are pleased with the prospects of their conference and expect to reap a harvest before the year is ended."

Elder John L. Herrick has been chosen by the First Presidency to preside over the Western States mission, comprising Colorado, Nebraska, the Dakotas, Wyoming and New Mexico, with headquarters at Denver, Colorado. His appointment to succeed former President Joseph A. McRae, who goes to Independence, Mo., to fill a position with the Daniels Plow Co., was made public on November 6. Elder Herrick was born in Ogden, and is about forty years of age. For more than twenty years he served on the Weber stake board, Y. M. M. I. A., and was the stake superintendent of that organization, for nine years, until the late division of the stake, when he was chosen a member of the High Council of the reduced Weber stake. He is a capable business man, a faithful Church worker, full of integrity, cheerful in the performance of his tasks, and loyal to his friends.

Elder Albert B. Foulger, writing from Kimberley, South Africa, September 28, says, relating to the work that is being done in promoting the gospel in the "diamond fields," of far-off Africa: "The report of my first years' labors, together with my companion Elder J. G. McKay, of Huntsville, Utah, who labored with me in that district, is: Tracts distributed, 38,860; books distributed, 12,058; invita tions, 1,998; gospel conversations, 4,734; meetings held, 186; baptisms, 12; children blessed, 9; people administered to, 12, eight of whom received relief. Besides the above, many friends have been found, several of whom have applied for baptism. Our meetings are well attended, and much interest is being manifest."

It was announced on November 20, that Elder Thomas E. McKay, counselor in the presidency of the Ogden stake, and county superintendent of schools of Weber county, has been chosen to preside over the Swiss and German Mission, to release Elder Serge F. Ballif, of Logan, who has had charge of that mission for several years. Elder McKay will resign his office and prepare immediately to enter upon his missionary duties.

First and Second Year Books Bound Together.-The first and second Year Books bound together in good, strong cloth binding can now be had, post *paid, at a cost of seventy-five cents. Send in your orders at once to the general secretary. The number is limited to less than one thousand, and will soon be gone; so that those who desire these valuable numbers of the Year Book in the more permanent form of binding than in paper will do well to send in their orders at once prepaid. Also we call the attention of quorum presidents to the desirability of prompt payment for the second Year Books sent to them. The books sent to the respective quorums are surely by now distributed and paid for; and the amount collected should be sent to the Seventies General Secretary at once that the First Council may make prompt settlement with their printers and meet other expenses attending upon the publication of the Year Book. Bring this matter to the attention of the quorums, and your secretaries, Messrs. Presidents, and let us have a prompt response to this appeal.

SEVENTY'S COUNCIL TABLE.

BY B. H. ROBERTS, MEMBER OF THE FIRST COUNCIL.

Singing and Quorum Quartets.—Many of the quorums have followed the suggestions made in our first Year Book with reference to singing practice in the quorums and the organization of quorum quartets. Where these instructions have been followed the happiest results have been attained. In some quorums that we have visited the musical numbers have been among the most successful and entertaining features of the meeting. We call attention to the fact that the instructions given in the first Year Book on the subject of singing should be regarded as permanent instruction, and followed this year as well as last. We believe it is possible for every quorum to have a quartet, one or even more than one, and this should not be neglected, for "part singing" can be a very interesting feature of our class exercises, and will give variety to the exercises and increase the interest and attractiveness of our quorum meetings. Sing, brethren, sing; and sing with the spirit and the understanding also.

