President IleberJ.<irant in Japan in 1901 Speeial feature: The Church in Asia, see page 14
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The Voice of the Church • March 1970 • Volume 73, Number 3
Special Features
2 Editor's Page: To Know for Ourselves, President Joseph Fielding Smith
4 President Joseph Fielding Smith, Albert L Zobell, Jr.
9 President Harold B. Lee
11 President N. Eldon Tanner
13 President Spencer W. Kimball
14 The Future of the Church in Asia, Elder Ezra Taft Benson
15 The Mission Presidents in Asia Report
23 The History of the Church in Japan, Eleanor Knowles
27 The Influence of Latter-day Saint Servicemen in Asia, W. Brent Hardy
29 A Photographic Review of the Church in Asia
32 The Beginnings in Thailand, Craig G. Christensen
35 The Early Missions to Burma and Siam, Dr. R. Lanier Britsch
84 A New Look at the Pearl of Great Price: Part 10, The Sacrifice of Isaac, Dr. Hugh Nibley
Regular Features
60 Genealogy: Genealogical Research in Asia, John W. Orton
65 Buffs and Rebuffs
66 Today's Family: Gardens Are Such Friendly People, Florence Bittner 70 Research & Review: A Study of the Text of the Inspired Revision of
the Bible, Dr. Truman G. Madsen
72 LDS Scene
78 Presiding Bishop's Page: The Presiding Bishop Talks to Youth About Goals, Bishop John H. Vandenberg
80 These Times: Who Should Be Educated for What? Dr. G. Homer Durham
95 End of an Era 38, 63, 65, 76
The Spoken Word, Richard L Evans
46-59 EraOl Youth Marion D. Hanks and Elaine Cannon, Editors
75, 90 Poetry
Joseph Fielding Smith, Richard L. Evans, Editors; Doyle L, Green, Managing Editor; Jay M. Todd, Assistant Managing Editor; Eleanor Knowles, Copy Editor; Mabel Jones Gabbott, Manuscript Editor; Albert L. Zobell, Jr., Research Editor; William T, Sykes, Editorial Associate; G. Homer Durham, Hugh Nibley, Albert L. Payne, Truman G. Madsen, Elliott Landau, Leonard Arrington, Contributing Editors; Marion D. Hanks, Era of Youth Editor; Elaine Cannon, Era of Youth Associate Editor; Ralph Reynolds, Art Director; Norman Price, Staff Artist.
W. Jay Eldredge, General Manager; Florence S. Jacobsen, Associate General Manager; Verl F. Scott, Business Manager; A. Glen Snarr, Circulation Manager; S. Glenn Smith, Advertising Representative.
©General Superintendent, Young Men's Mutual Improvement Association of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1970; published by the Mutual Improvement Associations. All rights reserved.
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On the Cover:
On February 14, 1901, the First Pres- idency announced that a new mission was to be created in Japan and that Elder Heber J. Grant of the Council of the Twelve had been appointed as the mission president. Some six months later, 45-year-old Heber J. Grant stepped into the almost mysterious world of the Orient. It was an experi- ence that he was never to forget. Before he left for Japan, a farewell gathering in his honor was held in Salt Lake City, at which President Joseph F. Smith spoke: ". . . we are pleased to think that to you has been entrusted the great labor of opening the door ... to one of the foremost nations of the earth today. They are the children of God, and have souls to save; they are bright and in- genious . . . [Heber J. Grant's] name will go down to all time in honor and blessing, and hundreds, yea thousands and perhaps millions, will receive the gospel as a result of his labors in the beginning. . . ."
Since those early days almost seven decades ago, the door to Asia has not always been open nor friendly, but in the words of those charged with the responsibility at present, "in the time- table of the Lord it is the time for Asia." This month our cover features a paint- ing by Dale Kilbourn of President Grant in Japan in 1901.
Also on the cover are several photo- graphs of contemporary Japanese Lat- ter-day Saints participating in Church activities. The photographs are courtesy of the Church Information Service. Arti- cles on the Church in Asia begin on page 14.
Elder Heber J. Grant of the Council of the Twelve, at the time the Japanese Mission was opened, in 1901.
The Editors F&ge
To Know for Ourselves
By President Joseph Fielding Smith
• The Improvement Era has been a part of my life for a long time, and this is especially so because of the influence of my father. In 1897, my father, Joseph F. Smith, who was then second counselor in the First Presidency to President Wilford Woodruff, joined with Elder Heber J. Grant of the Council of the Twelve in the formation of The Improvement Era (both men had the added responsibility of being assistant general superintendents in the Young Men's Mutual Improve- ment Association). Father and President Brigham H. Roberts of the First Council of the Seventy, another assistant YMMIA superintendent, were the first editors, and Brother Grant was the business manager, with Thomas Hull as his assistant. These brethren spent many, many hours, nights as well as days, praying and working together for the success of the Era.
Joseph F. Smith wrote many things for it, some of which he signed and some that he did not. His signed pieces most often appeared in what was called "The Editor's Table," near the back of the magazine each month. He was also the magazine's senior editor while he was second counselor to President Lorenzo Snow after the death of President Woodruff. When President Snow died, Father, as President of the Twelve, became President of the Church. At that time it was decided that the President of the Church should be the senior editor of the Era.
I remember with fondness the early days of my association with the magazine, for which I wrote articles about Church history. For volume eight ( 1904- 1905) I wrote articles called "Events of the Month," which was the "Church Moves On" of that day. But the column was more than it is today. In those days there was no late evening news on radio or television. We knew that the Era was the only contact that many of our subscribers had with the world. Therefore, each "Events of the Month" had three sections— local, domestic, and foreign. The first section had, in addi- tion to news of the growth of the Church, notices of the deaths of some of the Saints. The local section also had notices of the opening of schools. The domes- tic and foreign sections reported on current events on the national and international scene and were usually non-Church in nature.
As President of the Church, Joseph F. Smith con- tinued to write for the Era, and his writings were much read and still are quoted. In 1918, at his passing, President Heber J. Grant became President of the Church and senior editor of the Era. During his ad- ministration his contributions were moved to the front of the magazine and became known as "The Editor's Page." That page was used by President George Albert Smith and President David O. McKay during their administrations.
Now I am happy to be senior editor of the Era and to use this page to discuss with you, month by month, subjects pertinent to the restored gospel.
Let us begin with the subject of testimony, some- thing that all members of the Church should have. Nourish your testimony and make it grow, every day of your life. You know that there is no reason in the world why any soul should not know where to find the truth. If he will only humble himself and seek in the spirit of humility and faith, going to the Lord just as the Prophet Joseph Smith went to him to find the truth, he will find it. There is no doubt about it. If men and women will only hearken to the whisperings of the Spirit of the Lord, and seek as he would have them seek for the knowledge and understanding of the gospel of Jesus Christ, there is no reason in the world for them not to find it— no reason, that is, except the hardness of their hearts and their love of the world. "Knock, and it shall be opened unto you." (Matt. 7:7.)
The first things a person must have in order to qualify as an officer or a teacher in this Church are a knowledge of the principles of the gospel and a testimony of the mission of the Redeemer and of the mission of the Prophet Joseph Smith.
There is no doubt in my mind that the Lord raised the Prophet Joseph Smith up and gave him revelation, commandment, opened the heavens to him, and called
upon him to stand at the head of this glorious dispen- sation. I am perfectly satisfied in my mind that in his youth, when he went out to pray, he beheld and stood in the actual presence of God the Father and his Son Jesus Christ; in my mind there is no doubt— I know this to be true. I know that he later received visitations from Moroni, the Aaronic Priesthood under the hands of John the Baptist, the Melchizedek Priesthood under the hands of Peter, James, and John, and that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was organized on the sixth day of April 1830, by divine command.
I know that the power of the Almighty is guiding this people, that we are under covenant to keep his commandments, to walk in light and truth. It is my firm conviction that every member of this Church should be able to bear witness and declare by words of soberness that these things are true, that the Book of Mormon is true, that the destiny of this latter-day work is true, and that, according to the revelations, it must and will be fulfilled.
And every soul upon the face of the earth who has a desire to know it has the privilege of knowing for himself, for every soul that will humble himself, and in the depths of humility and faith, with' a contrite spirit, go before the Lord, will receive that knowledge just as surely as he lives. O
Era, March 1970 3
fTcsiUQiti tioscpn ricitiing &1111111
By Albert L. Zobell, Jr. Research Editor
"Come, listen to a prophet's voice,
And hear the word of God,
And in the way of truth rejoice,
And sing for joy aloud.
We've found the way the prophets went
Who lived in days of yore;
Another prophet now is sent
This knowledge to restore."
—Hymns, No. 46
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has a new Prophet and President. Yet, in reality he is an old friend: President Joseph Fielding Smith has been with the Saints in times of sorrow as well as rejoicing for almost a century.
This observation is intended not only by way of introduction to the new President, but also by way of recalling high points of his lifetime of service in the building up of the Church and kingdom of God on earth, climaxed on January 23, 1970, when the Council of the Twelve met prayerfully in the Salt Lake Temple and named President Joseph Fielding Smith as the tenth President of the Church. At this historic meeting, after the members of the Twelve had sung "Guide Us, O Thou Great Jehovah," each of them, in turn, bore his testimony. Before the five-hour meeting was over, President Joseph Fielding Smith had been confirmed President of .the Church and set apart by the Twelve, with Harold B. Lee as voice. The new Presi- dent then selected Elder Lee as his first counselor and Elder Nathan Eldon Tanner as his second counselor, and with the Twelve he set them apart. President Lee, who will also now serve as president of the Twelve, was voice as Elder Spencer W. Kimball was set apart as acting president of that body.
And thus was called to head the Church a man who
had been schooled and prepared in nearly all areas of Church service since his early youth.
Joseph Fielding Smith's ancestors include the early American patriots of New England, and in his veins courses the blood of one of the martyrs who died as a witness to the restoration of the gospel. His great- grandfather, Joseph Smith, Sr., father of the Prophet Joseph Smith, was the first Patriarch of the Church. At his death, his son, Hyrum Smith (Joseph Fielding Smith's grandfather), became Patriarch to the Church. He was martyred only moments before his brother Joseph at Carthage, Illinois, the afternoon of June 27, 1844.
President Smith's father was Joseph F. Smith, sixth President of the Church (1901-1918), who as a boy of nine drove an ox team across the plains with his widowed mother to their new home in the Salt Lake Valley. Of him it was written: "He was not only a great father and a mighty preacher of righteousness, but he typified our loftiest conception of a real man— a man whose convictions were backed by loyalty and consecrated devotion to the truth, that was never challenged by friend or foe."1
Through his mother, Julina Lambson Smith, Presi- dent Smith also descended from worthy ancestors. At the feet of his great father and an equally wonderful and spiritual mother, young Joseph Fielding, who was born July 19, 1876, gained faith in and a love for the Lord and his work. His foundation in gospel princi- ples and all that is right and true was laid early, and this foundation broadened mightily with the passing of years.
He learned to work on the family farm in Taylors- ville, Salt Lake County. An early memory is of milking the family cow without permission "before I was baptized." Milking was a task that had been given to
an older sister, but apparently he did it well enough that he soon found himself given the job.
He learned early to work with animals, with nature, with men, and with God. His own growing testimony was aided by the faith and works of his father, who had been a full-time missionary at 15 and an apostle ten years before Joseph Fielding was born, and who had been called as second counselor in the First Presidency when his namesake son was only four years of age.
Another of the family tasks that fell his lot was that of being stable boy for his mother in her capacity as a licensed midwife. At all hours of the night he was called from his deep boyhood sleep to harness a horse so she could go where she was needed. He would light a kerosene lantern and go to the barn, and soon the horse would be ready.
Reflecting on those early years, he has mixed memories of Juny, a fine horse that his father had purchased from President George Q. Cannon of the First Presidency:
"She was so smart she learned how to unlock one kind of corral fastener after another that I contrived, until Father said to me, half humorously, that Juny seemed to be smarter than I was. So Father himself fastened her in with a strap and buckle. As he did so, the mare eyed him coolly; and, as soon as our backs were turned, she set to work with her teeth until she actually undid the buckle and followed us out, some- what to my delight. I could not refrain from suggesting to Father that I was not the only one whose head compared unfavorably with the mare's."
There was the time when "Father chastised me with three or four light touches of a buggy whip for a misdeed I had not committed. Father later atoned for the misapplied punishment with these sage and humorously spoken words, 'Oh well, we'll let that apply on some things you got by with when you didn't get punished.' "
Recently the author was privileged to hear the re- corded voices of five former Presidents of the Church. He was awed, as were others who listened, at the simi- larity between the voices of Joseph F. Smith and his son Joseph Fielding Smith, the only father and son who have been Presidents of the Church.
As a young man, Joseph Fielding Smith was active in the organizations of the Church, including service as superintendent of the 16th Ward Sunday School. When he became of age, he attended the LDS Uni- versity and worked at one time at ZCMI to help pay his expenses.
He was ordained an elder in 1897 and entered the British Mission in 1899 as a seventy. Returning home in June 1901, he obtained employment as a clerk in
President Joseph Fielding Smith, tenth President of the Church.
President and Sister Smith at home.
Top: President Joseph F. and Julina L. Smith, parents of President Joseph Fielding Smith. Above: Meeting with Latter-day Saint servicemen in the Orient in 1955. Below: In 1960, President Smith was made an honorary brigadier general in the Utah National Guard for a "lifetime of administering to the spiritual needs of mankind."
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the Church Historian's Office, beginning there Octo- ber 4, 1901. He became the librarian January 1, 1904, and at the April 1906 general conference was sustained as an assistant Church Historian, a position he held until March 17, 1921, when he became Church Historian. (As he now leaves the Church Historian's quarters to become President of the Church, he has served in that office for almost half the time that the Church has been organized.)
After Elder Smith's return from his mission in 1901, he served nine years as a home missionary in the Salt Lake Stake. In 1903 he was set apart as a president of the 24th quorum of seventies, and the following year he was appointed to the Salt Lake Stake high council. Long active in the MIA, he served as a member of the YMMIA general board from 1903 to 1919.
President Smith's call to be a General Authority came at the April 1910 general conference, when, at the age of 33, he was sustained as a member of the Council of the Twelve. He was ordained an apostle April 7, 1910, by his father, who was then President of the Church.
President Smith became acting president of the Council of the Twelve in August 1951, following the death of President George F. Richards. (President David O. McKay, who was then serving as second counselor in the First Presidency, was president of the Twelve.) When President George Albert Smith died in April 1951, Joseph Fielding Smith, as the new president of the Council of the Twelve, was voice as the Twelve set apart David O. McKay as ninth Presi- dent of the Church. Some 14 and a half years later President Smith was named a counselor to President McKay in the First Presidency.
Elder Richard L. Evans, who was President Smith's neighbor for many years, has said of him:
"We see Brother Smith as the father and grandfather and husband of many talents and of much devotion— as the father who attends the bedside of the sick, who performs early and late, at all hours, many kindly services, who counsels with his own and others on personal problems, school problems, social problems, spiritual problems.
"There are also those who know him as a confiding friend and counselor in his office. There are those who know him as a storyteller of impressive sincerity. (And there are even some who know him as the 'baby sitter,' which he has been for his children and his children's children.) There are those who know the quickness of his humor, the tenderness of his heart, the sympathy of his soul.
"He loves life, and he has shown by his life that
The family of President Smith in the late 1930's. Lewis (insert), then serving a mission, was later killed in World War II.
he loves truth, that he loves the Church, and that he loves his Father's children. And he is, in turn, not only admired and respected, but also loved for his sterling qualities of character, and for himself."2
That neighborly insight continues to hold true. President Smith's home and family have always been uppermost in his mind. In 1898 he married Louie E. Shurtliff. She died in March 1908, leaving him with two small daughters. Later that same year he married Ethel G. Reynolds, and they became the parents of nine children. But again death took his companion when she died in August 1937. On April 12, 1938, Elder Smith married Jessie Evans, whose beautiful contralto voice had earned a place for her in the Salt Lake Tabernacle Choir and who had sung widely in operas and concerts.
During 1939 Elder Smith filled a special assignment for the Church in Europe. With Sister Smith, he ar- rived in England the first week in May; after visits there, they left for the continent to meet with Saints and missionaries in Holland, Belgium, France, Switzer- land, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and Germany.
But international affairs were critical that summer, and World War II broke out in September when Germany invaded Poland. President Smith was in Germany at the time, and it was there that he re- ceived a cablegram from the First Presidency directing him to supervise the evacuation of all American missionaries from the European continent.
With the inspiration of the Lord and with the com- mon bond of brotherhood among the missionaries, the task was begun. The exact whereabouts of many elders among the frightened, moving masses of people were unknown, Many missionaries were given train fare for themselves and several others and were in- structed to locate their fellow missionaries. Through- out the Church these brothers, many of whom are now bishops, mission presidents, and stake presidents, testify that they received impressions to leave their
trains, enter the seething waiting rooms of the depots, and whistle a church hymn. Sometimes it was "Do What Is Right" or "Come, Come Ye Saints." Suddenly from the crowd their sought-for fellow missionary would appear, and they would run and catch the de- parting train.
