles 823
Coyotes — A Tale of the Hills (A Reprint) Charles Herman 832
Frontispiece, Let This Be Heaven (A Reprint), Harrison R. Merrill.. 779
Poetry Page 780
Indian Shuttle Song, Lael W. Hill ..838
The Day Withdraws, Laban Thomas Johnston 840
As Summer Goes, Ethelyn M. Kincher 848
Frost on a Window, Anobel Ar- mour 855
Call of the Pibrochs, C. Cameron Johns 864
Wind the Wizard, Maude Rubin ...865
On My Morning Window, Maud Rubin 867
Late Gentians, Eva Willes Wangs- gaard 879
\Jfficial vJraan of
THE PRIESTHOOD QUORUMS, MUTUAL IMPROVEMENT ASSO- CIATIONS, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, MUSIC COMMITTEE, WARD TEACHERS, AND OTHER AGENCIES OF
Jhe L^hufch of of oLatter-dau ~—>aints
Jhe C-t
over
The magnificent, lighted towers of the Salt Lake Temple are as a beacon to the traveler at the Crossroads of the West, a guide for all* who know for themselves the work of the Church. The full-color cover which begins the sixtieth year of publica- tion for The Improvement Era was taken from a transparency by Hal Rumel Studios.
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Copyright 195G by Mutual Funds, Inc., and published by the Mutual Improvement Asso- ciations of the Church of Jesus Christ of Lat- ter-day Saints. All rights reserved. Sub- scription price, $2.50 a year, in advance ; foreign subscriptions, $3.00 a year, in advance; 25c single copy.
Entered at the Post Office, Salt Lake City, Utah, as second-class matter. Acceptance for mailing at special rate of postage provided for in section 1103. Act of October 1917, au- thorized July 2, 1918.
The Improvement Era is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts, but welcomes con- tributions. Manuscripts are paid for on ac- ceptance at the rate of l%c a word and must be accompanied by sufficient postage for delivery and return.
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THE IMPROVEMENT ERA
by Dr. Franklin S. Harris, Jr.
Note: Had there been an "Explor- ing the Universe" in the first issue of The Improvement Era, it could have read as below. These four great discoveries which immediately pre- ceded the birth of the Era resulted in Nobel prizes in three cases, and one should have been given also for X-rays.
Professor of Physics W. C. Roentgen of the University of Wuerzburg, Germany, has discovered a phenomenon which he calls "X-rays." By using a glass tube from which the air has been pumped out and discharging electricity from an induction coil through the tube, he has found: "If the hand be held be- tween the discharge-tube and the fluo- rescent screen, the darker shadow of the bones is seen within the slightly dark shadow-image of the hand itself." Photographic plates are sensitive to the rays and have been used to take pictures of a hand and other objects in a closed box Lead is effective in stopping the rays. The scientific world has been so excited by the discovery that over a thousand papers were published on X-rays during the first year following the first announcement in December almost two years ago.
Uranium and its salts give off a pene- trating radiation which affects photographic plates, according to Pro- fessor Henri Becquerel of the Ecole Polytechniq'ue, Paris, France. Marie and Pierre Curie, who are also studying this effect, have called it "radioactivity."
Peter Zeeman, assistant at the Uni- versity of Ley den, Netherlands, has just announced the discovery of the in- fluence of a magnetic field on a light source. Nature in London, England, has recently given an English translation of this discovery, an effect which was sought in vain by Faraday in 1862. By heating sodium between the poles of an electromagnet it is found that the light given off by the sodium changes, and that it depends on the direction of the magnetic field. The magnetic field gives the yellow color both slightly redder and bluer colors.
(Concluded on page 879) NOVEMBER 1956
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Volume One
by Dr. G. Homer Durham
VICE PRESIDENT, UNIVERSITY OF UTAH
How do we rate, compared with our founders? Is The Improvement Era improving? Are we keeping pace with the standards set for the early issues and achieved therein? Who can answer? Certainly this column will not attempt to do so. But as this issue commences the sixtieth year of publica- tion, it has been interesting to take some bearings from volume one, num- ber one, which appeared November 1897 as the "Organ of the Young Men's Mu- tual Improvement Associations." Joseph F. Smith and B. H. Roberts were the editors, with Heber J. Grant as business manager and Thomas Hull as his as- sistant.
Using the index to vol- ume one as a base, the first thing to attract my attention was an article by Elder James E. Hart, "lately returned from a mission to Tennessee," entitled, "Among the Mormons without Purse and Scrip." Elder Hart, impressed with the kind- ness of people to him during his mission, had returned to Salt Lake City en route to his home in Bear Lake. He decided to take a one-man poll of Christian charity among his own people. In crisp narrative style he describes how, as a supposed minister from Tennessee, he secured offers of board and room from B. Y. Hampton of the Hampton House Hotel, a "shave and shingle" from A. E. Walker at the Temple Bar- ber Shop, a gift of $2.50 from Henry Dinwoodey, watch repairs from John Daynes and Son, a $5.00 pair of shoes from Col. T. G. Webber at Z.C.M.I., and filling for a tooth from a Dr. Gates at the dental offices of Dr. Fred Clawson.
Evidently the foregoing all passed the test with flying colors. Elder Hart con- cludes his article with the words, "and so the problem was solved to my satis- faction, for I had called on some of the prominent Latter-day Saints of the city, and they were not found wanting."
With this expression of human inter- est, of life in Salt Lake City sixty years ago, I was pleased to review further the contents of volume one, number one. Authors represented included four prominent Utah educational leaders: President James E. Talmage of the Uni- versity of Utah; President J. M. Tanner of the Utah State Agricultural College; President Benjamin Guff, Jr., of the Brigham Young Academy at Provo; and
President Willard Done of the Latter- day Saints' University in Salt Lake City. President Talmage contributed an arti- cle, "A Case of Special Providence," and some correspondence concerning a vol- canic eruption abroad. President Guff wrote on a current issue in American foreign policy, "The Hawaiian Islands and Annexation." President Tanner con- tributed several articles, including items on Bismarck, "China and the European Nations," "European Diplomacy," and so on. President Done did a series, "Young Characters in History" which included sketches on Washington, Joan of Arc, the Pitts, Frederick the Great, and others.
Nephi Anderson, the author of Added Upon and other works, entered "A Plea for Fiction" to- gether with some of his stories. Seymour B. Young wrote on the Book of Mormon and the Spauld- ing manuscript; Orson F. Whitney on Gladstone; Charles W. Penrose on "The Witch of Endor" and also on "Ingersoll's Best Argument Ever Ad- vanced against Christianity." Nephi L. Morris did a regular series on Bible Stud- ies. Antbon H. Lund of the Council of the Twelve wrote "A Word from The Far East" from Haifa, while each month Thomas Hull, general secretary of the YMMIA, produced a chronological digest of current affairs under the heading, "Events of the Month." William H. King, member of Congress, wrote a series of four articles on "Statehood and How It Was Achieved," together with a plea for US intervention in Cuba to help Cuban independence in view of Spanish failure and misrule — a plea be- ing thundered by William Randolph Hearst and others in the land.
Perhaps the most interesting feature, in retrospect, to be found in volume one is the "Series on Religious Faiths." The editors of the Era invited each promi- nent Utah representative of the various churches "to present its own doctrine from its own standpoint and by its own representatives." Accordingly, a leading article in the first issue appeared en- titled, "The Doctrines and Claims of the Roman Catholics," by the Rt. Rev. Lawrence Scanlan, Bishop of Salt Lake City. This was followed in subsequent issues by treatment of the Greek, Epis- copal, Unitarian, Congregational, Meth- (Continued on page 875) THE IMPROVEMENT ERA
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Although Western Pacific is neither the oldest nor the largest railroad in the West, it is setting so many significant operating records ... is establishing such unusually high standards to shippers and the traveling public... that it has become "the most talked-about railroad in the West".
A few Western Pacific "firsts": the California Zephyr, the first Vista-Dome streamliner to the Pacific Coast; the first RDC Budd car to be placed in regular passenger service; the first Compartmentizer Cars and the first Cushion Underframe Cars were introduced by WP; and Western Pacific was the first transcontinental railroad to achieve 100% dieselization of all freight and passenger service!
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ROUTE OF THE VISTA-DOME
H. R. COULAM, Traffic Manager, Intermountain Region, 27 W. South Temple Street, Salt Lake City 1 NOVEMBER 1956
775
THE CHURCH MOVES ON
A Day to Day Chronology of Church Events
August 1956
n j Scores in the annual all-Church
« ^ softball tournament:
Junior Division: Third round losers: Clearfield Second 3, Vineyard 2; Val- ley View 14, Eugene 6. Second round losers: San Diego Fifth 16, Sutherland 0; Southgate 11, Nampa Third 1. Con- solation: Menan Second 11, East Gar- land 8; Weston 8, Grant Third 1. Championship: Salt Lake City Thirtieth 3, Studio City 2; Malad Third 3, Can- non First 1.
Senior Division: Third round losers: Palmdale 1, Provo Thirteenth 0; Butler
2, Wilson 1. Second round losers: Pleasant Green 14, Merced 2; Pocatello Twentieth 2, Inglewood 0. Consolation: St. George Sixth 6,. Valley View 1; San Diego Fifth 3, Salt Lake City Twenty- ninth 2. Championship: Terrace First
3, Orchard 1; San Antonio 10, Mesa Tenth 8.
2r Announcement was made that w Elder and Mrs. Archibald E. Darley of Centerville, Utah, had been called to serve as guides and hosts at the Joseph Smith Home, Palmyra, New York.
The Primary Association announced the appointments of Mrs. Myrl Wash- burn Hamilton, Mrs. Beth Snelgrove Davey, and Mrs. Ada S. Van Dam to membership on their general board.
Scores and final placements in today's all-Church softball tournament:
Junior division: Salt Lake City Thir- tieth 6, Malad Third 0 (first and sec- ond); Cannon First 4, Studio City 3 (third and seventh); Valley View 2, Clearfield Second 0 (fourth and eighth); San Diego Fifth 8, South Gate 2 (fifth and ninth); Menan Second 10, Weston 8 (consolation and sixth, and tenth).
Senior division: San Antonio 1, Ter- race 1 (first and second) ; Mesa Tenth 7, Orchard 0 (third and seventh) ; Palm- dale 2, Butler 1 (fourth and eighth) ; Pocatello Twentieth 8, Pleasant Green 4 (fifth and ninth); St. George Sixth 9, San Diego Fifth 1 (sixth and consola- tion, and tenth).
n n Elder Harold B. Lee of the Coun- " " cil of the Twelve dedicated the chapel of the Oakland (California) Fourth Ward.
Elder John Longden, Assistant to the Council of the Twelve, dedicated the chapel of the Kitchener Branch, Cana- dian Mission. 776
Elder John Longden, Assistant to the Council of the Twelve, dedicated the chapel of the Hamilton Branch, Cana- dian Mission.
From the existing Oakland and Berke- ley stakes in the East Bay district of Northern California, three stakes, the Oakland-Berkeley, the Hayward, and the Walnut Creek, were formed under the direction of Elder Harold B. Lee of the Council of the Twelve and Elder Hugh B. Brown, Assistant to the Coun- cil of the Twelve. The new Oakland- Berkeley Stake will include the metro- politan areas of those cities, as well as the Richmond and Alameda districts. President O. Leslie Stone was sustained as president of this new stake with Elders Elmo R. Smith and Delbert H. Rock as counselors. Wards in this stake are Oakland, Oakland Third, Oak- land Fourth, Oakland Fifth, Alameda, Claremont, Berkeley, Berkeley Second, Richmond, and East Richmond. The presidency of the former Oakland Stake consisted of President Delbert F. Wright and his counselors, Elders Elmo R. Smith and Milton P. Ream. The presidency of the former Berkeley Stake were President W. Glenn Harmon and his counselors, Elders Emery R. Ranker and Delbert H. Rock, Sr.
Constituting the presidency of the new Hayward Stake are President Mil- ton P. Ream and his counselors, Elders A. Gi fiord Jackson and Francis D. Winkel. This stake will encompass the southern and eastern sections of Ala- meda County. Wards are Oakland Second, San Leandro, San Lorenzo, Hay- ward, Hayward Second, Castro Valley, and Centerville; and the Livermore Branch.
The new Walnut Creek Stake will cover northern Alameda and eastern Contra Costa counties. Wards are Rodeo, Martinez, Pittsburg, Concord, Concord Second, Pleasant Hill, Walnut Creek; and the Orinda Branch. Presi- dent Emery R. Ranker was sustained as president, with Elders Norman B. Creer and Owen J. Cook as counselors.
President Wilburn C West was sus- tained as president of the Emigration (Salt Lake City) Stake, with Elders Lesley Brent Goates and Walter M. Home as counselors. They succeed President Thomas W. Muir and his counselors, Elders Rulon W. Clark and Rex W. Williams.
President Archibald J. Anderson was sustained as president of the North Sanpete (Utah) Stake, succeeding Presi-
dent William C. Olsen. President Anderson was President Olsen's first counselor. Elder Clifford M. McKinney, formerly second counselor, was sus- tained as first counselor. Elder Arnold Y. Stevens was sustained as second counselor.
o o The First Presidency formally " " approved an architect's drawing which calls for the widening of historic Eagle Gate. The gate will be recon- structed in a way that will permit a four-lane highway up State Street.
September 1956
Q It was announced that Elders ® Clarence E. Wonnacott, David W. Evans, Daniel A. Keeler, Lewis J. Wal- lace, and Miss Lucy Picco had been named to the general board of the Deseret Sunday School Union.
It was announced that Mrs. Lorna Broadbent had been appointed to mem- bership on the Primary general board.
A Elder Richard L. Evans of the
" Council of the Twelve dedicated the chapel of the Crystal Heights and Crystal Heights Second wards, High- land (Salt Lake City) Stake.
Elder EIRay L. Christiansen, As- sistant to the Council of the Twelve, dedicated the LDS servicemen's center at Pacific Grove, California.
President S. Dilworth Young of the First Council of the Seventy dedicated the Orem (Utah) Seminary building.
President David Samuel Brown sus- tained as president of Juarez (Mexico) Stake, with Elders Daniel Pi Taylor and Don S. Bowman as counselors. They succeed President Irvin B. Romney and his counselors, Elders Daniel P. Taylor and Melvin I. Turley.
-t f* President David O. McKay dedi- ■■- " cated the Calgary (Alberta, Can- ada) Stake center.
President Joseph Fielding Smith of the Council of the Twelve dedicated the chapel of the Cannon Second and Fourth wards, Cannon (Salt Lake City) Stake.
Elder Ezra Taft Benson of the Coun- cil of the Twelve dedicated the chapel of the Short Hills (New Jersey) Ward, New York Stake.
Reseda Stake organized from a portion
of San Fernando (California) Stake,
with President Hugh C. Smith, formerly
president of San Fernando Stake, as its
(Concluded on page 856)
THE IMPROVEMENT ERA
HOW THE CLUB PLAN WORKS
IE
1. You join the club by ordering the book ''Motherhood— A Partnership With God" or one of the four alternates described below. You may order two or more of the books if you desire. Fill out the coupon and mail along with your check or money order. (C.O.D. orders are accepted from U. S. or possessions.) Your selection will be mailed to you immediately.
2. Each month after you become a mem- ber you will receive in the mail reviews of several books, carefully selected, with one named as the book of the month. If you wish to receive the top book you do noth- ing—it will be sent to you in the mail, post- paid, along with a statement. If you do not want the book, you return the post card provided for an alternate choice (or none at all).
3. After you have purchased four books, a fifth will be sent you FREE. You select this bonus book from a long list of choice Church books which will be provided.
4. You need order only four books dur- ing the year, but you may order one or more each month, if you desire.
ALTERNATE SELECTIONS
Man . . . His Origin and Destiny, by Joseph Fielding Smith. Contains a clear, authoritative and convincing explanation of the divine origin of man, his purpose here on earth, and the glorious goal toward which he is moving. 563 pages. $4.00
Begin YOUR Membership With This Important New Book
Motherhood-^
A PARTNERSHIP WITH GOD
Compiled by Harold Lundstrom
Here is the book the women of the Church have been waiting for! Perhaps the first in its field, this delightful and inspirational volume contains instructions and advice to the women by leaders of the Church from the time of the Prophet Joseph Smith down to the present. Treated under the general divisions of A Word to Mothers (And Fathers, Too), A Word About Marriage, A Word About Our Homes, A Word About Church Service, and A Word To The Wives, 145 excerpts treat all ramifications of these sub- jects. This book will contribute to the success and happiness of every wife and mother— in her home and with her family. $3.50
Vour membership in the LDS Books ' Club will help enable you to increase your knowledge of the gospel, assist you in building your testimony, and give you these addi- tional advantages:
SAVINGS
of about 20% thru a free bonus book plan.
CONVENIENCE •
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METHODICAL
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BEST NEW LDS BOOKS
as they come from the press.
OLDER LDS CLASSICS
such as the alternates below.
CAREFUL SELECTION
of ALL books recommended.
Books Club
FILL OUT AND MAIL THIS COUPON NOW
Doctrine and Covenants Commentary by Hyrum M. Smith and Janne M. Sjodahl. One of the greatest helps in studying and understanding this sacred book. 902 pages. $4.00
The Temple Letters, by Claude Richards. A new book which clarifies and dramatizes the im- portance of genealogical research and temple service. 198 pages. $2.75
Brigham Young, by Olive Burt. New this fall. Written for the young people of the Church, this thrilling account of Brigham Young com- bines the elements of adventure and religious inspiration. 192 pages. $2.95
NOVEMBER 1956
LDS BOOKS CLUB, 161 East Utopia Avenue, Salt Lake City 15, Utah
Gentlemen:
Please enrol me as a member of the LDS BOOKS CLUB and send me the current selection, Motherhood— A Partnership With God, or/and the alternate(s) below. I understand that I will receive a free bonus book with each four selections I buy.
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777
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Vol. 1. The B.Y.U. Madrigal Singers— The outstanding Madrigal group in the U.S. sing such favorites as In Stiller Nacht, My Bonnie Lass, etc. $3.95
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Vol. 3, 4, 5 — Organ Accom- paniment for L.D.S. Hymns.
Here is the answer to that problem of no piano or ac- companist. Play these records on your player and you have the famous BYU pipe organ to accompany your group on each verse. Vol. 3 & 4 con- tain many of the best loved LDS hymns such as: Come, Come Ye Saints, The Spirit Of God, We Thank Thee O God For A Prophet , Re- deemer Of Israel, etc. Vol. 5 features music for special oc- casions: Christmas Carols, Pa- triotic, Thanksgiving, Easter, etc. $3.95 each Vol.
