Imatges de pàgina
PDF
EPUB

Saturday and Sunday, June 17th and 18th-Wasatch.

Sunday and Monday, June 18th and 19th-Oneida.

Saturday and Sunday, June 24th and 25th-Bear Lake and Millard.

city before the Theological class of the Church university on the "Articles of Faith." Under the direction of the First Presidency, these lectures had now been published in book form, after having been examined by the Saturday and Sunday, July 1st and Presidency and by a committee ap2nd-Wayne. pointed by them. This work is recommended to the Sunday schools and other Church organizations as a valu

Saturday and Sunday, July 8th and 9th-Sevier and Bannock.

Saturday and Sunday, July 15th and able text book on questions relating to

16th- Morgan and Star Valley.

Saturday and Sunday, July 22nd and 23rd-Bingham and Boxelder.

Saturday and Sunday, July 29th and 30th--Fremont.

Saturday and Sunday, August 5th and 6th-Alberta.

Saturday and

the faith of the Saints.

The choir sang "Jesus, I my cross have taken."

GENERAL SUPERINTENDENT
GEORGE Q. CANNON

Sunday, August 12th Spoke

and 13th-Cassia and Woodruff.

on

the

feelingly death of First Assistant General Superintendent

Saturday and Sunday, August 19th George Goddard, and paid a glowing tribute to the memory of this Sunday

and 20th-Cache and San Juan.
Saturday and Sunday, August 26th school veteran.

[blocks in formation]

Following are the remarks:

I feel constrained to make a few remarks at the opening of our meeting in relation to our late assistant superintendent and warm friend, Elder George Goddard. I know you will all miss him, as we do who were his co-laborers. His voice, his genial presence, his humorous manner of treating all questions, and the interest that he succeeded in throwing into everything connected was now

Saturday and Sunday, September 23rd and 24th-Weber and Pocatello.

Treasurer Reynolds also announced that the third edition of the small Sunday school hymn book with the Sunday School ready, making in all 55,000 copies of this work, will be missed in all these meetwork which had been issued from the ings. We look around us and ask ourpress. This edition contained a few selves: Who can fill his place? He new hymns and a greatly improved in- was unique, warm-hearted and dex. Another edition of the Sunday thoroughly in earnest in all that he school song book, in two styles of bind- did for the Sunday school cause. It ing, retailed respectively at 40 and 50 was dearer to him than his own comcents was also ready. Numerous im- fort or convenience. He did an amount provements to make it more uniform of travel that I felt was too much for with the Hymn book had been intro- one of his years; but he was untiring duced in this edition. The proceedings in his labors and took delight in of the late Sunday school convention them, and he was sustained by the held in this city were now on sale. Nearly 4,000 had been distributed gratuitously to the schools, and teachers and others desiring additional copies could purchase them at the office of the Union Board at 10 cents per copy. The second edition of the Treatise was also ready for those officers and teachers who did not possess a copy. Price 15 cents. Some few years ago Dr. James E. Talmage delivered a series of lec

es in the Assembly Hall in this

Lord, for the Lord bestowed blessings upon him and made him the means of doing an immense amount of good. It would be difficult to calculate upon the amount of good that our departed friend and brother has performed in this cause. He will be known and remembered by the rising generation to an extent, probably, unequalled by any other man, because his manners were such as endeared him to all children. They felt he was their friend; they ad

mired and revered him, as well as the parents and all those associated with him. I am sure that you will feel with me that we have had what might be termed in one respect an irreparable loss. It is true that it is a saying among us that there is no man living but what can be spared; and the work goes on after his departure-even after the departure of the most prominent of men. But probably Elder Goddard filled a niche in our affections and work -our Sunday school work-that shall find it very difficult to fill. But the Lord, of course, we know can raise up faithful laborers. Brother Goddard's example in his efforts and untiring zeal, will, I hope, be followed by all interested in this work, and I hope we will try with greater diligence to carry it forward and to do the work that he would do if he were here in our midst.

we

I felt to say these few words and I know that in giving expression to these thoughts and feelings, though but feebly, I am also expressing the thoughts and feelings of your hearts. We all mourn his departure. Of course, his departure is for his gain, but it is a serious loss to us.

