THE CONTRIBUTOR.
JUNIUS F. WELLS, EDITOR.
Y.M.M.I.A. MANUAL.
EARLY in September there will be is-
sued by the General Superintendency a
Manual or Reference Book for the
coming year's work in the Young Men's
Associations. It will be comprehensive
in its nature, will include many of the les-
sons heretofore published in THE CON-
TRIBUTOR and is designed to assist stake
superintendents and ward presidents in
carrying on in a uniform manner the
various Mutual Improvement organiza-
tions of the Church. The book will be
a necessary text-book for every officer
and will include names of general officers,
of stake superintendents, annual circu-
lar letter of General Superintendency,
instructions to superintendents, presidents
and members, diagrams, bibliography and
index, and a thorough course for one
year in theology, history, science and
literature. The plan for the year's course
is marked out in twenty-five lectures on
each of the subjects named. Under the
heading of theology appear lectures on
the Gospel with full analysis of B. H.
Roberts' work. Under history is given
lectures on the Bible, Book of Mormon,
New Testament, the Church, Cannon's
Life of Nephi, and England; Under
science, Talmage's First Book of Nature,
and civil government; under literature,
Readings from Irving, and references to
American literature generally.
The Manual is not merely an an-
nouncement of the year's work, but is
of itself educational in character and
if studied and properly used, will go far
towards placing every association organ-
ized in successful operation.
The annual letter of the General
Superintendency announcing the Manual
and the season's work is as follows:
To the Stake Officers of the Y.M.M.I.A.:
DEAR BRETHREN: In addressing our
annual letter to you, we take pleasure in
introducing this Manual which under our
appointment and direction has been
carefully compiled by Assistant General
Superintendent Milton H. Hardy, and
Stake Superintendent George H. Brim-
hall.
You will therefore make it a guide for
this year's work, and each one not only
become acquainted with, but practically
apply the specific instructions addressed
to him. In this way, your work being
systematic, will be more progressive and
successful than heretofore.
By reference to our former circular
letters, you will see the consistency
and necessity of our making the follow-
ing inquiries and suggestions:
How many of your Associations began
their regular weekly meetings early last
year, as suggested?
How many of your officers, stake and
ward, secured a set of, and became
acquainted with the contents of the first
year's series, M.I.A. Reading Course,
in order to be able to lead in that work
this year?
In how many of your Associations were
music classes organized and conducted
according to plan of general music direc-
tor, as given in the current numbers of
THE CONTRIBUTOR?
Have you in each ward of your stake
a Young Men's Mutual Improvement
Association?
Is your Stake Superintendency com-
plete?
Did you hold Stake Council meetings,
and prepare for the general work of the
stake, for stake officers' meetings, stake
conferences, your missionaries, your
public lectures, stake recreations, and
all other matters pertaining to the super-
intending of the work?
Did you hold stake officers' meetings?
Did you hold your half-yearly stake
conferences?
Did you visit officially each Associa-
tion in your stake twice last year.
Did you examine the records of each
Association in your stake last year?
Did you make any provision for public
lectures under auspices of the M.I A.
of your wards last year?
Is each Association working in har-
mony with, and recognized as a practical
help in each ward?
Did you confer freely and fully with
the Presidency of your stake in superin-
tending the M.I.A. work last year?
Are you personally acquainted with
the education status and progress of
each Association in your stake?
Is there a general sentiment in your
stake for the officers to remain faithful
to their work until honorably released?
See CONTRIBUTOR, Vol. XI., page 471,
also enclosed questions with circular
letter of March 17th, 1891, and address,
CONTRIBUTOR, Vol. IX., pages 38-40.
It will be well for you to plan for hold-
ing your annual meeting for sustaining
officers in each ward as soon as possible;
but the regular weekly meetings should
be started up promptly, early in Septem-
ber by the present officers, who should
not wait for the annual meeting. At the
annual meeting it is desirable that the
Stake Superintendency should be pres-
ent. This meeting should be made
general in the ward, and the importance,
plan, and purpose of mutual improve-
ment work should be brought clearly
and forcibly before the people, and the
ward officers sustained by the vote of
the Saints. If for any cause changes
are to be made or vacancies filled they
should be attended to at this meeting.
In the selection of officers the ward
authorities should be fully conferred with
and great care taken to choose such
persons as are fitted for the positions by
popularity, ability, and inclination to do
the work required.
As will be seen from the Manual, special
instructions are given to the members,
and each class of officers for their general
guidance; to this your attention is directed.
As you are aware this great organiza-
tion is of such a character that its direct-
ing, teaching, training influence extends
to the home reading, or preparation of
the individual member around the fire-
side; thence to his regular weekly pro-
gressive lesson or exercise; thence to
the monthly joint session; thence to
the district and stake conferences, and
culminating in the general annual con-
ference in June each year. Thus making
the line of organized work practically
complete and progressive.
You are also cognizant of the special
importance of regular, systematic, pro-
gressive reading, thinking, and acting on
the part of the individual member; thus
permanently impressing and establishing
him in this universal system of educa-
tion, based upon revelation, self-culture,
and mutual or associative effort and
relation.
Education as you know is the develop-
ment and use of one's entire self. In
other words, the accumulation and
proper application of physical, spiritual,
intellectual and moral power; or, the de-
velopment of correct thought and its ex-
pression in righteous words and actions.
(See CONTRIBUTOR, Vol XI, page 351.)
Praying the Lord to preserve, direct,
and prosper you in your work of love,
we remain your fellow-laborers in the
cause of Mutual Improvement,
Wilford Woodruff,
Joseph F. Smith,
Moses Thatcher.