Vol. 6. Young Rhythm
Dance music from the BYU. The Y's own and favorite dance band play Crazy Rhythm, Reverie, I Speak To The Stars, Over The Rainbow, 'S Won- derful, etc.
$3.95
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IMPORTANT NOTICE
These records may be ordered by direct mail (we pay the postage), or from the Deseret Book Co., the B.Y.U. Book Store, local music and record stores, or through Stake Bookstores (70's Quorums).
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778
THE IMPROVEMENT ERA
Improvement ERA
EEPEINT
Let This Be Heaven
by Harrison R. Merrill-1884-1938
FORMERLY MANAGING EDITOR
From The Improvement Era, November 1935.
NOVEMBER 1956
— Photo by Glen Perrins
Oh, God, let this be heaven — I do not ask for golden streets, Or long for jasper walls, Nor do I sigh for pearly shores
Where twilight never falls; Just leave me here beside these peaks,
In this rough western land, — I love this dear old world of thine — Dear God, you understand.
Oh, God, let this be heaven — I do not crave white, stainless robes; I'll keep these marked by toil; Instead of straight and narrow walks
I love trails soft with soil; I have been healed by crystal streams,
Which fall from snow-crowned peaks Where dawn burns incense to the day And paints the sky in streaks.
Dear God, let this be heaven — I do not ask for angel wings,
Just leave that old peak there And let me climb till comes the night-
I want no golden stair. Then, when I say my last adieu And all farewells are given Just leave my spirit here somewhere- Oh, God, let this be heaven!
779
JACK FROST IS THE ARTIST
By Ethel R. Peterson
TV)wn in the canyon with palette and
■*■' brush
An artist of world-wide fame,
Has painted pictures, enchanting and rare.
Jack Frost is the artist's name.
A splash of yellow, a dash of red, Blended with summer green, Against vermilion of rugged cliffs Enhanced by a golden sheen.
Sycamore, maple, and aspen trees He has painted in colors gay, But soon they will stand in nakedness Beneath the skies of gray.
Then Winter will cover their branches with
snow; Jack Frost bright jewels will bring; So these trees adorned in winter white Will await the magic of spring.
ROSES IN SNOW
By Lucia Ward Phillipsen
/^nly God would ever know
How to cover a rose with snow. The rest of my garden the wind swept clean. Hardly a trace of snow can be seen, Only the plot where the roses grow Has He lovingly spread with a blanket of snow.
GRACE AT THANKSGIVING
By Marie Daerr
I ord, as we gather at this board,
May each of us be well aware That harvest f raits that come from Thee Are ours to cherish, ours to share.
Let understanding rule our thoughts And differences melt away. May gentleness and truth be guides Of deeds we do and words we say.
Let song be ready on our lips, For what can offer fairer praise Than hymns of gratitude for all The bounty of these gracious days?
Lord, may we keep souls' gates ajar — That in this house with us may dwell The Giver of the year's rich yield, Who is our Host, our Guest, as well.
FIRST SNOWFALL
By Ethel Jacohson
Goft wet flakes
^ Spangle the air
To swirling whiteness
Everywhere,
Blotting out sound,
Blotting out sight
To a small hushed world
Of dancing white.
The pines, the rocks, The troubled sea Are lost in dappled Opacity —
These myriad flecks Which leave the air Crisper, purer For falling there.
780
OAK AND LAND
By Helen Price Stacy
TIe was a tall oak man, and well he knew 11 the lay
Of hills and neatly furrowed fields that made a gay
Design in patchwork squares where fence a briar-stitched edge
Was tight, but not enough to weave a rose- thorn hedge
Against his own well-meaning children who had thought
His widower's life too lonely and had brought
Him down from slopes just green with win- ter clover
To make of him an empty-handed rover.
A month or two with Jane, they planned, and then out west
To spend some time with Bill and Sue, then he could rest
Before they bought his train fare back to town- —
His fields lay fallow, strewn with stubhled corn and brown.
And so it was they talked and did not understand
The strong deep kinship of an oak tree and the land.
LONE DOVE OF PEACE By Etta S. Robhins
T one dove of peace with olive branch se-
■*-* cure,
Breasting the crystal mountain crests on her way,
Then low descends, continuing her tour
Over the fruited plains and deserts gray.
Searching where tumult reigns and foes de- ride
Determined that no cause her course shall stay,
Skimming the frothy brine of ocean wide,
Her pinioned flight with patience night and day;
She seeks a country clothed in liberty,
Where men may toil and sustenance pro- vide,
A place from wanton greed and conflict free,
Where brotherhood and tolerance abide.
Fares there a land where love of right is might
A spot the Dove of Peace may safely light?
— Photo by H. Armstrong Roberts
Marine Memorial
SONNET FOR EARLY NOVEMBER
By Helen H. Winn
TThese are the shortened days. Reluctant ■*■ dawn,
Late to arise, and dusk, so quick to die, Shutter the light between them. Morning's
yawn Is almost stifled by the evening's sigh. Now is the time to heap the kindling high, For soon the feeble warmth of sun is gone, Too early, from the graying wash of sky, And shadows chill across the frosted lawn.
I'll need a pile of logs to throw upon My solitary fire. Then I will lie And watch the fantasy of pictures drawn By swiftly stroking flames, and wonder why The daylight is so brief this time of year But days so long— because you are not here.
AND NOW PEACE By Blanche Sutherland
Ance, long ago, great cliffs of rock
Stood sure through earthquake stress and shock;
But wind and wave and storm harried them,
Billow, breaker, and tide carried them
Bit by bit away as will
The fates that rule the oceans, till
Humbled at last, children at play
Build of them castles of sand today.
IN REVERSE
By Jane Merchant
While washing daughter's clothes, my " mind
Confronts the mystery once more, Why anything that buttons behind Is called a pinafore.
THANKSGIVING
By Alice G. Harvey
T'hanks for the glory of autumn, Thanks for the beauty of spring,
For the wild hot days,
And those with blue haze, And the majesty winter can bring.
Thanks for the bounty of harvests, Thanks for the genius of thought,
For the cures of disease,
And for nature's release, And the inventions that many have wrought.
Thanks for our freedom and laughter, Thanks for compassion to share
With others in need
Of whatever creed, That burdens are easier to bear.
AUTUMN'S VALEDICTION
By Iris W. Schow
After the dahlia yields to night's cold ■'* breath, And crimson leaves grow paper thin in
death, When even grasses droop a bit, there comes The last-stand valiance of chrysanthemums.
THE IMPROVEMENT ERA
Y
^m
The Mission of the Church and Its Members
by President David O. McKay
If at this moment each one of you were asked to state in one sentence or phrase the most distinguishing feature of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, what would be. your answer? Mine would be this:
"Divine authority by direct revelation."
There are those who claim authority through historical descent, others from the scriptures, but this Church stands out as making the distinctive claim that the authority of the priesthood has come directly from God the Father and the Son, by revelation to Joseph Smith.
Founded upon that principle, accepting it as absolute gospel, we have clearly defined in our minds some fundamental principles:
First, that God is a Personal Being; that he has a Spirit-Personality.
The acceptance of divine authority by direct revelation also reveals to us the fact that Jesus Christ is the Only Begotten Son in the flesh, for the Father appearing to Joseph Smith stated in definite words, "This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!" (P. of G. P., Joseph Smith 2:17.)
Correlated with that revelation is another fundamental fact, that the Lord is interested in his people, that the whole human family is re- lated as his children, and he loves them, and that he has authorized men to officiate among the children of the world to bring them back into his presence.
The Father and the Son appeared to Joseph Smith and restored authority to establish the king- dom of God on earth.
The glorious mission of the Church is to pro- claim the truth of the restored gospel; to uplift society that people may mingle more amicably with one another; to create in our communities a wholesome environment in which our children may find strength to resist temptation, and en- couragement to strive for cultural and spiritual
attainment. The gospel is a rational philosophy that teaches men how to get happiness in this life and exaltation in the life to come.
Today in the midst of the world's perplexity, there should be no question in the mind of any true Latter-day Saint as to what his mission is. The answer is as clear as the noonday sun in a cloudless sky.
In the year 1830 there was given to the people of this land and of the world a divine plan where- by individuals can find security and peace of mind and live in harmonious accord with their fellow beings. In all men's theories and experi- ments since history began, human intelligence has never devised a system which, when applied to the needs of humanity, can even approach this plan in effectiveness.
In simple words, this is the word which we should preach and live — the gospel plan of salva- tion.
First: Preach and live, in season and out of season, belief in God the Eternal Father, in his Son Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost.
Second: Proclaim that fundamental in this gospel plan is the sacredness of the individual, that God's work and glory is "to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man." (Moses 1:39.)
Under this concept, it is a great imposition, if not indeed a crime, for any government or any other organization to deny a man the right to speak, to worship, and to work.
Third: Preach and live the belief that govern- ments were instituted of God for the benefit of man. Man was not born for the benefit of the state. Preach that ". . . no government can exist in peace," and I quote from the Doctrine and Covenants, "except such laws are framed and held inviolate as will secure to each individual the
{Concluded on following page)
NOVEMBER 1956
5 Editors Page,
781
The Editor's Page
(Concluded from preceding page)
free exercise of conscience, the right and control of property, and the protection of life." (D & C 134:2.)
Fourth: Preach and live the sacredness of family ties — the perpetuation of the family as the cornerstone of society.
Fifth: Proclaim that God's Beloved Son, the Re- deemer and Savior of mankind, stands at the head of his Church that bears his name — that he guides and inspires those who are authorized to represent him here on earth — authorized by the priesthood when heavenly
messengers bestowed upon the Prophet Joseph Smith and others associated with him divine authority.
Sixth: Preach and live that the responsibility of de- claring this plan of life, this way of life, this plan of salvation, rests upon the entire membership of the Church but most particularly upon those who have been ordained to the priesthood and who have been cabled as leaders and servants of the people.
God bless the Church. It is world-wide. Its influ- ence should be felt by all nations. May divine guidance be given bearers of the priesthood who hold the responsi- bility of declaring to the world the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
by Joseph Fielding Smith
PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL OF THE TWELVE
The Sons of God and the Daughters of Men
Question:
"Will you kindly explain the meaning of the first two verses of Genesis, chapter six? There seems to be a difference of interpretation in our priesthood quorum, and none seems really to compre- hend the meaning."
The verses in question are as follows:
"And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them,
"That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose."
11P|'S.;:11£1m1 The verses following this quotation indi- cate thai this manner of marriage was offensive in the sight of God, and therefore he reduced the age of man upon the earth. There is a prevailing doctrine in the Christian world that these sons of God were heavenly beings who came down and married the daughters of men and thus came a superior race on the earth, the result bringing the displeasure of the Lord. This foolish notion is the result of lack of proper informa- tion, and because the correct information is not found in the book of Genesis Christian peoples have been led astray.
The correct information regarding these unions is revealed in the inspired interpretation given to the Prophet Joseph Smith in the book of Moses. Without doubt when this scripture was first written, it was per- fectly clear, but scribes and translators in the course of time, not having divine inspiration, changed the mean- ing to conform to their incorrect understanding. These verses in the Prophet's revision give us a correct mean- ing, and from them we learn why the Lord was angry with the people and decreed to shorten the span of life and to bring upon the world the flood of purification. The verses referring to this bit of history are as follows:
782
"And Noah and his sons hearkened unto the Lord, and gave heed, and they were called the sons of God.
"And when these men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them, the sons of men saw that those daughters were fair, and they took them wives, even as they chose.
"And the Lord said unto Noah: The daughters of thy sons have sold themselves; for behold mine anger is kindled against the sons of men, for they will not hearken to my voice.
"And it came to pass that Noah prophesied, and taught the things of God, even as it was in the begin-
"i
nmg
Because the daughters of Noah married the sons of men contrary to the teachings of the Lord, his anger was kindled, and this offense was one cause that brought to pass the universal flood. You will see that the con- dition appears reversed in the book of Moses. It was the daughters of the sons of God who were marrying the sons of men, which was displeasing unto the Lord. The fact was, as we see it revealed, that the daughters who had been born, evidently under the covenant, and were the daughters of the sons of God, that is to say of those who held the priesthood, were transgressing the commandment of the Lord and were marrying out of the Church. Thus they were cutting themselves off from the blessings of the priesthood contrary to the teachings of Noah and the will of God.
The Lord has revealed to us in this dispensation that those who obey his will, will be called the sons of God. In the days of Adam the Lord decreed that this should be the case:
"And he [Adam] heard a voice out of heaven, saying: Thou art baptized with fire, and with the Holy Ghost. This is the record of the Father, and the Son, from hence- forth and forever; (Concluded on page 879)
iMoses 8:13-16.
THE IMPROVEMENT ERA
President David O. McKay EDITOR 1951 TO PRESENT
President George Albert Smith EDITOR 1945 TO 1951
President Heber J. Grant EDITOR 1918 TO 1945
President Joseph F. Smith EDITOR 1897 TO 1918
The Improvement Era Begins
60th Year of Publication
ITH THIS ISSUE THE 1MPROVE-
: ment Era begins its sixtieth year of publication. For nine years more than half a century the "Voice of the Church" has been providing informational, entertaining, and in- spirational reading, while carrying the message of the restored gospel to Church members and friends through- out the world.
Great, inspired men have guided the destiny of the Era. Joseph F. Smith, who became President of the Church, and B. H. Roberts of the First Council of the Seventy, were the first editors. Heber J. Grant, later President of the Church, was the first business manager.
President Grant, President George Albert Smith, and John A. Widtsoe of the Council of the Twelve have
served as editors. Today this re- sponsibility is in the hands of Presi- dent David O. McKay, and Richard L. Evans of the Council of the Twelve.
The Era's growth in circulation has been gratifying. The first issue declared the magazine had no capital stock except "confidence in the loyalty and unselfish devotion of the young men of the Church." At the close of the first year the editors revealed, "We started at first, and with some misgivings, to publish a five thousand edition. We increased the issue to seven thousand, and had to reprint the first three numbers."
The serviceability of the Era has grown along with its circulation. Im- provements in publishing have been adopted in order to enhance the ap-
pearance and improve the readability of the magazine. The page size was increased in 1929 when the Era was combined with the Young Woman's Journal. Color, both inside and on the cover, has been added.
But the purpose and the message of the -magazine have not changed. Many of the articles and stories are as vital today as they were when published earlier. The editors have decided therefore to share with you some of the past treasures in this and subsequent issues.
We trust that this issue, featuring pictures and stories on Church or- ganization, will prove valuable.
Doyle L. Green, Managing Editor
Marba C. Josephson, Associate Managing Editor
NOVEMBER 1956
Elder Brigham H. Roberts EDITOR 1897 TO 1899
Elder John A. Widtsoe EDITOR 1935 TO 1952
Elder Richard L. Evans
EDITOR 1950 TO PRESENT
783
President David O. McKay
The First Presidency of the Church of Jesus
ittle did the young lad, Joseph Smith, realize when he read the stirring verse in James — and acted on it — that he would be the instrument of re-establishing an organization of everlasting significance. He was later to write, "We believe in the same organization that existed in the Primitive Church, viz., apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, evangelists, etc." (Sixth Article of Faith.) The Prophet Joseph Smith knew that the organization was eternally planned, but that he had the great responsi- bility of perfecting it in the latter days.
As prophet, seer, and revelator, he became the recipient of the direct teaching from divine beings who restored the priesthood and the ordinances of the gospel. But the burden of organization must have lain heavily upon the Prophet's shoulders. True, he had the inspiration of the Lord, but he also had to combat the human frailties
784
By Marba C Josephson
ASSOCIATE MANAGING EDITOR
of man. He felt the imperative urgency to see that the gospel message reach the entire world. To him this as- signment had come directly through revelation not long after the organization of the Church:
"Hearken, O ye people of my church, saith the voice of him who dwells on high, and whose eyes are upon all men; yea, verily I say: Hearken ye people from afar; and ye that are upon the islands of the sea, listen to- gether.
"For verily the voice of the Lord is unto all men, and there is none to escape; and there is no eye that shall not see, neither ear that shall not hear, neither heart that shall not be penetrated." (D & C 1:1-2.)
It was the Prophet's responsibility to see that this message reach the far corners of the earth. The Prophet had been given the keys of the kingdom prior to this
THE IMPROVEMENT ERA
J. Reuben Clark, Jr.
Christ of Latter-day Saints
time since he and Oliver Cowdery had received the Aaronic and the Melchizedek priesthoods at the hand of John the Baptist, and Peter, James, and John. The Church also had been organized, April 6, 1830.
In June 1829 the Prophet, Oliver Cowdery, and David Whitmer were also given a revelation concerning the calling of the Council of the Twelve Apostles. (D & C 18.) That the organization of the priesthood was early perfected is clearly demonstrated in the Doctrine and Covenants wherein the order of baptism and the duty of ". . . elders, priests, teachers, deacons, and members of the church of Christ . . ." are mentioned. (D & C 20:38.)
In March 1833 Sidney Rigdon was ordained and set apart as First Counselor to Joseph Smith. In the History of the Church under date of March 18, 1833, this note
NOVEMBER 1956
appears, ". . . Elder Rigdon expressed a desire that him- self and Brother Frederick G. Williams should be or- dained to the offices to which they had been called, viz., those of Presidents of the High Priesthood, and to be equal in holding the keys of the kingdom with Brother Joseph Smith, Jun., according to the revelation given on the 8th of March, 1833. Accordingly I laid my hands on Brothers Sidney and Frederick, and ordained them to take part with me in holding the keys of this last kingdom, and to assist in the Presidency of the High Priesthood, as my Counselors; . . ." (History of the Church, Vol. 1, p. 334.)
In this excerpt as well as in sections of the Doctrine and Covenants the calling of the First Presidency is made clear. In section 68, for instance, the calling
(Continued on page 866)
785
Joseph Fielding Smith
Harold B. Lee
Spencer W. Kimball
Delbert Leon Stapley
Marion G. Romney
LeGrand Richards
The Twelve Apostles
by Joseph Fielding Smith
PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL OF THE TWELVE
arly in his ministry Jesus chose twelve men and ordained them apostles and gave them authority to preach his gospel and administer in all the ordinances pertaining to the gospel. They were: "Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother;
"Philip, and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the publican; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus;
"Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him."1 It has been thought by some that
iMatt. 10:2-4.
786
Simon was colored, but this is not the case. He was called a Canaanite because he was from Cana in Gali- lee.2 Each of the apostles was an Israelite, likely repre- senting one of the tribes. In their callings as apostles they became special witnesses of the divine mission of Jesus Christ and were his advocates to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people. It was the plan of the Lord that this chosen body of witnesses should be per- petuated through all time, holding the keys of divine authority, with power to build up the Church with all
^Scott's Commentary. Clark in his Commentary says: the word is from the Hebrew, Kana which signifies zealous, "probably, from his great fervency in preaching."
