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TREE PLANTING AND FORESTRY ing to his native home after years of

BY ELDER SEYMOUR B. YOUNG. "The groves were God's first temples." In one of these tempies Joseph Smith sought the Lord in prayer and received a visit from the Father and the Son, and a high commission from them, which called him to his prophetic ministry-the Prophet, Seer and Revelator of the dispensation of the fulness of times. Shady groves have always been considered as a fit and sacred place of holding communion with the Creator of the universe, as well as for other noble purposes. Instance: The old elm tree that stands in the town of Cambridge today, said to be more than 300 years old. Beneath this tree Washington received the command of the Continental Army, in 1775. The subject of planting trees cannot be too deeply impressed upon our young people, and at the approach of every Arbor Day, all the Sunday school children should be encouraged to assist in planting one or more trees around their homes, in gardens or fields and other proper places designated by their teachers and their parents. Cultivation of forests and of the better class of timber has always been a profitable labor and investment to those who enter upon this branch of farming, with a proper understanding, and with perserverance and industry continued their efforts. Some places in Europe, especially in Germany, the small forests are made to yield a large income, supporting very many families by the yield of wood and lumber and the gums that exude from spruce and balsams. Nut-bearing trees are of much importance to the farmers of this country and could be made a source of great profit to all those who would plant a few of these species of forest trees, among the best and most ontable of which is the black wainut. Large farms can be bordered with these trees, and as they grow for ten or twelve years, the nuts produced by them will aid very materially in paying the expenses of the farm and its cultivation. When they become too large and crowd each other in the rows, good sale can be made of them to cabinet makers and furniture producers.

Speaking of trees, I am reminded of a very beautiful story: A traveler return

absence, saw a man in the act of cutting down a large oak tree, under whose pleasant shade he had played when a boy. He paid the man quite a sum of money to allow the tree to remain standing, and he wrote the following beautiful lines on the subject:

"Woodman, spare the tree;

Cut not one single bough; In youth it sheltered me, And I'll protect it now. 'Twas my forefather's hand That placed it near his cot, There woodman let it stand; Thy ax shall harm it not."

GEN. SUPT. GEORGE Q. CANNON.

Made the closing address as follows: There are only a few minutes left, and I do not wish to occupy but those few minutes.

There are some questions that have been submitted to us, that is, to the Sunday School Union Board, which it is thought proper to answer.

One is, Who shall preside in the Sunday school when all the superintendency are absent?

There should be no question about this: if they are all going to be absent they should arrange for somebody to take charge in their absence, either the teacher who has charge of the Theological class or some other suitable teacher, that the school may not be left without a proper person to take charge.

As to the appointment of Sunday school missionaries, superintendents and officers, all this should be done by consent of the Bishop or with his approval. The question has been asked: Shall the superintendent appoint such officers or shall the Bishop appoint? There should be no conflict with regard to this. There should be perfect harmony between the president of the Stake and the superintendent of the Sunday schools-the Stake superintendant-and both should work together. Of course, it is understood, however, that a superintendent of a Stake has no right to act without the Bishop. The Bishop presides in his ward; the president of the Stake presides in his Stake, and all officers under either of these organizations are subject to them

Therefore, a superintendent should consult with the Bishop or with the president of the Stake; however, a Bishop or Stake president will not appoint without consulting with the superintendent. He will pay respect to the officer that has charge of the Sunday school and will not act, if he is a prudent, wise Bishop, without consulting with that officer.

There are other topics to speak upon, but I cannot take time to dwell upon them. There is one subject, I think, however, that should be taught in our Sunday schools more than it is, and that is courtesy. There is a rudeness about our children that ought to be corrected. There is not respect paid by boys to girls, by young men to women, and there is manifest in our streets very frequently a want of respect to the weaker sex and to aged people, upon which, I think, very profitable lessons may be given to our children. You will notice it during muddy weather. I have seen it many times-a person driving a team and a lady crossing the streetour streets have been seas of mud at times he drives along and splashes mud over a lady on the street and then laughs at it, as though he had done something smart. Now you will see much discourtesy and rudeness of this kind. We see it constantly; and yet, the boys and men that are guilty of this are not so inclined naturally, but it is for want of proper training, and they

ought to be trained. We can train them in the Sunday school. This rudeness will be seen there and at other gatherings. It can be seen at times when children are going out of a car or going out of a door, the strong boys will push forward and crowd the girls and little ones that are weaker than they are, and rush out regardless of the comfort or, indeed, of the safety of the smaller children and girls.

Brethren and sisters, it is a good place in our Sunday schools to teach lessons of politeness and kindness-to teach our boys to be kind and gentlemanly and to teach our girls to be ladylike. Let us try and raise up a generation of gentlemen and ladies. A man raised as a Latter-day Saint is naturally, if he lives his religion, a gentleman, and the girl or woman raised as a Latter-day Saints is naturally a lady, but they do not know how, sometimes, to behave themselves, and they ought to be taught. This rudeness in crossing the streets and splashing mud, no doubt many of you have noticed.

I pray God to bless us and to help us to remember the instructions we have received this evening, which I ask in the name of the Lord. Amen.

The choir sang, "Glory to God in the Highest."

Adjourned. Benediction.

GEO. D. PYPER. Secretary.

Seventieth Semi-Annual

CONFERENCE

OF

THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST
OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS.

Held' in the Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, October 6th, 7th and 8th, 1899, with a Full Report of the Discourses.

ALSO AN ACCOUNT OF THE

SEMI-CENTENNIAL SUNDAY SCHOOL JUBILEE.

THE DESERET NEWS.

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