I pray God that the spirit that he manifested in this work may rest down upon us all to an increased extent, that through our devotion and zeal we may, in some measure, make up for this loss. I ask this in the name of Jesus. Amen.

APOSTLE HEBER J. GRANT.

I have been requested to speak upon the late Sunday school convention held last November in the Assembly Hall.

The convention" was held on Monday and Tuesday and there were three sessions each day. It was remarkably well attended, there being but one Stake of Zion that failed to send delegates. I never attended a series of metings in my life where the people seemed to be so interested as in those held during the Sunday school convention. The spirit of the meetings was choice indeed. The people were particularly interested; their faces were lit up with interest, and we had a very enjoyable time, long to be remembered by each and every one present. Broth

er Reynolds has referred to the fact that the proceedings of the convention have been published in pamphlet form which contains over one hundred pages. The Sunday School Union has the pamphlet for sale, and it can also be found at the Juvenile Instructor office. Of course, you are all well aware of the fact that in reading the proceedings of a convention that you lose much of the inspiration manifested at the meetings; but, at the same time, each and every Sunday school worker and all those interested in the Sunday school work, will be greatly benefited by getting a copy of the proceedings of the convention and perusing it. Very many important items on Sunday school work are con tained therein: How to hold Stake conferences, the proper manner of using the Leaflets, discourses on the Word of Wisdom, and many other matters of great interest to all connected with the Sabbath schools. I rejoice that we should have had such a grand and glorious convention with which to crown the public labor of our late Assistant Superintendent Brother George Goddard. He enjoyed those meetings exceedingly. I wish to say in addition to the pleasure we had of listening to the instructions, that the music that was furnished us during those meetings was very pleasing indeed. A half hour was taken up at the commencement of each meeting in singing songs that are rendered in the Sabbath schools throughout the Church.

the

I trust that we may again have privilege of meeting in a convention. I feel, on account of the success of the one we did have, that we may be justified in having another in the course of a year or so, and I am sure that it will be even more successful than the one we had last November.

I thank God, my Heavenly Father, for the privilege of being associated with the Sabbath school work, and I am also truly grateful for the increase of over 7.000 pupils since last year's report. It will only be a short time before we will be able to add 10,000 to our Sunday schools every year. Truly Zion is growing. May God bless you and every one laboring for the Sabbath schools, is my prayer, and I ask it in the name of Jesus. Amen.

ELDER THOMAS C. GRIGGS

This immense audience interested in Sunday school work, and the interesting statistics that have been presented to us on the growth of this Sunday 'school work are largely the result of an event that occurred nearly fifty years ago, viz: The establishment of the first Sunday school in these Rocky Mountains, which event transpired in the Fourteenth ward of this city, on the second Sunday in December, the 9th day of the month, 1849, by Richard Ballantyne. It is proposed by the Deseret Sunday School Union to celebrate that event. So far the proposition is to have a general celebration on Sunday evening the 8th day of October, in this place. We trust that all the veteran Sunday school workers, those that have been connected with the Sunday school for 25, 30, 35, 40 and 45 years, will be present. In addition to this it is proposed that local celebrations be held in each Sunday school on the second Sunday in December, this year, the 10th day of the month. A suggestive program for the celebration will be published hereafter. Besides this is our record work. Blanks have been sent to every Sunday school for a synopsis of their respective histories and the names of those that have presided in the various schools. For this purpose three blanks have been sent to each Sunday school to be filled out; one of these is to be retained by the school, one to be sent to the Stake superintendency and one to be sent to the general secretary, Brother George D. Pyper. Another matter pertaining to this is the appointment of a special committee, by each Stake superintendency, to act in conjunction with the general committee on the Semi-centennial celebration. The name and address of the chairman of this special committee should be sent to the general secretary that communication may be had with him. This labor of preparing these individual histories is one that will require patience and perseverance to accomplish. This work is immediately before us, as superintendents of schools and Stake superintendents. We trust this matter will be given immediate attention, as it is intended that these reports shall be

bound into one volume. We have now, as our statistics show, over 1,000 Sunday schools. The preparation of this history will afford the basis for the celebration of the centennial anniversary; also for the millennial anniversary, which we expect to see in its time.