THE IMPROVEMENT ERA
Ezra Taft Benson
Mark E. Petersen
Henry D. Moyle
Adam S. Bennion
Richard L. Evans
George Q. Morris
the gifts and blessings for the salvation of the truly repentant in all parts of the world. :i This quorum was continued for a time, and other apostles were ordained when vacancies occurred.4 Early in the first century, even while some of the original apostles were still living, dissension commenced to enter into the branches of the Church. When Paul took leave of the elders of Ephesus to return to Jerusalem, he said to them:
"Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.
"For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.
"Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them."5
So bad was this dissension by the end of the first century that the Lord could find only seven churches
sl Cor. 12:28; Eph. 4:11-16. "Acts 1:23-26; 14:14; Gal. 1:1.
5Acts 20:28-30.
NOVEMBER 1956
(branches) worthy of his attention, and each of these was severely rebuked." Moreover, in many of the epistles written to the members of the church scattered abroad, the warning voice of the apostles was raised calling them to repentance and pointing out the time when spiritual darkness would set in and the priesthood would have to be taken back to God and the Church driven into the wilderness.7 In time all ordinances of the gospel were changed, commandments were broken, and the simple principles of the gospel were mixed with pagan philosophy by the "grievous wolves" and apostate disciples who displaced the prophets and apostles who had divine communion with the heavens. Spiritual dark- ness set in, and unrighteous men took command and closed the heavens against themselves. Visions and con- tact with the heavens ceased, and the gifts of the spirit came to an end. The blessings and presence of the
(Concluded on following page)
"Rev. chapters 2, 3. "'Ibid., chapter 12.
787
The Twelve Apostles
(Concluded from preceding page) twelve apostles ceased, and the cry went forth that they were no longer needed.
This condition was- not to continue forever, for the Lord had promised that in the last days he would pour out his Spirit, and there would come a restoration of all things, as predicted by all the holy prophets since the world began.8 In the due time of the Lord the Church of Jesus Christ was again established by the opening of the heavens. The Holy Priesthood was re- stored by heavenly messengers, and the gifts and bless- ings of the gospel were once more found on the earth. In addition, the Lord again gave to the Church his special witnesses, the First Presidency holding the keys of power over the Church and exercising the authority which had been bestowed on Peter, James, and John in former times. The twelve apostles were also called to act under the direction of the First Presidency, hold- ing the keys to unlock the doors for the establishing of the gospel and the Church in all the world. In defining the labors of the Twelve in this, the last dispensation of the gospel, the Lord has said they labor under the direction of the First Presidency in the following words:
"Of necessity there are presidents, or presiding officers growing out of, or appointed of or from among those who are ordained to the several offices in these two priesthoods.
"Of the Melchizedek Priesthood, three Presiding High Priests, chosen by the body, appointed and ordained to that office, and upheld by the confidence, faith, and prayer of the church, form a quorum of the Presidency of the Church.
"The twelve traveling councilors are called to be the Twelve Apostles, or special witnesses of the name of Christ in all the world — thus differing from other officers in the church in the duties of their calling.
"And they form a quorum, equal in authority and power to the three presidents previously mentioned.
"The Seventy are also called to preach the gospel, and to be especial witnesses unto the Gentiles and in all the world — thus differing from other officers in the church in the duties of their calling.
"And they form a quorum, equal in authority to that of the Twelve special witnesses or Apostles just named. * * *
"The Twelve are a Traveling Presiding High Council, to officiate in the name of the Lord, under the direction of the Presidency of the Church, agreeable to the institu- tion of heaven; to build up the church, and regulate all the affairs of the same in all nations, first unto the Gentiles and secondly unto the Jews. * * *
"The Twelve being sent out, holding the keys, to open the door by the proclamation of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and first unto the Gentiles and then unto the Jews."9
There has been a slight misunderstanding on the part of some because of the statement that the twelve are equal in authority and power to the three members of the First Presidency. The fact that it is also stated that the seventies hold equal authority has also caused some misunderstanding. It is impossible, of course, for two, much less three, councils, to have equal authority and
8Acts 3:19-21; Joel 2:28-32. »D & C 107:21-26, 33, 35.
788
power at the same time. If that were the case, there could be no head. The interpretation of these state- ments is that the twelve apostles hold all the authority and power that is vested in the First Presidency, but it cannot be exercised as long as the First Presidency is intact. On the death of the President of the Church, the First Presidency is dissolved, and then the Council of the Twelve Apostles exercises all the authority that was vested in the Presidency, and this continues until the First Presidency is organized again and becomes the presiding council in the Church. If the time should ever come, which is improbable, when both the First Presi- dency and the entire quorum of the apostles should be destroyed, then, and only then, would The First Council of the Seventy have the power and authority mentioned in the revelation. In no other way are these three coun- cils equal in authority, and the First Presidency holds the keys of authority while the President of the Church is living.
To reject the counsels and testimonies of those men chosen to carry the message of salvation to the world — or others sent under their direction — would bring down upon the heads of all who do so the judgments of the Son of God. The twelve have been sent by divine commandment to the peoples of the world to open the doors of all nations for the preaching of the gospel and the establishment of the work of the Lord among "every nation, kindred, tongue, and people." This appointment, like that given to Peter and his associates, is a divine commandment renewed in this the last dispensation. In the very beginning of the restoration of the gospel, the Lord gave this instruction and warning:
"And verily I say unto you, that they who go forth, bearing these tidings unto the inhabitants of the earth, to them is power given to seal both on earth and in heaven, the unbelieving and rebellious;
"Yea, verily, to seal them up into the day when the wrath of God shall be poured out upon the wicked without measure —
"Unto the day when the Lord shall come to recompense unto every man according to his work, and measure to every man according to the measure which he has measured to his fellow man.
"Wherefore the voice of the Lord is unto the ends of the earth, that all that will hear may hear:
"Prepare ye, prepare ye for that which is to come, for the Lord is nigh;
"And the anger of the Lord is kindled, and his sword is bathed in heaven, and it shall fall upon the inhabitants of the earth.
"And the arm of the Lord shall be revealed; and the day cometh that they who will not hear the voice of the Lord, neither the voice of his servants, neither give heed to the words of the prophets and apostles, shall be cut off from among the people;
"For they have strayed from mine ordinances, and have broken mine everlasting covenant;
"They seek not the Lord to establish his righteousness, but every man walketh in his own way, and after the image of his own God, whose image is in the likeness of the world, and whose substance is that of an idol, which waxeth old and shall perish in Babylon, even Babylon the great, which shall fall."10
10lbid., 1:8-16.
THE IMPROVEMENT ERA
WUWWWWUWWWHWHVUUHWVUUUWW
The Patriarchal Priesthood
by Joseph Fielding Smith
PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL OP THE TWELVE
|*ww%%w*vwv%*w*%%**ww%%*w**v***%*%*%w%%%v**w%wv*%wv%*\*%*v*w*
Eldred G. Smith
Jfter the organization of the Council of the Twelve Apostles in Kirtland in 1835, the members of that council were called to go into the mission field. March 28th of that year they came to the Prophet seeking a revelation in relation to their duties that they might understand more perfectly what the Lord required at their hands. In answer to this request, the great revela- tion on priesthood (D & C 107) was received. In this revelation certain knowledge was revealed concerning the Patriarchal Priesthood and its descent from the be- ginning of time. Regarding this priesthood the Lord said:
"It is the duty of the Twelve, in all large branches of the church, to ordain evangelical ministers, as they shall be designated unto them by revelation —
"The order of this priesthood was confirmed to be handed down from father to son, and rightly belongs to the literal descendants of the chosen seed, to whom the promises were made.
"This order was instituted in the days of Adam, and came down by lineage in the following manner:
"From Adam to Seth, who was ordained by Adam at the age of sixty-nine years, and was blessed by him three years previous to his [Adam's] death, and received
the promise of God by his father, that his posterity should be the chosen of the Lord, and that they should be preserved unto the end of the earth;
"Because he [Seth] was a perfect man, and his like- ness was the express likeness of his father, insomuch that he seemed to be like unto his father in all things, and could be distinguished from him only by his age."1
In the following verses are named the other patriarchs from Seth to Noah, with the ages of each when ordained. In Genesis we find the descent continued as follows: Shem, Arphaxad, Salah, Eber, Peleg, Reu, Serug, Nahor, Terah, Abraham. (Gen. 11:10-26.) The father of Abra- ham from what we learn in the book of Abraham, turned to the worship of idols; therefore he either lost his priest- hood or it passed him by; nevertheless the descent came through him to Abraham. From Abraham the birth- right went to Isaac and from him to Jacob, who was named Israel. From Israel it went to Joseph, the first- born son of Rachel. The reason for this birthright not going to Israel's oldest son or to any of Joseph's older brothers was evidently because each had forfeited it by transgression. Therefore the birthright and the Patri- archal Priesthood continued through the seed of Joseph.
JD & C 107:39-43. {Continued on page 852)
PATRIARCHS TO THE CHURCH
1. Joseph Smith, Sr. Born July 12, 1771, at Topsfield, Mass., ordained December 18, 1883, under the hands of Joseph Smith, Jr., Oliver Cowdery, Sidney Rigdon, and Frederick G. Williams; died September 14, 1840, at Nauvoo, Illinois.
2. Hyrum Smith. Born February 9, 1800 at Tunbridge, Vermont, or- dained January 24, 1841 by Joseph Smith, Jr.; died a martyr June 27, 1844, at Carthage Jail, Illinois.
4. John Smith. Born September 22, 1832, at Kirtland, Ohio, ordained February 18, 1855; died November 6, 1911, at Salt Lake City.
5. Hyrum G. Smith. Born July 8, 1879 at South Jordan, Utah, ordained May 9, 1912; died February 4, 1932 at Salt Lake City.
6. Joseph F. Smith. Born January 30, 1899 at Salt Lake City, ordained October 8, 1942; released October 6, 1946 because of ill health.
7. Eldred Gee Smith. Born Tanuary 9, 1907 at Lehi, Utah, ordained April 10, 1947.
*%*vvvvvv*vv*vv*%*vvv*vv*^vvv*v*vv*v**%\%v*****%vv%vv*vvv*vvvvv%*v%vv%*w
NOVEMBER 1956
789
Thomas E. McKay
Clifford E. Young
Alma Sonne
o be an high priest is a signal honor, and to be chosen an high priest with a special calling is a rare privilege, and to be set apart as such by the prophet of God to such a specific work is glorious.
Such is the Assistant to the Twelve Apostles of the Lamb. He, like his Savior, is ". . . called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec . . ." (Heb. 5:10), and he holds the highest priesthood known to man. Again, like the Redeemer, he is ". . . made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest." (Ibid., 2:17.)
The Assistant to the Twelve is ". . . taken from among men, is ordained for men in things pertaining to God . . . [to have] compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way; for that he himself also is com- passed with infirmity." (Ibid., 5:1-2.)
The calling of the Assistants is of recent date — within the lifetime of most of us. In April 1941 the following pronouncement came from the First Presidency and the Twelve:
There will be no fixed number of these Assistants. Their num- ber will be increased or otherwise from time to time as the necessity of carrying on the Lord's work seems to dictate to be wise.
In the feeling of the writer, this above declaration could well be prefaced with the much used phrase of yesteryear: "Thus saith the Lord." It is revelation in the same category as the following statements:
. . . three Presiding High Priests . . . form a quorum of the Presidency of the Church. (D & C 107:22.)
and The twelve traveling councilors are called to be the Twelve Apostles. . . . (Ibid., 107:23.)
and The Seventy are also called to preach the gospel, and to be especial witnesses unto the Gentiles and in all the world — . . . (Ibid., 107:25.)
and
The Seventy are to act in the name of the Lord, under the direc- tion of the Twelve. . . . (Ibid., 107:34.)
And now in 1941 comes this:
In the past history of the Church, especially in President Brigham Young's time, it was found necessary for the First Presidency or The Twelve or both to call brethren, frequently designated as counselors, to help carry on their assigned work in the Church.
The rapid growth of the Church in recent times, the constantly increasing establishment of new wards and stakes, the ever widen- ing geographical area covered by wards and stakes, the steadily pressing necessity for increasing our missions in numbers and efficiency that the Gospel may be brought to all men, the con- tinual multiplying of Church interests and activities calling for more rigid and frequent observation, supervision and direction — all have built up an apostolic service of the greatest magnitude.
The First Presidency and Twelve feel that to meet adequately their great responsibilities and to carry on efficiently this service for the Lord, they should have some help.
Accordingly it has been decided to appoint Assistants to the Twelve, who shall be high priests, who shall be set apart to act under the direction of the Twelve in the performance of such work as the First Presidency and the Twelve may place upon them.
790
. . . Assistants to the Twelve, who shall be high priests, who shall be set apart to act under the direction of the Twelve in the performance of such work as the First Presidency and the Twelve may place upon them.
The revelation of 1835 on priesthood gives us this:
It is the duty of the Twelve, also, to ordain and set in order all the other officers of the Church. ... (D & C 107:58.)
So it now becomes the privilege of the Assistants, under direction of the Council of the Twelve, as indicated, to perform many of the functions of that quorum. They are set apart usually by the prophet of the Lord. They are assigned to hold stake conferences, to tour missions, and to ordain and set apart most officers of the Church. They have the sealing power to perform temple marriages by special authority from the Prophet. They may serve on committees, assist the twelve in organizing and divid-
THE IMPROVEMENT ERA
The Assistants to the Council of the Twelve Apostles
by Spencer W. Kimball
OF THE COUNCIL OF THE TWELVE
EIRay L. Christiansen
John Longden
Hugh B. Brown
Sterling W. Sill
ing missions and stakes, and, in general, to set in order the affairs of the Lord's Church as they are directed.
Eleven great and good men have served and are serv- ing as Assistants. Five men were called and sustained on April 6, 1941, as the first in our generation to serve in this capacity. They were: Elders Marion G. Romney, Thomas E. McKay, Clifford E. Young, Alma Sonne, and Nicholas G. Smith. Others in the order of their call were George Q. Morris, Stayner Richards, EIRay L. Christiansen, and John Longden, who were added on October 6, 1951. Elder Hugh B. Brown was sustained October 4, 1953, and Elder Sterling W. Sill was sustained April 6, 1954. Seven men still are serving as Assistants. They are always sustained in the order of their call to service but have no special quorum or council organiza- tion. They belong to the high priests' quorum of their respective stakes, whereas the Apostles do not. The
NOVEMBER 1956
Apostles belong to their own quorums, the Quorum of the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve.
Assistants are not junior nor alternate Apostles and do not succeed to apostleship nor to the Council of the Twelve when vacancies come in that body. However, on two occasions Assistants have been called to that council: Elder Marion G. Romney on October 6, 1951, and Elder George Q. Morris on April 6, 1954. Two have died in office: Elder Nicholas G. Smith, who died October 27, 1945, and Elder Stayner Richards, who passed away May 28, 1953. The present number is seven, and the following men are now serving as Assistants: Elders Thomas E. McKay, Clifford E. Young, Alma Sonne, EIRay L. Christiansen, John Longden, Hugh B. Brown, and Sterling W. Sill. '
God bless the able, loyal, and efficient men who have been called to this high calling!
791
The Seventy and The First Council
by Antoine R. Ivins
OF THE FIRST COUNCIL OF THE SEVENTY
Levi Edgar Young
PRESIDENT OF THE FIRST COUNCIL OF THE SEVENTY
n the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints the First Council of the Seventy constitute a body of specially selected men with a very definite major purpose. They are appointed and ordained to aid the Quorum of Twelve Apostles in delivering the message of the restored gospel to the world. In the Doctrine and Covenants we read:
"The seventy are to act in the name of the Lord, under the direction of the Twelve or the traveling high council, in building up the church and regulating all the affairs of the same in all nations, first unto the Gentiles and then to the Jews." (D & C 107:34.)
From what we read in the New Testament and mod- ern revelation, we feel justified in the thought that our present organization may be a replica of that which the Savior set up during his ministry in Palestine. We read in Luke the following:
"After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come. * * *
"And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name." (Luke 10:1, 17.)
We do not learn from the scriptures of that day just how the seventies were organized, but we do learn that their purpose was the same as it is today, namely, to preach the gospel to the world.
The Church was within a few months of being five years old when the Prophet Joseph Smith, Jr., was in- spired to organize both the twelve and the seventy. The Saints were already more or less familiar with the duties of the elders and high priests, but they had never experi- enced the leadership of the twelve nor seen the seventies in action.
While the Saints did not realize it, the Lord saw fit to prove many of them in the great journey called Zion's Camp. Out of the trying circumstances which were experienced in that journey there emerged a band of great leaders, and from them were selected the men who were called into the Quorum of the Twelve and those who made up the First Quorum of the Seventy.
792
It was but a short time after the organization of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles that the Prophet called seventy men to be ordained and also to form the First Council of the Seventy. An organization very different from that which existed in the other quorums of the priesthood was given the seventies, for, instead of a president with two counselors, they were given seven presidents, each with the powers of presidency.
From their initial organization until the martyrdom of the Prophet the^re was at any one time but one set of presidents for all the seventies, who numbered then about three hundred sixty or more members, in four quorums. An interesting thing, also, is that the first quorum was always kept complete, that is, it always had seventy members. If a member was taken out of the first quo- rum for any reason, his successor came from the second quorum, and this vacancy was filled from the third quorum:
After the death of the Prophet a change was made in the organization. The number of seventies was greatly increased, and the members of the first quorum became the presidents of the quorums from the second to the tenth. The first seven presidents remained the directing head of all the seventies, but the members of the first quorum were now heading the other quorums in groups of seven. Theoretically they were still considered as the first quorum, but as they became scattered or died, their places were not filled and have not been up to the pres- ent time.
The number of seventies has increased until we now have around twenty thousand men in the various quo- rums, constituting a veritable army of special witnesses to the restoration of the gospel.
While the seventies are especially selected and or- dained as "witnesses," they are not now under constant call for active field work as missionaries. Since they hold the Melchizedek Priesthood, they may be used by stake and ward authority for many of the other functions of the priesthood.
It should be definitely understood, however, that the primary obligation of every seventy in the Church is
THE IMPROVEMENT ERA
Antoine R. Ivins
Oscar A. Kirkham
S. Dilworth Young
Milton R. Hunter
Bruce R. McConkie
Marion D. Hanks
to be ready for missionary service if and when the Church has need of his particular type of service.