These missionaries were sent back to the United States by ship, having to take their turns in the "sub- marine watch." Some who were approaching the end of their missions were given honorable releases, and others were reassigned to missions in the United States. President and Sister Smith returned to Salt Lake City in November 1939.
It is well known that President Smith is the author of many books and pamphlets and is one of the great spokesmen on Church doctrine. Not so well known is the fact that he has written words to several hymns. One, "The Best Is Not Too Good for Me," was written in his youth after he had received advice from his father concerning an employment opportunity. The music was written by Tracy Y. Cannon. The music for another, "Come, Come, My Brother, Wake! Awake!" is by Evan Stephens. George D. Pyper wrote the music for his "Does the Journey Seem Long?" Another, "We Are Watchmen of the Tower of Zion," has music by Alexander Schreiner.
President Smith has long been a supporter of the growth of the city and its institutions. This story is told of him: "During the early months of 1933, in the midst of the great depression, banks were failing all over the U.S. One morning a crowd of good men who should have known better formed in the street to make a run on Zion's Savings Bank and Trust Company as soon as it opened. Suddenly in the back of the crowd came a voice of authority: 'Let me through. I want to make a deposit.' It was Joseph Fielding Smith who was waving his bank book and a roll of paper money. Some of the crowd had second thoughts about the bank and went on their way."
Era, March 1970 7
In his youth President Smith was active in athletics, and he continues to maintain an interest in the field, lending strong support to the recreational program for youth of the Church. He played handball, a strenuous game that demands alertness of both mind and muscle, until his seventieth birthday.
President Smith's unusual life span spreads from the covered wagon to the jet plane. In his early years as a member of the Council of the Twelve he and his assigned companion would sometimes journey to stake conferences by starting out by train, then transferring to a wagon, and sometimes making even a third trans- fer, and perhaps completing their journey on horse- back.
This memory is in contrast to another experience of a few years ago. One weekend President Smith found himself with an appointment that would keep him in the Salt Lake City area for the greater part of Satur- day. However, he had been assigned to conduct a quarterly stake conference in the San Francisco area Saturday evening and Sunday. This worried President Smith, who prides himself on the way his appointments seldom, if ever, are in conflict. But it looked as if, this time, one appointment would have to be cancelled.
He casually mentioned the problem to a young friend who was a jet pilot in the National Guard. The pilot replied, "You know, my crew is lacking some air time this month. We've got to fly some place to log out time. The Bay Area is just about the distance we need to keep our training record up to where it should be this month. Let's fly there late Saturday afternoon and return Sunday evening."
President Smith kept both of his Saturday appoint- ments that week, and he and his younger friends enjoyed themselves at quarterly conference on Sunday.
In June 1959, several members of President Smith's staff at the Church Historian's Office took a short vacation, going partway down the Colorado River by boat.
Returning to the office, Earl E. Olson, who was then librarian and is now assistant Church Historian, said, "For a real vacation, President Smith, you ought to try that river trip sometime."
"Why should I spend all that time?" was his forth- right answer. "I've been over the Colorado River terri- tory in a jet plane of the National Guard. We've flown high and we've gone down low. I've seen the Colorado River in a way that few have seen it."
When President Smith reached his eightieth birth- day in 1956, the other members of the Twelve said of him:
"We who labor in the Council of the Twelve under his leadership have occasion to glimpse the true nobil-
ity of his character. Daily we see continuing evidences of his understanding and thoughtful consideration of his fellow workers in making our assignments and in co-ordinating our efforts to the end that the work of the Lord might move forward. We only wish that the entire Church could feel the tenderness of his soul and his great concern over the welfare of the unfor- tunate and those in distress. He loves all the Saints and never ceases to pray for the sinner. . . .":i
It is difficult if not impossible to name a part of our Heavenly Father's work of which President Smith is not especially fond, for which he has not used his talents in laboring long and hard. Particularly have his magnificent labors been expended in matters per- taining to genealogy and the work of the temples. A year after his appointment as assistant Church His- torian he was named secretary and director of the Genealogical Society. In 1934 he began more than a quarter century of service as president of that society, being released in 1961. He served as a counselor in the presidency of the Salt Lake Temple from February 1915 to January 1935, and as president of that temple from 1945 to 1949. He has been present at the dedica- tions of nine temples— St. George, Salt Lake, Hawaii, Alberta, Arizona, Idaho Falls, Los Angeles, London, and Oakland.
It can truly be said of him that he lives for the Church and for his family— and delights wherever he sees spiritual development and growth.
A Saturday near the date of his birthday is reserved for his family. On these happy days, family members meet in a park in Salt Lake City, play games, tell stories, sing songs, and enjoy a traditional dinner. Im- portant parts of these occasions are the words of advice from President Smith and the presents he distributes to each one. The novel technique of giving his de- scendants presents on his birthday eliminates the problem of his having to remember well over one hundred birthdays each year. Of his ten living children (a son, Lewis, was killed in military service during World War II), all have been married in the temple and, at this writing, 27 grandchildren have been mar- ried in the temple by their grandfather. All five sons have fulfilled missions.
This is but a glimpse of the character and spiritual strength of Joseph Fielding Smith, prophet, seer, revelator, and tenth President of the Church. Surely he has an important role to perform for the Lord, this people, and the entire world in this day. O
Bryant S. Hinckley, "Joseph Fielding Smith," The Improve- ment Era, June 1932, pp. 458-59.
-The Improvement Era, September 1951, p. 687. '•The Improvement Era, July 1956, p. 495.
8
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First Counselor in the First Presidency
• "Harold B. Lee is a powerful man in modern Israel. The source of his strength is in his knowledge that he lives in the shadow of the Almighty. To him, his Heavenly Father is a senior partner, daily giving him guidance. His contacts with heaven are direct and regular. To him, the gospel of Jesus Christ is eternal truth, and he finds therein the solution to every human problem."1
A pillar of faith and works is this man whom Presi- dent Joseph Fielding Smith has selected as his first counselor. President Lee is also senior member and president of the Council, of the Twelve. Since April 1941, as an apostle of the Lord, he has raised his voice and made his presence felt for righteousness in the far and near places of the Church. Even before that, beginning in 1936, when he was appointed to be man- aging editor of the then infant Church Welfare Pro- gram, his influence was soon felt Churchwide.
Born March 28, 1899, at Clifton, Idaho, one of six children to bless the home of Samuel M. and Louisa Bingham Lee, President Lee knew the discipline of youthful days in a rural community. With his brother Perry, he took turns driving a small sorrel pony hitched to the shafts of a two-wheeled cart three miles to the district school. He had entered the district school at the age of five and enrolled in the Oneida Stake Academy at 13. To him learning was fascinating, and he made it so later for his students. He entered Albion State Normal School in Idaho at the age of 17, and was teaching near Weston, Idaho, before his appoint- ment as principal of the district school at Oxford, Idaho, at the age of 18. School for him extended beyond the horizon of books and papers; he partici- pated in basketball and debating, and he played the slide trombone, a talent that gave him joyful hours as a member of dance bands.
Early in his life President Lee studied the piano, and some of his most pleasurable hours have come in shar- ing music with his family. After he became a member of the Council of the Twelve, he would often accom- pany the brethren on the piano as they sang in their council meetings. Stake and ward officers have been surprised and pleased when he has offered to sub- stitute for an absent organist.
With the love of truth and completeness of faith that are so much a part of him, he accepted a call to the Western States Mission, for which he departed in November 1920. During his two-year mission he served as president of the Denver District.
After his release, he moved to Salt Lake City, where he attended summer sessions at the University of Utah. From 1923 to 1928 he continued his education by correspondence courses and extension classes, while serving as principal of two schools in the Granite School District, Salt Lake County. He then became first a salesman and later intermountain manager for a library distributing organization. This position he held until 1932, when he agreed to accept an appointment as a Salt Lake City commissioner. He gained the respect of many of his fellow townspeople for the way he handled his responsibilities for the departments of streets and public properties, and he was elected for a second term. He resigned the commissionership in 1936 when he was called as managing director of the Church Welfare Program.
During the late 1920s he served the Church as Pioneer Stake religion class superintendent, Sunday School superintendent, and counselor in the stake presidency. In 1930 he was made president of Pioneer Stake, a position he held for seven years. During this time Pioneer Stake made great strides in leadership and teacher training programs, in a ward budget
Era, March 1970 9
A recent photograph of President Harold B. Lee
President and Sister Lee at home
plan, and in a youth recreational program, including the building of a gymnasium for stake activities.
At that time the country was in the midst of a great depression, and President Lee was faced with the tremendous problem of looking after the needs of his stake membership. Believing that "all things are pos- sible to him that believeth," he encouraged the establishment of practices of self-help among his people. He instituted a stake welfare program and established a warehouse for storing food and other commodities. These practices, combined with the ideas and welfare programs of other stakes at that time, embodied the heart and core of the general Church Welfare Program.
For his efforts in this one phase of his life's activities alone, he richly merited the honorary doctor of humani- ties degree awarded to him by Utah State Agricultural College (now Utah State University).
President Lee believes that "this dispensation in which you and I live is intended to be a demonstra- tion of the power and effectiveness of the gospel of Jesus Christ to meet our every-day problems here and now." The buoyancy of spirit and zest for life that characterize Harold B. Lee have kept him always in tune with the needs of the people of the Church. His constant counsel to the young people of the Church to "put on the breastplate of righteousness" is worthy advice to all of us.
On November 14, 1923, Harold B. Lee married Fern Lucinda Tanner in the Salt Lake Temple. They were blessed with two daughters, Maurine Wilkins (de- ceased) and Helen (Mrs. L. Brent Goates). In 1962 Sister Lee passed away, and in 1963 President Lee married Freda Joan Jensen.
The example and teachings of his wise and stal- wart parents and the constant strength and support that he has found in his own home and its under- standing relationships have given underlying meaning to the great emphasis President Lee has placed in recent years on the family home evening, home teach- ing, and the strengthening of the priesthood in the home. He has shown his deep love for his fellowmen in the leadership and drive he has given as chairman of the executive committee of the Church Correlation Program. As he now assumes his new position in the First Presidency, his rich heritage and experience, his wisdom and courage, his strong testimony and great faith will find even wider expression in carrying out the purposes of Church correlation: to make the Church more closely knit and to build the kingdom of God on earth. O
1Marion G. Romney, "Harold B. Lee: Apostle of the Lord,' The Improvement Era, July 1953, p. 504.
resident ]\. Eldon Tanner
Second Counselor in the First Presidency
• "Few men are chosen for high office in the Church who have a richer heritage and more varied back- ground of training and experience than Nathan Eldon 1 anner.
This description of President Tanner, who has been called to serve as second counselor in the First Presi- dency under President Joseph Fielding Smith, is as true today as it was several years ago when it was first uttered by one who has long been associated with him, Elder Hugh B. Brown.
For some nine and a half years, since he was first called to sit in the general councils of the Church, first as an Assistant to the Council of the Twelve, then as an apostle, and more recently as second counselor to President David O. McKay, members of the Church worldwide have come to know and to appreciate President Tanner's honesty and integrity, his admin- istrative know-how, and his broadly based sympathy for fairness and the right. His counsel and addresses have shown him to be a man to whom youth draws near as he discusses with feeling his thoughts about the simple yet all-important rules of conduct for a happy and productive life.
Nathan Eldon Tanner was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, May 9, 1898. His parents, Nathan William and Sarah Edna Brown Tanner, had gone to Canada as a young married couple, but she returned to Salt Lake City for the arrival of her firstborn in her parents' home. When Eldon was six weeks old, his mother and her new baby, traveling by train and wagon, returned to the dugout home on their homestead amid the Latter-day Saint colonists of southern Alberta, Canada. There he
grew strong in mind, body, and spirit in the rugged environment of that sparsely settled nation. He was reared in wheatlands and often guided a plow behind plodding oxen. He learned to love all of God's crea- tions, especially his fellowmen.
Opportunities for education were meager at the time; but upon completion of the eighth grade he found that if he could convince four others to enroll for grade nine, the principal would teach it. He found the four, but farm responsibilities kept him away from school until after Christmas. He later borrowed money and went away to school for two years, before return- ing home to teach. Some of his students, feeling the inspiration of his teaching, desired grade 12, which he himself had never taken. Arrangements were made for the Alberta Provincial Department of Education to prepare the lesson materials, and he and his advanced students would complete their lessons and mail them to the department for grading. It was an unusual class, with teacher and students graduating from grade 12 together.
After graduation from Normal School in 1919, he accepted a position as principal of a three-room school at Hill Spring, Alberta. There he met and fell in love with one of the teachers, Sara Isabelle Merrill. They were married on December 20, 1919, and their home was later blessed with five daughters. (President and Sister Tanner recently celebrated their golden wedding anniversaiy in the Hawaiian Islands with 38 members of their family. )
From his early youth there was never a time when Nathan Eldon Tanner was not active in the Church,
Era, March 1970 11
President Tanner has greatly encouraged the growth of the Genealogical Society's fanned microfilming program.
Below: To celebrate their fiftieth wedding anniversary, President and Sister Tanner took their children and grandchildren to Hawaii.
beginning with his service as president of his deacons quorum. In Cardston, Alberta, he served first as coun- selor in the bishopric and then as bishop of the Cardston First Ward. In 1938, when the family moved to Edmonton, he was named branch president, a posi- tion he held until September 1952. In 1953 he became the first president of the Calgary Stake, in which position he was serving when he was called to be an Assistant to the Council of the Twelve in 1960. At the October 1962 general conference he was sustained as a member of the Council of the Twelve, and a year later as second counselor in the First Presidency.
In his professional life, President Tanner has also served willingly and with distinction. He was in the field of education in Hill Spring and then Cardston until 1935, when he was persuaded to become a candi- date for the Alberta Provincial legislature. He was elected and subsequently became speaker of the legis- lature. In December 1936 he was asked to join the Alberta Provincial government cabinet. After much personal reflection and urging by his associates, he ac- cepted the assignment of Minister of Lands and Mines, to administer the natural resources of the vast mineral- and oil-rich province of Alberta. The conservation program that he organized during his tenure has be- come the pattern for other Canadian provinces and other lands as well.
Canada was a growing, expanding economic giant when in 1952 President Tanner left his government post to accept a position in the growing petroleum in- dustry, as president first of Merrill Petroleums of Canada and then of the vast Canadian Pipe Line Com- pany, stretching from Alberta to Quebec.
Despite almost insurmountable obstacles— financial as well as political— he successfully raised the $300,- 000,000 necessary to build the 2,000-mile pipeline through five provinces. At the completion of this project, when his contract terminated in 1959, a news- paper in Alberta said in an editorial: "When a gas pipeline across Canada was being proposed ... it was agreed . . . that the one man in all Canada who could bring the various interests together and build a line conforming to government policy was Mr. Tanner. . . . It is now a national institution, a major force in the economy of the country. . . . We move a vote of thanks for the work he has done for Canada."
Today, as he assumes his responsibilities in the First Presidency under a new Prophet and President, the worldwide interests of the Church are truly blessed because of the broad background and experience, the executive capacities and business acumen, the deep spirituality and devotion to the Lord of President N. Eldon Tanner. o
12
Acting President of the Council of the Twelve
• When Spencer Woolley Kimball, recently called and set apart as acting president of the Council of the Twelve, was but a youth, his father once said to a neighbor: "Brother, that boy Spencer is an exceptional boy. He always tries to mind me, whatever I ask him to do. I have dedicated him to be one of the mouth- pieces of the Lord— the Lord willing. You will see him someday as a great leader. I have dedicated him to the service of God, and he will become a mighty man in the Church."
That early benediction has proved to be prophetic. Elder Kimball has indeed become a great mouthpiece for the Lord and a great leader. His general conference addresses have long been treasured by members of the Church for their probing counsel, easy-to-comprehend analogies, and refined and imaginative qualities of expression.
Born in Salt Lake City on March 28, 1895, to Andrew and Olive Woolley Kimball, young Spencer spent most of his life in Arizona, where in 1898 his father was called to serve as president of the St. Joseph Stake in Arizona's Gila Valley. His father previously served 12 years as president of the Indian Territory Mission, an experience that greatly influenced young Spencer's
love for and desire to serve the Lamanite people.
In his school days at Thatcher, Arizona, he was a class leader, honor student, and athlete. Then came a mission to the Central States, after which he attended the University of Arizona, where he prepared himself for a career in business. He worked first in banking and then as owner-manager of an insurance and realty company, and held many responsible positions in civic and professional organizations.
In 1917 he married Camilla Eyring, and they became the parents of four children. Always willing to serve in the Church, he became stake clerk of St. Joseph Stake at the age of 22 and six years later was named a counselor in the stake presidency. In 1938 he was called as the first president of the newly organized Mt. Graham Stake. On July 8, 1943, he received the call to serve as a member of the Council of the Twelve.
For almost 30 years he has visited and built up the Saints in the wards, stakes, branches, and missions. He is quick to analyze a problem and then, with love un- feigned, give the solution. He has carried a major role in financial matters for the Church and has helped to build the widely acclaimed Church Indian Program. He has become a "mighty man" in the Church. Q
Era, March 1970 13
• In the prophetic revelation re- ferred to as "my preface unto the book of my commandments, which I have given them to publish unto you, O inhabitants of the earth," the Lord called out in these words. "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 together." (D&C 1:6, I.)