Elder George D. Pyper sang, "Hosanna."

APOSTLE GEORGE TEASDALE.

From the Doctrine and Covenants, section 68, page 250, beginning with the 25th verse, we have the following instruction:

"And again, inasmuch as parents have children in Zion, or in any of her Stakes which are organized, that teach them not to understand the doctrine of repentance, faith in Christ the Son of the living God, and of baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of the hands when eight years old, the sin be upon the heads of the parents;

"For this shall be a law unto the inhabitants of Zion, or in any of her Stakes which are organized;

"And their children shall be baptized for the remission of their sins when eight years old, and receive the laying on of the hands;

"And they shall also teach their children to pray and to walk uprightly before the Lord."

It is very much to be regretted that children should frequently be in the Sabbath school after they are eight years of age without being baptized.

Now, children have rights as well as the rest of humanity. The Lord has given instruction unless the parents prepare them for this baptism that the parents will be under condemnation. In Sunday schools where they are very strict they will not allow unbaptized children over eight years old to partake of the Sacrament. It would be in harmony with the commandments of the Lord to have the parents taught this duty towards their children at their firesides by our Teachers-not the teachers of the Sabbath school, but the regular ward Teachers. Every child who desires it has a right to be baptized when eight years of age. It is singular to me that fathers do not take sufficient interest in their children to get permission of the Bishop to have

their children baptized on their eighth birthday. Many children have looked forward to this event with a great deal of anxiety, and then when the time came they were pushed aside with the remark, “O, well, there are no baptisms today, and you can be baptized on some other occasion." The Lord says His house is a house of order. So it is perfectly natural and perfectly consistent that the Lord should require at the hands of the parents that the children should be prepared for baptism by the time they are eight years of age. Somebody can always be found who holds the Priesthood of Aaron or of Melchisedek, who will very willingly put himself out a little to baptize the children, that they may have that blessed privilege. I know of an instance where a child was very anxious for baptism, but it was put off and put off and by and by the child died without being baptized. Well, I argue that these dear children should have this privilege. You know we love your children; you know we devote a great deal of time to them. I would advise you, my fellow laborers in the Sunday school, to make this one of your items and see that your children are baptized when the proper time arrives.

As you

are their friends and instructors, put yourselves out a little to see that this is done, that those dear children may have the privilege of being baptized; that they may be enabled to give the reasons why they are baptized, and of the conditions of baptism. When teaching a Sabbath school class in Nephi -mine was the primary class-we used to sing them the song, "Jesus, Mighty King in Zion," and explain it to them as we went along.

baptized here in the font in Salt Lake City. I had him up on a visit from Nephi. With Elder Charles J. Thomas, who kindly assisted me, I baptized him when he was eight years of age and confirmed him, and then I took him to have his likeness taken, that he might never forget it. That was the interest I took in him. In Mexico, when I baptized a little maid of my own on her eighth birthday, I gave it out that I would baptize her on that day, and if there were any children who had been neglected we would attend to them at the same time. We baptized her and several others. I have been particular with my children that this should be done on their natal day. I think of times we are very careless in our records; it is occasionally difficult to find out when people have been baptized. If you will baptize a child the day it is eight years of age the date will always be remembered. It seems to me that a father would delight to do this, and keep his own record and act as the patriarch in his own house. All you have to do is to get the consent of your Bishop and have a proper record made of it.

My beloved fellow laborers. God bless you. Let us always remember that the children have the right to be bapI am tized when eight years of age. of

grateful for having the privilege being a Sabbath school laborer. I have been so for a number of years, and I delight to be associated with our Sunday school children.

I pray God, our eternal Father, that His blessings may rest upon every Sabbath school laborer, that we may be able to set a good example and teach the children to their understanding, through Jesus Christ.

Amen.