In the beginning the quorums of seventy were organ- ized without regard to ward or stake boundaries, and their management and direction was the exclusive re- sponsibility of the First Council, always under the direc- tion of the twelve. Bishops had no control over these men in a quorum capacity and neither did stake presi- dents. Of course each had a direction over them as individual members of the ward and stake. Not many years ago it was decided to ask the presidents of the stakes to aid in the direction of these quorums, but bish- ops have no jurisdiction over this group or any of the Melchizedek Priesthood quorums, as such.
Until recently no organization of the seventy could be made within a stake unless there were enough seventies to make a majority of a quorum. Now, by change of rule, made by proper authority, we organize seventies' "units" in stakes where there are not enough seventies to meet this majority requirement. These units, instead of
NOVEMBER 1956
having seven presidents, have a chairman and two coun- selors. When sufficient strength develops, the unit is organized into a quorum. No unit is ever organized in any stake which already has sufficient seventies to make a quorum. That means there can never be a quorum and a unit in any one stake.
Over the years many of our seventies have, for various reasons, moved into the mission fields of the Church where there was no organization to take care of them in a quorum capacity. The need of keeping in contact with them has resulted in a recent ruling that when there might be enough seventies in a mission area, they can be organized into a quorum or a "unit," as explained above. This, however, must be done only with the per- mission of the President of the Church.
It is now felt that there has never been, in the history of the Church, a time when we have been able to main- tain better contact with the members of the Quorum of the Seventy than at the present time and that we have never had more devoted and able seventies in the Church.
793
Thorpe B. Isaacson
FIRST COUNSELOR
Joseph L. Wirthlin
PRESIDING BISHOP
Carl W. Buehner
SECOND COUNSELOR
History and Functions of the Presiding Bishopric
by Joseph L. Wirthlin
PRESIDING BISHOP
Ihree men sit in earnest council together. The de- cisions they make will be far reaching and will affect
J the lives and activities of many people. The serious- ness of that which is under consideration is reflected upon their faces.
Today as on previous days they have knelt together in humble prayer. They rely upon the Lord for guid- ance and are confident that he will temper their judg- ment and inspire them to make wise decisions and proper solutions for the problems at hand. They realize the responsibilities that the Lord has placed upon them to direct the spiritual and service activities of more than a hundred and fifty thousand of his sons who hold the Aaronic Priesthood. They are concerned, too, by virtue of their divine calling, for the temporal welfare of all the Church. They are the Presiding Bishopric of the Church.
The responsibilities of the Presiding Bishopric are manifold and varied. Their position is both executive and judicial in nature. They are called and ordained to this office by the First Presidency, under whose direct supervision they serve.
The executive activities of the Presiding Bishopric can partially be understood by analyzing the power, au- thority, and commission given to the Aaronic Priest- hood over which they are the presidency.
The lesser priesthood is an appendage to the higher or Melchizedek Priesthood and ministers primarily in
794
the temporal affairs of the Church. John the Baptist in restoring the Aaronic Priesthood said that it
. . . holds the keys of the ministering of angels, and of the gospel of repentance, and of baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; . . . (D & C 13.)
Its activities have had to do with the ministering of the outward ordinances of the gospel. The Presiding Bishop- ric are responsible for the organization, promotion, aid administration of the Aaronic Priesthood program. From the installation of the first Presiding Bishop until the present time, those who have been called to the Presid- ing Bishopric have been concerned with the material interests of the Church and its members. They have administered the law of consecration; received, dis- tributed, and accounted for the contributions and tithes of the people; looked after the poor; comforted the weary; admonished and exhorted to good works those who fal- tered; provided and maintained adequate places of wor- ship; and accounted for the records of membership, activity, and advancement of all members of the Church. The Presiding Bishopric accomplish their objectives through promoting Sacrament meeting attendance, ad- ministering a ward teaching program, and through direct- ing the many and diversified Aaronic Priesthood activities.
In addition to the administrative responsibilities, the office of the Presiding Bishopric has a judicial capacity. Soon after the Lord appointed Edward Partridge Bishop
{Concluded on page 830) THE IMPROVEMENT ERA
The Church Historian's Office
by A. William Lund
Joseph Fielding Smith
CHURCH HISTORIAN
A. William Lund
ASS'T. CHURCH HISTORIAN
ON the first day that the Church was organized a revelation was given to Joseph Smith, the Prophet, in which the Lord com- manded that a record should be kept by the Church. Accordingly, Oliver Cowdery was chosen the first Church recorder, and a history of the Church was commenced. Soon, however, it was found that Elder Cowdery had too much to do in his other Church duties properly to care for this office; therefore John Whitmer was ap- pointed Church Historian. Nowhere is it stated that either of these breth- ren had anyone to assist in the writ- ing; it is very likely that they did much of it in their own homes, where they also kept their records.
After the apostasy of John Whit- mer, others were called to help in keeping a history. Among those called were John Corrill, Elias Higbee, Robert B. Thompson, and James Sloan, who spent most of their time in this labor. However, it was not until 1843, when the Prophet Joseph appointed Willard Richards Church Historian and General Church Re- corder, that the Historian's Office became recognized as a distinct part of the Church organization. Elder Richards was the first to be sustained as both Historian and Recorder, but each person succeeding him has been sustained in that same manner.
There is mention of council meet- ings and other meetings in Nauvoo being held in the Historian's Office.
When the pioneers were at Winter Quarters, Elder Willard Richards built a house known as the Octagon. He not only made this building his home but he also used it for the post
NOVEMBER 1956
office and for the Historian's Office. Many meetings were also held here. Elder Richards was the official camp historian of the pioneer band in which he traveled from Winter Quarters to the Salt Lake Valley.
In 1854, Elder George A. Smith was sustained as Church Historian and General Church Recorder to succeed Willard Richards, who had died. As the labors of the Historian's Office in- creased it was found necessary to ap- point assistant historians, a custom which still prevails in the Church. In October 1856, Elder Wilford Woodruff was sustained as Assistant Church Historian, the first person to be so sustained.
September 15, 1956, marked one hundred years since the first Histori- an's Office building in Salt Lake City was dedicated. A few details con- cerning its construction therefore may be of interest.
Inasmuch as the Historian's Office was in an upper room of the Council House, the General Authorities felt that a separate building should be erected. The site chosen for this building was on the south side of South Temple Street, almost oppo- site the office of President Brigham Young. The Medical Arts Build- ing now stands on the site. The excavation for the Historian's Office building commenced in June 1854, but it was not until July 1855 that the stone foundation was completed and ready for the adobes.
The brethren were very desirous that a safe place be built in which to place valuable books and other material; therefore President Young
instructed Bishop Alonzo H. Raleigh to build a fireproof vault in the His- torian's Office building. Many of the books and documents were placed in this vault, but it was soon dis- covered that the vault was damp, and the contents were immediately re- moved.
In August 1856 the Historian's Of- fice was completed, and on September 9, 1856, Elder Wilford Woodruff called on President Young and told him that the new building was ready for use. President Young gave in- structions that the building should be immediately occupied. The next day the official staff commenced moving books, records, papers, etc.
r\N Monday, September 15, 1856, " Elder Wilford Woodruff offered the dedicatory prayer, from which the following is extracted:
"And inasmuch as we have the privilege of having an office built for Thy servants to occupy while writing and keeping a history of Thy Church and Kingdom upon the earth in these last days, we feel it a privilege to bow before Thee and dedicate this house unto the Lord our God, even our Father in heaven.
"And by virtue of the Holy Priest- hood vested in us, in the name of Jesus Christ, we do dedicate it and consecrate it unto the Lord our God, and we set it apart that it may con- tain holy records of the Church and Kingdom of God, and we ask in the name of Jesus Christ that it may be sanctified and holy unto Thy name, and we pray that we may be inspired by the gift and power of the Holy
(Continued on page 853)
795
Ernest L. Wilkinson
ADMINISTRATOR AND PRESIDENT OF BYU
Harvey L. Taylor
EXECUTIVE ASS'T TO PRESIDENT
William E. Berrett
VICE PRES. IN CHARGE OF
RELIGION
William F. Edwards
VICE PRES. IN CHARGE OF FINANCE
The Unified Church School System
by Edwin J. Butterworth
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF JOURNALISM, PRESS RELATIONS DIRECTOR, BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY
Just three years after the organ- ization of the Church, a small group of men started holding a "School of the Prophets" in Kirtland, Ohio, (D & C 88:127) in one of the first efforts at adult education in America.
Since that time, Church education has continued to grow until today thousands of teachers are instructing more than 65,000 students in hun- dreds of buildings in a vast program extending into many states and for- eign countries.
This is the present composition of the Unified Church School System which was set up in July 1953, with Dr. Ernest L. Wilkinson, president of Brigham Young University, as ad- ministrator: Brigham Young Uni- versity, Provo, Utah, the largest university in the intermountain area; Ricks College, Rexburg, Idaho; LDS Business College of Brigham Young University, Salt Lake City; McCune School of Music and Art of Brigham Young University, Salt Lake City; Juarez Academy and elementary schools, Colonia Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico; 116 full-time and 236 part- time seminaries; 20 full-time and 13 part-time institutes.*
Down through the decades since
*The Church also operates other schools which are not part of this system but which are administered in the missions. These include The Church College of Hawaii, Liahona College in Tonga, Pesenga School in Samoa, and LDS College in New Zealand.
796
the mid-1830's, Latter-day Saints have toiled unceasingly for education and learning. "The glory of God is intelligence" has been for them more than a platitude; it has been a goal assiduously sought, and the national leadership of the Church in education attests to its success.
The School of the Prophets was held in Salt Lake City, St. George, and other places, as late as 1872, but there were many other schools also. Joseph Smith organized a secondary school — or high school — for the young people of Kirtland in 1837. The studies included Latin, mathe- matics, history, and English.
The Saints made plans for a school even in Far West during the terrible days of persecution, and in Illinois they established the University of Nauvoo.
Education came with the pioneers across the Great Plains. The first band of pioneers arrived in Salt Lake Valley in July 1847, and by October they had a school in operation. Soon they moved into the many valleys of the intermountain area, and hardly had their wagons stopped when the ring of axes began to announce the construction of homes and schools.
A history of Manti in 1850 states: "A log school house was erected and the children were provided with the best opportunities for obtaining the
education that the primitive colony could offer."
Here is an early record from Fill- more: "We immediately commenced to build a corral for our cattle; we then built a school house and estab- lished a school."
This story was about the same everywhere.
At one time the Church operated twenty-two academies in addition to its many elementary schools. These were located throughout the western valleys from Raymond, Alberta, Can- ada, on the north to Colonia Juarez, Mexico, on the south. In 1850 was established the University of Deseret, which later became the University of Utah.
With the rise of public schools, it was natural for the Church to give up some of these functions. It estab- lished seminaries close to public schools and institutes near colleges where large numbers of Latter-day Saint students were enrolled.
However, the Church retained a few of its academies and in 1921 and 1922 organized them into junior col- leges. Those retained were Weber College in Ogden; Ricks College, Rexburg, Idaho; Gila College in Thatcher, Arizona; Dixie College in St. George; Snow College in Ephraim; the LDS College in Salt Lake City; and Juarez Academy. These schools
THE IMPROVEMENT ERA
John L. Clarke PRESIDENT RICKS COLLEGE
Kenneth S. Bennion
DIRECTOR LDS BUSINESS
COLLEGE BR. OF BYU
N. Lorenzo Mitchell
DIRECTOR McCUNE SCHOOL OF
MUSIC BR. OF BYU
John Bennion Tavlor
SUPERINTENDENT JUAREZ
STAKE SCHOOL
greatly augmented the educational systems of their states and were in operation about fifteen years.
In the 1930's Weber, Snow, Gila, and Dixie Colleges were turned over, without cost, to the various states, while the Church retained operation of Ricks; LDS University became ex- clusively a business college; McCune School of Music and Art, Juarez Academy, and Brigham Young Uni- versity.
Ricks, established in 1888 as Ban- nock Stake Academy, became a two- year junior college in 1931. In 1950 it graduated its first four-year stu- dents, but has been reorganized again into a two-year college effective this year. President of Ricks is Dr. John L. Clarke.
LDS Business College began in 1886 as Salt Lake Stake Academy in Social Hall. In 1887 it was com- bined with Brigham Young's private school near Eagle Gate and in 1889 became LDS College. In 1903 it moved to the present site on Main Street and in 1907 absorbed the Salt Lake Business College. In 1931 it became strictly a business college and is now a branch of Brigham Young University with an enrolment of about 1,700 a year in night and day classes. Its director is Kenneth S. Bennion.
The McCune School of Music and Art began in 1917 in the music de- partment of the LDS University, and moved to its present location in the former McCune Mansion in 1920. It became a branch of BYU in 1952. It now enrolls 2,085 students a year. Dircetor is Lorenzo Mitchell.
The Juarez Stake Academy in northern Mexico had its beginning in a one-room log house in 1897. By
NOVEMBER 1956
1912 the school had 300 students in elementary and high schools. Last year 456 students were enrolled. Classes are taught in English and Spanish. J. Ben Taylor is superin- tendent.
In a far-reaching change to con- solidate this widespread organization for more efficient and effective ad- ministration, the First Presidency in July 1953 announced the unification of the entire system of universities, colleges, schools, institutes, and semi- naries under one administrative head. Dr. Wilkinson was named adminis- trator, with Brigham Young Univer- sity as the mother institution.
Assisting Dr. Wilkinson are three other executives, also at Brigham Young University: Harvey L. Taylor, executive assistant to the president of the University; William E. Berrett, vice president in charge of religious education; and Dr. William F. Ed- wards, vice president in charge of finance and business administration.
The purposes of the unified Church School System were stated by Elder Harold B. Lee of the Council of
Twelve in a recent address. He said in part:
The first purpose of our Church schools is to teach truth, secular truth, so effective- ly that students will be free from error, free from sin . . . free from vain philos- ophies and from untried unproven theories of science.
The second objective and purpose is to educate youth, not only for time, but for all eternity.
The third objective is to so teach the gospel that students will not be misled by purveyors of false doctrines, vain specula- tions or faulty interpretation.
The fourth objective, to prepare students to live a well-rounded life.
And the final objective of Church schools: to set the stage for students to acquire a testimony of the reality of God and the divinity of his work . . . and to help youth to gain a testimony that God lives and that his work is divine.
Now let us take a closer look at some of these institutions:
In 1912 the first seminary building was erected next to Granite High School south of Salt Lake City. It is believed to have been the first school of its kind in the United States. This
(Continued on page 846)
A. Ted Tuttle
Boyd K. Packer
SEMINARY SUPERVISORS
797
Marianne C. Sharp
FIRST COUNSELOR
Belle S. Spafford
PRESIDENT
The Relief Society
by Belle S. Spafford
PRESIDENT
The Relief Society of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was organized March 17, 1842, by the Prophet Joseph Smith, in Nauvoo, Illinois.
Sister Sarah M. Kimball, relating the circumstances which led to the organization of Relief Society, stated that the sisters wished to form a "Ladies' Society" in order that they might combine their means and efforts to assist those who were work- ing on the Nauvoo Temple. Sister Eliza R. Snow drew up a constitution and bylaws which the sisters sub- mitted to the Prophet Joseph Smith. The Prophet replied ". . . this is not what you want. Tell the sisters their offering is accepted of the Lord, and He has something better for them than a written constitution. Invite them all to meet me and a few of the brethren in the Masonic Hall over my store next Thursday after- noon, and I will organize the sisters under the Priesthood after a pattern of the Priesthood." (A Centenary of Relief Society, p. 14.)
At the first meeting of the Society, President Joseph Smith addressed the sisters: ". . . to illustrate the object of the Society that the Society of the
798
sisters might provoke the brethren to good works in looking to the wants of the poor, searching after objects of charity and in administering to their wants — to assist by correcting the morals and strengthening the vir- tues of the community, and save the elders the trouble of rebuking; that they may give their time to other duties, etc., in their public teaching." (Ibid., p. 15.)
While the fundamental purposes of the Society were clearly outlined by the Prophet Joseph Smith at the initial meeting, supplementary in- structions were later given by him and have also been given by the Presidents of the Church who have succeeded him. Following is a sum- mary of the aims and objects of the Society as gleaned from the early records of the institution and from the instructions given from time to time by the Church leaders:
To manifest benevolence; to care for the poor, the sick, and unfortu- nate; to minister where death reigns; to assist in correcting the morals and strengthening the virtues of com- munity life; to raise human life to its highest level; to elevate and en- large the scope of women's activities
Velma N. Simonsen
SECOND COUNSELOR
and conditions; to develop leadership among women; to foster love for re- ligion, education, culture, and re- finement; to develop faith; to save souls; to study and teach the gospel. Membership in Relief Society is open to any woman of good character.
THE IMPROVEMENT ERA
It is expected that all Latter-day Saint women will avail themselves of the blessings, privileges, and opportuni- ties of membership and contribute to the work and advancement of the Society.
T^he basic work of the Society since *- its inception has been to "seek out and relieve distress." Tens of thousands of hours of service have been given in caring for the sick, comforting the sorrowing, assisting where death reigns, and rendering other compassionate services. Since the inauguration of the Church wel- fare plan in 1936, Relief Society has not only continued its compassionate services, but it has also supplied countless hours of sewing, canning, and other service for the Church wel- fare program. Of particular im- portance have been the visits made to families in need by ward Relief Society presidents under the direction of their respective bishops, wherein family needs are determined and recommendations made to the bishops for meeting these needs. Relief So- ciety fully co-operates with the Church welfare program in meeting unusual or emergent welfare needs. Visiting teaching, initiated in 1843,
and closely identified with the wel- fare activities of the Society, has al- ways been a vital part of the work of Relief Society. The visiting teaching program provides that every Latter- day Saint family in every ward or branch of the Church be visited once a month by two Relief Society sisters who carry greetings and messages from the Society to each home and who observe conditions within the home and report confidentially to the ward Relief Society president any cases of need they may have observed or which otherwise may have come to their attention.
In line with instructions from the Prophet Joseph Smith, the Society has always engaged in activities of an educational nature. Although dur- ing the beginning years there was no formal class instruction, many diversi- fied educational opportunities were afforded the sisters through the So- ciety, and the sisters engaged in dis- cussions of the restored gospel, which
they had so recently accepted, and in testimony bearing. Since 1902, formal class instruction has been given in regular Relief Society meet- ings. At three of the four meetings held for the general membership each month during the membership year, October through May, uniform courses of study in theology, litera- ture, and social science, prepared under the direction of the general board, and of recent years approved by the Church publications committee, have been presented. One meeting each month is devoted to sewing, principally welfare sewing, and to other homemaking arts and skills. The educational program of the Society is designed to strengthen the testimonies of Relief Society members to the truthfulness of the restored gospel; to make Relief Society mem- bers better Latter-day Saints, better mothers, better homemakers, and better citizens.