These significant words fit the Asian countries: "Hearken, ye people from afar; and ye that are upon the islands of the sea, listen together."
In the past two years I have made four visits to these Asian lands, and two earlier visits were made as a United States cabinet official. Many times I have had occasion to re- member these prophetic words.
I thought of the words "ye people from afar" as we visited Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, Singapore, In- donesia, India, and other lands, and was told by our travel agent that
we could return to Salt Lake City by traveling either east or west— "the distance is about the same." I thought of this as I presented the King of Thailand with a copy of "Joseph Smith's Testimony"— off the press the day before. It was the first Church publication in the Thai language.
". . . and ye that are upon the is- lands of the sea, listen together." How often these words have come to mind in the past two years. In the island nation of Japan at a conference of over eight hundred youth, we listened to 125 personal testimonies in a four-and-a-half- hour testimony meeting that closed only to permit a scheduled public meeting to start, leaving 85 young people still wanting to add their testimonies.
We were reminded of the words "islands of the sea" at the dedication last April of the land of Singapore, where we already have a congre- gation of some three hundred and a new church building underway.
Again we thought of the words
of the Lord, "islands of the sea," as we visited Taiwan and attended a district conference in Manila in the Philippines (a nation of some forty million people on seven thou- sand islands), with over two thousand in attendance. Again the words "islands of the sea" crowded in upon us as we were welcomed by friendly leaders to dedicate the land of fourteen thousand islands in Indonesia.
A visit with the leader of Free China and the increasing member- ship of the Church in Hong Kong, Korea, and elsewhere show that these friendly, humble, courageous people are heeding the call of the Lord and are "listen [ing] together."
There has never been a time until now when the Church has had the strength and the means to reach out effectively to the Asian nations. In the timetable of the Lord, the door is now open, and this is ap- parently the time for the work in Asia.
Each visit has been productive and inspirational. The work is ex-
14
paneling and further expansion is in the offing. In each of the coun- tries the tremendous growth is an inspiration: this is where the people are— by the hundreds of millions— one-third of the population of the world. Of course, from the total standpoint of those many millions. we are just getting started.
In Japan the Church is quite well established in two missions and sev- eral districts, with more soon to be organized. There are nearly four- teen million people in the im- mediate vicinity of Tokyo and Yokohama, where we have good leadership and a stable organiza- tion. A new stake will be organized there March 15.
Japan now has over twelve thou- sand members of the Church. There are four thousand in Korea, over five thousand in the Philippines, some four thousand in Hong Kong, and more than that in Taiwan. A beginning has been made in Thai- land, Singapore, and Indonesia. We have strong congregations on Oki- nawa, and a nucleus of Vietnamese have come into the Church. Our servicemen in Korea laid the foun- dation for the Church there, and when peace comes to Vietnam we shall find the way prepared for the
spreading of truth among that people.
Mormon servicemen throughout these nations are laying the founda- tion for effective proselyting as they make friends and a few con- verts for the Church. On our recent tour we visited six installations in Thailand. We have three well- operating districts of servicemen in Vietnam.
The land of Indonesia with 130 million people was dedicated Octo- ber 26, 1969, for the preaching of the gospel. A new mission has been established with headquarters in Singapore.
We are building up substantial congregations, and the foundation is being laid for a tremendous expan- sion of the work in Asia. Baptisms for 1969 were over 100 percent ahead of a year ago, and the trend continues upward.
One of our great needs is build- ings. In the entire Philippine Mis- sion, we have only one building. Building sites are being purchased, and plans are going forward for the building of additional chapels in various parts of these areas.
In our lifetime we shall see stakes and chapels, converts in great num- ber, local leadership with power
and ability, and perhaps even a temple erected among these good people.
The outlook is most encouraging. The Lord is blessing the new con- verts, the missionaries, the mission presidents. There is a spirit of optimism everywhere among these humble people, as men of promi- nence extend the hand of fellowship and cooperation. For example, one little branch of 50 members in Korea has five college professors.
May God bless richly these teem- ing millions in the Asian countries— these choice "people from afar and ye that are upon the islands of the1 sea" as they "listen together" to the message of salvation from the hum- ble servants of God— local members and missionaries, all.
For the Lord has declared through the Prophet Joseph Smith: "And the voice of warning shall be unto all people, by the mouths of my disciples, whom I have chosen in these last days.
"And they shall go forth and none shall stay them, for I the Lord have commanded them." (D&C 1:4-5.)
To this I bear humble witness, in deep gratitude for the Lord's bless- ing on our work in Asia and throughout the world. O
The Mission Presidents in Asia Report
Japan Mission
By President Walter R. Bills
• Geographically, our mission cov- 12 million people, and the northern skinned Ainu, some of whom have
ers the northern half of the main island of Hokkaido, where live an blond hair and blue eyes,
island of Honshu, which includes almost extinct people who were the We have 6,697 members and 17
Tokyo, the world's largest city with original settlers of Japan— the fair- organized branches, with 17 prose-
Era, March 1970 15
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March 1970 Era
lyting areas. Eight new chapels have been constructed— four in Tokyo and one each in Yokohama, Takasaki City, Sapporo, Asahigawa —and we own six other buildings that have been renovated into chapels.
Throughout our mission, in order to attend church services, members usually have to travel from one-half hour to three hours each way by means of subways, buses, or trains. Meetings are correlated so we can have one meeting after another, usually taking most of the day. Baptism meetings are often held
early Sunday morning, either in the ocean, outside areas, or homemade fonts.
Our members include people from all walks of life: sales man- agers, laborers, doctors, dentists, in- dependent businessmen, and skilled laborers. At present we have 181 missionaries: 159 elders and 22 sisters, including 20 Japanese na- tionals. We baptized 281 persons in 1968 and 710 in 1969. In 1970 we have set our goal for 2,500 baptisms.
The Church is becoming better known throughout the eastern half
of our mission, primarily through our extensive Book of Mormon program. In the first six months of 1969 we sold 6,326 copies, and in the last six months, 48,147 copies. Our hopes for 1970 are to place between 200,000 and 300,000 copies. We hope to have six information centers showing the Japanese ver- sion of Mans Search for Happiness. In October 1970 we plan to charter two planes directly from Tokyo to Salt Lake City for general confer- ence. We look forward to a great year, particularly as we prepare for Expo '70. O
Japan- Okinawa Mission
Bv President Edward Y. Okazaki
• Our mission serves about half of the land area and population of Japan, or half of the island of Hon- shu and all of Shikoku, Kyushu, and Okinawa. There are about 50 million Japanese in our area. (The total population of Japan is 100 million. )
Interestingly, there seems to be evidence in Japanese customs and national religion that the truths of the gospel were once planted in Japan: (1) in Shinto they have a ceremony in which they baptize for their dead; (2) when someone dies he loses his earthly name and the priest gives him a heavenly name; (3) they believe they must do "work" for their ancestors; (4) Japanese believe in the patriarchal order: (5) they believe in cove- nants, that sacrifice brings forth the blessings of heaven; (6) the story told of the creation of Japan is similar to the story of the creation of the earth.
In our mission we have 5,281 members, with 32 branches, six proselyting districts, and two ser-
vicemen's districts. Four chapels have been constructed for us; else- where we rent buildings. We presently have 191 missionaries and 18 part-time missionaries. In 1969 we baptized 613 into the Church.
We are well received today throughout Japan, and our pros- pects for 1970 are high, particularly because of Expo '70, the first world exposition to be held in Asia, and the site, Osaka, is in our mission.
The site of the Church's pavilion is outstanding. One Expo official remarked, "How did you get such a choice location? You must have had some excellent connections." We did! The Lord helped us!
The pavilion is located across the street from the Japan pavilion; it is near the largest man-made lake, where people will rest and cool themselves; and it is one block from the largest public plaza where the biggest and best free shows will be held. We are planning to host be- tween five and eight million persons in the six months.
The First Presidency approved
remaking the movie Man's Search for Happiness, with Japanese actors and scenery. In the meantime, we are busily trying to rearrange the missionary lesson plan so it will be more culturally inviting to the Japanese people. We are pleased with the results of the new language training program that is designed to help missionaries learn to com- municate in six months.
During the year the Saints will be chartering a plane to the Hawaii Temple for endowments, sealings, and patriarchal blessings.
Our baptisms are expected to soar from an average of nineteen per month to 200 per month in the near future.
I feel as one does when he thrills to the catching of a big wave with his surfboard. When Expo opens, our pavilion will be the crest that will propel us to break- neck speed. We are paddling hard now to be sure that we catch the crest of this big wave. We want to go sailing along, and we can taste the salt spray in our mouths. O
Era, March 1970 17
Philippine Mission
• The only nation within the Philippine Mission is the 7,000- island Republic of the Philippines. We have branches and missionaries scattered from Laoag on the large northern island of Luzon to General Santos City in southern Mindanao.
The missionaries come in contact with all types of dialects— about 37 major dialects and over 60 minor dialects.
But if any single language could be said to be universal, it would be English. Hence, the medium of in-
By President Paul S. Rose
struction for the missionaries is English.
We have about 5,199 members (1,351 baptisms in 1969) in 20 branches and 19 groups. Our 179 missionaries are laboring in 35 cities. We have one chapel in the Philippines and two more soon to begin construction.
The Filipino people are probably the most kind and hospitable people on earth. They are always helpful and smile and wave when ap- proached. Since World War II the
Filipinos have nicknamed all Ameri- cans Joe— especially the mission- aries. The little children are the delight of the missionaries and make many hot days of tracting en- joyable. They follow the mission- aries around— sometimes as many as 50 may be counted.
Our missionaries agree that it is now easier to place copies of the Book of Mormon and to find people who are interested in the gospel than it was a year ago, and our prospects for 1970 are good. O
Hong Kong-Taiwan Mission
• Our mission covers the island of Taiwan and the colony of Hong Kong, with about 14 million people on Taiwan and 4.5 million in Hong Kong. The mission has 8,673 Church members divided into 31 branches and three districts. We have 148 missionaries. Upon arrival, the missionaries are assigned to learn either Cantonese, which is spoken in Hong Kong, or Mandarin, which is used in Taiwan. Even though both are Chinese dialects, they are sufficiently different that missionaries cannot be transferred back and forth between Hong Kong and Taiwan.
At present we have three con- ventional Church chapels, four condominiums in which we own a floor that has been converted to a
By President W. Brent Hardy
chapel (hence, we go to Church in an elevator), one converted pri- vate mansion, and one small one- room chapel; we also rent 15 branch buildings. The gospel is being re- ceived well by the people in both areas of the mission, and we expect the number of baptisms in 1970 to be double that of 1969. The sta- ture of the Church here is good.
Taiwan, formerly called Formosa, has a population of 14 million, of whom 4,500 are Church members. The economic growth is impressive —since 1964 the national yearly in- come has doubled. Unemployment is almost unknown, and modern factories dot the countryside. Sev- enty-eight missionaries are assigned to Taiwan.
The Church organization in Tai-
wan is somewhat unusual, for al- though it is part of the mission, it resembles a stake. We have a presidency and district council to run the affairs of the Church there, to prepare the leadership for the day when it may become the first Chinese stake.
Hong Kong, on the southeast coast of China, adjoins the Com- munist-held province of Canton. It has an area of 398.5 square miles. The Church is progressing at a fast rate there.
Our primary objective during the coming year will be to strengthen the local leadership of the Church. We believe that the Saints are ma- turing and preparing to become a great source of strength for other areas in Asia. O
18
Southeast Asia Mission
• Our mission came into being on November 1, 1969, with head- quarters at Singapore. The South- ern Far East Mission became the Hong Kong-Taiwan and the South- east Asia missions. We comprise the peninsula of Indochina— Viet- nam, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia— the island republic of Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Burma, Nepal, the Indian sub-continent, Ceylon, and Pakistan. Approximately 975 million people live within these nations.
At the present time missionary work is progressing in South Viet- nam, Thailand, Singapore, and Indonesia. On January 5, 1970, six elders began work in Djakarta,
By President G. Carlos Smith, Jr.
where we have several Indonesian members and about twenty Cau- casian members.
Two years ago six elders were sent to Singapore to open up the work here. There are now 46 elders in Singapore, and the membership of the Singapore Branch is 183.
In Bangkok, Thailand, we have an English-speaking branch of 225 members and a Thai group of 35. In Korat, Thailand, we have an- other Thai group of about 30 members. In Thailand 30 mission- aries are proselyting in four cities.
In Vietnam we have three dis- tricts presided over by servicemen. We have groups rather than branches among the servicemen.
However, in Saigon we do have one branch of 90 members, composed mostly of Vietnamese and some career U.S. servicemen.
Proselyting is done primarily in English in Singapore and Vietnam, and in the Thai language in Thai- land; in Indonesia most of our proselyting will be done in Indo- nesian.
As yet we have no church build- ings, but we have acquired property in Bangkok for a chapel that we hope will be built within a year.
The Asian people are wonderful and devoted. This is true in each of the nations in our mission— and the Lord has blessed us in making some wonderful friends. O
By President Robert H. Slover
• At the present, our mission covers the Republic of South Korea, a land of 31 million people, in which we have about 4,000 members, excluding the Latter-day Saint servicemen and the American gov- ernment personnel. Divided into four districts, the mission contains 16 branches, with about 100 mis- sionaries.
We now have three chapels- two in Seoul and one in Pusan— that are great helps and that serve as landmarks for investigators and others. Our baptism total last year was 450.
The image of the Church in Korea is very good, although the Church has only been here 12 years. The mission has been estab- lished for seven years. Even so, our name has spread throughout Korea through excellent press treatment and coverage, large exhibits about the Church in major cities, and the Tabernacle Choir weekly broad- casts carried on a Seoul radio station.
Korea is one of the most pro- American countries in the world, and Americans and seemingly any- thing American are much loved.
This sometimes includes the urge to imitate American religions. Korea has the highest percentage of Chris- tians of any Asian country. The people, however, are highly nation- alistic, and the economy is leaping forward in great steps.
Our challenge in the Church is to build a strong base in the priest- hood. We already have many re- markably strong and well-versed members of the Church here. Our future is very great in Korea; in fact, we look forward to a stake and even talk of a temple in our distant hopes. O
Era, March 1970 19
The accompanying photographs indicate the strength and vigor of the Church in Japan (beginning at upper left corner and going clockwise): young Japanese elder addresses congregation at sacrament meeting; a recent convert to the Church is ordained to an office in the priesthood; one of the chapels in Japan; genealogical study group; family home eve- ning presentation; Relief Society sisters ac- quire new abilities; missionaries hold side- walk discussions; Relief Society sisters study- ing the gospel; and a winning entry in an MIA festival.
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Chapels in the Japan mission. Starting be- low and reading clockwise: West Branch, Tokyo East Branch, Gunma Branch, Sapporo Branch and Tokyo Worth Branch.
The Hi story of the Church in Japan
• March 1970 marks one of the most momentous months in the his- tory of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Japan. On Friday, March 13, the Mormon Pavilion at Expo 70 in Osaka will be dedicated. Two days later, on March 15, the first stake of the Church in Asia will be organized in Tokyo.
These two events are all the more remarkable when one considers the struggle for recognition that the Church has experienced in the 69 years since the first mission- aries set foot on Japanese soil. Ac- tually, the history of the Church in Japan spans two periods of time : from 1901 to 1924, when the mis- sionaries were withdrawn because of strong anti- American feeling, and from 1948 to the present. Between
By Eleanor Knowles
Editorial Associate
these two periods perhaps the most devastating war in the history of the world left much of Japan in charred rubble. Yet from the depths of that war the nation itself has soared to become one of the great industrial giants of the world, and the gospel has caught fire in the hearts of many thousands of per- sons. During the first period of 23 years, only 166 persons were bap- tized in the land of the rising sun. Today that many people are some- times baptized in a single month; the Church membership in Japan is now 12,500, and it is expected that as many as 4,000 may be bap- tized in 1970, while the seeds will be planted in the hearts of tens of thousands of other persons.
Truly the way has been opened up at last for the fulfillment of a
prophecy made in 1903, when Elder Heber J. Grant of the Coun- cil of the Twelve (and later seventh President of the Church) stated in general conference : "There will be a great and important labor accomplished in that land." During the last half of the nine- teenth century, while the Church was becoming firmly established in the United States and Europe, great changes were taking place in Japan that were to lay the foundation for the introduction of the gospel there. Under the reign of Emperor Meiji, Japan had emerged from centuries of isola- tionism and traditionalism and had begun to trade with western nations and to send delegations to other nations to study and gain technical knowledge. Thus, it is not surpris-
Era, March 1970 23
ing that many Christian sects had cast their eyes toward Japan and were beginning to establish mis- sions there.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints had been watch- ing the "new Japan" with great in- terest, anticipating the time when the restored gospel might be taken to the people there. In 1895 an editorial in the Contributor (fore-
" Nothing will hinder the rapid advancement of this oriental nation "
runner of The Improvement Era) stated: "The authorities of the Church have of late had their minds more or less exercised in regard to Japan as a country in which the Gospel might at an early day be profitably preached. The recent Chinese-Japanese war has shown among other unexpected things that Japan has made wonderful strides within a few years in the arts of civilization. . . . Nothing will hinder the rapid advancement of this oriental nation, unless pride and conceit at their success in the late war shall ruin the people."
