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Show NEW YEARS, 23 1893. work, rules and records, intermissionary Brigham Young was impelled by his deep anxiety for the young women in Zion to work, etc., etc. All this brings into active use the fif- organize associations having in view their teen thousand special text books already spiritual and temporal salvation. In the among the people, besides the four winter of 1869, President Young asked standard Church works, viz: Bible, Book Sister Eliza R. Snow to notify those of of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and his family not living in the Lion House to Pearl of Great Price; Life of Joseph assemble on a certain evening as he had Smith, Historical Record, Church Com- important matters to present to them for pendium, Constitution of the United action. Doubtless this matter had been States, text book on civil government, discussed between them, for after events Roberts parliamentary usages, American showed that there was a mutual under- and English literature, and text book on physiology, anatomy and hygiene. The officers of the General Superintendency at this writing are as follows: Wilford Woodruff, General Superintendent; Joseph F. Smith, Moses Thatcher, Counselors; Junius F. Wells, Milton H. Plardy, 'Rodney C. Badger, George H. Brimhall, Assistants; George D. Pyper, Secretary; William S. Burton, Treasurer; Evan Stephens, Music Director. Y. L. M. I extravagant habits in dress, in mode of living and even in speech. He appealed to them to adopt modest apparel, cultivate a meek deportment and to set an example before the world worthy of imitation. He said he was weary of the way in which the women of Zion sought to outdo each other in all the foolish fashions of the world; for instance, if a sister invited her friends to visit her, she must have quite as many dishes as her neighbor had spread on a former occa- - A. ii "p pOW often, in tracing the history of tlie various organizations of the church, we are reminded of the simile of the acorn and the oak, or "S X the mountain stream and the flowing No one society, neither principle river. has sprung at once into full, perfect maturity. So plain is this truth that it might be taken as an axiom that all good and great thoughts and things are a growth, not a sudden perfection. The organization which we are at present contemplatDid not the ing has this same history. Prophet Joseph, in prophetic vision, grasp this truth when in a tiny room. he organized a small number of women into a society of their own, and proclaimed under that humble roof, that the key was now turned which opened the door to the higher development of woman, and that knowledge and wisdom should flow down into them, also that this should be the beginning of happier days, when woman should attain to every right and priv ilege pertaining to a perfect womanhood? Prior to this time no womans organization existed in the world, but in less than five years women began to organize themselves into suffrage associations, temperance associatious and clubs for divers purposes. The tiny spark thus ignited in the city of Nauvoo has spread, pouring upon the women of Christendom the freedom of sphere and its enlargement. The results witnessed inspire faith that this light will continue to burn until its glory shall cover the earth, the whole earth, but only those inspired of God will know when and where this. spark came down from heaven, and only such will give to Him the honor and glory. Building upon this foundation and inspired by the same spirit, the Prophet Elmina S. Taylor, General Presidfnt standing on the subject. On the evening designated the whole family assembled in the large parlor of the Lion House, President Geo. A. Smith and wife being present by invitation. After prayer, the President addressed his family, and among other things said in substance that all Israel were looking to his family and watching the example set by his wives and children. For this reason he desired to organize his own family first into a society for the promotion of habits of order, thrift, industry and charity, and above all to retrench from their Bath-sheb- a Y. L M I. A. and, indeed, show how much superior her table was to her neighbors. This spirit of rivalry induced a habit of extravagance in our food, involved husbands and fathers in debt, and made slaves of the mothers and daughters. It is displeasing to the Lord and the poor groan under the burden of trying to ape the customs of those who have more means. He urged studious habits and the profitable employment of time, and said: Your time is all the capital God has given you and if you waste that you are bankrupt indeed. We are about to organ- sion, |