Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1898-06-01
MUTUAL IMPROVEMENT SOCIAL
Remarks by President woodruff and Others
Singing, Dancing and Re
frcshmcnts

The NJ. /. a. social at Chrlstcnsen's
hall last evening was brilliant and
most enjoyable affair, and hitting
finale to the NJ I. a. conference. The
affair was rendered by the general
officers of the association to the Stake
officers. and, as consequence, wide
range of country was represented. The
beauty of the gathering was that all
met each other as brethren and sisters
and for the time they were together,
formalitles were cast aside and ac-
mountaineering was general.
The entertainment opened about $3.50
o'clock with the company singing. our
| God We Raise to Thee, and after
prayer by Bishop John Il. Winder, Ell
der Heber J. Grant, acting MS master
of ceremonies, and In behalf of the gen
eral officers rendered Il hearty greeting
to all assembled. In doing SO he humor-
ously referred to his enforced absence
at last years gathering, Mt which he
underwent an operation which robbed
him OF part Of his anatomy. He was
| pleased with the spirit which prompted
such entertainments and reioiced Il -
| year after year closer union existed "a
the ranks Of Mutual Improvement
workers. Elder Grant said the objrc,
Of the associations was to make of the
young men and women of Zion good
husbands and wives and better citizens.
He rejuiCed in the fact that out Of the
| l 800 missionaries now In the field
preaching the Gospel lpSD of them
were from the Mutual Improvement
associations. Concluding, Elder Grant
thanked all for their presence, bade
them hearty welcome and hoped
they would have a time Of enjoyment
while together.
Responses were made by Sister Celes-
tia e. Pack and Elder Matt Thomas Of
the Summit and Davis Stakes rcsEec-
lively, both expressing In fittlng terms
their appreciation of the good feeling
existing and hoping that they would
continue to meet in succeeding years
as brethren and sisters. booming
wamer friends by their associations to-
gether. Elder Thomas also made kindly
reference to the entrance Of the Pio-
necTs into this valley. and called atten-
ton to the spread Of the Gospel and the
fact that Murmpnism, once desplspd, was
now winning rcnown In all nations of
the earth.
a quartet Kathleen Mavourneen.
was then rendered by Messrs Pyper,
whitney Goddard and Spencer, and the
favor with which IL WAS received,
brought out the announcement that the
| lcugth of the program would not per-
init Of enCOreg.
President MILFORD woodruff, who oc-
cuplo1 seat on the stage, and whose
presence was lovingly referred to by
the first speakers, then addressed the
assembly. He felt to thank God, said
he, that he had lived to behold the third
and fourth generation since the usher
ing in of the Gospel in this dispensa-
ton. sixty years ago he had listened
to the testimonies Of the fathc-sgranG-
fathers and grcat-grandfathers of
those assembled, concerning the dlVini-
ty of the Gospel and the mission of the
Prophet Joseph Smith, and he was
pleased to know that to great extent
the children were walking in the foot
steps of their faithful progenitcrs.
President Woodruff related incidents of
early days and said he rejoicod in hav>
ing been privileged to live upon the
earth to see the predictions of men OF
God verify fulfilled In this day and
generation. He spoke Of the good work
Of the Mutual Improvement associa-
lions. eNhortcd all TO emulate the eN-
ampics set them by their fathers ana
mothers, and felt to thank God that the
work OF the Lord was progressing and
that the Prophet Joseph Smith had not
been forgotten.
The grand march. led by President
Joseph =. Smith and wife, and partlci-
pated in b.' nearly 100 couples, was next
In order this being followed by wen
selected program OF dances, in which
nearly all took part with a decided rel
ish Interpreting the dances was n
vocal solo ~ George w. Thatcher Jr.,
and a recitation, Making Him Feel at
Home, by Miss Frankie Young, while
during the evening dainty refreshments
were served by an obliging coterie OF
young ladies. After the singing of the
star Spangled Banner by the company,
benedictlon was pronounced by Presi-
dent Woodruff and as the assembly
dispersed. all were Invited to come
again next year.
The reception committee was made
up of the following
Wilfnrd Woodruff. Iosor, u '--'''
Heber j. Grant, II. II. Roberts, Fran
els NJ. Lyman, John Henry Smith,
Matthias f. Cowlcy, Abraham o.
woodruff, ]. G. Kimball. Junius i.
Wells Milton II. Hardy, Rodney c,
Badger. Geo. II. Brimhall, VIM. s. Bur-
ton. Edw. II. Anderson, Douglas NJ.
Todd, John H. Heppler Edw. H. Snow,
Ncph l.. Morris. Horace C. Whitney,
willard Done, Thomas Hull. Evan
stephens.
Eimina S. Taylor, Maria Y. DouGall,
Martha II. Tingcy. Aggie Campnel,
Adella w Eardley, Sarah Eddington,
Lille r. Freeze, Minnie j. Snow, May
Booth Talmage, Emma Goddard. Rose
w. Bennett. Alice X. Smith, Elizabeth
4. c. McCunc. Ruth NJ. Fox, Julia c. |
NJ. Cannon, Mae Taylor Joan Camp |