Inquiry was made of the Japanese Consul at San Francisco, and he responded that he felt the Church would be warmly received in Japan. Thus, on February 14, 1901, the Council of the Twelve agreed that the gospel be taken to the Japanese people, and Elder Heber J. Grant was named to lead the missionary efforts in Japan. Selected to accom- pany him were Louis A. Kelsch, who had just completed five years as president of the Northern States Mission; Horace S. Ensign, recently
returned from 33 months of mission- ary service in Colorado; and Alma O. Taylor, who, although he was just a youth of 18 at that time, would become a great missionary to the Japanese people and would re- main in Japan nine years.
The four emissaries arrived at Yokohama in August 1901. As Elder Grant was to write home, "On the shore hundreds of rikishas were waiting with their proprietors hawking their services to passen- gers. . . . The four missionaries moved among the little, tanned, strangely-clad natives. . . . Here suddenly they were cast into a new world— the people, language, customs, dress, buildings, streets were all so different."
One of the first things Elder Grant did was to send copies of "An Address to the Great and Progressive Nation of Japan" to leading newspapers, in which he stated: "As an Apostle and minister of the Most High God, I salute you and invite you to consider the im- portant message we bear. ... By His authority we turn the divine key which opens the kingdom of heaven to the inhabitants of Japan. ..."
On September 1, 1901, the four missionaries went to a little hill overlooking Yokohoma, and there Elder Grant offered prayer, dedi- cating the land "for the proclama- tion of the Truth and for the bringing to pass of the purposes of the Lord concerning the gathering of Israel and the establishment of righteousness upon the earth."
The missionaries did not find the warm welcome in Japan they had been promised; in fact, in many areas they found great opposition, particularly among some of the Christian sects. And since they did not speak Japanese, and few of the Japanese people could speak or understand English, they found their work hampered. However, a
few persons did come forth to help open the way for them to find suit- able housing, learn the language, translate the Book of Mormon and other Church tracts, and seek out the honest investigator. Although by the time Elder Grant returned to Salt Lake City at the end of two years there had been few baptisms, the elders had made significant progress in translating Church ma- terials, and they had learned the language sufficiently well to be able to communicate with the Japanese people.
Elder Taylor, who became presi- dent of the mission on July 4, 1905, was given the difficult assignment of translating the Book of Mormon into Japanese. When he had left for Japan in 1901, he had been told in a blessing that he might "easily learn the language; that the gift of tongues may rest upon you in such a degree that the language may be- come easy to you; that your memory may be strong to remember, and that you may know how to con- struct that language, so foreign to those that you have heard here." The first translation was begun in 1904 and completed two years later, but it had to go through several revisions and translations before an acceptable version was ready to be printed in 1909. With this missionary tool available at last, the work of the missionaries was greatly enhanced. (Today the Book of Mormon is available in a leatherbound edition in Japan, with beautiful four-color illustrations, at very nominal cost. During 1969 missionaries of the Japan Mission sold more than 55,000 copies, and in 1970 they expect to sell another 200,000 copies. )
The first years of the mission re- sulted in few conversions, and some of those who did embrace the gos- pel later left the Church. By 1924, when anti-American feeling and persecution had become so great
24
that President Grant directed that the mission be closed, the member- ship stood at less than 100 persons. Elder Ernest B. Woodward, one of the last missionaries to leave the country, wrote: "Attendance at our meetings dropped and continued to do so; only a few of the faithful members ever showed up around the Church. Wherever we went we were greeted by stony silence or with insults. ... As time went on, the bitterness became more intense and the attendance at meetings smaller. In our tracting we met with opposition and insult on every hand. . . . The lady missionaries never left the mission home without escort for it was not deemed safe."
And so the missionaries were withdrawn. The few faithful Saints who remained in Japan struggled to meet together under trying con- ditions, but in essence the Church in Japan would lie dormant for some 24 years.
On November 28, 1936, the Deseret News carried a news item that was to have far-reaching effect among the Japanese people: "An- nouncement was made this week from the office of the First Presi- dency that the Church would re- open its Japanese Mission."
Mission headquarters were to be in Hawaii, where more than half the people were then Japanese. A few Saints who had moved there from Japan plus converts in the Hawaii Mission provided a nucleus for the mission, which was reestab- lished in the spring of 1937, with Hilton A. Robertson (who had di- rected the closing of the mission in Japan in 1924 ) as president. Within a year four districts had been estab- lished on the island of Oahu and missionary work was begun on the islands of Hawaii and Kauai.
In Hawaii the gospel found some of its most receptive converts among the younger Japanese, who, Presi- dent Robertson reported, "are not
Era, March 1970 25
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satisfied with the religious philos- ophy of their parents." Even during World War II, when full-time mis- sionaries had to be withdrawn from the islands, the missionary work was continued by local members. As a result, when it finally became possible for the mission to be re- opened in Japan, there was strong leadership in the branches in Ha- waii, and a number of young adults were prepared to return to their homeland as proselyting mission- aries for the Church.
With the end of the war in Japan in 1945 came the U.S. occupation forces, which included hundreds of Latter-day Saints. These service- men included many returned mis- sionaries, as well as Nisei members ( second-generation Americans of Japanese ancestry), who set about to teach the gospel to their fellow servicemen and to the native Japa- nese.
(An interesting sidelight is that one young man who was taught the gospel while in the service, and who was baptized in Tokyo Bay in 1952, later became a member of the First Council of the Seventy— Elder Hartman Rector, Jr.)
In 1948, Edward L. Clissold of Honolulu, who had been in Japan in 1945 with the occupation forces, was called by the First Presidency to reopen the mission in Japan (it was designated the Northern Far East Mission) with headquarters in Tokyo. The first missionaries as- signed to Japan included several of the young people from Hawaii, and their knowledge of the Japanese language helped greatly in break- ing down some of the barriers that had hampered missionaries in the earlier period. The new mission- aries set about gathering up the Saints who had remained faithful during the long war years, and these members, plus those taught by the servicemen, became the nucleus for the branches in Japan.
26
What a different story the new missionaries had to tell, compared with the experiences of those mis- sionaries in the first period. Then it had been a story of despair, re- jection, struggle against almost in- surmountable obstacles. Now it was a story of a people who were more friendly, more willing to lis- ten, more open to reception of the Spirit and the truths of the gospel. Although the Church's growth in Japan after 1948 was not, perhaps, as dramatic as in some of the other missions of the Church, it was con- sistent, and with the growth in the membership have come the building of new chapels and the establish- ment of the full program of the Church, including the auxiliary programs, the family home evening, home teaching, temple work (sev- eral excursions have been made to Hawaii, and additional temple ex- cursions are planned this year, in- cluding one to Salt Lake City ) , and other blessings of the gospel. The Unified Magazine of the Church is now printed in Japanese, as are many of the auxiliary manuals and other teaching helps.
The Church in Japan is now firmly established, after a struggle that spans seven decades. Today there are two missions— the Japan Mission, with headquarters in Tokyo, and the Japan-Okinawa Mis- sion, in Kobe— and each mission is this year experiencing greater growth than the one combined mis- sion did just five years ago. There is a vast percentage of Japan's 120,000,000 population who have not yet had an opportunity to hear the gospel's message, but with the establishment of the new stake, the highly successful Book of Mormon sales campaign, the Mormon Pa- vilion at Expo '70, and the lives and example of faithful members setting the pace, the Lord is truly blessing the Church in Japan, the land of the rising sun. O
Far left: Joseph Mc- Phie, former presi- dent of Vietnam Southern District, leaves fay helicopter to visit outlying ser- vicemen's groups. Other photos show servicemen attending a district conference in Vietnam and leav- ing by army truck to return to battlefront.
The Influence of Latter-day
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• Recently the commander of a troop of helicopter gunships, who was a high priest on his second tour of duty in Vietnam, wrote: ". . . possibly due to the influ- ence of our conference, I feel more than ever a kinship to these people, both friend and enemy. I hope the day may come when I can bring them life in the gospel truths, rather than death." This comment con- veys the spirit and feeling of our Mormon servicemen in Asia.
From the icy mountains of Korea, through Japan, Okinawa, Taiwan, the Philippines, to the steamy jun- gles of Vietnam and the broad ex- panse of Thailand, hundreds of thousands of American servicemen are stationed. In their midst are some 6,000 to 7,000 Latter-day Saint servicemen.
Their contribution historically has been that of a forerunner, an Elias, for the establishment of or- ganized branches, districts, and missions. The Church in Japan blossomed only after World War II brought, over the years, thousands of Latter-day Saint servicemen and their families to that land.
By President W. Brent Hardy
Hong Kong— Taiwan Mission
This same sequence of events has been repeated in Korea. Latter- day Saint servicemen during the Korea War brought the light of the gospel into the lives of enthusiastic and influential men. The way was thus prepared for the establishment of a successful mission in that an- cient land. A new mission, the Philippine Mission, now one of the most rapidly growing missions in the Church, came similarly into being. In Taiwan a few scattered Latter-day Saint servicemen pro- vided help, encouragement, faith, and prayers to assist the work there in its beginning.
Throughout Asia theirs has been a dual role. In the beginning, it was preparation; as stability came, they provided experience and leadership to assist new local leaders. In Thai- land, at the request of a service- men's group, the missionaries have been sent to labor there.
The same pattern seems to be emerging from the ashes of Viet- nam. Though the servicemen's contact with the Vietnamese is very limited for security reasons, their influence is still felt. In Saigon a
branch of the Church has about 60 Vietnamese and 40 American mem- bers, with more being added each month. As the Vietnam conflict moderates, freedom of association with the Vietnamese people will in- crease and with it the opportunity to introduce the message of Christ. Materials are now being prepared in the Vietnamese language to as- sist in this effort.
Nor is the influence of the Latter- day Saint servicemen in Asia lim- ited to the people of these lands. Military service and its environ- ment put members of the Church face to face with some hard facts and choices. The influences of home and family become remote voices of the past. The men have to shake off complacent lethargy of com- fortable "hometown Mormonism" and choose whom they will serve. Thankfully, for many this crisis in their spiritual lives is met with growing testimonies and vigorous desire to improve. When they find themselves and the meaning of the gospel, they have a desire to share it with others. They see themselves in a new perspective. Their lives
Era, March 1970 27
are brought into focus. Their goals are defined. Though the situation in which they find themselves may be unpleasant and their duties cruel, they emerge with a clear resolve to be more fully what they are, sons of God.
Not a meeting is held in Vietnam without someone's expressing ap- preciation and love for his wife and family and at the same time dedi- cating himself to be a better hus- band and father. The boy who had been a "50 percent" Mormon finds new meaning in his Church mem- bership and begins to save for a mission when his service is over. The transgressor repents and again permits the Lord to bless him. Someone who loses a buddy in bat- tle sees his life in new perspective and resolves to make it more mean- ingful. The war is ugly, wasteful, and unfortunate, but the sorrow it causes is somewhat softened by the blessing of seeing better men, with spiritual strength and determina- tion, rise out of the moral and physical rubble it causes.
The Church among the service- men is organized into branches where possible and groups else- where. In Vietnam alone there are 60 to 70 organized groups, divided into three districts. Each district is presided over by a district presi- dency and district council. It is a testimony to see the caliber of men the Lord has provided for this dis- trict leadership: former bishops, members of stake presidencies, members of bishoprics, high coun- cilors, high priests, and others of great experience. Regular visits to groups are made by district coun- cilmen. Home teaching is done where possible, and an extra visit is made in the event of enemy at- tack. Priesthood advancements are taken care of regularly and temple recommends issued. For nearly every Latter-day Saint serviceman assigned to Asia, there is an oppor-
tunity to be active and of service.
A discussion of the Latter-day Saint servicemen in Asia would not be complete without reference to their contribution to the physical growth of the Church. Throughout Asia chapels have been built and are being built with the financial assistance and physical labor of the servicemen. Through their contri- butions they are helping people who have very limited financial re- sources to enjoy the benefits of chapel facilities. In Vietnam many of the servicemen give one month's combat pay to the building and missionary fund for Vietnam. This same generosity is helping build facilities in all the missions in Asia. In these material ways and the un-
numbered thousands of personal acts of charity, the Latter-day Saint servicemen contribute to the ma- terial well-being of the Church at present and in preparation for the future.
Only those who have sat in con- ference with four or five hundred Latter-day Saint servicemen fresh from the dirt, wet, and misery of jungle war and heard them sing, "And should we die before our journey's through . . . ," can feel the richness of souls and the depth of conviction and source of com- fort that living the gospel brings. A witness of their testimony is borne as you hear these great men of the Church sing, ". . . All is well, all is well." O
Below are scenes from Man's Search for Happiness, specially filmed in Japan with Japanese actors, which will be featured at the Mormon Pavilion at Expo '70 in Osaka, Japan. The film answers the questions of everyman's search: Who am I? How did I come to be? Where did I come from? After death, what? It points out that the gospel of Jesus Christ is the way to peace and the fullness of everlasting life.
28
One of several
•
popular Japanese youth choruses.
A Japanese Latter-day Saint family visits a national monument.
Era, March 1970 29
Scenes from the Hong Kong-Taiwan Mission: Top photo- graphs, members perform in program at a branch party in Taiwan. Bottom, local missionary called from Hong Kong passes out Christmas cards on street corner in Tai- wan (right), while Sister Huang, a dis- trict missionary, waits at the Kao Hsiung train station for her new companion (far right).
30 Era, March 1970
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GOSPEL STANDARDS
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"Now 1 want to make all mistakes on the side |
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TheBcginnings in THAIIAM)
• On November 2, 1966, Elder Gordon B. Hinckley of the Council of the Twelve and a small group of Latter-day Saints from the Bang- kok Branch assembled in Bangkok's Lumpini Park for the dedication of Thailand for the preaching of the gospel. Subsequently, there fol- lowed a more than two-year strug- gle through the seemingly endless channels of Asian bureaucracy be- fore the Church was incorporated in Thailand November 1, 1967.
Upon receiving approval from the First Presidency, and under the direction of President Keith B. Garner of the Southern Far East Mission, a vanguard of six elders arrived in Bangkok on February 2, 1968. A home to serve as their living quarters was secured in the Bangkaoi section on Sukumvit Road.
On Monday, February 5, Presi- dent Garner returned to the mis- sion headquarters in Hong Kong. His instructions to the missionaries were short and explicit: learn the Thai language and arrange to have the six missionary discussions translated.
At the date of their arrival, there
By Craig G. Christensen
was no Church literature in the Thai language; not even the name of the Church had been translated. The elders relied on fasting and prayer for guidance. Within one week, a translator for the six dis- cussions had been employed, and a language school with Thai instruc- tors had been located. They began three weeks of intensive instruction in the Thai language. In the evenings, time was utilized by tracting in the farang (foreign) areas of Bangkok. The reactions of most Occidentals to the undertaking ranged from scorn to pity. "Your failure is assured," the elders were told. "The Thais have a religion that is perfectly suited to them. Don't try to change a contented people with your western religion." The thrust of these opinions was amplified when it was learned that the first Protestant missionaries in Thailand had labored 37 years be- fore baptizing their first convert. Only in recent years had the entire Bible been available in a Thai translation, and it had many flaws. According to estimates, 97 percent of Thailand is Buddhist, with the remaining portion divided among
the Islam, Catholic, Protestant, and Hindu faiths.
The first crucial weeks were ac- companied with a special blessing: a young Thai man, Anan Eldredge, who had been adopted by an Amer- ican Latter-day Saint family living in Thailand and had been subse- quently baptized, was sent to live with the elders to help them learn the language. With his help, they were able to conduct the first Latter-day Saint services entirely in the Thai language in a mere five weeks after their arrival in Thai- land. Six Thai investigators were present. (At this writing, Brother Anan, now an elder, is serving as the first full-time native missionary in Thailand.)
The pressures and frustrations of the initial weeks were made more endurable through the meeting of a very special individual. Dr. Gordon M. Flammer of the Bangkok Branch introduced the elders to an intelli- gent Thai gentleman and his wife:
Craig C. Christensen, former South- ern Far East (Taiwan and Thailand) missionary, is presently pursuing a degree in history and Chinese at Brigham Young University.
