The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1919-12-06
r ELIGION OF DAILY LIFE
A Practical Test
By DR.. JAMES e. TAl4MAGE
OF the Council of tile Twelve Church Of Jesus Christ of Lat
ter-Day Saints; Salt Lake City, Utah.
NOTE For copies other articles of this send
request the author

pointed fields Of labor and while
serving therein, except so far as they
may receive assistance from those
who become interested in their work.
a desire common to young Latter
day Saints is to SO live that they
snail be found worthy to be called
into service to spend period OF
years, generally from two to four, as
travelling ministers OF the Gospel of
Christ. They offer their message
without money or price, carrying 1T
to the doors in city and country, dis
tributing literature, inviting CONVEX
sation, but never FORCING themselves
upon unwilling hearers. Who can
consistently affirm that such faithful
servants as these are insincere or
devoid of that love for fellowmen
without which genuine love of God
lis impossible?
The Relief Society.
The benevolence that manifests it.
self in material giving is impressed
Church, and while every one is
taught to assist the needy by indi-
vidual effort, a system of orderly
contribution and distribution is main
tanned. In each Ward and Branch Of
the Church an organization OF women
known as the Relief Society is oper-
auiye. Its particular function is that
OF caring for the needy and the
afflicted, without exclusive distinc-
zion as to whether the subjects of
their miniStratton are members OF
the Church or not. The Relief So
ciety receives contributions of
money clothing, food and other COM
modities and distributes these as
occasion requires, beside maintaining
la system Of visitation to the needy,
giving aid in nursing, comfort in he
ireavement, and relief from distress
in every way possible.
Fasting and Prayer. !.
The Church teaches the efficacy of
prudent fasting, moderate abstinence
from food at stated times, as an
accessory to prayer; and the first
Sunday of each month is observed
as fast-day. On that day the people
are invited to meet for special devo-
tional service, and by common con-
sent and custom they contribute at
least the equivalent OF the meals
omitted through the fasting of the
family. These offerings are received
by the local officers and are distrib-
uted under their direction to the
! worthy poor If there be surplus
in any Ward it is applied to the
needs of other Wards in which the
proportion of dependent poor is
greater.
BY these and other methods, in
GLIDING the tithing system to be con-
sidered later, are the Latter day
Saints taught to give OF their sub
stance for worthy purposes, and In
such way as to avoid indiscrimin-
ate charity whereby perchance IN
worthy dependency would be foster
ed. We believe that the harmony of
our prayers will become a discord If
the cry Of the deserving poor accom-
pany our supplications to the throne
of Grace.
For the Book of Mormon, ETC., ap.
! ply to Northern States Mission, 255s
North Sawyer Ave., Chicago, III.
For book of 800 pp., containing
complete series of these articles,
numbering 1o4, entitled "The Vitality
Of Mormonism," apply to publishers:
The Gorham Press, Boston, Mass.