The Addition of New Members.-The councils of the respective quorums should be on the alert in the matter of securing new members where the quorum membership is not complete. While the matter of agreeing upon the elders who will be recommended to the several quorums will finally rest with the presidents of the stakes and the First Council of the Seventy, there can be no objection to our local presidents taking note of the young men within their respective quorum districts, who, in their judgment, would be suitable for ordination to the office of Seventy, and sending a list of their names to the First Council of Seventy, who will take up the matter of their becoming Seventies with the presidents of the stakes. In this connection we desire also to say that our local presidents are not under obligation to accept every elder who may be suggested by the local authorities; but they should make themselves acquainted with the men recommended to their quorums before accepting them. Our presidents have a voice in this matter, and also are responsible for the kind of men they receive, and should exercise good judgment in the matter of approving men for ordination into our quorums. In this connection we remind our presidents of the instructions given by President Joseph F. Smith, quoted in last Year's Book, page 168, to the following effect:

"Gather in the strong, the vigorous, the young and able-bodied who have the spirit of the gospel in their hearts to fill up the ranks of the Seventy, that we may have ministers to preach the gospel to the world. They are needed." Indeed they are, and the First Council rely upon the judgment of our local presidents to secure the class of men here described.

To Seventies Still in the Sunday Schools.-There comes to the First Council of the Seventy occasional complaints that presidents and members of the Seventy's quorums who were at the commencement of the new move temporarily excused from attendance upon quorum meetings on Sunday morning in order to devote themselves to Sunday school work, complaints that they are still retained by the Sunday school authorities, and in some cases with small prospects of their being released in the near future. In discussing this matter with the view of having it adjusted as soon as possible, the First Council thought it proper to suggest to our Seventies so engaged, that they would do well to take up the matter themselves in their own interests and in the interests of their quorum and its work. The understanding from the commencement has been that our brethren will be excused as soon as persons competent to take their places can be found. If the local authorities either of the wards or in the Sunday schools are not using proper diligence to find persons competent to act in their stead, let our Seventies take up the matter in their respective departments, put men in a course of training and instruction to take their place, and then call the attention of the local authorities to the fact that such and such a brother is competent to act in their stead; and that they desire their release in order to take up the Seventy's work, that they may stand in their place and work with the quorum of the Holy Priesthood with which they are identified. Surely it will be conceded that men in the organized stakes of Zion ought not to be separated for any great length of time from acting in connection with the quorum of the Priesthood of which they are members. Every proper means should be employed to have the Seventies meet regularly with their quorums.

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Approval of the New Seventy Movement.-Occasionally we get words of good cheer concerning the success of the course of study now pursued by the Seventy's quorums. The senior president of the 107th quorum recently said in a communication to the General Secretary: "We have finished our last year's text book (Year Book), and are ready to begin our work in the new book next Sunday, November 1st. Our quorum is now in very good condition, and since we received the text book (the Year Book) a greater interest has been taken by all the brethren. We have received more information from our quorum meetings the past year then we have during the fifteen years combined since our quorum was organized. So I, for one, in connection with our quorum, feel to congratulate the First Council of Seventy in their wise selection of materials to make our meetings interesting. The Seventies here just feel delighted. We have nearly completed the collection of our annual fund, and we believe we will be able to collect it in full-one hundred per cent."'

The senior president of the 13th quorum gave us the following word of cheer, and adds several important suggestions found in the following communication: "The universal sentiment in relation to the new system instituted for the quorums of Seventy is that it is an excellent arrangement for the purposes to be attained. Systematic study is the essential feature. An interest is created and sustained by successive and consecutive lessons. Great progress has been made during the past year in home reading and study and individually qualifying for the lessons assigned; and while the progress is marked, it is not confined to a few, but is diffused throughout the whole class. As a body we are benefitted, and better qualified for the labors and duties of Seventies.

"While recognizing these facts, we regret that our operations are not extended to and participated in by a larger number of members. Quite a number of our members have already been upon missions. Six out of the seven members of our council have filled foreign missions. Also a number of our members have responded to this call. Those who have not, by reason of financial and other causes, are temporarily excusable. There are, therefore, very few members of our quorum who could immediately respond to a call. This is perhaps to be regretted, because by reason of these studies our members are better informed and better prepared for the preaching of the gospel than ever before. We would suggest, then, in view of all these conditions:

"First. That presidents of stakes and bishops give us more of the young men who are prospective missionaries. If they are worthy to be called as missionaries, which is being done every day, are they not equally worthy to be assigned to us to receive this course especially designed for them?

