AUTUMN LEAVES is published monthly for the youth of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Herald Publishing House, Lamoni. Iowa.

I'm an iron horse, that's my claim,
Though Ronald calls me a burro, the idea!

And others have a different name,-
Tricycle, velocipede, machine, that's me;

And sometimes Ronald calls me an automobile,
Or a street-car, or a ship, maybe,

Just 'cording to the way he happens to feel,
Or after something he happens to see.

But I'm an iron horse, that's my claim,

And though I never have much to eat,
I'm always ready to go, just the same,
Clattering and prancing along the street.

I'm getting old, no need to tell,

And Ronald's only five, he's my master,
There ain't no boy I like so well,

And none that make me go any faster.

I'm an iron horse, that's my claim,

Sometimes out in the rain, sometimes in the sun.
And all Ronald's friends ride me,-the same
Explains why my work is never done.

There's Harold, and Wallace, and Gene,
Arthur, Wayne, Duane, and Frances, you see,
Altogether more or less than sixteen,

And always, at best, only one of me.

I'm an iron horse, I still maintain,

And try, as a tricycle should, to do right;
But sometimes my wheels will squeak and complain,
On a hot afternoon, along about night.

But let me tell you what happened to-day:
Ronald's papa found me out in the rain,
Lost by my master in some of his play,
And like to never get back again.

Now some might think me only a toy;

But he said, "You poor, patient old thing,

I love you on account of the boy,

What's fit for him is fit for a king!"

So he up and trundled me home,

And now I'm ready for whatever may come.

From a speech by President Joseph Smith at the late General Conference. The work which is before us is opening, in my judgment, grandly. I think that the records will show the last year to have been an active period among the ministry, and I trust that the conference year that is now ushering in will show a decided increase of activity. I believe there is a better spirit at work among the ministry as a whole in the different fields in which they are at work. I believe there is a better feeling of unity among the ministry. As we have become better acquainted with each other, we have naturally wrought out of our calculations or our mental scope suspicion and distrust to a large degree-I am glad of it. The farther we progress along this line, the better we can serve our calls, and you all must know none better than those that are in the fields abroad; that the cause that is to say, that the regard the people may have for the cause-is largely the result of the attitude of the appearance and conduct of those who represent the cause, and while it is true forty of our ministers may make a good record and pass the judgment and criticism among those with whom they labor without being strangely found in fault, yet one mischievous man, or one careless representative, or one that loses his standing with the Spirit, either teaches falsely, or more especially if he conducts himself immorally and subject to reproach can do more harm in the community where he dwells than the forty that have attracted no such notice, but have faithfully performed their duty, and there is no task so hard for the minister in the field as to follow a mischievous representative; there is no

task that burdens him so much as that. He can stand poverty, he can go without his meals, he can be disregarded by them that are without, he may sleep upon the schoolhouse benches, or he may ask for something to eat and to drink, and take that as a legitimate part of the service, if it is meted out to him; but he has

a right to expect that those who represent the church like he does shall represent it honestly, uprightly, and if they do not do it, he is burdened, and burdened grievously. Now, we all recognize that it follows as a foregone conclusion, then, that every man must do as I have pledged myself to do; conduct himself in such a way in his teaching and in his deportment as not to be subjected to reproach and condemnation by the code of good morals.

Daughters of Zion

Truer Parenthood, Better Children, Happier Homes, Purer Society.

CALLIE B. STEBBINS, Editor.

"A partnership with God is motherhood;
What strength, what purity, what self-control,
What love, what wisdom, should belong to her,
Who helps God fashion an immortal soul."

ADVISORY BOARD. Mrs. B. C. Smith, president, 214 South Spring Street, Independence, Missouri; Mrs. H. A. Stebbins, vice-president, Lamoni, Iowa; Mrs. F. M. Smith, secretary, 630 South Crysler Street, Independence, Missouri; Mrs. M. E. Hulmes, treasurer, 909 Maple Avenue, Independence, Missouri; Mrs. E. Etzenhouser, Independence, Missouri; Mrs. S. R. Burgess, 5920 Etzel Avenue, St. Louis, Missouri.

