fluence that an understanding of these things would give them? And further, as He is interested in the affairs of men, in the welfare of humanity, in the education and perfection of His children, what a lamentable thing it is for us to go through life, groping in darkness, never realizing that the very highest order of intelligence might direct our aims and govern our pursuits, leading us to triumph, waywardness would only bring signal failure and distress! We prefer to believe that, being children of our Heavenly Father, there can be no presumption in asserting our right to know Him, nor sin in obeying the principles and observing the doctrines which testify that He is. where our What does it avail a man if he devotes the studiousness of childhood and youth, the strong efforts of manhood, and the feeble exertions of old age, to the acquisition of knowledge, which testifies not of the requirements of God upon him? He may have stored up philosophy, have a profound knowledge of science, of the history of men and nations, and of the religions of the world, but if, as his steps totter to the grave, he discovers that God has been in the world and he knew it not, all these years, the consciousness of wasted time and lost hopes, if not of irreverent unbelief, must strike with a chilly hand the temple in which he has laid away his treasure, and which now shows only emptiness. In an age when it is possible for men to know the designs of God, this knowledge should form the basis of their education. The question will be asked, by what means are we to obtain this knowledge? So far as the young people of Zion are concerned, it may be answered very simply in the following words: RESIST TEMPTATION. The blessings that have been pronounced upon our heads in childhood by the authority of the Priesthood, are such that it but requires an effort on our part, to grasp the full benefits of them, and know for ourselves their virtue and the advantage they are to us in life. Among these blessings, at the age of eight years, the most of us had hands laid upon us for the reception of the Holy Ghost. This important ceremony, performed by the servants of God, is the only one by which that precious gift is ever bestowed upon men. Through observing it our fathers have come to the knowledge of the truth, but what has it done for us! Many will say we received the ordinance but are not conscious of having obtained the gift; and yet the fact is, by the ordinance the gift is conferred. Where is it? Like the seed planted in the ground it lies dormant in our hearts awaiting cultivation, a little care and attention, when it will swell within us and sprout up, filling our whole souls with light and intelligence upon the things of heaven. With many, the development of this germ of Divinity within them is hindered by the indulgence of appetites and passions that drain away the life that should go to it; as volunteer weeds drink up the sap and vital qualities of the soil, from the tender plant, which languishes and dies for the lack of them. We would say to the gardener, who sees his plants languish and wither, pluck up the weeds around them, and give them a fair chance to grow, and you will have Any other plan or principle of instruction will be profitless if not dangerous to those who are taught under it; for how are we to avoid coming in conflict with the purposes He has decreed to joy in their fruits. And even so will it come to pass if we are ignorant of those purposes. If we should oppose them, there can be nothing for us but failure and defeat. No man can withstand the decrees of the Almighty; better for him never to have been born, than attempt to resist them. It appears therefore, essential to success in life, that we should know, and harmonize our lives with the will of our Father who is in Heaven. be in cultivating the Holy Spirit in our lives. Its life and energy increases with the good deeds we do. It fades and is grieved away, before the desolating Scourge of sin. It cannot dwell in an unholy tabernacle. A body poisoned by the use of things, prohibited by the natural, saving law of God, is not a fit abode for the spirit of intelligence which prompted the prohibiting law. The young men and women of Zion are not vicious nor wilfully criminal, but they may have been light minded, vain, and foolish. They are tempted to drink, smoke and chew, use tea and coffee, speak lightly and falsely, thoughtlessly circulate rumors injurious to the characters of their fellows, and in many ways heedlessly permit a volunteer growth of folly to spring up in their lives, ignoring the holy, life-giving influence of the Spirit of God, which has been planted within them to be cared for, cultivated and observed in all the acts of life. Resist temptation! In doing so we pluck up the weeds and cast them into the fire, and give the sacred gift within us, room to manifest itself and spread its glorious halo about our path in life. Some of us may think it is easier to say, "resist temptation" than to do it. Yet with most of us the evil that we do which prevents the growth of the Holy Ghost in our lives, is not of such standing that we are unable to control or overcome it. Our indulgence of appetite for things "not good for man" is more frequently pandering to a silly custom, and yielding to the fashion of the hour, than the wilful violation of a commandment, or desire for the thing we take. An example may illustrate the truth of this statement: A short time ago a class of young men in one of the Sabbath schools, consisting of about a dozen, from thirteen to twenty years of age, was in