Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-12-19

now number 81 and have an enrolment Of
about 10000 students, have continued to pros
per. Some new and elegant buildings have
been erected and others are in course OF con-
strt1ction to make room for the increasing at
tendance We only regret that the means nee.
essary to meet all the requirements are not
equal to the growth and demands of the
schools. We feel it incumbent upon us and a
duty that is paramount to all other duties i'll
our schools, to teach the youth of Zion love
for truth, virtue, honor and purity Of life, ven
Grafton for the name Of the deity,theChurch and
all sacred things, proper respect for the Priest
hood, not forgetting anything essential to
thorough moral and intellectual education. We
are impressed that in comparison with these
principles and an abiding faith in the Gospel all
other things count but little in the education
of the Youth. Let these things be stamped up-
Oh the minds of the youth until they sink deep
into their souls and become portion of their
very being. We have endeavored to establish
our schools on firm basis and to have them
equipped with the most thorough instructors
and supplied with all necessary apparatus for
iuparting knowledge. They have been raised
to high standard of efficiency in all clen1cn-
tarv branches and i'll some of them the higher
branches OF education taught. We COM
mend our Church schools to the T.atter-day
Saints and desire that they will continue to
give to them their hearty and well deserved
support that they may continue to prosper
and maintain their efficiency
THE TEMPLE WORK.
Great activity has been manifest during the
year 1908, on the part of the Saints in their
Temple work The spirit to work for the
redemption of the dead is resting upon them
and an increased interest has been shown in
this work of divine love. This work is the
Prophet Joseph tells us, Essential to our saliva
ton as Paul says concerning the fathers, that
they without lis cannot be made perfect neitl
er can we without our dead be made perfect
The command of God is for the Saints to la
Dor with their might for the redemption Of
their dead, for, as the Prophet says 1T is the
greatest responsibility that God has laid upon
us, to seek after our dead.
Many of the Saints have taken advantage Of
the opportunities afforded them by the Church
in providing Genealogical society where as
sistance can be given them in this important
work. Records are being gathered and in
formation Of a genealogical nature is being ac-
cumulated for the use of the Saints The
spirit which moves the Saints to work for the
redemption OF the dead is the planting in the
nft fn ~
fathers This same spirit seems to be moving
upon the hearts of honorable men of the earth
who arc spending their time and means in col
Letting and compiling genealogical records. Iii
Great Britain, and portions of the United
States, societies have been organized for the
gathering and preservation Of genealosies.
Vital records and parish registers that have
been inaccessible are now being sought for and
published in great numbers. It is desirable
to obtain as many of these as possible and have
them filed away. The Saints should take adj
vantage of every opportunity to obtain the re-
cords as far as possible of their ancestors that
their redemption through the ordinances of
the house OF God might be obtained We
commend the Saints for their diligence in this
most important and essential work
We wish the Saints a pleasant Christmas
and that the new year may bring them much
JOY and happiness. We pray that the work Of
God may prosper at home and abroad, that
the Saints may grow in the knowledge and
grace Of God and that the good and honest
hearted people everywhere may hear and I'M
derstand the Gospel OF Jesus Christ.
JOSEPH F. SMITH,
JOHN r. WINDER,
ANTHON Fl, LUTND.
First Presidency.