D

THE GENERAL MEETING AT INDEPENDENCE.

URING the time of the General Conference, the Daughters of Zion held two business-meetings, one informal meeting for the purpose of discussing the work of the society, and an evening meeting at which the children's home furnished the theme. On this evening a large congregation filled the upper auditorium of the church and listened to two excellent papers upon the project of building the children's home, and the manner of conducting it. Special music was rendered and helped to make the evening an enjoyable one. It had been hoped that we might have a general discussion as to how the home should be conducted, but the evening had been well spent and it was deemed not wise to prolong the meeting to include this feature of the program. The papers read will be published later.

The members of the Advisory Board elected for the coming year are Mrs. B. C. Smith, Mrs. H. A. Stebbins, Mrs. F. M. Smith, Mrs. E. Etzenhouser, and Mrs. S. R. Burgess. Mrs. M. E. Hulmes was reëlected treasurer. Mrs. M. Walker was made an honorary member of the Advisory Board.

The publication of leaflets was orderea continued, also one series of Sr. Walker's leaflets to be published in book form.

By action of Advisory Board, with whom it rests to choose its own officers, who thus become the officers of the society, Mrs. B. C. Smith was chosen to continue as president, Mrs. H. A. Stebbins, vice-president, and Mrs. F. M. Smith was elected secretary.

The committees appointed by the board were continued the same as last year, Mrs. Vida E. Smith and Mrs. H. A. Stebbins literature committee, with Mrs. S. R. Burgess and Mrs. E. Etzenhouser as helpers. Mrs. M. E. Hulmes and Miss Dora Young, committee on distribution of leaflets, and Mrs. Amy Wells, Mrs. S. R. Burgess, and Mrs. Minnie B. Nicholson, committee on ways and means. The latter committee reported that during the past year they had made no special effort to raise money, because of advice from the Bishopric not to push the work of the children's home until the sani

tarium was completed. A resolution was passed by the board requesting the Bishopric to suggest what work the Daughters of Zion should be preparing to do for the children's home.

By the action of the General Conference of 1907, the Daughters of Zion were authorized to appoint a committee to confer with the Bishopric concerning the establishing of the children's home. At the last business-session of the Daughters of Zion, the Advisory Board was appointed as this committee, and by motion Mrs. Amy Wells and Mrs. M. Walker were added to the committee.

A meeting with this committee was called by the Bishopric on the evening of April 11. All were present, with the exception of Sr. Walker. Each one present was called upon to express his views as to the character of the home, its location, the manner of conducting it, etc. A sentiment in favor of the cottage system seemed to prevail, and that the probable course to be followed would be to start with one commodious building for the central home, and then add smaller cottages as necessity demanded, each home to be presided over by a care-taker, or "mother," as we should indeed desire that she might be. The Bishop 'gave assurance that the home would be started as soon as the sanitarium was completed, which he expected to be within from sixty to ninety days.

On motion this joint committee reported to the conference that it was ready to receive propositions from the Independence Stake and the Lamoni Stake for the location of the home.

Below are given the reports of our president and secretary.

PRESIDENT'S REPORT.

In our report to this association, we wish to state in as concise. a manner as possible the condition of the work and such of its needs as we are able to suggest. The only way we have of judging of its condition is through the letters we receive, and judging from them we think we can safely say that we are gaining ground; for we have carried on a larger correspondence this year than during either of the two previous years that we have had the work in hand, and there have been more inquiries as to organizing locals than heretofore. It remains for the secretary to tell us how many of them have developed into locals.

Although no especial effort has been made during the past year to push the work of the children's home, because our Bishop counseled otherwise, yet we have received quite a number of donations and numerous letters inquiring about the making of bedding, etc., so that we feel sure that the children's home has a warm place in the hearts of our people, and when it is established, which the Bishop assures us will be soon (perhaps it will be begun in the next sixty or ninety days after the conference), there will be many ready to help it along. We think this convention should take some action as to what shall be our attitude toward the home in the future. Heretofore the Advisory Board has taken the responsibility of all action, and we know that it was their purpose, not only to help build a home, but also to help support it after completion. But we think the incoming board would feel stronger if they were carrying