32
Boonepluke and Rabiab Klaophin. May 15, 1968. It was the first bap- family were then living in Korat,
Mr. Boonepluke (Thais use the tismal service held by the mission- and he was again invaluable in
first name almost exclusively) was aries in Thailand. (When I left starting the work there. Korat, the
employed at the school where Dr. Thailand nine months later, he was third largest city in Thailand, has a
Flammer taught and had expressed serving as a counselor in the Bang- population of about 75,000. From
interest in the Church because of kok Thai Branch. ) the beginning, there was a special
his observation of the habits and It is obviously impossible to give spirit there, and the hand of the
characteristics of its members. a detailed account of the conversion Lord was evident countless times in
Mr. Boonepluke had taught him- of each member, but there are two the locating and conversion of those self enough English to communicate others whose roles in the establish- souls whom he had prepared to re- on a fairly technical level, so the ment of the Church in Thailand ceive the gospel. Within a short missionaries began to teach him the should be noted. Brother Prasong time the Korat group had about six discussions in English, and he in Sriveses, who was employed by the thirty regular attendees, and bap- turn would translate for his wife. Thailand District president, Eugene tismal services were held monthly. These meetings were very spiritual P. Till, listened to the six discus- The converts were from all walks of experiences. His desire to learn the sions in "pidgin" Thai (as then life: students, military men, com- gospel was intense. He literally spoken by the elders ) with a degree mon laborers, and two former memorized each point in the dis- of comprehension that can only be Protestant ministers. The circum- cussions and made certain he had explained as a gift of the Holy stances of their conversions were thoroughly digested the material Ghost. Brother Prasong was bap- almost without exception dramatic in each lesson before proceeding tized on June 12, 1968, and the fol- and miraculous. In a few months to the next. He understood the sig- lowing week he was ordained a it was necessary to find a larger nificance of prayer and made cer- priest and set apart as an assistant meeting place. tain that his family had daily in the Sunday School superin- The elders have found it to be a prayers. He became a regular tendency. choice experience to work among attendee at the weekly meetings A few weeks after arriving in the Thais. Their warmth and sin- held in the elders' home. Atten- Bangkok, two of the elders met an cerity are unmatched anywhere, dance meant a one-hour motorcycle extraordinary lady, Mrs. Srilak- They are quick to make friends and ride with his wife and two children sanaa. Of noble ancestry, she was are generally humble and content through the crowded streets of well educated and had traveled with their lives. They are quick to Bangkok. His punctuality in a land extensively. She consented to listen smile and slow to anger. One who where time is considered only in to the discussions, and through is acquainted with the Polynesian terms of "early" and "late" was prayer and study of the Book of temperament would not find it dif- truly commendable. At length, Mormon, she gained a fervent testi- ficult to understand the Thais. Brother Boonepluke and his wife mony; she and her two daughters However, the Thais are tolerant of were challenged to be baptized. were baptized July 4, 1968. Since religions to an unnerving degree,
Space does not allow a discus- that time, her eloquence and strong thus rendering attempts to teach
sion of the ramifications of the Thai testimony have been invaluable in any one set of beliefs very often
social structure. Suffice it to say the conversion of other Thai unfruitful. This particular diffi-
that a Thai man who rejects people. She has served the Church culty will likely be unsettling to
Buddhism is looked upon as some- as a teacher of an investigators' missionaries in Thailand for years to
what of a traitor, because Buddhism class and has assisted in translation come.
and the Thai government are in- work. In July 1968, President Garner
extricably related historically, cere- In June 1968 President Garner was released, and W. Brent Hardy
monially, and philosophically. Such was in Bangkok in conjunction with was set apart as the new mission
a person becomes a social outcast a district conference and was in- president. Under his direction, the
in many circles and is almost certain spired to send two elders to the elders then laboring in Bangkok
to bring disgrace upon his family, city of Nakorn Rajasima, better were assigned to revise and correct
Nevertheless, after much personal known as Korat, to begin mission- the then existing translations of the
prayer and counsel from the mis- ary work. They arrived on June 21, six missionary lessons. This proved
sionaries, Brother Boonepluke and and the following week regular to be a ponderous task, for the
his wife were baptized and con- Sunday meetings were started, native Thai translators who had
firmed members of the Church on Brother Anan Eldredge and his been hired were faced with two
Era, March 1970 33
major problems : ( 1 ) they were not familiar with the Church termin- ology and doctrine, and (2) the Thai language makes no provision for Christian concepts. For exam- ple, "Savior" must be translated "the Holy One who helps." To date, no suitable equivalent for the word "priesthood" has been discovered or coined. Thus, after only eight months in Thailand, the Church was established in two cities, the six missionary discussions had been suitably translated, and a good translation of "Joseph Smith's Testi- mony" was ready for publication.
In December 1968, Elder Ezra Taft Benson of the Council of the Twelve visited Bangkok to attend a quarterly district conference. Dur- ing his visit, he was granted an audience with the king of Thailand, and he presented him with a copy of the Book of Mormon and a Thai- language copy of "Joseph Smith's Testimony."
During that same district con- ference, President Hardy instructed two pairs of missionary companions to travel throughout northern Thai- land, in order to determine which cities might be suitable for mission- ary work. In the northern provinces of Thailand dwell several hill tribes whose culture, language, and traditions differ markedly from the Thais who inhabit the lowlands. The elders had heard of a tape recording that described some of these traditions. The following is taken from the journal of one of the missionaries, Elder Alan H. Hess:
"After a while we decided to go in search of the people who sold the Karen hill tribe music tapes. All seemed to go without a hitch. The post office gave us the address of the post office box number we had received. When we got to the place, we found it to be the Baptist Mission. They have done exten- sive work among the hill tribes.
They were quite curious as to why we wanted the tape, but they sold it to us anyway. Later we went into a tape recording shop and played it. The narrator told how the Karens have a legend about a golden book which was given to their forefathers. They say that they lost this 'Book of Life' through negligence. They also say that some white men will bring it to them again. Here is the narration as taken from that tape: 'The story of the Golden Book of Life has a large place in the traditions of the Karens. After Creation, God so- journed with man for a while, then returned to heaven to the company of His youngest son, a white man. Upon arriving in heaven, God gave the white man three books of life, one each for his children on earth. The books were delivered, and the white brother took his leave to the west, promising to pay a return visit someday. However, the Karen Indians soon lost their golden book through negligence and began wandering the pathway of animistic fears. With fervent expectation and hope, the Karen looks for the com- ing of his white brothers with the Golden Book of Life.' This longing helped open the way for early Christian missionaries. It is little wonder that the Bible has become the touchstone of the Karen Church and its faith."
The following is a translation of a chant that has been handed down through the centuries among these hill tribes:
"The old men tell us, 'Children re- member this: Remember that the white foreigner
will return the Golden Book. When that happens, take the book,
and take care of it. If you don't it'll be lost, and then
there will be no hope at all. We're old, it's too late for us, but
you'll be there. Watch the sea for the big ship.
Where the waves beat themselves
white, Watch for the white man's ship. They'll have the golden book. Take it.' "
Continuing the journal excerpts:
"Upon arrival in Chiang Mai we were speaking with some of the taxi drivers and one of them gave us the name of a Mr. Thompson, who was from the Karen tribe, but was taken when just a child and brought up by Baptist missionaries. He works in a local bank, and is active in the Baptist Church. The Lord was really with us in that almost as soon as we arrived back at the hotel, one of the workers there came to our door, and even before we asked she said she knew where Mr. Thomson lived and offered to take us there. We went with this little lady on a bus and up a road on the other end of town that would have been almost impossible for us to find on our own. Mr. Thompson received us most kindly, and upon request, related the tribe legend to us a little bit differently than we had heard it before. He said there was a gold book and a silver book which had been lost. The Baptists had been teaching that one book was the Bible and one was the hymn book. We told him about Joseph Smith, the gold plates, and the story of the Book of Mormon. He seemed impressed, but didn't really understand the import. But he did agree to pray about it. And we told him we would go to his bank the following day and take him a Book of Mormon."
As one who witnessed the open- ing pages of the history of the Church in Thailand, I believe that there is every reason to believe that the words of Elder Hinckley in his dedicatory prayer will be fulfilled: that tens of thousands of Thai people will one day become mem- bers of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. O
34
The Early Missions to Burma and Siam
• Early in the 1850s the leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Salt Lake City, England, and Europe became inter- ested in the possibilities of estab- lishing missions in India, Siam (modern Thailand), and China. This was a period of great expan- sion of missionary work, and the idea of a world church was in the minds of many church members.
At about the same time (Decem- ber 1849), two young sailors, George Barber and Benjamin Richey, were forced, because of needed ship repairs, to spend some time in Calcutta, India. They had joined the Church just prior to sailing for India and had a desire to preach the gospel. They inter- ested several English families in the Church. This was the first time the doctrines of Mormonism had been preached in India. Because
By Dr. R. Lanier Britsch
Barber and Richey did not have the authority, the families wrote to Eng- land asking for someone to baptize them.
At about this same time two other requests for information and "liv- ing witnesses" were received in England and on the continent. These requests came from soldiers in the British army who had heard about the Church from friends in England. Within a few months three missionaries were dispatched to India. The first was Elder Joseph Richards, who was sent from England by G. B. Wallace, the conference president. Elder Richards arrived in Calcutta in mid- June 1851. There he found an in-
terested group of potential members of the Church, and he baptized four people on June 22, 1851. The con- verts were Matthew McCune, Maurice White, and James Patric Meik and his wife, Mary Ann. Others were baptized in the next few days. Richard's visit to Cal- cutta was brief, because he had signed on as a sailmaker in order to gain passage to India; and when he was unable to find a replacement at Calcutta, he was forced to re- turn to England. He ordained Maurice White an elder and left him in charge of the "Wanderers' Branch."
The second and third elders to India were sent by Lorenzo Snow,
Dr. R. Lanier Britsch, assistant professor of history and associate coordinator of the Asian Studies Program at Brigham Young University, wrote his doctoral dissertation for Claremont (California) Graduate School on the early Church missions to Burma and Siam.
Era, March 1970 35
who was at that time president of the Swiss and Italian missions. Elder William Willes landed in Calcutta on December 25, 1851. Elder Hugh Findlay arrived in Bombay about the same time. Lorenzo Snow intended to go to India shortly after sending Willes and Findlay, but because of other church duties and calls, he was never able to fulfill his desire.
Elder Willes took charge upon his arrival in Calcutta and served in India and Burma as a missionary for several years. The first few months of his mission brought con- siderable success. Word of this fact motivated the First Presidency to call nine men to fill missions in India, four to go to Siam, and four to China. Although Elder Willes had sent encouraging letters con- cerning his success in India, the Church opened Siam and China almost entirely on faith and hope.
The missionaries chosen to go to India were Nathaniel Vary Jones, Amos Milton Musser, Samuel Amos Woolley, Richard Ballantyne, Rob- ert Skelton, William Fotheringham, William F. Carter, Truman Leon- ard, and Robert Owens. Called to Siam were Elam Luddington, Levi Savage, Chauncey Walker West, and Benjamin F. Dewey.
The story of the wagon journey to California and the voyage to Calcutta is a saga in itself, but it must suffice to say that it was long and hard. The missionaries, who had been called on August 28, 1852, and who had left Salt Lake City late in October, arrived in Calcutta on April 26, 1853. The Siam-bound elders had gone to Calcutta with the India group, because separate passage to Bang- kok was not available. These four men set their minds on reaching their destination, but in the end only one of them ever set foot on Siamese soil. Their intention had been to travel overland across
Burma and Siam. However, the should be preached to all people,
second Anglo-Burmese War was and knowing that he could not
then in progress, and that route was teach the Burmese without a knowl-
closed. Chauncey W. West and edge of the language, he made ar-
Benjamin F. Dewey tried several rangements with a native teacher
times to find sea passage, but in and started learning the Burmese
the end, after visiting Ceylon and language. He also hoped that the
Bombay, they were forced because gospel could soon be preached to
of bad weather in southeast Asian a group of hill people called the
waters to give up on their attempts Karens. He reported that the
to reach Bangkok. Karens were "a people held in great
Elders Luddington and Savage bondage by the Burmese; but who
decided that they would go to seem to be prepared for the Gospel,
Rangoon, Burma, to work. From having never been given up to
there they hoped to find a way to idolatry, though surrounded with
go to Siam. They were encouraged it on all sides. They have amongst
to go to Rangoon by reports that them many principles of truth,
had been sent to Church members handed down from father to son,
in Calcutta from Matthew McCune, in their traditions; and are wor-
who had been baptized in India, shippers of God." His desire that
In August 1852, at the time when the Karens should be taught the
new missionaries were being called gospel was later fulfilled, but with-
to Asia, Matthew McCune, who was out the success that he expected,
by this time an elder in the Church, From August 1852 until January
was sent by the British army to 1853, McCune and Adams worked
Rangoon. He traveled with William diligently at teaching the gospel.
Adams, also a sergeant, who was a They found that the excellent at-
member of the Church and held tendance at their first lecture did
the office of teacher in the Aaronic Priesthood. They arrived in Ran- goon on August 17.
Eager to teach Mormonism to other members of their military
not prove to be a forecast of things to come, and they were soon happy to have any investigators, no matter how small the number. They placed handbills and announcements in
unit, they decided to hold lecture public places, but their signs were meetings each Tuesday and Thurs- torn down and their handbills de- day evenings. The first lecture was stroyed. Nevertheless, by January held on August 23, and 20 people 1853, eight soldiers had been attended. The two brethren were baptized.
delighted. They did not limit One problem that arose was in themselves to the Tuesday and not having books and information Thursday meetings; they also held to give investigators and converts, regular Sunday meetings and dis- McCune wrote to Calcutta and re- tributed tracts and literature during quested copies of the Book of their off-duty hours. Their first Mormon and other literature, but lecture meeting had been held in the supplies were slow in coming. McCune's tent, but soon they were This same problem arose from time able to arrange for a Burmese house to time in other parts of the mission, in which to live and teach. To have material sent from Eng- At first the two men devoted most land was expensive and time- of their energy to teaching military consuming.
personnel, but soon they became Elder McCune was transferred
interested in the Burmese people, by his military superiors from Ran-
Elder McCune felt that the gospel goon to Martaban in late 1852, and
36
by the first part of 1853, he was scheduled to move into the field of combat. From January to August 1853, he was on active military duty, continuing his work as a mis- sionary while in the field with his company. After his company had left Martaban, it marched for six weeks through the Sitang Valley. During this time McCune was teaching the gospel, and he was able to baptize one man while on the six-week trek.
At the end of the movement, the "Martaban column" stopped for two months at a town called Sho- waygheen. While there McCune was "fortunate enough to obtain use of a phonghee -house, that is, the house of the Buddhist priests, to live in, and I made a chapel of it, continuing our meetings for preach- ing, the same as on the march."
In a short time, however, he was turned out of this place by the military authorities. He set up chapels three times, but each time was told to leave. The following is his description of the third dis- placement:
"I then obtained permission of the engineering officer to take pos- session of an image-house on the top of a hill, beside a pagoda. This house was filled at one end with large gilt images— the gods of the poor Burmese. This I ivalled in with mats, and I had a floor of wood put in it for me, by the kind engineer officer, and here I again commenced preaching the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. But I had not held possession more than a fortnight, when I was again warned to turn out, as the authorities re- quired to build a magazine for powder round the pagoda, the wall of which magazine, they said, would have to run through my chapel. They commenced pulling down just sufficient of the roof to render the building uninhabitable, and then stopped. 1 moved into my
Era, March 1970 37
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tent, with the feeling deeply im- pressed on my mind that my work was done at Showaygheen."
During the time that McCune was able to hold meetings in the various houses in Showaygheen, he baptized two more men. In August, when he arrived in Rangoon, he found that the little branch there had become inactive. The persecu-
tion had been too great for the new convert who had been left in charge. McCune was, of course, disappointed to find affairs in this state, but he was soon given hope by the arrival of two American missionaries, Elders Luddington and Savage.
On June 15, 1853, Elam Ludding- ton and Levi Savage had taken
The Spoken Word
"The Spoken Word" from Tem- ple Square, presented over KSL and the Columbia Broadcasting System December 14, 1969.©1969
Infinite kindness
By Richard L. Evans
Red Barber reminds us of one overall quality that Branch Rickey said a man must have if he were to marry one of the famous base- ball manager's daughters. Well, one could imagine a long list of all the virtues and attributes that would be required: honor, ambition, tal- ent, money, social acceptance, and all the others. But the one quality absolutely required was this: infinite kindness.1 Kindness might seem to be secondary, but it quickly broadens out on a wide base. If a person is sincerely kind, he wouldn't deceive, he wouldn't hurt, he wouldn't make unhappy. If a person is sincerely kind, he wouldn't disappoint a loved one by being dishonest, disloyal, unfaithful. Immorality is not kind — not to others or ourselves. Dishonesty is not kind — not to any- one. Lack of support, lack of encouragement, lack of cooperation are not kind. Infinite kindness includes consideration, compassion, loyalty — and increases love. Oh, how many hearts have been broken, how many lives have been blighted by the cruelty of unkindness! Yet how many marriages have been saved, how many sorrows softened by the quality of kindness! Kindness would respect, care for, comfort. Kind- ness would bring people closer. Kindness would hallow a home, even in the presence of many problems. The Master of mankind spoke sharply at times, and rebuked as occasion required, but it is not re- corded that he was unkind ever to a sincere or repentant person. One wouldn't want a son, a daughter, a child committed in any way to anyone who was cruel or unkind. Kindness would surely have to be high among the qualities of a husband, a wife, a child, a parent, or any acceptable person. Infinite kindness — it could save a marriage. It could bring out the best; it could cover for many other qualities.
"Oh, the kind words we give shall in memory live
And sunshine forever impart.
