MUSIC AND HER SISTER, SONG.

live forever, the Saints were encouraged to lay aside, in social life, songs, probably of a frivolous and unmeaning character, "speaking to themselves in psalms, hymns and spiritual songs, making melody in their hearts unto the Lord." Consider ing the strange influences of songs, realizing how, from dusty memories, they flit again before the sun, it is marvelous that no bard, not even the boasted mother church has handed down, viva voce or traditional, until the fathers fall asleep, any precious relic of that meridian time; surely, in the vast eternities, the longing soul will be able to unroll the panorama of history, and, in detail, to catch again the incidents, the songs, music and surroundings of an epoch great as that! Songs of childhood are unforgotten; songs sung in Babylon ring yet in the turrets of the soul; songs on the plains recur again at unexpected times; songs sung in the missionary field are often vivid and touching as if sung but yesterday; songs sung in prison come again laden with thought and experiences that eternities have no power to destroy; all these are more than echoes; they are part of life; they were among the forces of development; they aided in labor; they nerved to duty; they gave strength in weakness; stirring songs of the day dawn, sacred songs of the sunshine, precious "songs of the night!"

to memory

237

have not fully sensed the importance of
their position in the sacred worship of
the divine; they hardly feel themselves a
part of the accredited auxiliaries of pure
devotion. It is not fully sensed that music
and singing are of divine appointment;
that exercise in that way, is one of the
preparatory processes of religious life;
that it is to it, as the early rain upon the
soil, mellowing, softening, preparing for
the reception of the seed; that it curbs
the wandering thought, restrains each in-
trusion of the common life, centering
by, its penetrating power and influences
(after singing with the spirit and the under-
standing) the restless or the vacant mind
upon the pleasant things of God! Some
years ago the writer had the spirit to pre-
pare the hymns used at the dedication of
the temple in Logan. Prest.Geo. Q. Cannon
suggested that this was a precious privi-
lege, a great honor! Leaders of choirs
should absolutely feel as if this were
their duty and their mission, that their
powers and abilities needed to be as fully
consecrated and as thoughtfully used, as
would be those of a servant of God and
a worker in His cause in any other direc-
tion of duty or appointment!

In estimating experience, who can fail to understand the philosophy of the one who said, "Give me power to write the songs of the people, I care not who may make the laws!" The practice and philosophy of the past indicates the duty of the present! Zion, as a living entity, cannot help but sing; it is true to tradition, it is true to divine philosophy, it is true to the necessities of the immortal soul! How then can there be seeming indifference, neglect, and opposition in the midst of her people! Why should there be jealousies or rivalries in the ranks of those who teach or sing? Whence comes the difficulty in the wards of Zion in maintaining the service of united song. May be, because this is a period of transition, the old still lingers in the very marrow, or the choristers

Indeed, there is probably no reason why choristers should not feel as if they had a mission; why they should not be set apart to this end, or why, when so acting, that they also are the veritable servants and handmaidens of God, and of Zion and its prophets. And if, perchance, they are honored and privileged to occupy this position in the great congregation, it should not necessarily lead to the thought that they are absolved from acting in this capacity in the Sabbath School, or in the choir of their little ward.

The experience gained under such tutors as Careless, Beesley and Stephens should be shown in greater devotion to Griggs and Lewis, and Vincent and McIntyre, to Fones, Grant, Buckley, and hosts of others, faithful laborers as they are in all local or distant organizations; it is only thus that increased knowledge and experience can be disseminated and increased; for good, soulful, heartfelt, correct and united song is just as necessary for the edification and spiritual life of the

people in each ward, as for those who harmonies and essential spirit of mighty may gather beneath a loftier fane!

It is for universal musical culture in Zion, that the truly inspired artist works, that the poet writes, and that the mastery of music combines the ringing notes of song; it is for this, that THE CONTRIBUTOR presents its series of prizes for concerted excellence and progress in the divine art, and publishes the melodies and words. The intent is to stimulate, to extend, to so cultivate the

song, that Israel in her congregations may emulate the practices of the Levites and enjoy the glory and the spirit of the temple services of old, and that in earnestness, in thoroughness, in discipline, in effect, they may out-rank all the efforts cultivated by the votaries of erroneous faith, and that Zion in this, as in all other things, may eventually become the joy and praise of the whole earth.

H. W. Naisbitt.

ASSOCIATION INTELLIGENCE.

OFFICE OF THE GENERAL SUPERIN

TENDENCY OF THE Y.M.M.I.A. Salt Lake City, Utah, March 17, 1891. To the Stake Officers of the Y.M.M.I.A. DEAR BRETHREN:-At the approaching April Conference, a meeting of the Stake Officers of the Y. M. M. I. A. will be held for the purpose of giving instructions in relation to the work of the Associations. The exact date and place will be duly announced.

Committees will be appointed at this meeting to make arrangements for the annual Conference which will be held in the Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, commencing Sunday morning, May 31st.

You are expected to be present at this business meeting held during April Conference. If you and your assistants cannot all be present, please see that some one is here to officially represent your Stake. Come prepared to give five minute reports on enclosed subjective headings.

We send you herewith, report blanks for the year ending April 30th, 1891, which you will please have correctly filled up and returned not later than May 15th. Take steps at once to have your ward reports all promptly and completely sent you, so that your report to this office will reach here on or before May 15th.

