OUR WORK.

TITLE OF OFFICERS.

The question having arisen as to the title of the general officers of the Young Men's Mutual Improvement Associations, also the stake and ward officers, the matter was discussed at a meeting of the General Board recently, when it was decided that the general officers shall be entitled general superintendent and assistants; that the stake officers shall be entitled stake superintendents and assistants; and that the ward officers shall be entitled presidents and counselors.

These titles should be applied in all cases where the officers mentioned are referred to, so as to avoid confusion and promote order.

GENERAL CONFERENCE Y. M. M. I. A.

At a recent meeting of the General Board, it was decided that the annual conference of the Mutual Improvement Associations would be held on the 10th, 11th and 12th of June, 1900. These conferences are productive of much good, and essential to instil life into the associations in the organized stakes of Zion; and it is desired that all the superintendents as well as the presidents of these associations shall attend the meetings where they may be instructed concerning that which pertains to their calling, and keep well to the front in Mutual Improvement work. Some very important matters will be presented for consideration, and no

officer can afford to miss the instructions that will be given on this occasion. In passing, it should be remembered that on the first date mentioned, twenty-five years ago, the first improvement association, as such, was organized, and the general movement of the Y. M. M. I. A. received its beginning in the Thirteenth Ward, Salt Lake City. Doubtless some special exercise at the coming conference will be presented to fitly commemorate the event.

MANUAL 1900-1901.

A committee has already been selected to compile and edit the manual for the next season, which will be a continuation of the Dispensation of the Fullness of Times, from the Missouri exodus to and including the exodus from Nauvoo, and the settlement of Utah. This will be the second manual in the historical series, and the fourth manual in the series which have been recently issued for the associations. The manual to follow will undoubtedly comprise a discussion of the principles of the Gospel as believed in by the Latter-day Saints. Presidents and members of the associations should early begin the necessary arrangements to distribute the manuals so that at the beginning of the season, next fall, everything may be in shape to begin work immediately.

BOOK MENTION.

MORMONS AND MORMONISM is the title of a twenty-four page pamphlet by Charles Ellis, a non-"Mormon," and the author of several writings on Utah and her people. It is a readable exposition of the industry, education, religion and morals of the Latter-day Saints, and gives a chapter on "Anti-Mormonism and the New Crusade" which is very timely under present conditions. The pamphlet is valuable not only as home

reading, but as good information for investigators into conditions in Utah.

LIFE OF DAVID W. PATTEN, THE FIRST APOSTOLIC MARTYR, is the title of a booklet of seventy-seven pages by Lycurgus A. Wilson, printed and for sale by the Deseret News. In a familiar style, the life story of Apostle Patten is told with a view to interest the present generation in his devoted labors in the cause of God. President Lorenzo Snow, who owes his conversion to the Gospel to the testimony of Apostle Patten, furnishes an introduction to the "Life," in the course of which he says of the martyred apostle:

"Almost the last thing he said to me, after bearing his testimony, was that I should go to the Lord before retiring at night and ask him for myself. This I did with the result that from the day I met this great apostle, all my aspirations have been enlarged and heightened immeasurably. This was the turning point in my life. What impressed me most was his absolute sincerity, his earnestness and his spiritual power; and I believe I cannot do better * * than to commend a careful study of his life to the honest in heart everywhere."

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The book is full of testimony concerning healing, revelation and spiritual manifestations, as interwoven in the short but devoted life of the martyred apostle. It is dedicated to the missionaries of the Church, and will be found of value as a promoter of faith among the people.

THE TOPICAL BIBLE, by Orville J. Nave, LL. D., is a new arrangement of all the subjects and matter in the Bible in alphabetic order. It is valuable because all references to any given subject in the Bible may be found under the given heading. It contains nothing but the classified words of the Holy Bible, It is, besides being a concordance of topics, a cyclopædia of Biblical religion, history, biography, legal lore, illustrations, geography, arts, sciences, philosophy, manners and customs: in fact, it is a thorough, exhaustive and searching analysis of the Bible, arranged to save time in the study of the word of God. Dr. Nave, chaplain in the United States army, spent fourteen years arranging his materials, and has succeeded in his work so admirably that no person will wish to be without it. The book is for sale in Utah by Thomas Hull and Nephi L. Morris, Salt Lake City, who will mail it to any address on receipt of price which will be furnished on application.

EVENTS OF THE MONTH.