Let us oft speak kind words to each other;
Kind words are sweet tones of the heart."2
'Red Barber, Walk in the Spirit: Mr. Rickey. The Dial Press, Inc. Joseph L. Townsend, "Let Us Oft Speak Kind Words."
passage on the Fire Queen, which was bound for Rangoon. This voy- age, the first of two attempts to sail to Burma, nearly took the lives of the persons on board. Because of a severe storm, they were forced to turn back to Calcutta. Elder Amos Musser, a missionary who was stationed in Calcutta, described the return of Elders Luddington and Savage :
"While at dinner Brother Lud- dington came in, in an awful pre- dicament, close [sic] dirty, hat re- duced to 2/3 the size, etc., etc. The ship they started to Rangoon in, three days after they left here she sprung a leak and they had been hailing and pumping water night and day ever since. They throwed all their cargo overboard and gave themselves up to the Lord and re- signed themselves for a watery grave. They throwed all of the stores overboard, but the Lord de- livered them safe. This trial came in exact fulfilment of what Brother Woodruff told us before we left home in the mountains. He said the spirit whispered to him that some of us would have great trials at sea, etc., etc"
After a little over a month in dry dock, the Fire Queen was once again ready to sail. When Elders Luddington and Savage arrived in Rangoon, they began holding meet- ings on the same schedule that had been followed by McCune and Adams. The location of the meet- ings was changed, however, to a place within the military stockade, "near the great Shirah-dong Pa- goda." The meetings were well attended.
In a letter to President Richards in England, Elder Luddington told of the success he was having in preaching on the government wharf in Rangoon. He told of one meeting in which he spoke "to Burmese, Bengalese, Malays, Brahmins of different castes, Mussulmen, Ar-
38 Era, March 1970
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In the meantime, Elder Savage decided that he would branch out on his own. He felt that he would be happier if he went to work with the Burmese. On September 28, 1853, he left Rangoon and went to Moulmein, across the Gulf of Martaban, where he remained for some months, spending a great part of his time attempting to learn the Burmese language.
By January 1854, Elder Ludding- ton, with the assistance of Elder McCune, had been able to baptize two more soldiers into the Church. But the work was moving slowly, for in the year and a half that McCune had been in Rangoon, only ten persons had become members. Because of the lack of progress in Rangoon, and because Luddington still had a desire to fulfill his mis- sion call to Siam, he sailed from Rangoon for Singapore on February 3, 1854, arriving at Pulo Penang, or Prince of Wales Island, in late February. After a stay there of five days, during which he preached the gospel, he sailed again, this time to Singapore. From there he took passage on a ship bound for Bang- kok, arriving there April 6, 1854. A few weeks later he wrote to the Saints in England; "I am following my calling at this time in the jungles of Siam, far from a civilized nation, and surrounded on the one hand by wild savages, and by wild beasts on the other."
In Bangkok, Elder Luddington held meetings whenever possible. His first service was held on April 9 at the home of Captain James Trail, the skipper of the ship in which he had sailed to Bangkok. After hearing Luddington's words, the captain and his wife asked for baptism and were baptized that night.
Unfortunately, the remainder of Elder Luddington's mission to Siam did not yield such rewards. Captain
40 Era, March 1970
Trail and his wife were, in fact, the only converts in Bangkok. Ludding- ton, however, did have some ex- periences that were rather unusual. He called on the Siamese Minister of Foreign Affairs, and at the con- clusion of the one-hour conversa- tion, the minister asked him whether the prophet of God would come to Bangkok. On another occasion he was requested to write a letter to the king of Siam. He reported :
"I have written a long letter to the king— To His Most Gracious Majesty Phrabat Somdet Pra Chom Klaw Chao Ya llua, sovereign of Laos, at his request. He being de- sirous to knoio something about the gold plates, I gave him a brief synopsis of the same. He is about fifty years old, and has a family of several hundred wives, and chil- dren without number."
In March 1854, Elder William Willes, the second missionary to India, who by this time had been given his choice to stay in India or go home, decided to go to Rangoon to help Elder McCune, who was now working alone in that city. Elder Willes added a great deal of enthusiasm to the Burma Mission during the six months he stayed there. He baptized 20 persons and opened a school to teach the Eng- lish language. He used the money that he earned in teaching English to pay for his passage home to England.
In August 1854, when Elder Willes had been in Rangoon for six months, he wrote that the work had slowed down a great deal. At that time Nathanial V. Jones, president of the mission, once again invited Willes to take his leave whenever he felt so inclined. Apparently the work had also slowed down to a standstill in Calcutta, for President Jones decided to go to Burma for a while. His trip there, as he writes in a letter, was admittedly at least
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in part for the purpose of getting away from Calcutta. When he ar- rived in Rangoon, he worked with the elders there for a few days and then sailed across the Gulf of Marta- ban to Moulmein, to see Elder Savage. Savage had by this time been in Moulmein for about a year and had devoted his attentions to the native people. He was becom- ing quite fluent in the Burmese lan-
desires and anticipations that we should find a people that would receive our testimony. The first night set us far beyond the reach of the European population, in the midst of the swarming multitudes that inhabit this country. That night we stopped in a Karen village, which we reached some time after nightfall, in not a very agreeable condition, for I had the misfortune
"1 told the captain that the man, kingdom, or nation that fought against the Saints . . . should go backward and not forward, should sink and not swim,'" replied the elder
guage; however, he had not made any conversions to the Church. Because Elder Jones felt that Sav- age could be helpful to him, he took him back to Rangoon.
In addition to his desire to get away from Calcutta, Jones was also interested in supervising the Rangoon Branch and seeing wheth- er he could give the elders encour- agement in their work there. Another purpose was to visit the Karens. After returning to Rangoon from Moulmein, Elder Jones stated:
"We then began to make prepara- tions for our trip amongst the Karens. We tried to get some con- veyance by land, but soon learned that in consequence of the incessant rains that prevail here six months of the year, an overland trip was no way practicable, having to cross mullahs (ravines), and low strips of land which were in all probability inundated. As a last resort, we came to the conclusion to hire a boat which we did for four English shillings per day. We then provided ourselves with the needful for the campaign, and set off buoyant with
just before night to get an overturn, by which I was enabled to judge correctly the depth of the water, which I found to be several feet. We, however, made the best of it for the night, and by morning my clothes were partly dry. But with the daylight came a strange and magic view, to American eyes— a whole community of villages upon posts from six to ten feet above the water. They looked like the in- habitants of Neptune, that had just emerged from the watery element. An old adage came to mind with much force, which was, that 'one half of the world do not know how the other half live.' This is literally true. . . ."
Elder Jones was interested in the way the Karen people lived, but he was most concerned with their re- ligious views. He hoped that the reports that they had a belief in God would prove to be true.
"In their religious views we did not find the people as represented. They do not worship the 'Great Spirit,' as the missionaries have stated. Very many of them are
Buddhists, and those who are not do not worship anything— they have no correct idea of God at all. Brother Savage told them who we were, and the nature of our mes- sage. It was a new train of thought, and such a burst of new ideas upon their contracted minds, that they could not comprehend it at all. They will not understand that we know anything of the God whom we worship, only in the same man- ner that they do— that is, by some fabulous legend or tradition like their own. They know nothing of the past, only by tradition; which forms the leading feature in their character, and I think it is more firmly reveted upon their minds than any other people's in the world; in fact all Asiatics partake more or less of this spirit, it is inter- woven with their very existence, and it is almost a thing impossible to make any inroad upon them. They are indeed a strange sect, and it is like commencing with the raw material to do anything with them, for they must be remodeled throughout, and there seems so little to commence upon that it is difficult to begin the work of creation."
As they traveled from village to village, Elders Jones and Savage found the Karen people to be much alike in their beliefs and reactions to the gospel. Although they were disappointed by their lack of suc- cess, the elders still felt that the Burmese and Karen people were the finest Asiatics they had worked with.
Upon their return to Rangoon, Elder Jones went back to Calcutta; Elder Savage, who was working on a translation of The Vision of Joseph Smith into the Burmese lan- guage, decided to stay in Rangoon for a while longer.
In the meantime, Elder Willes sailed on a ship bound for Pulo Penang, from where he planned to
42
find a ship that was going to the west coast of America, but in this he was not successful. A captain then gave him the opportunity to go to Singapore. He later found that he had been offered passage so "that he might assist him [the cap- tain] and the crew in defending them from the piratical Malays, who infest the Straits of Malacca."
Fortunately there was not an attack from the Malays, and Willes reached Singapore safely. There he was surprised to find Elder Luddington, who had been working in Bangkok, but who was "about the same as mobbed out." Ludding- ton wrote of their meeting: "Brother Willes spent four days with me, which was like balm to a wounded spirit, or water to a thirsty man. When I was hungry, he took me to the bazzar [sic], and bought me a loaf of bread and a bowl of soup with a few vegetables and China fixings." Even though the elders would have preferred staying together longer, Willes made arrangements to sail to Liver- pool, England, on the ship Gazelle, and so they parted on October 14, 1854.
Elder Luddington soon sailed from Singapore. On December 10, 1854, he wrote to President Frank- lin D. Richards, telling of his ex- periences at sea:
"I arrived in this place [Hong Kong] on the morning of the first instant, after a long and sickening voyage of 35 days from the Straits of Malacca, or Singapore. We put in here in distress. I was a pas- senger on hoard the Prince Woron- zoff from Edinburgh, Scotland.
"On the ninth day out, 15 miles to the westward of Paliwon Is- land . . . fust before dawn of day, on Saturday the 4th of November, in a heavy fog and rain, our clipper struck with great violence on a coral reef, or sunken rock. The captain ordered port helm, and all
on board was as silent as the char- nal house of death. We struck three or four times on those rough and pointed rocks, and our hopes were almost gone, and death stared us in the face, but thank the Lord, He sent to our relief an unusually large wave, which carried us over the rock into deep water. We manned the pumps, and sounded the water in the hold, and found the vessel made one inch of water every three minutes, or 20 inches per hour. Our spirits groaned with- in us. It was a time of deepest distress. I felt that my mission had been according to the will of heav- en, and I could not but ask, "Father, must I leave my body here?" But I felt, 'Thy will, O Lord, be done.'
"I had a little hope that we might save ourselves in our boats, but to our terror the captain informed us that the inhabitants of Paliwon Is- land were all cannibals. The island is not far from Borneo. . . .
"Our gallant brig was bound for Shanghai, and the captain was de termined to run her into that port, if possible to save expense, other- wise we might have put into Manilla, which would have been far better.
"Here commenced the epoch— trouble, sorrow, sickness, pain vitu- peration, and abuse. I was sick and had to stand in the water at the brake of the pump morning and night, to keep us afloat, and save our lives, with however little hopes. We were for 15 days in a gale of wind. . . . Sometimes we carried on mountain waves, and then again thrust down into the great abyss of waters, in the troughs of the sea, expecting at times to be buried, as the vessel often shipped seas which swept the decks fore and aft. I was sick, and my body was born down with pain from costiveness and the general disorganized state of my system.
"All this toas but trifling. Said
Era, March 1970 43
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This giant 330 page book is a must for every dance director and will turn dances into successful, enter- taining social affairs.
• Involves those on the sidelines
• Promotes mixing and changing partners
• Provides fun for both young and old
• Explains hundreds of games and dance steps.
Alma Heaton
Nationally recognized
recreational dance authority. Member—
YMMIA General Dance Committee.
NOW JUST
, Send check to 1 BYU PUBLICATION SALES 205 University Press Building Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah 84601
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Leisure Tours Travel Club Tours for 1970
Mar. 16 — Seven day California Tem- ple Tour Oakland-Los An- geles Tour San Francisco, Hearst Castle and Holly- wood. $99.00 per person.
June 13— Five day Cardston Temple Canadian Rockies Tour. $140.00.
July 4 — Twelve day Cardston Tem- ple Canadian Rockies Pa- cific Northwest Tour. $195.00.
July 25 — Seventeen day Palmyra Pageant and Eastern cities. $265.00.
Temple Tours and Rose Parade Tours
for members only. Membership fee
$1.00 per year. Call or write for
itineraries.
Leisure Tours Travel Club
34 Richards St., Salt Lake City, Utah 84101 Phone 363-7922
the captain, 'Ah! you are the Judas, your religion is of the devil, you ought to be put to death, and if Jesus toas now on the earth, you would put him to death.'
"'No,' I replied, 'We are his friends, and not his enemies' The persecution came hotter and hotter. After reading Elder Spender's let- ters, the captain said that he was a liar, for he condemned everybody and everything but his own order. I told the captain that the man, kingdom, or nation that fought against the Saints of Latter-days, should go backward and not for- ward, should sink and not swim.
"We passed Formosa Island two days out in the Pacific Ocean. The leak increased, and caused alarm, and we turned our course and stood for Amoy. The storm came on again, accompanied with thun- der and lightning, the clouds gath- ered blackness, the elements became furious, and the seas again swept our decks; we then put into Hong Kong. After running within three days' sail of Shanghai, we were driven back 700 miles to the very place where I wanted to land 35 days before."
Elder Luddington remained in Hong Kong a few days, recovering from his seasickness, and then started looking for a free passage to California. In mid-December he was able to sail on the ship Lucas, bound for San Francisco.
In Rangoon, Elder Savage con- tinued to preach the gospel until late in 1855; then he traveled to Calcutta, from where he embarked for Boston. Elder McCune and his family remained in Rangoon until 1856, when he was discharged from the army. All of these missionaries, including McCune, later lived in the Salt Lake Valley. From the time the McCunes left Rangoon until only recently, the Church did not have an officially recognized mis- sion in Southeast Asia. O
44 Era, March 1970
*W
TO BE YOUNG IN
•
• High in the rugged and snowcapped Andes Mountains and at the base of 21,000-foot Mt. Illimani lies the beauti- ful city of La Paz, Bolivia. Founded in a natural canyon in 1548 by the Spaniards, who wished to protect them- selves from the icy winds that sweep across the 13,000-foot altiplano, or high plain, La Paz is the home of some 150 young Mormons.
In a developing country such as Bolivia, where progress is slow and many modern conveniences are not to be found, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints plays an important role in the lives of its young people. In an area where few or no organized activities are generally offered to
youth, the Church, especially through the Mutual Improvement Associations, offers the youth opportunities to grow and develop along many lines. For some of the youth, these activities offer the only social association they have.
The MIA programs are an effective missionary tool for the youth in bring- ing the gospel to their peers. The de- sire of the young Bolivian members to participate and develop is without equal. Many of them dedicate most of their spare time to the Church and its growth, and most of each Saturday's daylight hours are spent participating in organized tournaments and athletic contests.
Speech festivals, road shows, special district sporting events such as volley- ball and baby football (a soccer game usually played on a basketball court), and the general activities give young members and nonmembers the oppor- tunity they need to progress and better themselves, both spiritually and men tally.
Dating customs in Bolivia for the youth of the Church are different from those in many other countries. Usually the young man must visit the home of the girl's parents to ask their permis- sion for a date with their daughter. Their dates may include attending such events as movies, soccer matches, and other sporting events; trips to
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46
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Lake Titicaca, the highest navigable lake in the world, or to Chacaltaya, the highest ski resort in the world; or pic- nics at the ancient ruins of Tiahuanacu, which date back to the pre-lnca period. Another date is a group party called a pena Fo/k/or/'ca, where everyone is re- quired to dress in typical Bolivian cos- tumes, and typical dances and folk music are presented.
Many of the members date non- members, since the Church membership is rather small. This gives them a chance to bring the gospel into the lives of friends by their example. En- tire families have been brought into the Church because of the influence of young members.
Most Bolivian youth begin attend- ing school at the age of five or six and continue their schooling until 18 or 19. The schools are government con- trolled and organized. Many schools offer programs to people in the rural areas, where some of the better stu- dents spend days in the campo, or country, teaching their fellow Bolivians how to read and write and how to better their present living conditions and way of life. This program attracts many of our Mormon youth and gives them an opportunity to serve their fellow Bolivians, 70 percent of whom are still illiterate.
Education in Bolivia is free, includ- ing the universities; and, as a result,
the number of students who work part- time while attending school is very small.
Most of the youth who belong to the Church in Bolivia have a very im- portant role in the Church's growth and development. They give service in the auxiliary organizations and missionary work. They hold such positions as dance directors, branch counselors, presidents, superintendents, and coun- selors of the MIA and the Primary, or class teachers.
In a number of branches, the Pri- mary and the MIA organizations are made up of young members, and in Bolivia we are blessed with some of the finest. By Dee Talbot
The door of the moon with its new, modern-day Incas. Left to right, Virginia Ausa, Ernesto Caste/, Soraida Sainz, Monica Barrios, Elsa Sainz, O/ga Sainz, Eduardo Sanabria, and Cecilia Barrios. On top of the door are Nets Quiroz, Hugo Castel, and Ernesto Sana- bria.
Canoeing on the highest lake in the world are Eduardo Sanabria, Virginia Ausa, Olga Sainz, and Ernesto Sanabria.
Gonzalo Aliaga is asking the parents of Christina Vazquez for permission to date their daughter. Young Bolivian men are required to visit the girl's family before permission is given for a date.