APOSTLE FRANCIS M. LYMAN.

In answer to the question of Brother Bickley, from Beaver, whether children should be allowed to partake of

And we explained the different modes of baptism so that they might understand that there are a class of people who baptize by pouring, and another class who baptize by sprinkling; one saying for justification the Lord would pour out an oblation, and the other saying that He would sprinkle many the Sacrament after they are eight nations. Let us instruct our children, that we may assist the parent in preparing them for this baptism. I consider that this is a part of our duty. Let us respect the children, and let us see that they have their rights. remember a child of mine

years of age and are not baptized: Of course, the law should be observed, and, in order that this question need not be asked in regard to the children of the Latter-day Saints, we would advise that the Bishops, who have the bapwhom I tisms under their care, see to it that

arrangements are made in every ward that the children may be baptized when they are eight years of age. We have been lenient in this regard-that is, the rule of the Church has been-and the children have been allowed to partake of the Sacrament after they were eight years of age in order that they might not feel injured and their hearts hurt. But, the Bishops should make the arrangements in their respective wards that on any day in the year, cold or warm, the children may be baptized when eight years of age. It is a splendid thing to do; it is a nice arrangement and ought to be observed in all the Church. But until this is done-when children are anxious and want to be baptized and it is not their fault that they have not been-we ought not to be too stringent in refusing the Sacrament to the children of the Latter-day Saints. They would like to be baptized and they ough to be. If they are not baptized at the proper time, the sin be upon the head of the Bishop.

SECOND ASSISTANT SUPERINTEN-
DENT KARL G. MAESER.

tice

of that

at the brings

ter of leaving their animals out in the
storm, snow and cold, without any
covering or without any regard to their
suffering. These dumb beasts were
neglected during the stormy weather
and received bad treatment
hands of their masters. That
to my mind an instance of several
years ago, when Heber C. Kimball was
with us. He was going down State
street with some of the brethren and
they saw a man abusing a horse most
unmercifully. As intelligent and well
posted as these brethren were with re-
gard to handling animals, they could
not find out what was really wanted
of the animal. The man was beating
it unmercifully. Brother Kimball
turned to these brethren and said,
"brethren, that horse will demand jus-
man some time and will
it.
get
He is making himself a
debtor to that animal." There is a
principle connected
sound, glorious
with this. Could I as an intelligent
being, place myself in such a position
that I would become a debtor to an
animal, and place myself under such
a condition that that animal could
claim justice from me on account of
ill-treatment? We may have to slay
animals for food and other legitimate
reasons, when it is absolutely neces-
sary; but when it is done it should be
done with as little pain to the animal
as possible. Let us be merciful, as the
Scriptures say "A righteous man is
merciful to animals." This is a
principle we should make a point of
in all our Sunday schools. We should
enjoin it upon the pupils, not simply
one single day in the year, which is set
apart for this. I would rather see it
urged whenever occasion requires,
whenever any one in the Sunday school
has been cruel to animals in any way.
I know it is displeasing in the sight
of the Lord. This should be taught
to the children in the Sabbath schools,
that the children of the Latter-day
Saints may be known for their kind-

The subject given me to speak upon for a few minutes is "Humane Day." It has been customary for the Sunday School Union to have a day set apart during the year on which the Sunday school teacher should pay particular attention to kindness to animals. This day has usually been the last Sunday in February, but the Sunday School Union Board, perhaps, may fix some other day, if so, it will be made public. Kindness to animals has also been enjoined upon us by Holy Writ, for "A righteous man is merciful to his animals." Now, there is too much neglect on this point observable among our people. A letter was received by the Sunday School Union Board, some time ago, from a sister up north, requesting that the brethren take this into consideration and enjoin upon the ness to animals. Sunday school workers the duty of impressing upon the minds of the pupils the necessity of being kind to animals and abstaining from any kind of cruelty. She also alluded to the bad example being set by some in the win

I suppose the Sunday School Union Board will take this matter into consideration some day and make known the day that will be most convenient and proper to be set apart for that

purpose.

« AnteriorContinua »