Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1909-06-07
CONFERENCE! ENDS
n JOINT SESSION.
M,t,,aI Improvement and P 4
mary Workers Hold l Sue
cessfuI Gatherings.
MANY HELPFUL ADDRESSES I: J
,r,,,s,y suggestion as Made by General
supcrintcndency Is sIl Uraiiimo'is-
u Adopted.

r,rce largely attended and spirited
.,oo,inrs Of the young peoples confer
core held yesterday, the after
-, and evening sessions being held
s,An,ntly With the Primary associa-
.,ans The weather conditions We're
.ho(ut perfect, and the tabernacle mac
rounds presented a most pleasing ap-
,,aarance when the crowds of happy
you,,g people assembled.
W. ~ he opening of Saturday after
.,san session of the NJ a. confer
iso = declaration, issued by the gen-
~, 'sunerintendency, was read by 81
. seEN11inrliley. The recommendations
I ,na5e in this address mark an import
IN SER, in Mutual Improvement work,
~ they take it more into the field of
=. activities. George Fl. Brimhall
. sSn tile adoption Of the Recommending
inns and spoke in their favor as did
aisa John A. Widtsoc and President
gosenh p. Smith .l'he declaration was
UNANIMOUSLY adopted by tire vote Of the
conference. 1t Is MS follows:
STRONG NEED TO MEET.
The systematic work now being done
5by tho quorums of the priesthood pro-.
Midas our young men with tile necesr.
sary teachings in formal theology, and
rains therlin the duties that pertain
totheir calIings In the priesthood.
There is, however.a strong need among
tbe Young men OF the Church to have
nm organization and meetings which
Z .thev themselves conduct; in which they
NAV learn to preside over public as
semblics; to obtain practise ncces-
Gary 10 express themselves before the
,,iblic. and to enjoy themselvessain
studying and practising civil. social
scientific, religious and educational at
fairs. i
The Young Mems Mutual Improve
smcnt associations therefore should be
Strengthened and their efficiency in
creased In order to counterfeit the ten
dency nov; so prevalent Of establishing
private clubs, secret and social sorgani-
cations, and select education societies..
The associations may be made to cof-
or all these requirements, and 1t MIL
! be a wise policy to grant them the full
est liberty, consistent with the order
and policy Of the Church, in the, Sc
lection Of their officers, management.
and conduct of their associations
II Is Of vital Importance that not only
the young men of our Church but also
the regularly constituted stake and
ward officers thereof shall have a clear
understanding as to the place and
s privileges which tho Mutual Improves
Ment associations hold among the Lat
ter-day Saints. in order to promote bar
nony union of purpose, and the best
interests of all concerned.
KEYNOTE BY BRIGHAM YOUNG.
To define this field and to give an
understanding to our young people and
all concerned, we deem it expedient that
a declaration should be made at this
I onr June conference, that there is as
great opportunity now as ever before
for these organizations, and that in-s
creased activity In other departments
should not cause the aba tement Of effort
or efficiency: in our associations; but
rather that renewed effort should be
put forth BY our Improvement workers,
and that every facility should be afr
forded them by stake md ward authori-3
tics to accomplish their glorious mis-
sion among the youth or Zion.
The field to be occupied Is religious,
social and educational. The religious
work is not be formally theological,
II its nature, but rather to be confined
tothe limits outlined by President Brig
lam Young, when the organizations
were first established: Let the key
note of your work be the establish
lnent IN the youth of an Individual
testimony of the truth and magnitude
Of the great latter-day work: and the
development of the gifts within them
In other words, to obtain testimony
81 The truth and to learn to declare
and express that testimonN: and TO
Develop all other noble gifts within
them. Si
h The social includes control OF various
8 PUBLIC, and private anusements; mus
llca, dramatic. and other entertain-
5ments and festivals: field sports, ath-
ehe disbursements, excursions. and other
Varieties OF social gatherings. IS
The educational should include regu-
tlar I. class work in ethics and practical
,,elgon literature. science. history.
biography, art. music. civil government
supplemented by debates, oratorical
( anu musical contests. lectures, essays,
-,