In our

"Second. A closer affiliation between the president of the stakes and bishops and the Seventies' quorums. We are all working for the same purpose. quorum every member of the council and the great majority of our members are acting as ward teachers and are subject to the bishop's call in everything that does not interfere with our duties as Seventies.

""Third. That M. I. A. and Sunday schools do not make calls upon Seventies to perform labors connected with them that will interfere with their attending their class meetings.

"Fourth. That Seventies will understand their first allegiance is to their quorum."

Lessons I and II in the Second Year Book.-We learn that a little confusion has arisen in the minds of some of the brethren in relation to the use of the terms “Intelligences," and "intelligence,” in Lessons I and II of the Second Year Book. The plural ending of the word is given in these lessons both "ies" and "es." The former spelling is wrong and results from careless proof reading. The plural and singular forms stand respectively for the descriptive name of those intelligent entities which the Prophet Joseph Smith declares to be self-existent and eternal beings. Our phraseology is nearly always more or less imperfect, and inadequate to match ideas; but a little care and patience will usually lead us out of our difficulties. Take this passage from the Doctrine and Covenants, quoted

in the Year Book, as an example. The revelation represents the Christ as speaking, saying: "I was in the beginning with the Father and am the first born.' Then he extends the fact of the existence of intelligences in that "beginning with the Father'' to others besides himself-to the Prophet Joseph, in fact, and to those who were with him when the revelation was being received-"Ye were also in the beginning with the Father, that which is spirit, even the spirit of truth." That is, that part of the brethren that is spirit-that was in the beginning with the Father. Then the Savior still further extends the fact of the existence of Intelligences in that "beginning with the Father," beyond the few here specified to the whole race, by saying: "Man"- he unquestionably means the race, the term is generic-"Man was in the beginning with the Father." This is followed with -"Intelligence, or the light of truth (i. e. the power which perceives truth-Intelligence or Intelligences) was not created or made, neither indeed can be” (Doc. and Cov. Sec. 93). Though the language here is somewhat involved, shining through it is a great truth, namely, that intellgent entities are not created things, but are self-existent, not only not created but uncreatable. It may be objected that the word used in the revelation is "Intelligence" the singular form, not the plural, "Intelligences;" and it may be urged that it means inintelligence in mass not the intelligent entities embodied in men. This cannot be the true construction, for two reasons: first, because intelligence (meaning intelligence that cognizes truth-"the light of truth''-not acquired knowledge or information) does not exist in mass, as one may think of water gathered into mass, as an ocean. So far as human experience instructs us, or human conception may extend its thought, intelligence is associated with personality, with an entity; and second, the whole passage (verse 29) requires that "intelligence" as there used shall be understood in the plural sense; it is used in the plural sense. "Man, meaning the race, therefore men, all men, were "in the beginning with the Father." Then, following right on, "Intelligence, or the light of truth, was not created or made, neither indeed can be." That is, the intelligence in men, hence separate intelligent entities, or the plural sense "intelligences" (required for the reason that the collective noun "man," meaning the race of men, is used) were not created or made, nor can they be. The conclusion here reached is inevitable: intelligences are not created or creatable; and be it remembered, the source of the doctrine is in the revelations of God, which the Prophet Joseph Smith only amplifies in those quotations from his discourses found in the Year Book, Lessons I and II.

In this connection, by the way, we call attention to the fact that in the January ERA will be published what is known as the "King Follett Sermon," delivered by the Prophet Joseph Smith at the April conference of the Church preceding his martyrdom. A discourse which more than any other deliverance of the Prophet deals with the great questions of human and divine life; with beginnings and continuances; with life and death; with relations of intelligences and all that concerns the past, present, and future existence of man. We suggest that our presidents see to it that the sermon is read in all our quorums, since it covers, in a way, and justifies the first five lessons of the Second Year Book.