(Continued on page 838)
The Relief Society general board members are from left to right:
First row — Florence J. Madsen, Josie B. Bay, Evon W. Peterson, First Counselor Marianne C. Sharp, President Belle S. Spafford, Secretary-treasurer Margaret C. Pickering, Anna B. Hart, Blanche B. Stoddard.
Second row — Aleine M. Young, Winniefred S. Manwaring, EIna P. Haymond, Edith P. Backman, Annie M. Ellsworth, Gladys S. Boyer, Charlotte A. Larsen, Helen W. Ander- son, Alberta H. Christensen, Mildred B. Eyring, Christine H. Robinson, Leone G. Layton, Louise W. Madsen, Mary R. Young. Absent from the picture were Second Counselor Velma N. Simonsen and Edith S. Elliott.
NOVEMBER 1956
David L. McKay
FIRST ASS'T. GENERAL SUPERINTENDENT
George R. Hill
GENERAL SUPERINTENDENT
Lynn S. Richards
SECOND ASS'T. GENERAL SUPERINTENDENT
Deseret Sunday School Union
by George R. Hill
GENERAL SUPERINTENDENT
The great movements in history are the expressions of the inspira- tion and vision of great men and their dogged determination to see these inspirations become realities.
In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Sunday Schools were held at irregular times at Kirt- land, Nauvoo, and Winter Quarters. When Brigham Young was president of the British Mission, Latter-day Saint Sunday Schools were organized in England probably as early as 1841. (The Instructor 84:376.)
Sagebrush was growing in the streets of Salt Lake City when that lovable and tireless Scotsman, Rich- ard Ballantyne, rushed to comple- tion the 18 by 20 foot living room of his modest adobe cottage at First West and Third South Streets, Salt Lake City. He invited the boys and girls to come to his first Sunday School, December 9, 1849. They came — twenty-nine boys and girls — at 8 o'clock in the morning on a bitter cold, windy day. They were seated on split logs supported by wooden pegs before a roaring fireplace. There they listened intently to stories from the Bible and the Book of Mormon, and learned about the gospel restora- tion from the Mps of this great teacher, Richard Ballantyne. "I felt the gos- pel was too precious to myself to be withheld from the children."
800
A painting • by Arnold Friberg of this first Sunday School hangs in the general board room at 50 North Main, Salt Lake City.
How that first Sunday School has grown! In 1955 there were more than 4,000 Sunday Schools in the stakes and missions of the Church. The Sun- day School enrolment was 1,196,780 in the stakes and missions report- ing, with an average weekly attend- ance of 463,427, or 38.72 percent of this enrolment.
In the years immediately following 1849, Sunday Schools sprang up in settlements up and down the terri- tory of Utah.
These Sunday Schools were inde- pendent of each other. The only au- thority they looked to was that of the ward bishopric. There were no outlines or guides to follow, no man- uals, teacher's supplements, or even songbooks. But if the Sunday Schools were to be of real significance in teaching the gospel to the children of the Church, they had to be given guidance and centralized direction. At a meeting November 11, 1867, Presi- dent Brigham Young proposed that a society be formed under the name of "Parent Sunday School Union Society." The name was unanimously adopted.
George Q. Cannon, who in 1866,
out of his love for children, founded the Juvenile Instructor for the pur- pose of teaching the gospel to chil- dren, was chosen president of the new society. Edward L. Sloan was made general secretary, and Robert L. Campbell and George Goddard, corresponding secretaries. Brigham Young, Jr., Albert Carrington, and George A. Smith were appointed as a reading committee.
THE IMPROVEMENT ERA
For five years the Parent Sunday School Union Society struggled along, visiting Sunday Schools and learn- ing much from observation and study of the needs of these rapidly multiply- ing Sunday Schools of the Church. The Bible, Book of Mormon, and Doctrine and Covenants were recom- mended for purchase for each Sunday School library. Reading around was a common method of teaching. David O. Calder was appointed to teach the tonic-sol-fa system of singing to Sun- day School teachers, and song writers were stimulated to provide gospel songs, which were published in The Juvenile Instructor.
In 1872 the Parent Sunday School Union Society was reorganized, and the Deseret Sundav School Union, with Elder George Q. Cannon as gen- eral superintendent, took its place. This grand leader and his farseeing associates adopted many procedures and tried numerous expedients to stabilize and unify Sunday School work. Texts and teaching materials of various kinds were brought into use.
The Juvenile Instructor became the official organ of the Deseret Sunday School Union. It published outlines,
books, lesson enrichment stories, and songs.
Tn 1877 the First Presidency directed *- that the Sacrament be admin- istered in all of the Sunday Schools of the Church.
In January 1884 a second edition of Deseret Sunday School Union Music Book, containing eighty-eight songs, at least sixty-five of which were by home composers, was pub- lished. Twenty-seven of these sixty- five songs are in the hymnbook to- day, and another seventeen are in The Children Sing — testimony to the
prayerful and capable conscientious work of Sunday School musicians prior to 1884 in developing songs that teach the gospel.
These giants of the Deseret Sunday School Union were humble, hard- working men who sought and re- ceived much inspiration from the Lord. They reached out and de- veloped musical and teaching talent, resulting in many choice gospel hymns and songs which were effec- tive in teaching the gospel to the children as well as their parents.
The term "general board" was (Continued on page 849)
GENERAL BOARD OF THE DESERET SUNDAY SCHOOL UNION
First row, left to right: A William Lund, Earl J. Glade, Gerrit dejong, Jr., General Secretary Richard E. Folland, First Assistant General Superintendent David Lawrence McKay, General Superintendent George R. Hill, Second Assistant General Superintendent Lynn S. Richards, A. Hamer Reiser, Marie F. Felt, Wendell J. Ashton.
Second row, left to right: Kenneth S. Bennion, }. Holman Waters, Leland H. Monson, Alexander Schreiner, Lorna C. Alder, William P. Miller, Ralph B. Keeler, Vernon J. Lee- Master, Claribel W. Aldous, Eva May Green, Melba Glade.
Third row, left to right: Addie L. Swapp, Henry Eyring, Carl J. Christensen, Hazel F. Young, Beth Hooper, Reed H. Bradford, Frank S. Wise, David A. Shand, Delmar H. Dick- son, Clarence Tyndall, Norman R. Gulbrandsen.
Fourth row, left to right: Wallace G. Bennett, Addie J. Gilmore, Camille W. Halliday, Margaret Hopkinson, Mima Rasband, Edith M. Nash, Marion G. Merkley, Minnie E. Anderson, Alva H. Parry, Royden G. Derrick, Harold A. Dent.
Fifth row, left to right: Assistant General Treasurer Paul B. Tanner, Horace A. Christiansen, Catherine Bowles, Raymond B. Holbrook, Wayne G. Brown, Lorin F. Wheel- wright, Joseph Fielding Smith, Jr., Fred W. Schwendiman.
Members absent when picture was taken: General Treasurer Wallace F. Bennett, Inez Witbeck, Lucy G. Sperry, Archibald F. Bennett, H. Aldous Dixon, A. Parley Bates, W. Lowell Castleton, Hazel W. Lewis, Florence S. Allen, Wilford M. Burton, Asahel D. Woodruff, James L. Barker, Clair W. Johnson, Henry L. Isaksen, Bernard S. Walker.
NOVEMBER 1956
801
A. Walter Stevenson
Elbert R. Curtis
The Young Men's Mutual Improvement Association
by Elbert R. Curtis
GENERAL SUPERINTENDENT, YMMIA
YMMIA — magic letters — what do they mean to you? Perhaps they mean your very first night away from home with a troop of Boy Scouts; perhaps they mean your Tenderfoot pin, and all the rest of your Scout and Explorer awards, your Junior M Men awards, and finally your Master M Man pin, with its six pearls, each representing a field of achievement, delicately set in gold.
Perhaps they mean your first dance, and how concerned you were to hold your best girl the right way for fear that she would break in two; or when the stake rented the best ball- room in town for a stake banquet and dance at the conclusion of the year; or singing in a music festival or danc- ing in a divisional dance festival; or participating in a speech contest or the great athletic tournaments.
Perhaps YMMIA gave you your first chance to apply grease paint and take part in a play or a roadshow? Per- haps they gave you the opportunity to make your words come to life from the stage as they assigned you the task of writing a roadshow act or an original play. Remember the long hours you put in as a scenery painter for that special performance, and how you, the electrician, worked overtime
802
to see that the lighting effect was just right? Perhaps, in later years, YM MIA has meant a Special Interest class, and the opportunity to study a little-known but fascinating facet of the restored gospel.
Yes, the magic letters YMMIA can mean many things. But of course they stand for Young Men's Mutual Im- provement Association — the Church's great week-day activity (together with its partner, the Young Women's Mutual Improvement Association) for young adults and adults who like to stay young.
How did this organization come about? Let's go back to the year 1875. At that time the "Retrench- ment Society" which Brigham Young had organized first for his own daugh- ters was five and one-half years old. It was the thinking of the great pio- neer leader that the young men of Zion needed a similar organization.1
In commissioning Junius F. Wells, then in his twenty-first year, to form an organization in the Thirteenth Ward in Salt Lake City (which or- ganization has become accepted as the beginning of the YMMIA pro- gram), President Brigham Young said:
We want to have our young men enrolled
David S. King
and organized throughout the Church, so that we shall know who and where they are, so that we can put our hands upon them at any time for any service that may be required. We want them to hold meet- ings where they will stand up and speak — get into the habit of speaking — and of bear- ing testimony. These meetings are to be for our young men, to be composed of young men for their improvement — a society of young men for mutual improvement. There is your name: "The Young Men's Mutual Improvement Soci- Association."
THE IMPROVEMENT ERA
That evening (it was Thursday, June 10, 1875) Elder Wells went to the Thirteenth Ward Assembly Rooms on Second South, just east of State Street, where the meeting had been called to organize the associa- tion. He found the room filled with men, some of whom were expecting to be addressed by Brigham Young. But President Young had a previous appointment. Elder Wells addressed the group for fifty minutes, outlining the new organization, and covering the points of the interview with Presi- dent Young. At the close of the meet- ing he requested those who were will- ing to join the organization to remain, and he took down eighteen names.
Because Elder Wells was about to go on a long trip, in President Young's company, to southern Utah, regular meetings were not commenced until the nineteenth of August. Elder Heber J. Grant (later President of the Church) was the secretary of the association.
During the late summer and early fall the work of organizing associa- tions of the young men in the various communities of the Church was con- tinued. A tour was made to "distant" communities as far away as Brigham
City on the north and St. George on the south. Then on November 1, 1875, Elder Wells departed to fill a mission to the Eastern States.
Elders John Henry Smith, Milton H. Hardy, and B. Morris Young were called by the First Presidency on November 6, 1875, to continue the YMMIA work.
The work grew, more organizations were formed, until the need for a central organization became press- ingly apparent. This was formally completed in the Council House, Salt Lake City, December 8, 1876, with Junius F. Wells, president; M. H. Hardy, first counselor; Rodney C. Badger, second counselor; John Nich- olson, secretary; Richard W. Young,
assistant secretary; George F. Gibbs, corresponding secretary; and Mathoni W. Pratt, treasurer. When the "branch societies" (ward or stake) were organized, each president of a society automatically became a mem- ber of this central organization. There were other members of the central group as well.
One of the notable fields of en- deavor other than youth activities in which the YMMIA has engaged has been in the field of publications. Junius F. Wells was the editor and publisher of the first issue of The Contributor in October 1879. The title page of volume -one proclaimed the magazine as "representing the
(Concluded on page 844)
OFFICERS AND GENERAL BOARD OF THE YMMIA:
First row, left to right: Harold Glen Clark, E. Allen Bateman, Assistant Secretary Charles E. Mitchner, Jr., General Secretary Alma H. Pettigrew, First Assistant General Superintendent A. Walter Stevenson, General Suprintendent Elbert R. Curtis, Second As- sistant General Superintendent David S. King, Frank W. McGhie, Crawford M. Gates, Joy F. Dunyon.
Second row: Clark P. Russell, Clark N. Stohl, W. Floyd Millet, Lynn Hales, Forace Green, Richard L. Gunn, William B. Smart, George LaMont Richards, Elvis B. Terry.
Third row: Albert O. Mitchell, Rulon B. Stanford, John U. Webber, Lee Jepperson, Ted Bushman, Kenneth H. Sheffield, Gordon Owen, Harry Clarke, Alma Heaton, George I. Cannon.
Fourth row: Adolphus P. Warnick, Francis L. Urry, Doyle L. Green, Royal L. Garff, Irving P. Beesley, L. Clair Likes, Knight B. Kerr, Stanford G. Smith, Roy W. Doxey, Wallace F. Toronto, Richard S. Tanner, Marvin J. Ashton.
Those not pictured: Ralph W. Hardy, Roy M. Darley, Leon L. Imlay, Armond F. Carr, David Llewellyn Roberts, Lester F. Hewlett, Jr., Parley H. Liddle.
NOVEMBER 1956
803.
Emily H. Bennett
Bertha S. Reeder
The Growth of the Young Women's Mutual Improvement Association
by Bertha S. Reeder
GENERAL PRESIDENT, YWMIA
[ighty-five years of growth and I achievement have made the Young Women's Mutual Im- provement Association a magic for- mula for providing spiritual food for young women in both lessons and recreation. The lessons, pointing up the way to ideals of life, and the activities such as dance, public speak- ing, drama, and music, indicating the way of recreation in wholesome fun — both have brought enrichment of living to all members of the YWMIA.
Basically the same ideals that prompted President Brigham Young to organize his own daughters into the "Young Ladies' Department of the Co-operative Retrenchment Associa- tion," forerunner to the YWMIA, still persist among the more than 152,000 young women enrolled in this organization.
President Young's admonition to his daughters — and therefore to all young women — was succinct and straightforward: "I desire to organ- ize my own family first into a society for the promotion of habits of order, thrift, industry, and charity; and, above all things, I desire them to re- trench from their extravagance in dress, in eating, and even in speech.
804
"I have long had it in mind to organize the young ladies of Zion into an association so that they might assist the older members of the Church, their fathers and mothers, in propagating, teaching, and practis- ing the principles I have been so long in teaching. There is a need for the young daughters of Israel to get a living testimony of the truth. More testimonies are obtained on the feet than on the knees.*** I want you to vote to retrench in your dress, in your tables, in your speech, wherein you have been guilty of silly, extravagant speeches and light-mindedness of thought. Retrench in everything that is bad and worthless, and im- prove in everything that is good and beautiful."
Each succeeding President of the Church has indicated the importance of the assignment of the YWMIA among the auxiliaries of the Church. Each President has expected the YW MIA to do its part to assist in build- ing the kingdom of heaven on earth.
Five general presidents of the YWMIA have labored diligently and well to build better lives for all the girls who have or should have en- rolled in the Mutual. Under these
LaRue C. Longden
wonderful women and their gifted counselors, the faithful workers in the wards and stakes have implemented the program, adapting it to the needs of individual situations which have existed in their areas.
The YWMIA has spanned the years from the horse and buggy days of November 1869 to the age of the jet airplane in 1956. But fundamentally the purposes have remained stedfast and true, insuring the building of happy lives for those young women who make these purposes their own.
In the early days the YWMIA con-
THE IMPROVEMENT ERA
sisted of one large class, young and old attending and listening to the same presentation. It was not long, however, before the leaders recog- nized that the language and problems of the younger members differed markedly from those of the older folk. Provision was made that, although the same lessons would be used, the younger women might be divided from the older ones and be given the lessons adapted to their language, understanding, and needs. In 1913 the work of the Camp Fire Girl pro- gram was introduced, largely for sum- mer work, for the fourteen and fifteen year old girls, since that was then the age for enrolment in the YWMIA. Although this program proved a good one, it was not quite adaptable to the girls of the Church. In 1914 when the Bee Hive program was adopted, Dr. Luther Gulick, founder and president of the Camp Fire Girls, commended the committee of the YWMIA which had established the Bee Hive department by stating, "In some respects you have I believe struck a truer note" than even his organization. The Bee Hive program started largely as a summer activity program but shortly thereafter was adopted for the entire year's work.
This new department alleviated the situation somewhat, but not enough,
and in 1921 a further department was introduced which had been perfected by Granite Stake. It became the Gleaner department. As the Church has grown, the YWMIA has grown, and today there are divisions for the various age groups, each with its own lessons and with its own indi- vidual activities, as well as general recreation for the entire association. Even as the divisions were made for age groupings (today including Bee Hive, Mia Maid, Junior-Gleaner, Gleaner, and Special Interest), so the activities have been separated from the lesson departments into special committees, including music, drama, dance, speech, and sports. And with these activities came the great impetus of spiritualized recreation which has characterized the MIA and has set its stamp on the organization to make
it differ from commercial recreation or that in non-LDS organizations. No theatrical presentation occurs without first asking for the Lord's spirit to be in attendance; no dance is held without prayer — both before and after; and each Mutual session is con- vened and dismissed with prayer. There is no activity so small that the spirit of the Lord is not invoked to be present; and likewise, no activity is so great that it can dispense with the same spirit.
Each general president has made her particular and peculiar contribu- tion to the work of this auxiliary. And each has met the problems of her day and, with the capable workers in the wards and stakes, offered solu- tions which have made the YWMIA an effective organization for good (Continued on page 842)
OFFICERS AND GENERAL BOARD MEMBERS:
Front row, left to right: Ruth H. Funk, Irma R. Heiss, Gladys D. Wight, Norma P. Anderson, First Counselor Emily H. Bennett, General President Bertha S. Reeder, Second Counselor LaRue C. Longden, Secretary-Treasurer Helena W. Larson, Attendance Secre- tary Helen D. Lingwall, Marba C. Josephson.
Second Row: Jeannette H. Demars, Edna K. Pay, Merle P. Poulson, Hazel A. Snow, Sara D. Yates, Carol H. Cannon, Florence B. Pinnock, Gladys E. Harbertson, Pearl B. Johnson.
Third Row: Hulda Parker, Moana B. Bennett, Rita J. Nash, Caroline E. Miner, Marie Stuart, Margrit F. Lohner, Lorraine Bowman, Kathryn Fairbanks, Violet H. Grix, Dolores G. Merrill.
Fourth Row: Lorna Tayler, Dorothy Jacobson, Virginia H. McDonald, Jane Thompson, Edith F. Shepherd, Joyce Roberts, Betty Killpack, Allie Howe, Joie E. McKean, Grace C. Milner, Alice C. Christensen, Carolyn Dunn, Edna Leaver, Karin 1. Aronson.
Board members absent from picture: Ethel Baker Callis, Velma Harvey, Clela B. Jorgensen, Iva Lou Peterson.