Olga Sainz and Monica Barrios visit with a poor altiplano farmer, whom they are teach- ing to read. In the background are typical Bolivian adobe houses.
Era, March 1970 47
LDc
By J. Marvin Higbee
After watching a man being beaten nearly to death, a bystander, when asked why he didn't do anything to stop the crime, said, "I just didn't want to get involved. They might have turned on Anyway, it wasn't any of my business. That's why we have the cops to take care of things like this!"
We say, "Isn't that terrible? That would never happen to me!" But I wonder if, in another way, we too are uninvolved. Some reports claim only two percent of the students on college campuses are what are termed "activists." The other 98 percent are uninvolved in the "activist" move- ments. What are they doing?
Some become involved in campus affairs; most don't. Some become involved in civic affairs; most don't. Generally speaking, the other 98 per- cent are doing little. They are not involved. They stand by and watch while ideas, institutions, and people are destroyed, and decisions that affect them are made without the benefit of their think- ing. Many Latter-day Saint college and university students are right in the middle of the uninvolved 98 percent.
Some of this uninvolvement on the part of Latter-day Saints comes because of fear, mis- understanding, or complacency, or because they are not prepared or motivated to become involved.
The Lord never intended for us to isolate our- selves from the world. In John 17:15 he very specifically says, "I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil." He seems to be saying that we must live in the world and struggle with the problems of the world, but not become "of the world." In other words, we need to be involved in the world and help with the solutions to the problems of the world. We need not isolate our- selves; rather, we should insulate against their negative influence. The Latter-day Saint college
Something
and university students of today need to become involved. In this day more than ever, the people of the world need help. They need to know the gospel principles not only in word but also in action. I'm not suggesting only proselyting or attempting to convert people, but rather extending ourselves, and through us the gospel, by applying its principles through involvement in campus, civic, social, and political affairs.
There may be those of us who fear the world's close scrutiny of certain doctrines and policies of the Church; and thus, rather than becoming in- volved and attempting to answer the difficult questions, we isolate ourselves. This fear may be understandable, but fear should never be a basis for lack of involvement. In Edna St. Vincent Mil- lay's "Aria De Capo," Corydon said to Thyrsis, "One of us needs to risk ... or don't you see, the game will go on forever." We can never hope to explain all things to all people, but we can apply the principles of Christianity in our relationships with all people.
Here are some suggestions as to how a Latter- day Saint student might become involved in cam- pus, civic, social, and political affairs and thus, through the way he conducts himself, extend the gospel to many who would otherwise never have been aware of it.
1. Commit yourself to becoming involved.
2. Pick out one issue or problem you see, be- come informed, and then do something.
3. Write a letter to the editor of your school paper when you don't agree with what is happen- ing on or off campus, or even if you do agree.
4. Become aware of the needs of those in the ghettos and in the educationally and socially de- prived areas.
5. Become involved in social service groups. Volunteer to help in any way you can, whether you feel qualified or not.
6. Prepare yourself for positions in student government and organizations on campus and then seek those positions.
7. Become involved in the institute of religion, but don't isolate yourself behind its walls.
8. Develop an attitude of extending yourself beyond the limits of the Church doors.
9. Let your voice be heard, but let it be in gentleness and patience. Someone said, "All things come to him who prepares himself with patience."
10. You may not be able to do much, but you can do something, so do it! There are numerous other things that can be done, and if you let your imagination run and listen to the cries of mankind with your heart, you will know what to do.
As we become more involved with ideas, pro- grams, political theories, and the civil rights of mankind, let's consider this very meaningful thought. It is taken from The Book of Tao, which was written over 2,500 years ago by the ancient Chinese philosopher, Lao Tzu. He wrote: "When living, man is supple and yielding; when dead, man is hard and stiff. When living, all animals and plants are soft and pliant ; when dead, they are withered and brittle. Thus, being inflexible and unyielding is part of dying, being flexible and yielding is a part of living."
The essence of this statement is "listen." We need to be sensitive to others' points of view. One of the great dangers of "having the truth" is the tendency not to search for further truth or be willing to listen to others as they explain how they see it.
Being flexible and yielding does not mean to discard standards and beliefs, but rather, while holding tightly to these truths, to be willing to continue the search by being sensitive to the Lord, to the needs of mankind, drawing from their ex- periences, and acting upon what we see and hear that is good. o
Era, March 1970 49
basket b
an interesting
HERITAGE
By Joseph S. Wood
YMMIA General Board. Athletic Committee
• Monday, March 9, marks the beginning day of the 1970 five-day all-Church basketball tournament in Salt Lake City. Thirty-two M-Men teams will be competing in the senior division, while 32 Ensign teams will be striving for cham- pionship in the junior division. This large gathering of teams will rep- resent all sections of the United States as well as Alberta, Canada.
These 64 teams survived their stake league play and their zone play-offs in order to reach the coveted all-Church tournament. They are the teams remaining out of a total of approximately 4,400 that began stake competitions a few weeks ago. Without question, this makes the Church's basketball program the largest organization of basketball competition in all the world.
How did this program get started? Like most things that are large and expansive, it once was a struggling and tiny beginner. It was far back in 1906 that the MIA leaders of Ensign Stake in Salt Lake City began to talk seriously of adding a regular athletic activity for the benefit of the Junior De- partment of the Mutual program. The movement was particularly suited to the 20th Ward of that stake, where the president of the Junior Department gave a pen- nant for the winner of the two basketball teams in the ward. Each team selected its own officers, and the winning of the pennant was to
be based upon points for MIA attendance as well as recruitment of new members. The teams were named Green and Purple, and a great deal of interest was aroused by this new experiment.
By the spring of 1908 all of the wards in the Ensign Stake had teams participating in a stake basketball league. The 20th Ward lost only one game of the first 11 games they played. On April 15, 1908, before 300 spectators in the 20th Ward annex, that ward de- feated the 18th Ward team by a score of 28 to 23 in the game that decided the stake championship.
The athletic activity continued to grow in other ward MIAs until 1916, when the suggestion was made in a general board meeting that basketball be discontinued be- cause athletics were being adopted by the high schools; for the next six years basketball was not a part of the Mutual activity at all.
In September 1921, John D. Giles, who was at that time super- intendent of the Ensign Stake MIA, called together the stake superin- tendents of Granite, Liberty, Pio- neer, Salt Lake, and Ensign stakes to discuss the possibilities of bas- ketball competition, with a tourna- ment among the stake champions to be held the following spring. He was chairman of this first tourna- ment.
At approximately this same time the age group for young men be- tween the ages of 17 and 23 be-
came officially known as M Men. Immediately following the 1922 tournament, the superintendents met again with the representatives of the M Men themselves, and it was decided to continue the bas- ketball activity but to organize it on a more definite foundation, giv- ing special attention to eligibility and officiating. This first formal meeting was held in the fall of 1922, at which time the first con- stitution of the M Men Basketball League was drawn up.
In 1929 the MIA general board took over the administration and supervision of the basketball pro- gram. It was becoming evident that this was a program that would spread to an all-Church basis, be- cause it was an activity of popular appeal that promoted wholesome recreational association and clean living among its participants.
From 1922 to 1970 the basket- ball program has grown steadily and constantly — each year becom- ing larger and greater than in the past. There has been a steady parade of good teams and fine young men striving for a coveted championship — the all-Church. One thing is certain: March 9, 1970, marks the beginning of the greatest all-Church tournament ever held.
But it is also rather certain that its success will be surpassed a year later. That seems to be the way the all-Church tourna- ment operates. o
Pi
Era, March 1970 51
• Almost everyone who has ever driven a car has experienced that hopeless, helpless feeling of wheel- spinning on ice or in thick, gooey mud. That bogged-down feeling — who needs it?
A sense of getting somewhere is so important to Latter-day Saints that it is easy to see why a wise God made it necessary for us all to keep busy. Many people think God cursed Adam when he intro- duced hard work into the life of man (and sometimes the things we have to do are a bit of a drag), but would it be much fun to go through life spinning our wheels and really not getting anywhere?
Somehow, when you know that the world has an eternal purpose behind it, the challenge and ex- citement of accomplishing some- thing each day toward fulfilling that purpose becomes one of the central aspects of life. One of our beloved Church leaders, President Stephen L Richards, put it this way:
"Work with faith is a cardinal point of our theological doctrine, and our future state — our heaven — is envisioned in terms of eternal progression through constant la- bor." (Where is Wisdom? [Deseret Book Company, 1955], p. 253.)
In a day when a lot of new slo- gans have taken over, we hear much about the need for people to "do their own thing." There are lots of things to do — and they don't need to be unpleasant, far- out things that can border on the illegal or the immoral. The world cries out with things that need to be done. Even if you have a job, don't overlook the many bound- less opportunities to help someone else — with or without pay for your work.
"The world has need of willing men," according to an old church song. Those words are just as true
today as when they were first written.
Following are six volunteer jobs that would be helpful, character building, and just plain fun. You know many more.
1. Somewhere along the line perhaps you've acquired skill in a foreign language — in the home, in the mission field, during a travel- study tour, at school. Why not make yourself available to the lan- guage teacher at your former school as a "resource person"? You could drill the slower students, bounce questions around, hold conversations with them, or other- wise show that foreign languages are possible — and fun — to learn.
2. There's not a hospital any- where that can't make good use of a pair of willing hands. Scrub up your own, and let some overworked nurse or administrator know that you'd like to spend a few hours each week helping out.
3. Let's assume that you en- joy plays and concerts and that you know how to write. Even news- papermen can't be in more than one place at a time. Many an editor would like to send you out to cover a cultural event when his own staffers are tied up with other stories.
4. Almost every city or town has its share of underprivileged children or teen-agers — the poor, the handicapped, those who've made a mistake or who need a helping hand. If you can guide even one of these to find the handle of his bootstraps, you may share his thrill if he's able to pull himself up.
5. Almost every Mormon youth does something well or has a talent that sets him or her apart from the crowd. It's almost just as cer- tain that someone — sometime — recognized this gift and helped develop it. There's no law that
52
says you can't search out someone else with a similar gift and encour- age that person. Teaching is shar- ing. Sometimes the recognition of talent is all the nourishment that talent may need to help it blossom into something wonderful.
6. Humanitarianism — like God — is not dead. Even in the most affluent neighborhood there is likely to be an elderly or infirm person who needs some help with the many little things it takes to keep a house running smoothly. Leaves you've raked for free will crunch musically underfoot; snow you've shoveled just because you wanted to will shine a little whiter; trash you've voluntarily carried out might not even look like trash at all. Or you could mend a fence, fix a broken pane of glass, install a light switch, or do a hundred and one things that would not take long but could mean much.
If you look back over this begin- ning list, you'll find that some of these little jobs could even lead to exciting careers.
Obviously, some things you'd like to do might take more than just one pair of willing hands. Vol- unteer for a few friends, too. If, like a lot of people, you're sitting around wondering what to do (just letting those old energy wheels spin, as it were), why not conjure up a work party where it will do the most good? The resultant shock may shake both you and the neighbor served, but chances are you will all survive the blow.
The earth spins because it has some place to go in God's scheme of things. Some of us spin in vain because we don't have a place to go. A loosely spinning wheel starts to function as soon as it grabs hold of something solid. If some honest "sweat of the face" will start you on your way, get with it. Stop spinning your wheels! o
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A Girl Is Like a Fawn
By Dennis H. Drake
Spring-young, a girl is like a fawn
In danger situations:
Half -frightened, half -curious,
At once attracted and repelled.
An instinct older than age warrants
Will warn youth —
To bound away brief and sure
Permits ripeness, beauty, life.
But mute indulgence invites a dulling sting
That is ending, not beginning, as evening to dawn.
A gentle doe is never born; she grows from a fawn.
r ■■
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Ik
Parent
By Margot Van Orman
How could
we thank you
for the
time
and
patience,
until our
time was consumed
and our
patience
sorely
tried ?
How could
we express our
joy in
growing
and
progressing,
ivithout our
expansion in precept
and progression
step
by
step ?
How could
we repay your
sacrifice in
giving
us
life,
except by
our making life
as you
selflessly
made
us?
Noiv we
can thank you.
Thank You.
54
DOWNEY, CALIFORNIA . . . Troop 307 has just celebrated a first — six boys attaining the Eagle rank at the same time. U.S. Congressman Del Clawson presented the awards to the boys. Be- sides being fine Scouts, they are good money-raisers. They recently staged a very successful waffle dinner
and auction, and with the funds raised they bought much-needed camp equip- ment. Pictured are: top row, Scout- masters Ed Robinson and Dr. G. Arnold Davis; second row, Steven Davis, Jeffrey Taylor, and Mark Robinson; front row, Brian Chapman, Bruce Chapman, and John Boyle.
DELTA, UTAH . . . This is a realization of a dream come true. Almost ten years ago Brother Cecil Losee was asked to be Scoutmaster of Troop 141, Delta Second Ward, Deseret (Utah) Stake. At that time his oldest son, Gary, was just entering the Boy Scouts. Brother Losee's enthusiasm for this assignment was overwhelming: he loved the Scout program, he enjoyed camping and working with young boys, and he wanted to see all of his sons attain the dis- tinguished rank of Eagle Scout.
The five Eagle Scouts are: Gary, 22, who has filled a mission in the East Central States; Paul, 21, who has filled a mission in the British South Mission; Mark, 18, who is anxiously looking for- ward to his mission call; Blair, 16, and
Floyd, 14. The older boys have also received their Duty to God awards. Gary, Paul, and Mark, who are now attending college, live together in a small trailer house. They are active in their college wards, and Paul is a stake missionary.
Brother Losee's scouting assignment came to an end last September with the call to serve as first counselor in the bishopric. In a court of honor in Novem- ber, the boys' mother, Ava Bishop Losee, was presented a special eagle necklace with five eagles on it. The Losee family also includes three small daughters, Celia, Nancy, and Ranae.
In the photograph are, back row, Blair, Gary, Paul, Floyd; front, Mark, Cecil Losee.
co know
BOUNTIFUL, UTAH . . . There are ten Eagle Scouts this year in Troop 263 in Bountiful 30th Ward. Eight of them re- ceived the award during one court of honor this year. Pictured are: front row, left to right, Dean Larson, Russell Park-
er, Lynn Roe, Jeff Hatch; second row, Brad Barnett, Brad Jones, Kent Stanger, Kurt Stevenson, Gaylen Brown, and Richard Cannon; back row, Scoutmas- ters Cloyd Brown, Garn Nelson, and Robert Wilson.
(Though we can't make a practice of printing pictures like these tor the whole Church, they seemed especially worthy of mention at this time.- — The Editors)
FT. LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA . . . This ward's basketball team has won the regional meets in the women's divisions for four straight years in a row. They
have won the coveted stake sportsman- ship trophy twice and the regional sportsmanship trophy three times. Left to right, top row, Kathy Black, Peggy
Cooper, captain, Erni Hamel, Sue Win- ston, and Carolyn Robbins; front, Carol Haynes, Carolyn Barnes, Diane Under- bill, Debra Strelow, Wanda Mears.
Era, March 1970 55
TEST YOUR
You claim to be internationally minded. You are proud of your interest in the world. You admit to having cosmopolitan tastes, of being well traveled. You boast of friends all over the globe. Great ! But can you name the nationalities of the youths pictured here, or can you identify the locales?
Answers to: "Test Your Internationally!"
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Era, March 1970 57
• Flashing sticks battle for the white rubber ball. The shorts and lightweight shoes tell you this is a game of speed, but the helmets and the padding on the arms and the thick gloves tell you that this is a rough game, too. The fast- moving, hard-driving game of la- crosse has captured the Novato (California) Ward.
Lacrosse, sometimes called dry- land hockey, is possibly the oldest sport in America. It was being played by the Indians of north- eastern United States and Canada at the time of the early French exploration of North America. It is a hard-contested game in which emotions are easily aroused. Con- stant movement of players in quickly changing offensive and defensive patterns creates many opportunities for individual per- formances. It is a game in which the little man is pitted against the big man. Skillful stick-handling, speed, and determination make up for the lack of size and strength. While lacrosse requires less brawn than a sport such as football, it does demand quickness and the desire for personal combat that the American Indians brought to it. The Cherokees, in fact, called it "the little brother of war."
One day last year, the ward YMMIA superintendent, Harold Gingrich, was telling one of the ward's stake missionaries, Richard Brown, about the need for activity that would keep the interest of the
boys in the Explorer and Ensign groups. Dick is a member of the Marin County Lacrosse Club, which plays in the Northern California Lacrosse League, and is also a qualified referee. In conference with the bishop, Dick met with the priests and teachers to explain the game and see if there was interest in forming a team. Almost all the members of the priests quorum were interested, even though they had never seen the game. The Northern California Lacrosse Asso- ciation donated sticks and loaned helmets, gloves, arm pads, and jerseys needed to get the team started.
The turnout for the first practice sessions was more than encourag- ing. The enthusiasm for the new game spread and five nonmember boys joined the eleven ward mem- bers on the team.
