| Show Progress Marks darks Year In History of Church of Latter Day Saints Whole Hearted Cooperation in World Struggle for Right Over Might Sustained by Genuine and Lofty Patriotism of Mem Members bers By Dr Parnes E. E T Talmage One of the Twelve Apostles of the Church THE past year has been one of pronounced activity and marked marke progression in tile the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints a period of strongly contrasted happiness and sorrow to its members Tile The hearts of the people comprising both Latter day Saints and others rs have been touched deeply and keenly by the death of President Joseph F. F Smith who for seventeen years had stood at the head of the church considered as an earthly organization to say nothing of his prior life of devotion and service in varied capacities p ties Is s. s a an officer officer of the he organization His legacy of noble example and ana precept Is one of the treasures of the church and though the testator has passed to his well earned reward hIs solemn testament testament testa- testa ment remaIns as a living living and inspiring bequest to the church and to the world THE NEW PRESIDENCY PresIdent Joseph F. F Smith died on November 19 and hIs mortal remaIns were entombed three days later In accordance with what the Latter day Saints accept as as the revealed order of church organization and government the death of the president automatically automatically cally dissolves the first presidency which body comprises the president and two counselors and the authority of presidency immedIately reverts to the councIl of the apostles On No- No 23 the day following the funeral funeral fu- fu of the late President Joseph F. F SmIth the apostles assembled In solemn solemn sol sol- conclave and reorganized the first presidency of the church by vote and ordination President Heber J J. J Grant theretofore theretofore thereto thereto- fore the senior member and presIdent of the apostolic quorum thus became president of the church and on hIs nomination the tho counselors In the former former for for- mer Presidents presidencY Anthon II H. Lund and Charles W. W were Penrose-were sustaIned and set apart as counselors to PresIdent Grant The vote of the church on ratifyIng the action of the apostles and sustaining these three men In theIr exalted positIons will be betaken taken at the next general conference of the church Tn In this thI prompt reorganization of the presidIng councIl or quorum the Lat Lat- day ter-day Saints find renewed demonstration demonstration demon demon- of the fact so firmly established established In theIr IndIvidual hearts that the church is just dust what Its name ex- ex the presses Church of Jesus Christ Christ- and that the gospel It proclaims i Is s a divine bestowal and not the invention of man CERTAINTY NOT EXPERIMENT Since the declensIon of the primitive church closely following the passing of the ancIent apostles no relIgIous organIzation has ever eer been announced with such assurance and certitude as characterized the small begInning of the Church of Jesus ChrIst of Latter Latter- day Saints Organized In 1830 with but sIx actual members It boldly proclaImed proclaimed pro pro- claImed itself as the restored church of ChrIst reestablIshed on earth in these the last days never to be disintegrated disorganized nor overthrown The establIshment ot of the church as a bOdy corporate was no experiment but Instead the sIgnificant begInnIng of assur d success In that early day and amongst that halt half dozen men there was manifest the same spirit as later moved the pioneer leader Brigham Young when he looked for the first time from the Wasatch ramparts rampart over o the tho arid valley of the Great Salt lake to exclaim This is the the place spIrit that actuated the pioneer band to set to work without an hours hour's delay to what make A camping place for temporary rest An experIment in colonization to test the soil and try the Continued on page 11 PROGRESS RESS MARKS YEAR 0 Continued from page 7 7 climate and so learn whether or not It was worth their while to tarry long longin in the American desert Verily No They set to work to make homes The Tho destination for which they had so long lone yearned and ot of which they had dreamed had bad been reached at last Let Iet this noble city with her SIster I communities throughout the state and beyond answer as to whether a mistake mistake mis- mis take was made Let our farms and gardens our orchards and vineyards our inexhaustible mines and never silent silent si- si lent factories aye and beyond all these let the prosperous and happy ot of Utah and their neighbors say whether or not this was and is the place MISSIONARIES WITH BAYONETS AND GUNS Since the spring ot of 1917 when our nation entered