the habit of meeting on the streets and smoking cigarettes. They had all acquired this habit and whenever they met it was a customary thing to pass around the cigarettes. The teacher of the class one day spoke to one of the leading spirits among them, and asked him why he smoked. He replied, that it was a kind of habit,-all the boys did, and he didn't know that he had any particular reason, but he rather liked to, etc. He was expostulated with, shown that it was a habit condemned by the Revelations, and that it would be better to quit it while young, before he became so greåt a slave that he would not have power to overcome it. He said he would think about it, and went away. A short time after, when the boys met and the cigarettes had been passed around, before lighting, this young fellow spoke up and said: "Boys, let's throw them away." The appeal struck the right cord, without an effort, every one assented, flung his "little paper devil" down, and ceased to smoke. Every one of that class had been puffing his life away, just because the others did. We will discover, if we once make the break, that we will have company. Right feeling young men have no intention of being left in the lurch by those, having the temerity to step out from the little follies of life and take the course leading to so great a blessing as the testimony of God's favor. Commence this work of reform! Resist temptation, for the sake of the Holy Spirit; and it will not be long before we will feel its presence in our lives, and will value its unerring counsels above all the treasures of the world. ASSOCIATION ACCORDING to the ideas held and the policy pursued will be the progress and success of our Mutual Improvement Associations. If there are not definite ideas as to the end designed, action will all the time be vague and unreliable. It would be well if every officer and also every member were fully imbued with a knowledge of the object to be attained. If the question were presented to each CLASS-WORK. individual organization as to the purpose of this general society organization, answers would, I am certain, be very much varied in their character, and divergent in their conclusions! Probably most would answer somewhat according to the name given the organization, "Mutual Improvement," but improvement in what? In behavior? Yes! In concerted singing? ASSOCIATION CLASS-WORK. Yes! In that certain confidence which standing before an audience to sing, speak, recite, etc., gives? Yes. These are all laudable, but very narrow and shallow, when in contrast with the thoughtful deduction of our pondering the importance of youth time, and the power which intelligently directed organization should produce. All over this Territory, now that long evenings are upon us, there will be one or more meetings per week of the Young Men's and Young Ladies' Improvement Associations. What, at the end of the season, will be the net result of those meetings? In what respect will improvement be made? What practical purpose will have been subserved? What practical need of life will have been ventilated? What practical issues pondered and what practical measures enforced or adopted for the future? Canvass the record of the past, and from that, estimate the future, if there is no more definite policy in the platform. Will it not be found that these weekly meetings partake more of the nature of amusement, than of instruction, more of the transitory, than the permanent, more of theory, than of practice, more of hoping, than of vigorous action, definite aim, and sure result? It is easily said that they are meant to secure the acquisition of knowledge, and to increase the sum of intelligence. If that is really so, what is the amount of stern and unflinching action in that direction? Are not these meetings, already mentioned, but the beginning, when they should be the end? Should they not be the fruit when they are barely the bud or blossom? lation? The general weekly meeting should in some such sense exhibit the sturdy labor of the classroom, the result of all pos 93 sible training, and the outcome of diligent private study, intense and active'as it can possibly be? Now this intelligence is not to be acquired without effort, nor can it be reached without expense. Tools, material is needed as much here as in the acquisition of any business. Books, libraries, reading rooms, lecture halls, lecturers, apparatus, classes and teachers are quite as important here as elsewhere, and to look for success without these appliances is trying to "make brick without straw," or expecting to "reap where men have not strewed!" Classes for the study of History, Theology, Natural Philosophy, Chemistry, Botany, Languages, Music and many other departments in the vast fields of needed information should be created, if our youth expect to fill the programme of the "latter days;" and these should be in active operation in connection with every branch organization of the society. The library and the reading room should be first and foremost among the requirements, teachers should be obtained to engage in these several branches named, not as professors but as students themselves, seeking to do good in the midst of Israel and preparing her youth for the prophesied future, which without this earnest and continuous effort will be long deferred! Common energy, backed by official influence and directed by comprehensive thought and united interest, would speedily effect the inauguration of an intellectual and scientific era, such, as to the present, is with us unknown; this is not however particularly to our discredit; many other