BY THOMAS HULL, SECRETARY OF THE GENERAL BOARD OF Y. M. M. I. A.

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February 21st: Governor H. M. Wells arrived in Washington to be. present at the meeting of Governors to arrange for the centennial celebration of the removal of the seat of Government from Philadelphia to Washington Leslie E. Keeley, the inventor of the Keeley cure for the liquor habit died at his home in Los Angeles, California. 22nd: The governors of the arid land states ask Congress to delay action regarding arid lands for the present. The secretary of the Interior recommends that no action be taken at present looking to the segregation of any portion of the Uintah Reservation for the purpose of restoring it to the public domain. President Lorenzo Snow received notice of the death in Norway of Elder Henry Ward Berg, son of O. H. and Annie Nelson Berg, Provo.

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23rd: The total casualty list in the Philippines for eighteen months is 3491. * * * J. A. McAllister of Logan was appointed to succeed M. W. Merrill as trustee of the Agricultural College.

25th: Mexicans and Yaquis engage in a battle near Guaymas, in which the former lose 227 men. The ore and bullion ship

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ments from Utah for the week ending 24th inst. weighed 4,592,638 pounds. 26th: A letter from Major R. W. Young to Governor Wells was received announcing:

"I have purchased a large bronze cannon weighing about 800 pounds from the Spaniards, with the carriage for mounting the same, and will ship the same at once to you, as a gift from me to the State of Utah. The gun was manufactured in 1776, our historic year. It bears the name Ganan, which might be translated 'they conquer.""

27th: General Cronje and four thousand soldiers surrendered to Lord Roberts at Paardeberg at 7:45 a.m., the anniversary of Majuba. * * * The G. A. R. Department of Utah elected Major M. A. Breeden, Department Commander, at their session in Ogden.

March 1st: General Buller announces the relief of Ladysmith, after a siege lasting nearly four months, and there is great rejoicing in England. It is announced that the British casualty list in the Transvaal totals 12,834 to date. * The amended Porto Rican tariff bill has passed the House by a vote of 172 yeas to 161 nays.

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The Democratic State Convention nominated Hon. W. H. King for Congress by a vote of 338 to 175 for David C. Dunbar.

2nd: Hon. James T. Hammond is nominated for Congress by the Republican State Convention by a vote of 301 to 91 for William GlasThe Boers 6000 strong have re-formed at Osfontein and are said to be facing the army of Lord Roberts.

man.

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6th: Winston Churchill announces that the relief of Ladysmith has been effected at a cost of upward of 5000 officers and men, in an army only 25,000 strong. The Salt Lake City Council granted a franchise to the Oregon Short Line, and Rio Grande Western railways for the erection of a union station in Salt Lake to cost not less than $200,000. * The initial meeting of the Democratic campaign was held at Mendon, Cache Co., Judge King and Hon. D. C. Dunbar, speakers. 8th: Governor Wells returned from the East. * * * Queen Victoria was hailed with demonstrations which outdid the Diamond Jubilee, on the occasion of the celebration of the victories which have transformed the South African campaign from reverse to success. 10th: Mayor Thompson of Salt Lake City signs the Union Depot Ordinance John H. Benbroke on trial for the murder of

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Burton C. Morris, last July, was acquitted by the jury. Presidents Kruger and Steyn ask for cessation of hostilities, and England looks for an early peace.

11th: In a battle with the Mexicans 200 Yaqui Indians are killed. 12th: The Federal Court rendered a decision in the case of the Ogden Water Co. vs Ogden City, giving plaintiff judgment for $11.183.32. Lord Roberts' army reaches Bloemfontein.

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13: The Utah Society of the Army of the Philippines was organized in Salt Lake City, Major F. A. Grant, president; H. Klenke, corresponding and Wm. E. Kneass, recording secretary; Nels Margetts, treasurer. 14th: The new monetary act, designed to increase the National bank circulation was signed and went into effect. President Steyn has fled from Bloemfontein which was entered by Lord Roberts on the 13th and is now occupied by the British.

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15th: In reply to a question concerning the offer of the United States to use its good offices for peace in Africa, England declares that no interference in the Transvaal war is desired.

16th: General Wheeler tells the War Department that the war in the Philippines is practically over.

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The Senate passed the

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As a result of the

two million dollar Porto Rican relief bill.

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new financial act, over two hundred new national banks have applied to begin business.

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