NOVEMBER 1956
805
Arta M. Hale
Leone W. Doxey
LaVern W. Parmley
From a Little Rock Church to the World
THE GROWTH OF THE PRIMARY ASSOCIATION
by LaVern W. Parmley
In March 1878, Sister Aurelia Spen- cer Rogers felt the need for an organization where young Latter- day Saint boys could be taught "everything good and how to be- have." She noticed that many of them were allowed to be out on the streets at night and were learning things that little boys should never learn. Some of them were growing up to^be "hoodlums" rather than good Latter-day Saints and gentlemen. Then Sister Rogers had an idea. It was inspiration from our Heavenly Father, who is always concerned about his children. Sister Rogers asked Sister Eliza R. Snow, "Could there not be an organization for little boys and have them trained to make better men?"
Sister Snow consulted President John Taylor and members of the Council of the Twelve who approved such an organization.
A letter was written to Bishop John Hess of Farmington, Utah, who then asked Sister Rogers to preside over the first Primary in the Church. Up to this point the girls had not been mentioned, but Sister Rogers felt a meeting would not be complete with- out them. Singing was necessary, and it needed the voices of girls as well as of boys. A letter was sent to Sister Snow asking her opinion, and in her
806
answer she wrote: "I feel assured that the inspiration of heaven is direct- ing you, and that a great and very important movement is being in- augurated for the future Zion. We must have the girls as well as the boys. They must be trained to- gether."
Sister Snow suggested the organiza- tion be called "Primary."
On August 11, 1878, Sister Rogers was set apart to preside over the first Primary. The children, 115 boys and 100 girls, were called together in the little rock church for the first time on August 25, 1878.
On June 19, 1880, Sister Louie B. Felt was appointed the first general president of the Primary Association. A sound foundation was laid for teaching lessons in faith, obedience, and devotion to the ways of righteous- ness.
Sister May Anderson followed as general president. Under her super- vision the Primary was divided into ten groups according to ages and given names such as Home Builders, Trail Builders, etc. In 1952, the name for the seven- and eight-year-old groups was changed from Zion's Boys and Girls to the Pilot groups. In 1956 the four-, five-, and six-year-old groups were named Sunbeams, Stars, and Rainbows.
Sister May Green Hinckley was ap- pointed president in January 1940. During her administration the offi- cial seal, theme, and colors were adopted. The seal denotes faith and service. The theme reads, "And they shall also teach their children to pray, and to walk uprightly before the Lord." Red, yellow, and blue are the colors of the Primary. These colors are the foundation colors from which all others are made. In a similar way
THE IMPROVEMENT ERA
the Primary lays a foundation for a testimony of the restored gospel.
Sister Adele Cannon Howells was the fourth general president. Many projects were instigated under her di- rection. Primary workers and chil- dren contributed funds for the mural decoration of the baptismal font room in the Idaho Falls Temple.
A weekly quiz show now called Junior Council was inaugurated. This program is still being televised and is one of the oldest television programs in Salt Lake City.
Various assignments have been given to the Primary Association by the First Presidency.
1. "We approve the recommenda- tion that the Primary Association shall have charge of the conducting or directing of the leisure and recrea- tional activities of the children of the Church from four to eleven years inclusive.
2. "We assign to the Primary Asso- ciation the responsibility of carrying on a weekday religious program for the children of the Church.
3. "We have assigned to the Pri- mary Association of the Church the duty of establishing the Cub Scout program of the Boy Scouts of Amer- ica among the boys in the Church of eligible age, wherever conditions
are regarded as suitable for this pur- pose. The Primary Association will also take from the Young Men's Mu- tual Improvement Association the re- sponsibility for and supervision of the Boy Scout program for eleven-year- olds."
The following excerpts are from a letter written to Primary leaders by President David O. McKay in regard to the scouting assignment:
"May I take this opportunity of ex- pressing my appreciation to Primary leaders for the work accomplished in preparing boys to receive the priest- hood.
"With the addition of scouting we add strength and interest and reach out to include every eleven-year-old boy. I am convinced that participa- tion in this combined program is one of the most helpful experiences a boy can have.
"Most careful attention should be given to the selection of leaders who are spiritually qualified and capable to direct the activities of scouting.
"The instruction of the Church has been, and still is, that scouting for the eleven-year-old boys is a day- time program. Overnight camping trips should not be planned for these boys."
1?rom a humble beginning in the * little rock church in Farmington, Utah, the Primary now reaches all parts of the world. There are 1,988 organized Primaries in the stakes and 1,233 in the missions. The lives of 213,769 children were touched by Primary last year. There is an aver- age weekly attendance of sixty-nine percent of the boys and girls enrolled. There are 8,159 non-member chil- (Concluded on page 842)
GENERAL BOARD OF PRIMARY
First row, left to right: Thelma B. de Jong, Thelma J. Ryser, Delsa P. Stevens, Arta M. Hale, first counselor; LaVern W. Parmley, president; Leone W. Doxey, second counselor; Helen Beth Henrichsen, secretary; Norma F. Knight, Eileen R. Dunyon, Mary P. Parrish.
Second row, left to right: Hermana F. Lyon, Lucy C. Dutson, Alta Miller, Lue Groes- beck, Lucelle R. Taylor, Myrl W. Hamilton, Amy M. Casto, Bertha B. Proctor, Vauna S. Jacobsen, Phyllis H. Shorten, Naomi W. Randall, Norma O. Nichols.
Third row, left to right: Lucille A. Douglas, Sarah L. Johnson, Regena J. Anderson, Tessie G. Post, Fern F. Whipple, Kathryn S. Gilbert, Edna M. Faux, Minnie B. Sorensen, Bernice Einzinger, Catharine A. Rich, June Carlisle.
Fourth row, left to right: Helen B. Evans, Ada B. Maxfield, Beth S. Davey, Ada S. Van Dam, Blanch D. Sundberg, Edith S. Patrick, Olga C. Brown, Clara W. McMaster, Sybil W. Hansen, Johanna V. Sharnborg, Ardella R. Lowry, Zina C. Brockbank, Orpha S. Boyden.
NOVEMBER 1956
807
Joseph Fielding Smith PRESIDENT
Mark E. Petersen VICE-PRESIDENT
Archibald F. Bennett SECRETARY
The Genealogical Society
by Mark E. Petersen
OF THE COUNCIL OF THE TWELVE
The Church is progressive and forward looking. This is one of the reasons for its amazing growth throughout the world.
One of its most modern develop- ments is the work of the Genealogical Society which has kept abreast of the times in such a manner as to provide for the Latter-day Saints a remark- able means of searching out the rec- ords of their dead in preparation for temple work.
There is hardly a member of the Church from America or Europe whose ancestry may not be traced with considerable success through the facilities of the Genealogical Society. Its records have been obtained in microfilm or book form from virtually every Caucasian nation and today are available for research in Salt Lake City.
Whereas in the past many were obliged to visit Europe and there search the records of their own fami- lies, now they need but contact the library and archives of The Gene- alogical Society of the Church. There they may see in photographic form the very records on which their fam- ily names were kept in foreign lands and may study and transcribe them. The most modern devices are avail- able to help them do so.
As is the case with other activities of the Church, the work of this so-
808
ciety today is in great contrast to its humble beginning. But the begin- ning of the society was a wise one; the work was directed by inspired leaders; and upon the foundation which they laid with such remark- able foresight the structure of today has been built.
Under the name of The Gene- alogical Society of Utah the organiza- tion was formed in November 1894 through the sponsorship of the First Presidency of the Church. A few brethren vitally interested in gene- alogical research and temple work met in the old Historian's Office at 60 South Temple Street in Salt Lake City and formed the society with their objective stated as follows:
"We the undersigned members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter- day Saints do hereby associate our- selves together in an organization to be known by the name and style of The Genealogical Society of Utah, the purposes of which are benevolent in collecting, compiling, establishing, and maintaining a genealogical li- brary for the use and benefit of its members and others; educational in disseminating information regarding genealogical matters; religious in ac- quiring records of deceased persons in connection with ordinances of the religion of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, as that religion is understood
in the doctrines and discipline of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and set forth in the revelations of God; said association to be con- ducted in harmony with the rules and order of said Church."
The society was incorporated on November 21, 1894, with a fifty-year corporate charter.
At the end of the fifty years, the society was re-incorporated under a changed title: "The Genealogical So- ciety of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints."
The first president of the society was Elder Franklin D. Richards, Church Historian. His great en- couragement and foresight were large- ly responsible for the early success of the organization. It was he who tendered the upper room of the his- torian's office for the use of the so- ciety, and he made some of the first gifts of books which formed the nucleus for a genealogical library. President Anthon H. Lund, also Church Historian and Recorder, was appointed to the position of president of the society upon the death of Elder Richards in 1899. He in turn was succeeded by President Charles W. Penrose in 1921, by President Anthony W. Ivins in 1925, and by Elder Joseph Fielding Smith of the Council of Twelve, Church Historian and Recorder, in 1934.
THE IMPROVEMENT ERA
A. William Lund
James M. Kirkham
DIRECTORS
L. Garrett Myers
EIRay L. Christiansen
President Joseph Fielding Smith has been associated with the society in an official way for over fifty years. He has served as librarian, secretary, treasurer, director, vice president, chairman of the executive board, and first editor of the Utah Genealogical and Historical Magazine.
Speaking in a genealogical meeting in the Assembly Hall in 1910, Presi- dent Francis M. Lyman of the Coun- cil of the Twelve urged the Saints to pay great attention to preserving the present-day records of their so- ciety, and predicted that the day would come when the society would be one of the greatest and most power- ful organizations in the Church. It is that today.
The library was commenced with about one hundred volumes which consisted primarily of genealogies and pedigrees of English families. How- ever, by April 11, 1899, the library had 388 books, and since that date the number of volumes has steadily increased into many thousands. Un- til 1938 the records of the society consisted of printed books and manu- scripts.
The Genealogical Society began the use of microfilm in 1938. Since that time the microfilm work has become one of the great factors in the progress of the society. It has gone on to the point where now the society has. available in film to be placed on reading machines 210,281,238 pages of records. Photographers have visited Sweden, Great Britain, including Ire- land, Scotland, Wales, and the Isle of Man; Denmark, Finland, the Netherlands, Germany, Mexico, Nor- way, Switzerland, Iceland, Canada, France, Italy, and other countries.
NOVEMBER 1956
In addition to that, much micro- filming of vital records has been done here in the United States. It has been completed in Connecticut, Dela- ware, Maryland, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Rhode Island, Ten- nessee, Vermont, and Virginia, and is still being carried on in Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Kentucky, Maine, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Penn- sylvania, South Carolina, and Utah.
Where the society has not sent its own photographers, it has purchased microfilms from other organizations in virtually all of the states of the American Union. The census rec- ords of the United States for 1830, 1840, 1850, 1860 are in possession of the society and are generally com- plete for all of the states of the Union. Part of the 1870 census is also in the library. In addition to all of these films, many thousands of other books are available.
It should be mentioned that one of the most fruitful departments for research is the archive section, where at the present time about 3,000,000 family group sheets are accessible. The daily growth in this department is approximately 1,000 sheets. About 3,500 cards are sent to the index bureau every day for filing. Facilities for the public have been so increased in the archives that there are now spaces for 48 people to work at desks in that one department alone. There are about 450 binders given out every day for the use of patrons.
rPHE Church Genealogical Society provides for the Saints a remark- able service in research activity. At
the present time, there are nearly 6,000 active research accounts being handled by the society. Twenty- seven researchers are steadily en- gaged performing work in Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Holland, England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, Germany, Switzerland, Finland, the United States, Iceland, Canada, and France. Among the researchers the following languages are spoken: Swedish, Nor- wegian, Danish, Icelandic, Dutch, German, French, Italian, Spanish, and medieval and ancient Latin.
Genealogical conventions are held in every stake of the Church once a year as a means of teaching the stake and ward genealogical committee how to assist the members of the wards in performing their research work, preparing their genealogical records, and beginning their temple work.
Textbooks have been provided for study classes in the wards. Lesson courses have been given in connec- tion with the Brigham Young Uni- versity, and some genealogical in- struction has been given by radio to many people who have followed the programs given over the air.
The present officers of The Gene- alogical Society of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are as follows:
Joseph Fielding Smith, president and treasurer; Mark E. Petersen, vice president; Archibald F. Bennett, sec- retary; L. Garrett Myers, general su- perintendent; with other members of the board being: A. William Lund, James M. Kirkham, and El Ray L. Christiansen.
809
Henry D. Moyle
CHAIRMAN
Harold B. Lee
MANAGING DIRECTOR
Marion G. Romney
ASST. MANAGING DIRECTOR
Paul C. Child
Welfare in the Church
by Alfred W. Uhrhan
SECRETARY, GEN'L CHURCH WELFARE FINANCE COMMITTEE
The underlying principles of the Church Welfare Program of the Church of Jesus Christ of Lat- ter-day Saints have been a part of the gospel since the beginning. "In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground. ..." (Genesis 3:19.) In these words the Lord gave to Adam and Eve as they left the Garden of Eden the economic law of independent self- reliance under which men were to live out their lives upon the earth.
"But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel." (I Tim. 5:8.) In these words the Apostle Paul outlined the responsibility of each family head for the care of his own. The fifth commandment (Exo- dus 20:12) further expands this re- sponsibility: "Honour thy father and thy mother. . . ."
"If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me." (Matthew 19:21.) The Master here outlined the general responsibility we have for the poor. In the Doctrine and Covenants the Lord continues, "And behold, thou wilt remember the poor. . . .
"And inasmuch as ye impart of your substance unto the poor, ye will do it unto me; . . .
810
"Behold, I say unto you, that ye must visit the poor and the needy and administer to their relief. . . ." (D & C 42:30-31; 44:6.)
And thus, whenever the true Church of Jesus Christ has been upon the earth, it has presented a program to care for the economic welfare of its membership.
Tn 1936 President Heber J. Grant •*- was inspired to inaugurate the program we now know as the Church welfare plan.
"Our primary purpose," said the First Presidency, "was to set up in- sofar as it might be possible, a system under which the curse of idleness would be done away with, the evils of a dole abolished, and independence, industry, thrift and self-respect be once more established amongst our people. The aim of the Church is to help the people to help themselves. Work is to be re-enthroned as a rul- ing principle in the lives of our Church membership."
To carry out the detailed adminis- trative work of such a comprehensive program, the First Presidency organ- ized a general Church welfare com- mittee to assist the General Authori- ties in the work of co-ordinating and supervising the labors of the regu- larly established Chuch organizations. Originally this was a five-man com- mittee consisting of Elders Melvin
J. Ballard, Harold B. Lee, Mark Aus- tin, Stringam A. Stevens, and Camp- bell M. Brown. The Church itself was organized into thirteen regions. Regional, stake, and ward welfare committees were organized, and the Church began the tremendous task of taking Church members from pub- lic relief rolls. The goals were to provide these members with work within the program on Church-spon- sored projects, supply food and cloth- ing through bishops' storehouses and cash needs through the fast offering fund, and ultimately rehabilitate these people in self-sustaining em- ployment in private enterprise.
About six weeks after the an- nouncement of the welfare plan in April 1936, remarkable progress be- came apparent in the announcement that 212 farm, industrial, canning, and sewing projects had been estab- lished. An additional 238 projects were ready to start within another few weeks. Fourteen hundred eighty- seven acres had been planted to gar- den crops. Great emphasis was placed upon the monthly fast. Two meals were to be abstained from the first Sunday of each month, and the money saved thereby was to be turned into the Church as a fast offering to provide for the cash needs of the welfare plan.
The newly appointed general Church welfare committee had made
THE IMPROVEMENT ERA
Mark B. Garff
Leonard E. Adams
J. Leonard Love
Walter Stover
William T. Lawrence
Lorenzo H. Hatch
Walter Dansie
LeRoy A. Wirthlin
great progress in effecting the wel- fare plan organization at regional, stake, and ward levels and many employable members were already being placed in permanent remunera- tive employment, with complete eco- nomic rehabilitation in sight.
/~\ne of the work projects of this ^ early period was the construction of the main building now located on Welfare Square. Ground was broken for this project in June 1936. Wel- fare workers salvaged from the dem- olition of a building in downtown Salt Lake City, 1,500,000 common pressed bricks, 250,000 feet of lum- ber, 40,000 feet of flooring, and large quantities of glass, doors, electrical wire and plumbing. Nearly all of the work on this tremendous build- ing project was either contributed or accomplished by men receiving as- sistance from the welfare plan.
In August 1938, the Church wel- fare plan adopted the now famous Deseret Industries program which
NOVEMBER 1956
over the years has put hundreds of people to work at productive labor, taught many people new skills, and channeled hundreds of Church mem- bers who would otherwise have been unemployed into private industry, where they have become self-support- ing. Deseret Industries now has three major processing plants and many retail stores. Members of the Church and others have given this program excellent co-operation over the years — turning in used clothing, furniture, and appliances so that these items could be repaired or rebuilt for sale or use in the bishop's storehouse pro- gram and provide employment for hundreds of workers.
In 1937 the Deseret Clothing Fac- tory was established for the purpose of manufacturing LDS garments and providing additional opportunities for many of our people who were unem- ployed. This factory now provides the welfare plan with all LDS gar- ments needed and with many other knit goods in addition to manufactur-
ing LDS garments for sale to Church members.
In February 1940 construction be- gan on the huge grain elevators at Welfare Square. This was a marvel- ous testimony to the inspiration of the welfare plan and the effectiveness of its organization. The elevators were built by using moving forms so that one could literally see the build- ing grow. Men and equipment were available around the clock for eight and one-half days until the project was completed — a monument to co- operation and to faith and devotion to an inspired program. The tower rises 240 feet from the ground level, and the bins provide space for 318,000 bushels of grain.
The program moved very early to provide its own facilities to can and process foods required by needy Church members. In March 1940, a committee of experts was called to contribute of their time and knowl- edge to supervise these activities. At (Continued on page 852)
811
Richard L. Evans COMMENTATOR
J. Spencer Cornwall CONDUCTOR
Richard P. Condie ASST. CONDUCTOR
Lester F. Hewlett PRESIDENT
The Tabernacle Choir
1848
1849 1854 1856 1862 1865 1867
1869 1870
1873 1875
1880 1882
1889 1893
1896
1896 1902
812
On October 8 the choir sang at the general con- ference of the Church held in the Bowery. (Journal History of the Church.) The nucleus of this choir came across the plains in an organ- ized form in 1847 with the first pioneer com- panies. (See Col. Kane's Diary.) John Parry was appointed director of choir. Stephen Goddard was appointed director. James Smithies was director. Charles John Thomas was director. Robert Sands was director.
