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Show Shun The Dole, Pres. Tanner Tells Members President N. Eldon Tanner of the First Presidency sounded a warning to members of the Church against participating in government doles" which weakens their ability to care for themselves and their families. Speaking at the General Conference agric ultural meeting in the Assembly Hal! on Temple Square, Pisredent Tanner told some 1,200 stake presidents, bishops, welfare committee members and Relief Society executives that the dole system will destroy the soul. He was the final speaker of General Authorities which included brief talks from Elder Harold B. Lee and Elder Marion G. Romney of the Council of the Twelve, Elder Henry D. Taylor, Assistant to the Twelve, and B'shop Robert L. Simpson of the Presiding Bishopric. Mrs. Belle S. Spafford, President of the General Board of Relief Society, also spoke. President Tanner declared that no matter what other work members of the Church may be doing, nothing is as important as doing the work of the Lord and in carrying for and developing members of the Church. Speaking to the group of Church leaders, President Tanner urged them to teach the Church programs and help the members to practice them. He warned that the dole system would destroy the soul. When the individual loses the desire to work it is serious, Pres'dent Tanner If any would not work, neither said. shoud they eat. I feel it is important that peop'e keep their self respect. A person can lose their self respect by the dole. Architect's rendering of Independence Visitors Center is admired by members of the First Presidency. Seated are President Hugh B. Brown, first counselor, and President David O. McKay. Standing are Presidents N. Eldon Tanner, second counselor; Alvin R. Dyer, and Joseph Fielding Smith. The plans were drawn by Emil Fetzer, Church architect. Visitors Center Planned For Independence Site Plans to erect an attractive Visitors Center in Independence, Mo., with construction to begin this fall, were announced Saturday by the First Presidency. Final plans for erection of the structure designed to tell the story of the Church to tourists and other visitors in the area were given final approval this week by the First Presidency after a year of planning and preparation. The new Visitors Center will face norlfti on Walnut Street Just east of River Boulevard. This location will place the new building 18 acres which the Church owns of the original dedicated temple land In this historic Missouri city. Latte. day Saint history records that on Aug. 1, 1831 the Prophet Joseph Smith, Church founder, consecrated the land of Jackson County, Mo., as a consecrated land, saying: I now pronounce this land consecrated and dedicated unto the Lord for a possession and inheritance of the Saints and for all the faithful servants of the Lord to the remotest ages of time in the name of Jesus Christ, having authority hum Him. Amen. on the On the following day, Aug. 3, 1831, Joseph Smith dedicated land for the erection of a temple in the center place of Zion. This temple land was 63.27 acres in Inde- pendence. It was the first land ever purchased and dedicated by the Gmrcfa for the purpose of erecting a temple. Title to the land was originally held by Edward Partridge, presiding bishop of the Church. After the expulsion of the Mor, mons from Missouri in the Church was eventually dispossessed of the land and the property was sold for taxes. Presently there are several owners of the originally dedicated temple property, the majority being owned by the Reorganized LDS Church with headquarters in Independence. The Church has made various purchases over several years to the total of 18 acres. Two lots amounting to about two and a quarter acres were purchased in 7 by the Church of Christ known also as the Hedrikites. There are also a number of individual owners of small portions of land contained in the original 63.27 acres. 1833-39- 1867-187- Plans are to break ground for die impressive new Visitors Center on Aug. 3, of this year, which Is the 137th anniversary of the dedication of the temple land by Joseph Smith. Elder Lee told of the importance of keeping the fast and paying fast offerings regularly to be worthy of receiving blessings. He paid tribute to the Relief Society and told them to qualify before the Lord as agents to do the Lord's business as his stewards. conThe new center will be a crete structure faced in white cast stone and other modem facing material. It will be surrounded by an exterior portico which will enhance its appearance. two-stor- y The Independence Visitors Center will be the newest of more than a score of such centers owned by the Church and located at the 13 temples throughout the world and at various other historic sites significant in the early founding days of the Church. Modem visual displays, murals, paintsculpture, translites, etc., will be used to tell the story of the Restoration and the historical significance of the Jack-so- n County area. A large mural depicting the second coming of the Savior will command the attention of tourists as they enter ings, the building. Other special features will include a theater where films will be shown concerning temple work and other important teachings of the Church and a museum where historic relics of the period and area concerning the settlement of the Saints in Missouri will be on display. Elder Romney warned that the time may come when members may have to take care of each other on welfare projects in their own areas should materials not be available from distant projects. Urban stake leaders were counseled by Elder Taylor to seek suitable projects, if unable to do agricultural work, which would enable them to raise funds to produce material for the welfare program. Bishop Simpson told of the hundreds of men who had been brought back Into Church activity through the Welfare Program. The program, he said, helps to do away with idleness, encourages thrift and industry ar.d helps abolish the dole All were advised to n ad the Welfare Handbook and do what needs to be done in keeping the program up to date. Bishop John H. Vandenberg of the Presiding Bishopric conducted the meeting which opened at 7:30 a.m., by introducing stake presidents Stanley G. Smith of Canyon Rim Stake, Salt Lake City, and Wayne A. Reeves of Rialto Stake, California. Pres. Smith, aided by slides, told of Canyon Rim Stakes welfare project near Snyderville, Utah, where they have operranch for the past 10 years ated a producing beef for the welfare program. e citrus farm The Rialto Stake's was described by Pres. Reeves, who told qf , 8,000 citrus trees being planted by The new Visitors Center will take u!i donated labor in one year. The farm now about a year to construct and should be produces 800,000 pounds of fresh fruit for welfare use and 1,500,000 pounds for juice. completed in late 1969. yEEK 450-acr- e ENDING APRIL 20, 1968 840-acr- CHURCH- -3 |