the great world struggle gle Ie with her banners inscribed For Liberty and Right the missionary work for tor which the church Is known throughout the world has been ot of necessity modified and in some specific I phases curtailed Utah's sons were yere summoned to the country's service service ser ser- I vice and right noblY they leaped forward rd to take their places In the training ranks ranke and later on the embattlEd embattled em- em battlEd front There was no thought ot of church membership or distinction as to creed The call was for men and Utah gave her thousands for the hundreds asked The Mormon people claim no preeminence over their fellow citizens iii loyalty patriotism or service they are heartily content in the knowledge I that they were one In in- heart and soul with the mighty citizenry of the nai na- na i tion And the summons took away men ot of our men church ot of vigor I achievement and who promise otherwise otherWise other other- wise would have realized that comI cornmon corn com I mon and Impelling ambition or of young i Latter day Saints to go into the missionary field as bearers ot of what they solemnly believe to be the message message mes- mes sage of salvation to mankind Nevertheless they went though not as they had expected to go with I only the scriptures and their soulful testimony ot of the truth as their weapons weapons wea- wea pons against sin and add for emancipation tion but robed In the uniform uniform uni- uni form ot of the nation and equipped with bayonet and gun MORMON CONCERN IN INTHE INTHE THE WORLD CONFLICT Our whole hearted cooperation in inthe Inthe the stupendous struggle for right over was sustained by genuine and lofty patriotism and in addition by bythe bythe the fact that this church had and has particular concern In the outcome ot of the world conflict The stakes in inthis inthis this unprecedented conflict are to us more than merely earthly possessions for tor we solemnly proclaim that to this church has been given the divine appointment appointment ap- ap to preach the restored gos- gos of Jesus Christ in all the world and the discharge ot of this high commission corn com mission is is possible In Its entirety ty only as free speech liberty o ot con con- i science and a free press duly regulated regu- regu hated by obedience to just laws are insured among the nations AUTOCRACY TH THE E DEVILS DEVIL'S INVENTION The armies and navies ot of America have done splendid missionary service service ser ser- vice for tor mankind and for God The frightful war forc d upon lIberty lIberty- loving peoples was a belated attempt on the part ot of Lucifer to try anew the Issue on which he was defeated in the primeval world as the scriptures scriptures scrip scrip- tures attest Ills Ilis scheme ot of slon sion by which every soul would be bereft of agency was rejected in the council ot of the heavens and the plan of oC liberty and al freedom was adopted with Jesus Christ as the i foreordained Redeemer ot of the race The decision brought war and Lucifer and his hordes were cast out upon the earth In these last days that same Lucifer or Satan as ashe ashe he is now known has operated through those who were ready to dohis do dohis his bidding to rivet the shackles ot of despotism upon mankind Autocracy is the form of government government govern govern- ment that prevails in hell and individual indi- indi vidual freedom is the basal principle of the gospel ot of Jesus Christ Any man who seeks to enforce dominion upon his fellows is the devils devil's own agent V THE CHURCH ON A WAR FOOTING On our entrance upon the stage of the war tragedy the several auxiliaries ot of the church promptly turned their energies into the channels chan chan- channels nels ot of patriotic service The Relief society and the Young Ladies Ladies' Mutual Improvement association with their membership of scores ot of thousands have cooperated with the lied Hed Cross in food tood preservation and conservation conserva- conserva conservation tion In needlecraft In the making ot of sanitary and surgical accessories etc while even eyen the tiny fingers of the Primary association children were kept busy in sewing and knitting for forthe forthe the benefit ot of our soldiers beyond the seas In the hour ot of stringency the Relief society voluntarily turned over to the food administration their vast stores or of wheat which under prophetic counsel they had been for decades The boys ot of the church were marshaled in I scout troops and sprang forward like I the minute men of Inspiring fame WOMANS WOMAN'S SERVICE ESSENTIAL Reverting again to the organization of oC women within the church be it known that the Mormon women have stood abreast ot of their sisters throughout the land in the most exacting service for the great