Organ sufficiently completed to use for October general conference in present Tabernacle. The choir sang at. this conference, accompanied by the organ.
George Careless director until 1880. Membership of choir increased to one hundred voices by Director George Careless and became known as Salt Lake Tabernacle choir. First public appearance of choir in concert out- side of Church services on July 4. Choir participated with others in a performance of The Messiah (June). Beginning of oratorio presentation in Salt Lake City. Ebenezer Beesley was appointed director. Choir gave a concert for the benefit of Deseret Hospital.
Evan Stephens appointed director. Choir left Salt Lake City for the Columbian Exr position at Chicago, where they took second prize. Gave concerts en route. Evan Stephens, director. Choir toured northern California cities, giving concerts at Oakland, April 14; San Francisco, April 15, 16, 17, 18, and a sacred concert Sunday, April 19; San Jose, April 20; Sacramento, April 21. (Locations: Oakland, Congregational Church; San Francisco, Metropolitan Hall; San Jose, Audi- torium; Sacramento, Congregational Church.) (August) Went to Denver Eisteddfod.- Toured California cities, giving concerts in San Francisco, Sacramento, Palo Alto.
1908 (Approximately) to 1938 David A. Smith served as choir president.
1909 Toured Northwest, giving concerts in La Grande, Oregon, and Seattle, Washington.
1911 Choir was engaged to sing at Madison Square Garden in New York City for two appearances daily for ten days, November 3 to 12. Left Salt Lake City October 23, returned November 26, having traveled 5,500 miles and sung fifty concerts, including one at the White House for President and Mrs. William Howard Taft.
1916 Anthony C. Lund appointed director.
1924 Alexander Schreiner became Tabernacle organist April 8, 1924. Frank W. Asper also was appointed Tabernacle organist April 27, 1924. (Other organ- ists and assistants during the long history of the choir have included Joseph J. Daynes, John J. McClellan, Edward P. Kimball, Tracy Y. Cannon, and others.)
1926 Choir traveled to San Francisco, Sacramento, Oak- land, south to Los Angeles, giving a concert in
The Salt Lake Tabernacle Choir
THE IMPROVEMENT ERA
Alexander Schreiner ORGANIST
Frank W. Asper ORGANIST
the Hollywood Bowl, and at San Diego, then traveled to Pomona, and back to San Francisco.
1929 First radio broadcast Monday afternoon, July 15, 1929. Anthony C. Lund directed the first broad- cast; Edward P. Kimball was the organist; and 1938 Ted Kimball announced the program, succeeded
by Roscoe Grover and others.
1930 Richard L. Evans became commentator on the lQ3g Tabernacle choir broadcast in June.
1932 In August 1932, when KSL became a 50,000 watt /930 outlet and joined the Columbia network, it was decided that the broadcast would go with the JQ3Q station and become a CBS feature.
1934 At the invitation of Henry Ford, the choir pre- 1940 sented a series of concerts for one week, Septem- ber 10 to 16 at the Century of Progress Exposition, Chicago. Concerts were given twice daily. Choir
also gave a concert at Denver en route home.
1935 Choir gave fourteen concerts at the California- Pacific International Exposition at San Diego on invitation of the Ford Motor Company, and also gave a concert at Iriglewood Bowl. J. Spencer Cornwall, present director, was appointed. 1941
1936 Choir sang with the Philadelphia Symphony Or- chestra under the direction of Leopold Stokowski, May 5, Salt Lake Tabernacle.
1937 Regular Sunday program broadcasted from the
Roy M. Darley ASS'T. ORGANIST
base of the Great White Throne, Zion National Park, on Memorial Day, May 30. Guests of the Union Pacific Railroad. It snowed in the park that day.
As a feature of the October conference, dramatized performance of Elijah with Mr. Rollin Pease, baritone.
Lester F. Hewlett became president of Tabernacle choir February 26.
Choir appeared in concert at Sun Valley as guests of the Union Pacific Railroad. Elijah again presented at October conference in dramatic form.
Music of the Tabernacle choir and organ was fea- tured, along with Leopold Stokowski and the Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra, Paul Robeson, baritone, and Walter Armitage, in a demonstra- tion of stereophonic reproduction of sound, pre- sented by the Bell Telephone Laboratories at Carnegie Hall, New York City. The music had been recorded at Salt Lake City by Dr. Harvey Fletcher.
Dramatized version of St. Paul (Mendelssohn) presented as a feature of the April general con- ference. Concerts in the Hollywood Bowl August 20, and San Francisco Civic Auditorium August 21.
(Concluded on page 861)
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NOVEMBER 1956
813
The Music Committee
by Tracy Y. Cannon
EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN
Three months after the organiza- tion of the Church a revelation was given through Joseph Smith directing Emma Smith to
. . . make a selection of sacred hymns, as it shall be given thee, which is pleasing unto me, to be had in my church;
For my soul delighteth in the song of the heart; yea, the song of the righteous is a prayer unto me, and it shall be answered with a blessing upon their heads. (D & C 25:11-12.)
According to this revelation a selec- tion of hymns was made and pub- lished in Kirtland, in 1835. From that time on music has been an important part of our Church program.
Realizing the need of direction in developing the music potential of the Church and keeping it in harmony with the principles of the restored gospel, the First Presidency organized the general music committee, with Elder Melvin J. Ballard as chairman and the following members: Anthony C. Lund, B. Cecil Gates, John J. McClellan, Edward P. Kimball, Tracy
Y. Cannon, Evan Stephens, George D. Pyper, Horace G. Whitney, Lizzie Thomas Edwards, Joseph Ballantyne, Margaret Summerhays, and Jane R. Crawford.
At the first meeting of this com- mittee, held September 28, 1920, the following excerpt from a letter from the First Presidency was read:
Trusting you will have great success in developing the music forces of the Church and in carrying forward the organization of music committees in the wards and stakes as contemplated, we are, your brethren,
Heber J. Grant Anthon H. Lund Charles W. Penrose
After the death of Elder Ballard, the writer of this article was ap- pointed chairman of the general music committee, and he has served as chairman and then as executive chairman to the present time, with Elders Harold B. Lee, Spencer W. Kimball, and Mark E. Petersen of the Council of Twelve as advisers:
Tracy Y. Cannon
Frank W. Asper, J. Spencer Cornwall, N. Lorenzo Mitchell, Alexander Schreiner, and Leroy J. Robertson as members of the executive commit- tee; and as members at large, one representative from each of the aux- iliary general boards. Carol H. Can- non is secretary of the committee, and William M. Foxley is the com- mittee's fixed representative.
In carrying forward its assignment to develop the music forces of the Church, the general music committee set up the following objectives: (1) correlation of the music program of the Church, (2) advancement of con- gregational singing, (3) recommenda- (Continued on page 854)
GENERAL MUSIC COMMITTEE
Left to right: J. Spen- cer Cornwall, Alexander Schreiner, Carol H. Can- non, LeRoy J. Robertson, Frank W. Asper, and Les- ter F. Hewlett. Seated, Tracy Y. Cannon.
814
THE IMPROVEMENT ERA
Profiles
of the General Authorities
of the Church
THE FIRST PRESIDENCY
DAVID OMAN McKAY, born September
8, 1873, at Huntsville, Utah. Missions: Great Britain (Scotland), August 1897-Sep- tember 1899; president, European Mission, November 1922 to December 1924. Sus- tained as a member of the Council of the Twelve, April 8, 1906; ordained an apostle April 9, 1906, by President Joseph F. Smith. Appointed to the general board of the Deseret Sunday School Union, 1906; sus- tained as second assistant superintendent of the Deseret Sunday School Union, Octo- ber 6, 1906; sustained as first assistant super- intendent in the Deseret Sunday School Union, April 4, 1909; sustained as general superintendent, Deseret Sunday School Union, November 27, 1918. Sustained as Second Counselor in the First Presidency October 6, 1934, and set apart October 11, 1934, by President Heber J. Grant; sustained as Second Counselor in the First Presidency May 21, 1945, and set apart that day by President George Albert Smith. Sustained as President of the Church April 9, 1951, and set apart April 12, 1951, by the Council of the Twelve, President Joseph Fielding Smith being voice. President McKay dedi- cated the Swiss Temple September 11, 1955, and the Los Angeles Temple, March 11, 1956.
STEPHEN L RICHARDS, born June 18, 1879, at Mendon, Utah. Member, general board of Deseret Sunday School Union, 1906; sustained as second assistant general superintendent, Deseret Sunday School Union, April 4, 1909; ordained an apostle by President Joseph F. Smith, January 17, 1917; sustained first assistant general super- intendent of the Deseret Sunday School Union November 27, 1918; sustained as First Counselor in the First Presidency April
9, 1951; set apart April 12, 1951, by Presi- dent David O. McKay.
JOSHUA REUBEN CLARK, JR., born September 1, 1871, at Grantsville, Utah. Sus- tained as Second Counselor in the First Presidency April 6, 1933, and set apart April 7, 1933, by President Heber J. Grant. Sustained a member of the Council of the Twelve, and then First Counselor in the First Presidency, October 6, 1934; ordained an apostle and set apart as First Counselor October 11, 1934, by President Heber J. Grant. Sustained as First Counselor in the First Presidency May 21, 1945, and set apart that day by President George Albert Smith. Sustained as Second Counselor in the First Presidency April 9, 1951, and set apart April 12, 1951, by President David O. McKay.
THE COUNCIL OF THE TWELVE
JOSEPH FIELDING SMITH, born July 19, 1876, at Salt Lake City. Mission: May 1899-June 1901, Great Britain; 1901-10, home missionary, Salt Lake Stake; member YMMIA general board, 1903-1909; appointed secretary and director, Genealogical Society, 1907; assistant Church historian, April 1906; appointed to general board of Religion Classes, 1909. Sustained as a member of the Council of the Twelve April 6, 1910; ordained an apostle, April 7, 1910, by Presi- dent Joseph F. Smith. Sustained as Church historian, 1921. President of Genealogical Society, 1934; president of Salt Lake Temple, June 1945-51; sustained as President of the
NOVEMBER 1956
Council of the Twelve April 9, 1951; set apart April 12, 1951, by President David O. McKay.
HAROLD BINGHAM LEE, born March 28, 1899, at Clifton, Idaho. Mission: West- ern States, November 1920-December 1922; president Pioneer (Salt Lake City) Stake, October 1930; managing director of Church welfare program since January 1937; sus- tained as a member of the Council of the Twelve April 6, 1941; ordained an apostle, April 10, 1941, by President Heber J. Grant.
SPENCER WOOLLEY KIMBALL, born March 28, 1895, at Salt Lake City, Utah. Mission: Central States, October 1914 to January 1917. President Mt. Graham (Ari- zona) Stake, February 1938; sustained as a member of the Council of the Twelve Octo- ber 1, 1943; ordained an apostle, October 7, 1943, by President Heber J. Grant.
EZRA TAFT BENSON, born August 4, 1899, Whitney, Idaho. Mission: Great Britain, July 15, 1921, to November 2, 1923; president of European Mission, February 1946 to December 1946; president Boise Stake, December 27, 1938; president Wash- ington (D. C.) Stake, June 30, 1940; sus- tained as a member of the Council of the Twelve October 1, 1943; ordained an apostle, October 7, 1943, by President Heber J. Grant.
MARK EDWARD PETERSEN, born No- vember 7, 1900, at Salt Lake City, Utah. Mission: Canada, January 13, 1920, to July 7, 1922; director, Genealogical Society, Octo- ber 9, 1934; member, general board, Sunday School, 1943. Sustained as a member of the Council of the Twelve April 6, 1944; ordained an apostle, April 20, 1944, by President Heber J. Grant. Vice President Genealogical Society, December 9, 1953.
HENRY DINWOODEY MOYLE, born April 22, 1889, at Salt Lake City, Utah. Mission to Switzerland and Germany, 1909 to 1912; president of Cottonwood (Utah) Stake, November 21, 1927; chairman, Church welfare program December 1937. Sustained as a member of the Council of the Twelve, April 1947, ordained an apostle by Presi- dent George Albert Smith, April 10, 1947.
DELBERT LEON STAPLEY, born Decem- ber 11, 1896, at Mesa, Arizona. Mission: Southern States, April 9, 1915, to July 4, 1917. President Phoenix (Arizona) Stake December 7, 1941; chairman Arizona region Church welfare. Sustained as member of the Council of the Twelve October 1950; ordained an apostle, October 5, 1950, by President George Albert Smith.
MARION GEORGE ROMNEY, born Sep- tember 19, 1897, at Colonia Juarez, Chihua- hua, Mexico. Mission: Austraila, 1920-1923; bishop, Salt Lake City Thirty-third Ward, 1935-38; president of Bonneville (Salt Lake City) Stake, 1938; sustained as an Assistant to the Council of the Twelve, April 6, 1941; set apart, May 21, 1941, by Heber J. Grant; assistant managing director of Church wel- fare plan; sustained as a member of the Council of the Twelve October 6, 1951; or- dained an apostle, October 11, 1951, by President David O. McKay.
LeGRAND RICHARDS, born February 6, 1886, at Farmington, Utah. Missions: Netherlands Mission, April 15, 1905, to
February 12, 1908; president, Netherlands Mission, set apart November 7, 1913, re- turned July 10, 1916; president, Eastern States Mission (short-term), January 1926 to July 1926; president, Southern States Mis- sion, set apart December 29, 1933, returned June 23, 1937. Bishop, Sugarhouse Ward (Salt Lake City), June 1919; bishop of Glendale (California) Ward, July 1930; president Hollywood (California) Stake, April 1931. Sustained as Presiding Bishop, April 6, 1938; set apart April 14, 1938, by President Heber J. Grant. Sustained as a member of the Council of the Twelve, April 6, 1952. Ordained an apostle, April 10, 1952, by President David O. McKay.
ADAM SAMUEL BENNION, born Decem- ber 2, 1886, Taylorsville, Utah. No formal mission call but active in New York 1911- 12, Chicago 1916, Berkeley 1922-23. Mem- ber, general board of Sunday Schools, 1915- 1953; superintendent of Church schools, 1919-27; sustained member of the Council of the Twelve, April 6, 1953; ordained an apostle, April 9, 1953, by President David O. McKay.
RICHARD LOUIS EVANS, born March 23,
1906, at Salt Lake City. Mission: British and European; departed November 5, 1926, returned September 1, 1929. Has served as "radio voice" of the Crossroads of the West (Salt Lake Tabernacle choir and organ program) since June 1930. Member YMMIA general board, April 1935-1948; sustained as a member of the First Council of the Seventy October 7, 1938, and set apart, October 13, 1938, by President Heber J. Grant; director, Bureau of Information on Temple Square, 1947. Sustained as a member of the Coun- cil of the Twelve October 4, 1953; ordained an apostle, October 8, 1953, by President David O. McKay.
GEORGE QUAYLE MORRIS, born Febru- ary 20, 1874, at Salt Lake City. Missions: British, 1899-1902; president, Eastern States, 1948-1952. Bishop, Salt Lake City Four- teenth Ward, 1914-24, member YMMIA general board, 1924-48; YMMIA general superintendent October 1937-October 1948. Sustained as Assistant to the Council of the Twelve October 5, 1951; set apart, October 24, 1951, by President David O. McKay. Sustained as a member of the Council of the Twelve April 6, 1954; or- dained an apostle, April 8, 1954, by Presi- dent David O. McKay.
PATRIARCH TO THE CHURCH
ELDRED GEE SMITH, born January 9,
1907, at Lehi, Utah. Mission: German, October 1926-June 1929. Stake mission, Liberty (Salt Lake City) Stake. Bishop, Salt Lake City Twentieth Ward and later Salt Lake City North Twentieth Ward; sus- tained as Patriarch to the Church April 6, 1947; ordained and set apart April 10, 1947, by President George Albert Smith.
ASSISTANTS TO THE COUNCIL OF THE TWELVE
THOMAS EVANS McKAY, born October 29, 1875, at Huntsville, Utah. Missions: Great Britain (but once in Europe he was reassigned to labor with the German peo- ple) August 1900-September 1903; Swiss- German, January 1909-1911; president Swiss- German Mission, July 1937-April 1940. * (Continued on page 878)
815
The road had been long for Mary. But now at last she and her hus- band Joseph were nearing their destination — the little town of Bethle- hem, high in the Judean hills. From their home in Nazareth of Galilee, about 87 miles to the north, they had come because of an order of the Roman emperor, Caesar Augustus, "that all the world should be taxed."1 It may seem strange to us that a carpenter from a village in the north- ern part of this country of Palestine should be required to travel so far to meet this obligation, but such was the Roman decree. Following Jewish custom, each individual was to go "into his own city," or the place where his family originated. His- torians generally agree that this "tax- ing" was a registration or "signing
XA11 the quotations in this article are from Luke, Chapters 1 and 2, and from Matthew, Chapter 1.
816
— From a painting by Carlo Maratta
up" for the purpose of future taxa- tion. The ancestors of both Joseph and Mary lived in Bethlehem. Both of them were descendants of the great king David.
The long journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem in those days was hard enough for a person in good condi- tion to travel. But for a young woman who was about to become a mother, it must have been difficult indeed. Ordinarily the trip would have taken three or four long days, but Mary and Joseph probably moved more slowly than the other journeyers. Traveling by those of humble circum- stances was nearly always by foot, although donkeys were owned by some of the more fortunate. Camels and horses were in wide use by armies and by men of means, but it is not likely that the carpenter of Nazareth
the
Christ
Child
is
Born!
by Doyle L. Green
MANAGING EDITOR
could have afforded such a great luxury for his young wife.
This road from Galilee to Judea was crowded with memories for Mary. She had made a similar trip about nine months before to visit her cousin, Elisabeth. The great secret that Mary carried in her heart then was almost more than she could contain. And how happy she was when she reached her cousin's house and told her the wondrous news!
How could it be that she, a hum- ble Jewish girl, was favored above all the other women who had ever lived upon the earth? She, Mary, was to be the mother of the Son of God! True, the Jews had long expected the coming of a great king and prophet among them, and Jewish girls were taught that they should live so as to be worthy to be the mother of the THE IMPROVEMENT ERA
MIA READING COURSE: JESUS THE CHRIST-V
Messiah. Prophets had also said that he would be a descendant of David, as was Mary. In spite of all this it still did not seem possible that she really could be the chosen one.
She was probably very young, per- haps still in her teens. And she was from a family of humble circum- stances, living in an obscure village. Their home, if typical of the country and times, was a low, square building divided into two sections — one side for the family and the other for the cattle.
But it was true: the angel Gabriel himself had come to her with glorious news, saying, "Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women."
Naturally Mary was startled and perhaps even frightened by the ap- pearance of this messenger, and she must have marveled at his words. To put her at ease the angel said: "Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God."
