Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1908-04-07
LATTER DAY SAINTS CONVENE
President Joseph smith Presides at
the OpeninE ses-
sion.


| INDEPENDENCE, Mo-. April G-Cspe-
cisl Telegram.) .)-The annual worlds confer
ence OF the Ro-organized. Church Of Jesus
Christ of Later Day Saints convened today
at 10 a. m. with President Joseph Smith
of independence NO. in the chair. He and
his counselors, Frederick M. Smith Of Inde-
pendence. Mo-. and r. c. Evans Of London,
Ont, were chosen presidents OF the confer
ence. and authorized to determine the num-
Der and kind Of meetings and appoint the
speakers at the preaching services, and
also to appoint the other officers necessary
for the conference business. They ap-
pointed r. S. Salyards secretary: Charles
Fry and +. A. Russell assistants; Arthur
II. Mills, chorister; r. @. Smith, organist.
A lengthy report was read from the cre-
dentials committee. composed of r. c. Rus
sell of Canada. w e. Peak and w. NJ,
Aylor Of Independence, In which they gave
the names OF delegates appointed from the
various districts of the church. The read
ing of this report occupied forty minutes
The report was adopted after a number of
corrections were made.
At the afternoon session First Counselor
f. M. Smith was in the chair most of the
session. After an additional report was
was approved, a report was read from the
church recorder, showing 2,S75 baptisms had
been made during the year, ninety-flve ex-
communications and SOB deaths, making the
net gain 2S75 and the total membership
Of the church now 57.365, Of whom S,45g
hold the priesthood. Twenty-eight new
branches have been organized in the year.
The leading number of baptisms was in
Canada, the state of Missouri being next.
Iowa leads in membership, there being
about 5000 members in that state Missouri
being next with $3.50.
A lengthy report was read from the
church secretary. r, S. salyards, detail
ing the work performed during the last
year. library commission, known as
the Latter Day Saints Library commission,
appointed last year to affiliate with the
local librarians of the Sunday school and
Young Peoples organization of the church
with the various church librarians. made
lengthy report of their work. The old
commission was sustained, namely, Il.
A. Blakesley, of Galien. Michigan: f. II
Fisher, of Boston, Mass, and s. A. Bur-
CESS, of st. Louis, Mo. To the commission
was added f. M. Smith of the first presby-
terry to be chairman ex-officio. and Hemsn
Hale Smith of Lamont who has been
general librarian of the church. Three
hundred dollars has been appropriated for
the incidental expenses of the commission.
A committee appointed last year COM
prised Joseph Smith of the presidency E.
L. Bishop. of the bishopry, and s. A.
Burgess, to draft pamphlet of instructions
on matters of court procedure in the
ecclesiastical courts Of the church. and
legal forms for servise In such courts,
made lengthy report, The report was
ordered printed and placed in the hands
of the members of the conference.
The remainder of the session was spent
in detail work, listening to reports from
second quorum of deacons, sixth quorum
of priests of England. first quorum of
teachers. trustees Of Graceland college.
committee on tracts. etc.
T. ]. Sheldon of Stewartsville, Mo-, was
the speaker at night in the main audi
torium. He was assisted by T. ]. Riley,
of Oklahoma.