ca cause se The appreciation of the national food administration for the action or of the Relief Hellet society In offering the contents contents con con- tents of their granaries to help feed the fhe ho hosts ts made hungry through h the selfishness ot of the war glutton is Is' Is Sed in a a. letter addressed to toone toone one ot of Utah's cOngressmen reading as follows States Food Administration Washington D. D C. C une 3 1918 lIon Milton H. H Welling House ot of Representatives Washington D. D C. C Dear Mr The Welling recent action of the women ot of the Church ot of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints in Utah tn in releasing wheat and flour for the use ot of our allies alUes and our own soldiers abroad Is so commendable that I wish to drop YOu this line merely to assure you ot of my appreciation of this service performed by the church It has given me pleasure to write about this matter to Joseph F. F Smith I Anthon If H. Lund and C. C W W. Penrose first presidency Church of Jesus Christ Christof of Latter day Saints and to assure them ot of the renewed courage we get from this generous act because it yields a substantial addition of food sorely needed by our hard pressed allies al- al allies lies and also because the example Is felt far outside the field ot of Its Immediate immediate Imme- Imme diate application Yours faithfully HERBERT HOOVER The war was not to be won by men alone it was q as much a war calling for the service ot of women Th The death grapple ot of the nations could lie De broken with victory on the side ot of freedom only through the and concerted effort ot of our citizenry without distinction ot of party creed or sex Womans Woman's part has been proved to tobe tobe be no less essential than mans And right glorioUsly has the womanhood ot of America been sanctified by sacrifice and unwearied effort In the common cause Mormon women women came to the fore with their sisters ot of tile the nation giving gladly not alone ot of their wheat and gold ot of their time Ume and effort but butto butto to the accompaniment ot of heartaches and tears their husbands brothers and sons Honor to the mothers ot of me SUSPENSION OF CHURCH A ASSEMBLIES TEST From early October until the end ot of January gatherings within the church have been interrupted and for included included in- in periods wholly suspended because because be- be cause of the deadly scourge which sweeping the land and practically the whole world has claimed even a greater great great- er toll ot of lives than dk did the battlefield The enforced discontinuance ot of worshiping worshiping wor- wor assemblies has put the people to the test whereby the they show whether their individual testimony which Is the very spirit ot of the solidarity ot of the church would sustain them In faith devotion and piety without the periodical period period- ical refreshing in spirit such as i is supplied supplied sup sup- plied by public religious service Right well have the Latter day Saints reacted reacted re- re acted to the trial Now that health conditions permit our houses ot of wor- wor i ship are again thrown open and the people gather In multitudes with a V solemn joy in their restored privileges The Church ot of Jesus Christ ot of Latter day Saints was never in better condition materially or spiritually than It Is today This condition is no new development The course ot of the church has been onward from Its in- in The organization has never never experienced a specific period of reduced membership Always Alwa's the present has V been the time ot of Its highest achieve achieve- ment from the organization is so rare as to be negligible who are deprived of their membership through failure to live lP ip to the high standard ot of morality arid and V duty required by the revealed law ot 01 the church while not numerous exceed ex- ex V by many fold those who voluntarIly Ily withdraw arid and affiliate with other othet religious bodies MORMONISM LEAVENING i THE WORLD The church stands at the threshold ot of augmented activity and increased I facilities The principles ot of revealed truth that It proclaims are being assimilated assimilated as- as I in part in the of the day even to the abandonment n of o dogmas dog dog- I j mas Once considered I orthodox t Mormonism Mor monism has demonstrated Its vitality and is coming to be seen In Its true the embodiment ot of the gospel of Jesus Christ While tolerant toward churches and men recognizing the inalienable right ot of every man to according to the dictates ot of othis his own conscience the church offers its pleading invitation to the world to come and partake ot of the blessings of the restored gospel It is not too much to say that the leaven of Mormonism Is leavening world and Its y |
