Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-04-07
Attendance Of About Six Hundred
In Assembly Yesterday
Afternoon.
PRESIDENT LuNo PRESIDED.
t,,st Gathering Of the Kind In the His
tory of the Church--Decp In
tcrest Manifested.

neople al the coii'ehioii VI NHuTcH re-
a,rders which convened In the Assem-
hlv Hall Immediately after the after
roon session of conference yesterday.
president Anthem II. Lund. who Is
chairman of the committee on Church
rscords presided over the gathering,
and with him upon the stand were his
f.lloy committeeman, Elders Rudger
rlavson and Andrew Jensen. and AS
sstant Church Historian A. NJ. Musser
This was the first convention OF its
hind in the history OF the Church. but
ndg,ng from the instructions given by
~ speakers and the deep interest man.
,f.,ted In the proceedings throughout.
4 ls safe to say that the future will
witness many meetings of the same
Aaracter. An impetus has been given
70 record keeping that VIII be farreach-
ing in It's influence.
The meeting was opened by the con-
eregatlon, led by Prof. G.. j. Thomas,
Singing I'VE thank Thee, o God, for a
Prophet" Elder A. Milton Musser Of
fered the Invocation.
SUBJECT OF RECORDS.
President Anthem X. Lund extended
welcome to the congregation, COM
posed for the most part of presidents Of
stakes Bishops, clerks and recorders of
various quorums of the Priesthood and
auxiliary organizations, and others in
terested IN the question under consider
alton. The speaker urged the necessity
OF having IN the Church carefully kept
and accurate records. Imperfect rec
ords are of little or no value. One Of
the first revelations given to the Church
in this dispensation was upon the SUBJ
feet of records and record keeping. Ow-
Ing to the mobbing and driving OF the
Saints with the apostasy OF some Of
the early recorders. the archives of the
Church today do not contain a full and
complete set OF records. In the mis-
sion fields the necessity for recording
important happenings has not always
been realized by those whose duty It
was to see to these matters, and many
OF the books and papers that were kept
for time were eventually lost. IL
had been, he said, not an unusual thing
for men who had acted as clerks and
recorders TO lay claim to the results
Of their labor as being their own prop.
erty In some instances these valuable
records had been recovered with much
difficulty and IN other cases they had
been entirely lost to the Church.
Elder Lund said that the Latter-day
saints fully appreciated the writings
left by the Evangelists and others Of
ed.l but the many things that had
beeD Denned by the hands of inspired
men IN centuries past, which have not
coma down to the present age. would
be OF still greater moment were they
available. II is desired that uni
formlty of records be employed
throughout the Church, the speaker
continued. Considerable attention has
been given to the subject by those who
nave been appointed 10 look after these
matters, and TIE committee will be
slad. he said, 10 receive suggestions
mat may lead to even better results.
Connected WITH THE HEAVENS.
Elder Rudger Cawson said that the
Lalter-day Saints were essentially
record-keeping people, and the value
OF records rests upon the purpose of
kteplng them. The Latter -day work IL
closely connected with the heavens, and
Is therefore OF the utmost import
gnce mat .erfect records should be
kept In the Church. The books that
John saw opened were those kept on
earth, and the other book ives the
record MAJ, IN heaven and there
should be complete harmony between
them.
IN the temples the books and records
are given the strictest care and at
Vehuoh II Is as important that ordi-
nahces should be recorded, as II is
lna' they should be performed. Care
should be taken that books are strong
sIa Wen bound, that good and lasting
INK should be used and that every
tecaution should be exercised, so that
me records should be as lasting as
osslole Great Improvements are seen
N me matter of record keeping, due to
rnstant agitation, and this agitation
VIII be continued until the results are
HlIfely satisfactory.
Eidcr Clawson said that the record
Of his own baptism had been lost and
was nowhere TO be found Many OF
ne SAINTS complained Of similar oc-
surrences. Such conditions must be
ieul,dled' Anything that is worth re-
vu'uihg Is worth recording we'll The
tueaNet urged presidents of stakes and
bNhops to adopt and follow the sug-
teSOons OF the committee relative to
record day. II 1t Is important to hold
neetlng, It Is important TO keep a
record OF II. Inspection should oc-
esslonaly be made OF the records, thus
aglng clerk TO take pains with
lls WORK, as he Is sure to do when he
hno"s that his books viii be examined
and criticised.
,. Elder Clawson urged upon the au-
horities In stakes and wards TO pro-
VIDE suitable vaults or other safe de-
posltories for their records. Especial-
should these be provided as new
wnithac'es and meetinghouses are
nI IN some Of the places he had
.,a u(u me records are Kept in an adj
,a9le manner, and he highly COM
".nuea me enGeaVors nf those who
to urlolmed well their labors I'm these
ARMY OF RECORD KEEPERS
Elder Andrew Jensen said that there
~ IVooo record keepers I'm the
tnuIeh. and the matter OF record
,snpplg should receive even more at
ro "uo,' man at present prevailing. The
mn committee was appointed ON
N Vs. lSs9, with President Francis
wa Snllh as chairman The latter
succeeded by President Anthon III
Lulla This committee has considnrod
w,"ny forms and suggestions. Rocks
vvreruS combining the best features
,r No. 10 date, are to be distributed
men ION mo office of the Presidiny
s "r,sdhopric, One is a genealogical book
auo,her book To be called the
ts II1Orleal record the former TO con.
10 '' necessary statistics. and the latter
oher vo2rd minutes of meetings and
sbn,t important events. Eyervthi,..
SIM 'u DO recorded as briefly az nos
thror,aL'u me books should he uniform
psr,,shout the Church. This should
ard vis,y he the case as to length
Mlath Of books, so that room on
The can be more easily provided,
"a v speaker exhibited and explain
ord,ran lumber OF forms of receipts for.
given ,o ~ performed. the same to be-
fbasa lhe recipient OF The ordinance
h,n, ,s include the blessing OF chi,dren
wiz s Ems ordinations, etc, ana thew
10. viii liz larger books already alluded
Of ~ pe issued with label or stamn
'p'0Vai OF the committee, All