Since this is a junior league team, they use one goalie and five other players on a smaller field than varsity teams, which use ten players. The game is fast, with players continually on the run, and because of the vigorous nature of the game, players are rotated in platoons frequently, giving all the boys a chance to play. The slightly rough body contact and the flashing, whacking sticks may cause a few bruises, but injuries are minor. The boys love it! Skill, strength, speed, and endurance all contribute to good, exciting la- crosse, o
58 Era, March 1970
Advertisement
ENOUGH ROPE
by Arthur V Watkins
The inside story of the censure of Senator Joseph R. McCarthy by his colleagues.
On August 12, 1954, the United States Senate authorized a Select Committee to study the charge against Joseph R. McCarthy of "conduct unbecoming a member of the Senate." Arthur V. Watkins, the Senator from Utah, was named Chairman by Vice President Richard Nixon and immediately announced his plan to conduct a "judicial hearing'' in a "judicial
atmosphere." Now, from the perspective of
fifteen years after the
controversial hearings that
signalled the end of a turbulent
career and a fearsome era in
American public life, Senator
Watkins has written this
inside story.
The great source of Senator Watkins'
strength in standing up to the pressures of
that time lay in the staunch religious
faith he has always had. This is a story of
inspiration for all Americans, but
it is a special message of courage and dedication
President Eisenhower, Senator President McKay 1952
Watkins,
Dear Senator Watkins:
Now that your victory is won, permit me to extend to you many hearty congratulations and high commendation for your clarity, sound judgment, and true dignity manifested throughout the entire hearing and the final disposition of this most difficult case. You have won merited honor to yourself, retained the prestige of the Senate, and brought credit to your state and to the nation. May health and the blessings of the Lord continue to attend you.
Cordially and sincerely your friend and brother,
David 0. McKay
December 11, 1954
to duty for members of the Church. The University of Utah Press is pleased to offer the book to ERA readers, for this one time only, for $6.00 including postage. This special price will be given only when the attached coupon is used or when reference p— -— __ to this ad is made in your order. / Vl\jnttntw
From the national reviews:
"... it is a revealing portrait of a genteel con- servative reacting with fortitude and sustained by prayer in his attempts to deal with the row- dy tactics of America's most accomplished anti- communist." r, „ , n
Saturday Review
"Two things are notable in Watkins' book. First, his absolute honesty; second, his dispas- sionate manner of presenting facts.
Salt Lake Tribune
"For a time in the early and mid-50's . . . Sen. Joseph McCarthy threatened to disrupt the process of government and paralyze the United States Senate.
Then, after years of pandemonium and al- most despair on the part of his hapless victims, the seemingly irrepressible gladiator in the phony war against Communism was toppled from his perch. The feat was accomplished by an unassuming legislator with an unsuspected
streak of iron in his constitution . . . That soft- spoken Senator, Arthur V. Watkins of Utah, now tells the story of his strange confrontation with the Communist-eating dragon in the vol- ume here under review. . . .
With Watkins in firm control, the [Select Committee of the Senate] moved on to finish its hearings in a judicial atmosphere, to shape the censure charges and to win a resounding vote on the floor which soon put an end to McCarthyism.
It is a dramatic story of an unforgettable chapter in our history. . . .'"
The Washington Post
"Hopefully, the book's express and implicit lessons will be perceived. Certainly the nation has historically been preserved by men who confront crisis with quiet strength and dignity. Arthur V. Watkins was such a man in his day. We have need of such men again today.
Sunday-Telegram, Portland, Maine
University of
Utah Press
Salt Lake Citv, Utah
84112
Please send me copies of Senator
Watkins' book "Enough Rope" at $6.00 per
copy (including postage). I enclose $
in full payment.
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Genealogy
Genealogical Research In
ASIA
• What kind of source materials available in Asian countries can be used for genealogical research? What kinds of information do they give? How early can a pedigree be successfully traced by using these materials? These are ques- tions that are asked by the curious as well as the sincere genealogist, especially those who have heard whispers of the clan-oriented so- ciety that exists in China and Korea today and that existed in Japan until the Meiji Restoration.
To the Asian the word "family" has a little different definition than to Westerners. For the lack of a better word, we might call the Asian family a clan, comprising all of the descendants of a certain progenitor. Thus, many genealogi- cal records have originated from this type of family system. The clan genealogies that were maintained in similar format in both China and Korea are the result of a specifically appointed compilation committee. This committee, sponsored by the clan organization, gathered and published the vital information of descendants of a common ancestor.
One good example is the gene- alogy of the descendants of the Chinese philosopher Confucius,
By John W. Orton
who lived during the fifth century B.C. A reprint of the 1682 edition of this genealogy, owned by Kung Te Cheng, a direct descendant of Confucius, was recently completed by the National Central Library of the Republic of China, and a copy of this three-volume set, which contains an uninterrupted lineage of 2,500 years, was presented to the Genealogical Society by Peter Chang during the recent World Conference on Records. Clan genealogies are also available for Vietnam, Ryukyu Islands, Mon- golia, and Manchuria.
In the absence of the clan gene- alogy or the associated clan records, another genealogical source for China that has been collected wide- ly by Western libraries is the local history, or fang-chih. Similar in content to the county histories so popular in the United States during the latter half of the nineteenth century, the local history usually includes a section on residents of the locality, with additional data on influential families and those who have more illustrious ancestors.
The most frequently used source by the Japanese Saints in compiling their family group sheets is the koseki. The present civil registra- tion system, which dates from 1871, is an outgrowth of an earlier sys- tem, which is known to date from 646 a.d. and alleged to date from 86 b.c. Rather than a civil registra- tion, the koseki is a household registration that might be compared to a combination of a United States census and vital statistics registra- tion. The one exception is that the koseki may include up to three generations in one household regis- tration. Japan is responsible for establishing a population registra- tion in Korea and Taiwan, over which it became protectorate dur- ing its expansion period.
The most frequently used source in Japan is the family genealogy, or kafu, compiled by the family elder or the eldest son. These genealogies are compiled from documents that are drawn up at the close of each family celebration, such as births, marriages, and deaths. This source is still widely
John W. Orton, Genealogical Society research specialist for East Asia, travels annually to East Asian countries and consults widely with experts in his assignment to increase genealogical source material for the Church.
60
maintained among traditional fam- ilies.
During the period from 1603 to 1868, Japan was ruled by the Tokugawa military government. The shumon aratame cho (exam- ination of religion register ) and the goningumi cho ( five men in a group register) are the most commonly used genealogical sources dating from this period.
Christianity flourished at its in- troduction into Japan during the sixteenth century, mainly because it received the support of Oda No- bunaga, the feudal lord who began a reunification movement in Japan and who feared that the power being attained by the Buddhist sects might be a threat to his own feudal rule. It has been estimated that as many as 500,000 Japanese became baptized Christians during this period. Shortly after Toyotomi Hideyoshi came into power, he placed a ban on Christianity, since he suspected that Christian mis- sionaries would be forerunners of colonial conquest, as had happened in other parts of Asia. The Toku- gawa shoguns increased the perse- cution of the Christians and, as a method of control, instituted the shumon aratame cho. Aside from avowing that an individual was a devout Buddhist and listing the sect, name, and location of his temple, the register usually in- cluded the following genealogical items: name, age, sex, and resi- dence for each member of the fam- ily unit.
The goningumi cho was probably patterned after a similar registra- tion in China. In principle, the registration law made five men equally responsible for the acts of one of their group. Because this was the basic unit for controlling religion, this register had a close connection with the shumon ara- tame cho. However, in addition it had the function of communicating
Era, March 1970 61
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orders from the shogunate, the rul- ing office of Japan during this period, and distributing the re- sponsibility for the payment of tax.
The compilation of genealogical records is not new to the Japanese. The earliest effort to compile an authoritative genealogical record of clans that is still extant was com- pleted in 815 and was entitled Shinsen Shojiroku (New Record of the Clans). This 30- volume set included a record of 1,182 clans. Although not in its original form, the Kojiki (Record of Ancient Matters), completed in 712, is a compilation of the genealogy of the Imperial family. In these early works, reference is made to Teiki, Kyuji, Tennoki, and Kokki, earlier genealogical compilations that are no longer extant.
Korea, influenced heavily by Chinese culture during the earlier period, has retained, perhaps to a stricter degree than China itself, the custom of maintaining the tra- ditional records. In addition to clan genealogies and local histories, the civil service examination rosters, maintained from the beginning of the Yi dynasty (1392) until they were abolished in 1894, are an ex- cellent source for those who hold a government or military position. These rosters may include such in- formation as name, birth date, clan seat and place of residence, names of brothers, and up to eight gen- erations of one's paternal line and his mother's paternal line.
Ho-juk is a triennual census that was also enumerated during the Yi dynasty. In type of information given, ho-fuk may be compared to an English census record, giving age and place of birth for the mem- bers of the household; but in addi- tion ho-fuk lists three paternal generations plus the mother's father for each member of the household, including slaves.
The Philippine Islands were dis-
62
covered by the Spanish in 1521. with the first successful settlement dating from 1565. Fortunately for the genealogist, the Code of the Canon Law requires that every Roman Catholic parish maintain the records of status animarum according to a standard form, in- cluding the registers of baptism, marriage, and death. The earliest registers in the Philippines date from 1572. The Dominican mission- aries who entered the Philippines in 1587 are the only order of the five missionary orders that labored in the Philippines to have main- tained their records there. These will be found in the Dominican Archives of the University of Santo Tomas.
The Philippines is one of the very few countries in Asia that can boast a national archives. It maintains records from both the Spanish and the American periods. A recent discovery is eleven and a half million documents dating from the Spanish period. As a result of the Spanish American War, the Philippines came under the control of the United States in 1898. The first official census of 1903 and sub- sequent enumerations have since been sold for wastepaper, but a civil registration law was enacted in 1900, and some registers of births, marriages, and deaths will be found in local registry offices.
Something should also be said concerning memorized genealogies that are still extant, at least among the Bontoc and Ifugao tribes of the Mountain Province. The custom of memorizing genealogies apparently once flourished through most of Asia among traditional societies. Usually a specific person was ap- pointed to memorize the genealogy of the family. The Philippines may be one of the few remaining coun- tries with a segment of its society still able to recite genealogies in oral form.
The Asian people seem to have a natural understanding and appre- ciation of the relationship between an individual and his ancestors. Members of the Church in Asia are utilizing this expanse of records to identify their ancestors, and under great financial sacrifice they are making plans to go to the temples to have the temple ordinances per- formed for their families. To assist
the Saints in reaching this goal, the missions in Asia are organizing temple excursions. Three very successful excursions from Japan to the Hawaii Temple have already been completed, with a fourth planned for August in conjunction with the Korean Mission, and a fifth excursion, to the Salt Lake Temple, is planned to correspond with October general conference.
"The Spoken Word
"The Spoken Word" from Tem- ple Square, presented over KSL and the Columbia. Broadcasting System December 7, 1969.© 1969.
//
"There are two who will know .
By Richard L. Evans
Wf hen I left my home to go away to school/' said a thoughtful son,"my father said to me: 'No matter what you think or what you do, there are two who will know— you and the Father of us all.'" This may not have a very modern sound, but it answers some questions. Even if all the world doesn't know, even if our family and friends don't know, there are still two who know. And even if there were only one — even for those who don't acknowledge an eternal record, a living God and personal relationship to him, still—/ know— you know — each man knows that which concerns himself. Now, as to the questions, or one of them at least: With people breaking the com- mandments, or not acknowledging them: departing from honesty, virtue, morality; setting aside time-honored standards and restraints; doing just what they want to do, supposedly— or at least doing as they profess to please — well, if they are living just like they want to live, why aren't they happy? Why are they still arguing with themselves in- side—and with others— uneasy, feeling cheated, unsatisfied, with a gnawing accusation within? Elbert Hubbard gave one answer when he said, "Men are punished by their sins, not for them."1 In a sense, such laws enforce themselves. By his very nature man is what he is. And if he lives one way, he gets one result. If he lives another way, he gets another result. It is true that people have been variously taught and conditioned by teaching and training, but there is something basic that works within, as we run with or against the light; and men become refined or coarse, easy or uneasy, happy or unhappy, self-respecting or self-accusing by how they live their lives. There is only one way to find personal peace and an inner respect, and it can't be done by living against the counsel God has given. To return to the opening sentence: "No matter what you think or what you do, there are two who will know"— and even if there were only one, it still wouldn't be a very good gamble.
'Elbert Hubbard, Philistine, Vol. XI, p. 77.
The Genealogical Society actively cooperates with and encourages the missions of Asia in their genealogi- cal programs. A small staff in the examining department gives special attention to family group sheets. Two staff members in the research department devote full time to dis- covering and evaluating source ma- terials that may be used for Asian genealogical research. They are also responsible for disseminating this information through research papers and developing aids that will assist individual researchers and the Asian genealogical pro- grams.
One long-range project that is now over half completed is a Japanese surname catalog, which will have a total of more than 80,000 surnames. A records submission manual is being written, adapted to special problems of processing Japanese family group sheets. A research paper, "Major Genealogi- cal Sources in Japan," should also be in print by early 1971. Negotia- tions for microfilming are underway in Korea and planned for at least two other Asian countries.
The World Conference on Rec- ords was a major boon to genealogy in Asia as well as other parts of the world. Through the conference the Genealogical Society gained many friends who are offering their knowledge of Asian records and as- sistance to the Society's acquisitions program. Representatives of the national libraries of four major Asian countries were present, as well as internationally recognized scholars of genealogy, records sources, and depositories.
Thus the Saints in Asia are pre- paring themselves to meet the chal- lenges of the future, fulfilling the admonition of the Prophet Joseph Smith that "the greatest responsi- bility in this world that God has laid upon us is to seek after our dead." Q
Era, March 1970 63
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Buffs and Rebuffs
In the Beginning
My wife and I always enjoy our copy of the Era. However, the January issue and the article "In the Beginning" were very special to us, and a source of inspiration. We did find a "spirit of joy and testi- mony" in that article.
Phillip A. David
San Dimas, California
The January Era was beautiful— even our
five-year-old enjoyed the pictures. We were all impressed with the scholarly articles, which help us to have a greater appreciation for the miracle of the Crea- tion.
Mary Ellen Jolley Salt Lake City
I enjoyed very much the article "In the Beginning," but I found a noticeable mis- take on page 36, wherein the diameter of the earth is said to be 24,000 miles wide. I believe it is about 7,926.56 miles.
Ernest Terry Payson, Utah
You're right.
What Can We Read?
In response to letters in the October and January "Buffs" on what Latter-day Saints can read: As an English teacher and an avid reader I understand the dif- ficulty many people have in finding good reading material. However, I have found that there are many excellent books for young people and adults. Public and school and university libraries are stocked with the classics as well as modern litera- ture that can teach and uplift us. It takes a bit more looking, that is all. An- other excellent source is the Relief Society cultural refinement lesson series, Out of the Best Books.
Mrs. T. J. Burrows Livermore, California
Research & Review
I was so impressed with the first of the articles in the new "Research & Review" department. To me, the statistics from Brother Killian's thesis on the objectives of the seminary system were extremely in- teresting and vital. As a senior in high school, I find myself asking the same questions about the gospel that those students involved in the survey asked, and after a brief survey I have found that my friends also have a deep concern for making gospel principles a deeper, more instrinsie part of their lives. Could you please print more such articles dealing with these topics? The youth of the Church would gain much from them.
Kristy Coon Salt Lake City
I was thrilled to see the new feature "Re- search & Review." This, I believe, will give the Era wider coverage. Brother Payne's review of Brother Killian's thesis was a wise choice to start off the feature. We as teachers need this kind of informa- tion.
Also, I liked the article and pictures on the Creation, especially the first part on the size and magnitude of God's creations. I have tried to put this in terms young people could understand, but have failed. Thus I was especially pleased to see some of our scientists tackle the job.
Keith W. Perkins Institute of Religion Tempe, Arizona
"Research & Review" is the most hopeful new trend I have seen in the Era for a long time. The article on "The Religious Concerns of Our Youth" expresses the attitudes of the youth who desire to be faithful, whatever their age. I look for- ward eagerly to future articles in this department.
Rhoda Thurston Hyde Park, Utah
The Spoken Word
"The Spoken Word" from Temple Square, presented over KSL and the Colum- bia Broadcasting System December 28, 1969. ©1969.
The past is to learn from, not to live in
By Richard L. Evans
From a thoughtful mood, for a thoughtful mo- ment, comes this reminder: The past is to learn from, not to live in. Our thoughts move in many directions, with the events of each day, with the mood of each moment. We waver often between discouragement and confidence, between regret and gratitude, wishing we had done better and hoping we might do better — searching ourselves, looking for values, for guidelines in life — loving the earth we live on, yet somehow sensing that we are on a journey that moves us on, through time and to eternity. We all have days of discouragement. "Sometimes the hardest thing in life is simply to put one foot in front of the other — to keep going," as one observer said. "And, sometimes, the most worthwhile things . . . are accomplished ... by people who are struggling not for greatness, . . . but simply ... to keep going."' And there is quiet heroism and goodness and earnest pur- pose on the part of many wonderful people, despite all failures and imperfections. There is evil in the world. There is also good. It is for us to learn and choose between the two; to increase in self-disci- pline, in competence, in kindness; to keep going — putting one foot in