things have been demanded of the people, Active spiritual growth was in a measure superseded by the necessities of temporal interests, but that triumph which combines the spiritual, temporal and intellectual is the crowning feature of obedient citizenship intended for every member of the kingdom of God! In the institution represented by the CONTRIBUTOR, and numbering its thousands throughout the land, we have the prophecy of the future, but the men who can work for the fulfilment of this prophecy intelligently, are apparently few and far between, there is too much routine where there should be originality, too many Gentile notions where there should be inspirational energy; too much honorary dignity where there should be working heart and brain; too much "matter of course," where there should be intense thought how to compel success! Let us turn a new leaf, draw in all available talent of all kinds, and that is more or less in every ward, organize classes, gather facts, invade the untrodden fields of success, woo the spirit of art, get the power of inspiration, use the telescope and pierce the future, so as to understand the needs of the present; amuse, but instruct; recite, but think; read, but write; borrow, but aim at originality; get wide, broad, deep and lofty views of man and life, but do not overlook present needs and daily effort, so shall our Mutual Improvement Associations,become living fountains and perrenial streams of knowledge and intelligence, which controlled by the spirit of wisdom, the love of truth, and the power of the Priesthood and Gospel of God, will make of the youth of Zion-both sexessuch a lever as the earth hath not yet felt or seen, for the introduction of righteousness and the reign of universal peace. H. W. Naisbitt. ASSOCIATION INTELLIGENCE. HISTORY OF THE GENERAL FOLLOWING the missionary labor of the winter of 1876 and 1877, mentioned in November number, Elders Junius F. Wells and Milton H. Hardy, accompanied by Brother John Craner, at that time a student of the Brigham Young Academy, commenced, on July 5, 1878, by appointment of President John Taylor, a complete Territorial tour in two parts. First, northern; comprising the Counties of Davis, Morgan, Summit, Weber, Box Elder, Cache, Wasatch, and Rich, including Uintah County, Wyoming, and Bear Lake and Oneida Counties, Idaho. Second, southern; comprising the Counties of Tooele, Utah, Juab, Sanpete, Sevier, Piute, Iron, Kane, Washington, and Millard, including the settlements in Grass Valley. As on the previous tour, a business meeting of the officers of the Associations was held either preceding or succeeding the general public meeting, at which the details of the workings of the organizations were entered into, and an opportunity presented for an extended. acquaintance by the asking and answering of questions, describing and recommending books for joint libraries, a list of which was left with each as well as a copy of Suggestive Programmes, and a copy of Serial Lecture Subjects, also a portion of each of the three Analyses, mentioned in November number, and taking each item in the suggestive programme, explaining its nature and the reason for its incorporation in the regular exercises. In addition to weekly class work, monthly joint sessions, libraries, cabinets, lectures, etc., already established during the previous tour, and progressive subjecttive work was made special; for which brief analyses of the Bible, Book of Mormon, and Church History, adapted to the combined Associations, generally, were prepared. Inter-missionary labor was more thoroughly established and Stake organizations were effected in each County by the election of a SuperintenStake dent and Secretary for each. Quarterly Conferences were made universal. Literary entertainments, the regulating of the public amusements, correspondence for home papers, and identification with Sunday Schools, were made prominent. During this tour of more than eighteen hundred miles, one hundred and fifteen meetings were held in one hundred days. Uniform courtesy and kindness on the part of officers and people marked the ASSOCIATION INTELLIGENCE. entire journey, and the continued spring- BIBLE SUBJECTS. I. ADAMIC DISPENSATION. 1. The Creation. i. 2. The Garden of Eden. ii. 3. The Fall. iii. 4. Cain and Abel (3875). iv. 5. Enoch and the ten Patriarchs II. NOACHIAN DISPENSATION. 1. The Deluge (2348). vii, viii. I. Birth and Calling of Abraham 2. Abraham and Lot (1918). xiii. 5. Esau and Jacob (1836 to 1760). xxv, xxvii. 6. Jacob at Bethel (1759). xxviii. 8. Joseph in Egypt (1728 to 1706). 9. Israel in Egypt (1706 to 1689). xlvi, 10. Israel's blessings upon his twelve TION. Period 1571 to 397 B. C. (account, I. Moses; his early life (1571 to 1531). 2. Moses and Jethro (1531 to 1491). 95 3. Commission of Moses (1491). Ex- 4. Moses and Aaron (1491). Exodus 5 The Ten Plagues (1491). Exodus 6. The Passover; (typical of the atone- 7. Departure from Egypt after 430 8. Passage of the Red Sea (1491). 9. The two typical miracles; 1, manna; 10. Arrival at Sinai (1491). Exodus xix. 12. Aaron and his sons set apart (1491). 13. The two tables of stone (1491). 14. Organization of the Levitical Priest- 15. The census (1490). Numbers i. Num- 17. The brazen serpent; typical of the 18. Calling of Joshua (1452). Deuter- 19. Death of Moses (1451). Deuter- 20. Passage through Jordan (1451.) 21. Siege of Jericho; literal fulfilment 22. Division of Canaan, the promised 23. Death of Joshua (1426.) Joshua 24. First servitude of the Israelites 25. Othniel defeats Cushan and is judge 27. Third servitude of the Israelites |