Your brethren in the Gospel,

Wilford Woodruff,
Joseph F. Smith,
Moses Thatcher.

General Superintendency Y.M.M.I.A.

Address reports to Geo. D. Pyper, Acting General Secretary, CONTRIBUTOR Qffice, Salt Lake City. P. O Box 305.

Continuing the special educational mission as reported in the December and February numbers of the current volume of THE Contributor, Assistant-General Superintendent Milton H. Hardy, filled completely the following general southern programme. At each place named two meetings, i.e. an officers' or council meeting, and a general public evening meeting were held. At the stake centers a general stake officers' meeting was held.

Tuesday, Jan. 6th, 1891, trained to Provo, Utah Co., and arranged for following series:

MILLARD STAKE.

Friday 9th, Scipio; Saturday 10th, Holden; Sunday 11, Fillmore. A general stake officers' meeting was held here and the subjective headings for stakes and wards as published in the February number, current volume of THE CONTRIBUTOR were carefully considered, together with the following additional to those lists which were omitted at the time the headings were printed, namely:—(24) Annuals; (25) Manual; (26) Inspection of records by stake officers; (27) Reviews; (28) Popularization of the study of the Book of Mormon, (a) Geography, Ancient or Old America; (6) Home Reading; (c) Lectures, historic thread, (see analyses);

MUSICAL COMPETIT.ON.

tour.

DAVIS STAKE.

239

(d) biography, (c) sketches, (ƒ) poems, ferring with the officers and heads of (1), events, (2), heroes: (g) synchronisms; departments as was done on the southern (h) government, prosperty, education, and progress; (i) historic facts hightened or intensified in historic principles; (29) annual general conference; (30) standard books; (31) certificates, (a) membership, (b) attendance, (c) efficiency—(1), general course, (2) special classes.

Tuesday 13.-Filled two appointments at Deseret.

BEAVER STAKE.

Wednesday 14, Introduced M. I. A. Readings at Milford, and went on to Minersville for Thursday 15. Friday 16, Beaver.

PAROWAN STAKE.

Saturday 17, Paragoonah; Sunday 18, Parowan; Monday 19, Cedar City; Tuesday 20, Kanarra.

ST. GEORGE STAKE.

Wednesday 21, Toquerville; Thursday 22, Virgen; Friday 23, Leeds; Saturday 24, Washington; Sunday 25, St. George; Tuesday 27 and Wednesday 28, returned to Milford by stage, and Thursday 29, rained to Provo.

On this tour, seven hundred and fifty miles were traveled in eighteen days, and Chirty six meetings attended.

February 1891, arranged for and held meetings according to following programme, holding two meetings and con

Thursday, February 5, West Bountiful; Friday 6, South Bountiful; Saturday 7, East Bountiful-(officers' meeting). Sunday 8, East Bountiful and Centerville; Monday 9, Farmington; Tuesday 10, Kaysville; Wednesday 11, South Weber; Thursday 12, South Hooper.

WEBER STAKE.

Monday 16, Huntsville; Tuesday 17, Eden, Wednesday 18, North Ogden; Thursday 19. Plain City.

BOX ELDER STAKE.

Friday 20, Willard; Saturday 21, Mantua; Sunday 22, Brigham City; Wednesday 23, Honeyville.

CACHE STAKE.

Tuesday 24, Richmond; Wednesday 25, Smithfield; Thursday 26, Hyrum.

UTAH STAKE.

March, Wednesday 4, Spanish Fork; Sunday 8, Santaquin and Goshen; Monday 9, Goshen and Payson, Wednesday 11, Spanish Fork again for sub-divisional work; Thursday 12, Provo Fourth Ward, for special class-work.

As we must account for every idle word, so we must for every idle silence.

MUSICAL COMPETITION.

THE pieces selected for competition during the coming Y. M. M. I. A. Conference, in addition to those announced last month are as follows: Duett (bass and tenor), "Ship Ahoy," Harrison Millard; solo (tenor), "Once Again," (key beginning F minor), Arthur Sullivan; solo (bass or baritone), "The Old Brigade" (Key G); quartette, "Like the Woodland Roses" (see last CONTRIBUtor).

Copies of the duett and solos are sold at the music stores of Coalter and Snelgrove and D. O. Calder's-prices: "Ship Ahoy," 50 cents; "Once Again," 30 cts.; "Old Brigade," 40 cents.

During the two days conference, it is

expected that Salt Lake Stake classes will unite and furnish the singing for Sunday morning under E. Stephens; all classes from south and west will unite and furnish music Monday morning under Professor H. E. Giles, of Utah Stake, and all clubs north and east of the city, will unite under the direction of Professor George Hyde, Weber Stake,

and furnish the music for the afternoon

meeting, Monday, June Ist; the Tabernacle Choir furnishing the music Sunday afternoon and night. Clubs should correspond with their conductors as to the choice of pieces, but we suggest that the first three pieces published in THE Con

TRIBUTOR be taken Monday morning and the next three in the afternoon-the Salt Lake Clubs selecting other material so as to leave these clear for those who cannot so readily get together.

will be published separately in a few days, and will be furnished free of charge to competing organizations. Send for copies. Address THE CONTRIBUTOR Co., or E. Stephens, 831 E. First South

A piece entitled "Comrades in Arms" Street, Salt Lake City.