Then came the wondrous an- nouncement: "And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus.
"He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:
"And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end."
Now although Mary was "es- poused" to Joseph, or in other words had taken vows to be his wife, still she was not married. How, she asked the angel, could this thing be.
Answering, the angel said: "The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing that shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God."
Then Gabriel told Mary that her cousin Elisabeth was also going to
have a son. This in itself was a miraculous thing.
Elisabeth had been married for many years and had never borne a child, and now she was "old," past the time when women give birth to children. The angel reminded the wondering Mary that with God noth- ing is impossible.
The angel awaited a response from the maiden. She surely knew that there would be problems and com- plications. Faithfulness to one's betrothed was a strict requirement. Unfaithfulness was sometimes pun- ishable by death.
Mary's answer placed her complete- ly in God's hands. With unwavering faith and devotion she said, sim- ply, "Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word."
With this great secret in her heart she hastened to visit her cousin. Just where in Judea Elisabeth and her hus- band, Zacharias, lived we do not know, although many suppose it was (Continued on page 834)
"THE ARRIVAL OF THE SHEPHERDS" by Henry LeRolle
"And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn." (Luke 2:7.)
*£!*£&
817
There Were Jaredrfes
by Dr. Hugh Nibley
BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY
"OUR OWN PEOPLE"
Of all the epic cultures the three friends considered in their long book-filled discussions, the most involved and interesting were those having to do with our own ancestors. True, their records do not go back to the third and fourth millennia B.C.; yet they are closely related in race and language to people whose records do go back that far; for example, the Hittites and Hurrians seem to be most closely related to the Celts, whose truly epic civilization and heroic lit- erature Chadwick has examined at length.
That scholar, however, is interested in giving us only the evidence found in the Celtic writings; a thousand years earlier classical writers describe the same Celtic heroic culture in far more clear and objective terms. One needs only recall the once familiar pictures from Caesar's Gallic Wars: Here we find great nations on the move, princely messengers of great houses constantly coming and going with propositions and challenges; be- trayals, plots, coalitions, and conjura- tions are the order of the c^ay; vast masses of humanity with all their furniture and arms piled on lumber- ing wagons pour through the passes of the mountains and inundate the plains.
For the classical writers the Celts are the people who are constantly moving about in their painted wag- ons. In prehistoric times the Latin language borrowed from the Celts a vocabulary "drawn chiefly from the following semantic categories: riding, driving, warfare, clothing, and social hierarchy: common Roman words for serf, and our own word ambassador (Ger. Amt: official office) are taken from the Celts."1 It was strictly a heroic vocabulary. The greatest of all Celtic heroes, King Arthur, built up his body of knightly followers by gifts and grants, and "was so prodigal of his bounties that he began to run short of things to distribute among the huge multitude of knights that came to him."2
818
At least a century before Arthur, a classical writer recounts an ancient tale of how one hero rode among all the tribes of Gaul scattering gifts with such lavish hand that people followed his wagon everywhere and elected him king of all the tribes.3 Since generosity had to unite with prowess in war and noble blood to make kings, it is not surprising that the Celtic mythological cycles are full of hor- rible deeds of bloodshed and intrigues among the great houses. The most interesting thing about these cycles is the way each great house or nation is completely exterminated — with the exception of one survivor — by the next great house or nation, and so on. One of these lone survivors wandered through the world for fifty years, liv- ing on memories, "as in a fever dream."4 These wars of extermina- tion were carried out with ritual formality.
Thus when the Tuatha De Danaan refused to halve all Ireland with the Fir Bolg, their hero formally chal- lenged the strongest of the Fir Bolg to meet him in single combat, while the two armies met at Mag Tured and agreed to spend one hundred days preparing for battle. For the battle "it was agreed that there should be no general engagement but that an equal number of warriors should go out and fight each day!"5 Among all the Celts we meet the story of the two brothers who fight a duel in which the winner becomes sole ruler of the land. The king-hero of the Celts is a "curious mixture of cruelty and paternity."6
A good king would "do what the men of Byrgwin held best, giving of food and drink to everyone who came . . ." while a bad king "makes a progress Vound Ireland, demanding the wives and treasures of his hosts," who are honor bound to receive him since, like Arthur's knights, they have all taken mighty oaths to the king.7 We have the picture from Joinville of St. Louis as king, going about from place to place in royal progress and sitting under the oak, at which time anyone could approach
him as he righted wrongs and chastened the wicked.8 As in other heroic societies, the queen was in- dependent and had her own palace, which exactly paralleled the king's in all its appointments and arrange- ments.9
In numerous legends that tell how successive waves of invaders come to the islands, the invaders are always described as coming from the Great Plain to the East, the Land of the Living, and laying oppressive tribute on the inhabitants of the lands — the descendants of earlier invaders, de- manding a tribute of everything in- cluding children, to be paid on the night of Samhain feast: two-thirds of all their produce had to be carried yearly to Mag Cetne, the great shrine at the exact center of the earth."10 The king "gave privilege of refuge, i.e., sanctuary, to the roads . . . lead- ing to the cities and temples," and especially to the royal person, as in Persia.11 In legend the royal estab- lishment is described as a great and fabulous tower that has contact with the other world.1- The great Merlin describes the taking over of the land in terms that might have been taken right out of the Pyramid Texts, when he tells how under "the favor of the Thunderer . . . the seats of the blessed shall be renewed throughout the lands, and shepherds shall be set in places befitting."13
It all seems to be right out of the Egyptian or Babylonian epics, and indeed scholars have long since and often pointed out the extremely close resemblances between the Celtic epic literature, especially the Grail saga, and the Babylonian and Egyptian legends and rituals.14
W/ho AS A child has not stood be- " tween two mirrors and seen his image repeated with perfect accuracy but diminishing brightness into green and mysterious depths where "noth- ing is but what is not"? The eerie and disturbing quality of such an experience is the nearest thing to what one feels in reading the Germanic epics and the Norse sagas. Most
THE IMPROVEMENT ERA
sagas of the North must be inter- preted on a number of different time levels at once. The minstrels of what the Germans call the "High" Mid- dle Ages, themselves living in the completely heroic world of courts and camps, sang the deeds of Richard and Taillefer in romtantic times gone by. But Taillefer had led the charge at Hastings as he "with a loud voice animated his countrymen with songs in praise of Charlemange and Ro- land."15 Charlemagne and Roland in turn, like the heroes of the saga time that followed them, had listened to the hero tales not of their own age but of a totally different age of migra- tion 500 years earlier.
But the Germanic heroic tradition does not even begin with Attila and Ermanrich, for there is evidence of a still older Frankish heroic tradition, and a Gothic one before that, while the oldest of the Scandinavian sagas emphatically refers everything back to Troy!16 Every time our northern ancestors have found themselves liv- ing under heroic conditions of migra- tion and world upheaval, they have revived an authentic heroic literature, but always they have taken as their subject not the deeds of their own age but some preceding migration- time. But the heroic songs of those earlier times went back to still other migrations, and so on. Hence the bedizening impression of duplication and repetition and the sense of being lost in a maze of time or a hall of mirrors.
Let us go back to the earliest of the old Norse texts, the prose Edda, and take a look at Othinn, the great prototype of the first kings.17 He comes with the storm, especially in a terrible wind, and whatever his spear or rod is pointed at is instantly dedi- cated to destruction; he is the arch- Einherja — the great destroyer; he is the Sig-fadhir, ever-victorious, who having subdued the land builds his castle, Sigtun, the victory fort, where he can sit in a high tower on his high seat, the HUthskialf, and through a special window survey all that goes on in the earth. At the slightest sign of disaffection his arrows dart forth to overcome the most distant opposi- tion in an instant. His rule was won by force and is maintained by force, as Loki once reminded the gods when in their cups at a great feast he chal-
lenged the lot as usurpers and in- vaders.18
Othinn is in legend the Wild Huntsman, who leads the terrible host through the sky. The peasantry dread him as a warrior and a wan- derer in the earth;19 sometimes he comes traveling in disguise to spy out the land, coming in a great raincoat and floppy hat with a staff and a patch over his eye — for he has literal- ly given his right eye for knowledge and power. As the god of runes he brings writing with him, and magic, and hidden knowledge, and auto- cratic rule.
"There is something eery and treacherous" about him, we are told, that suggests "the autocratic daring adventurer." The people do not love him: he is their father and their ruler, but just the same they dread him — "they are afraid of his intel- lectual superiority and aristocratic daring." No popular oath or prayer of the many that have survived is ever dedicated to him: The common people dread and avoid him.20
When Othinn enters the land as an invader, he finds Thor, Frey, and Njord already in occupation: They invaded earlier, and have now settled down to become homebodies and popular gods. But a closer examina- tion has shown that originally they too all did exactly as Othinn is doing. Tyr, for example, goes back to an Indo-European expansion time at least a thousand years before Othinn's day. "As Zio he is identical with Zeus as director of wars. . . ." His sign, like Othinn's, was the spear, and "if Getic, Scythian and Gothic tradi- tions meet anywhere, "it is in the worship of his spear, which led the prehistoric migrants as the staff of Moses once led Israel.21
The fascinating and frightening figure of Othinn, that reminds us so strongly of the prehistoric kings of Egypt and Babylonia of whom we have said so much, is no invention of scaldic fancy, however. There actually were such men, and one of them was Attila the Hun, the hero of half the Germanic epics and the vil- lain of the other half. For the Franks, Attila is the treacherous tyrant, "pure 'Asiatic,'" while "for the Bavarians and Ostrogoths he is the model of the benevolent protector."22
The earliest German epics go back
to a time when Attila "collected the children of princes from the lands of all the lords and kept them as hostages at his court, from which they were always trying to escape."23 This ro- mantic theme was more than poets' fancy: the Roman ambassador Priscus who visited the court of Attila had a good deal to say about these hostages.
As to the sordid and bloody af- fairs between the princely houses, Schneider says, "There is nothing fictitious about this wickedness; it makes the thoroughly convincing im- pression of having been actually ex- perienced . . . the Asiatic tyranny is real." And another authority writes: "We believe that the actual experi- ences of the Heroic Age often enough found expression in the tragic view of life (Weltbild). Much noble blood was shed, brave nations vanished without a trace after performing mighty deeds, the foundations of great empires collapsed, the noble had to perish and the base to tri- umph."
Even the fabulous story of Siegfried and Brunhilda, we are told, "could come right out of a typical Meroving- ian chronicle, in which the deadly hatreds among the royal ladies, the slaying of each other's vassals, treach- erous ambushes on the hunts, and so forth, are so richly attested."24 It is not history, indeed, but it is "a snap- shot of the real contemporary world of the Franks."24 And way back in Tacitus we still find it: the inherited feuds between the great houses, the riotous banquets, the fighting, gam- bling, and bloody vows.
Since the writer has read sagas at least once a week for thirty years, he is sorely tempted to exploit the vast- ness of this neglected field. But since with the progress of education the comic book has superseded all other books, we must be content to present the epic world of but one representa- tive saga. It is the Thithriks-saga af Bern, a truly gigantic piece and "a great storehouse of Germanic legend, though in a new style imitated from French romance, but recording old tradition. . . ,"25 The great hero of this saga is not Theodoric the Goth, as we might expect, but Attila. And it is the real historical Attila. In the Thithriks-saga, Europe is described as an appendage of Asia — and that (Continued on page 857)
NOVEMBER 1956
819
MAN and the GOSPEL.
C$>o
0*60 0tf^t><%0
From The Improvement Era, l:826ff.
Qs^^
by B. H. Roberts.
FORMERLY EDITOR THE IMPROVEMENT ERA
EXT IN IMPORTANCE tO
what the Church teaches about God is what she teaches in regard to man. Next to God man certainly is the most important thing in the universe; for whether we view him from the standpoint of his relationship to other animals, the beauty and majesty of his physical organism, the su- periority of his intellectual endow- ments or the sublimity of his spiritual aspirations, something will be found in each that argues for him a special place in the universe, and will also furnish good grounds for the belief that a special relationship exists be- tween him and Deity.
The distinction given to man above all other known creatures might well lead the Psalmist, when addressing himself to God, to say:
What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and Hast crowned him with glory and honour. Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet.1
The question of the Psalmist, "what is man?" is answered by the Church — "The son of God"; and this explains why it is that God is mindful of him. The Prophet Joseph Smith taught that the spirits of men before they tabernacled in the flesh had an ex-
iPsalms 8:4-6.
820
istence with God in another world; that God is the father of their spirits, Jesus Christ being the first-born.2 That existence was a tangible one; it involved the realities of life in the heavenly kingdom. Each spirit there was as much an entity as each man is in this present life. Each spirit there had its agency as each man has it here; and was at liberty to take that course he elected to pursue.3 "At the first organization in heaven," says the prophet, "we were all present, and saw the Savior chosen and appointed, and the plan of salvation made, and we sanctioned it."
Some spirits went so far in the exer- cise of their agency as to rebel against God. Lucifer, the Son of the Morn- ing, did so, and drew away with him one-third of the hosts of heaven; and they became the devil and his angels.4 This is not only the teaching of Joseph Smith, but also of the Bible.5
One thing, however, Joseph Smith taught which, as far as I know, the Bible does not teach, viz., that the spirits of men in their pre-existent estate attained unto a variety of de- grees of intelligence and nobility of character. In the book of Abraham it is written:
Now the Lord had shown unto me, Abra- ham, the intelligences that were organized before the world was; and among all these there were many of the noble and great ones;
And God saw these souls that they were good, and he stood in the midst of them, and he said: These I will make my rulers, for he stood among those that were spirits, . . . and he said unto me: Abraham, thou art one of them; thou wast chosen before thou wast born.6
This doctrine throws a wonderful light upon the being and nature of man. Notwithstanding the great in- fluence of parentage and environ- ment upon character, in the light of this doctrine, we may understand how it is that in spite of indifferent parent- age and vicious environment some characters arise that are truly virtu- ous and great; and that purely by the
2D & G Sec. 93. 3D & C 93:29-31.
*D & C 29:36-38, also Pearl of Great Price, Abra- ham 3:27-28. sSee Rev. 12:7-12. II Peter 2:4. Jude 6. "Pearl of Great Price, Abraham 3:22-23.
strength of that intelligence and no- bility to which their spirits had attained in the heavenly kingdom be- fore they took bodies upon earth. Their grandeur of soul could not all be suppressed by environment in this life, however inauspicious for their development. As the sun struggles through clouds and mists that at times obscure his brightness, so these spirits, stirred by their innate nobility, breaking through all disadvantages attendant upon ignoble birth and iron fortune, rise to their native heights of true greatness.
If a wider survey be taken of man- kind, and, those advantages and disadvantages under which whole generations, nations, and races of men have lived be taken into account; if the fact of their pre-existence be con- sidered in connection with that other fact that the spirits of men before coming to this earth were of unequal intelligence and of every degree of nobility; if it be remembered that in that pre-existent state all spirits had a free agency, and that they there manifested all degrees of fidelity to truth and righteousness, from those who were valiant for the right to those who were utterly untrue to it, and rebelled against God; if it be further remembered that doubtless in this earth life these spirits are rewarded for their faithfulness and diligence in that pre-existent state — if all this, I say, be considered, much that has perplexed many noble minds in their effort to reconcile the varied circum- stances under which men have lived with the justice and mercy of God, will disappear.
The doctrine of the pre-existence of spirits, as also their relation of son- ship to Deity, is beypnd all doubt a scriptural doctrine; but it seems to have been reserved for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints through her teaching to give clear- ness and force to it. The Fatherhood of God, and its necessary corollary, the brotherhood of man, are trite phrases much in fashion in these modern days; but it is questionable if they have conveyed to the minds of men any definite ideas of the actual relationship of father and son exist-
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ing between man and Deity. In the mouths of sectarians the phrases un- der discussion have always been em- ployed to express some mystic or indefinite relationship not clearly ex- plained or explainable. It was re- served, I repeat, for the great modern prophet to give these phrases reality. He declared the relationship to be as real as that existing between any father and son on earth; that man's spirit was actually the offspring of Deity— "A spark struck from his own eternal blaze." With him the Father- hood of God and the brotherhood of man were not mere abstractions more or less beautiful, but a reality. The words taught by the Savior of men to his disciples as the proper mode of address to Deity — "Our Father which art in heaven" — are not meaningless verbiage, but express true relation- ship of man and God.
This teaching of the Church receives support from the language of Paul in his discourse to the Greeks in Mars' hill, where he approvingly quoted the words of the Greek poet Aratus — "As certain also of your own poets have said, for we are also his offspring."7 "Forasmuch then," he continues, "as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device."8
As to the future of man the Church teaches the literal resurrection from the dead; that is, the reunion after death of the spirit and the body. And from thenceforward she teaches
Brigham H. Roberts
everlasting perpetuation of life in that degree of glory suited to the develop- ment attained by each individual— every man being judged according to his works.9 That future existence is to be accompanied by every possi- ble means of advancement along the lines of intellectual, moral, and spir- itual progression, ascending step by step through various degrees of de- velopment, of honor, of glory, of power toward God, until at the last overcoming all evil and embodying all good, they sit down with Jesus in his throne, as he overcame and sat down with his father in his th:
rone.
10
Tollowing, in part, is the poem: "With Zeus begin we — let no mortal voice Leave Zeus unpraised. Zeus fills the haunts of men — The streets, the marts — Zeus fills the sea, the shores, The harbors — every where we live in Zeus. We are his offspring too. Friendly to man, He gives prognostics; sets men to their toil By need of daily bread; etc."
8Acts 17:28-29.
With these views in respect to man past and future, the Church regards the present existence as merely a pro- bation where man acquires that ex- perience and gains that knowledge which shall prepare him for the future state of development and glory which awaits him, if in this life he fulfils the object of his mission to earth.
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^he Church, however, makes no pronouncement concerning the fate of those who once enlightened, and having tasted the heavenly gift, and been made partakers of the Holy Ghost, the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come — turn altogether away from the truth, and thus crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame (Heb. 6:4-6). Concerning such characters — who, by their great sin of high treason against God, become Sons of Perdition, the teaching of the Church is that God "saves all the works of his hands, except those sons of perdition who deny the Son after the Father has revealed him. Wherefore he saves all except them — they shall go away into ever- lasting punishment, * * * where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched, which is their torment — And the end thereof, neither the place thereof, nor their torment, no man knows, neither was it revealed, neither is, neither will be revealed unto man, except to them who are made partakers thereof; Nevertheless, I, the Lord, show it by vision unto many, but straightway shut it up again, Wherefore, the end, the width, the height, the depth, and misery thereof, they understand not, neither any man except them who are ordained to this condemna- tion." (D & C Sec. 76:43-48.)
i«Rev. 3:21.
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