LEFT BY THE ROADSIDE. 433 propose these in connection with federal oversight,-this as the first proposition; and the second to provide for a cession in fee simple of all arid lands, or all public lands, to the states and territories respectively, to be by them disposed of in whatever way would be deemed most conducive to their interests. ordinarily incident to the procedure of to cover the advantages that we seek, and the general government, where equally balanced parties keep vigilant watch over each other's transactions. The multiplicity of land departments would necessarily give rise to diversity of procedure, thus tending to prolixity and possible confusion. Each state would lack the experience and practice accumulated by the general government, though they might be greatly aided by having duplicates of all the necessary books, plats and records used, and they might be further assisted by having expert clerical assistants transferred from the general government to each state and territory. Hence, while there would be some advantages appertaining to a local ownership and dispensation of the public lands; and while the proceeds derived from sales would greatly aid each commonwealth in the work of reclamation of arid lands and in making provisions for schools and colleges; yet it might be well to consider some kind of composite plan whereby these proposed advantages and benefits might be obtained in connection with the continued operation and oversight of the vast and well drilled land department of the general government. It ought to be possible to ascertain just what benefits we hope to derive from the acquisition, and then to frame alternative propositions, one One thing is certain, it is far more important to the government to donate the arid lands and a great bonus besides, in order to facilitate a speedy reclamation, than to hold them for any considerable time as unprofitable desert wastes. By reclaiming them they will immediately become a source of general wealth, and also the theaters of home life, diversified industry, and all the fruits of advanced civilization. There will doubtless be men at the convention well qualified to take wise and comprehensive views on this land question, and who are also well acquainted with the special needs of the arid regions, and their opinions upon the weighty matters herein touched upon will be of especial value in shaping the deliberations and action of the convention, Calvin Reasoner. Not the failures of others, not their sins of commission or omission, but his own misdeeds and negligences would a wise man take note of. LEFT BY THE ROADSIDE. Left desolate beside the dusty way, The stir of cities knew their toilful day, But round thy lonely presence friendly drew The desert silences; swift to thy mound Tall sun-blooms gathered, circling hands around; 'Ware of thy presence, by the lisp of stars And striking solemn in the desert's theme- Josephine Spencer. THE CONTRIBUTOR. introducing this Manual which under our JUNIUS F. WELLS, EDITOR. appointment and direction has been carefully compiled by Assistant General Superintendent Milton H. Hardy, and Stake Superintendent George H. Brim SALT LAKE CITY, SEPTEMBER, 1891. hall. Y. M. M. I. A. MANUAL. EARLY in September there will be issued 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 CONTRIBUTOR 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 circular 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 announcement 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 organized 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 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 following 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 director, 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 complete? 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 superintending 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 recognizedas a practical the line of organized work practically help in each ward? complete and progressive. Did you confer freely and fully with the Presidency of your stake in superintending the M. I. A. work last year? Are you personally acquainted with the educational 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 holding 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 September 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 present. This meeting should be made general in the ward, and the importance, plan, and purpose of mutual improvement work should be brought clearly and forcibly before 'the people, and the ward officers sustained by the vote of 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. the Saints. You are also cognizant of the special importance of regular, systematic, progressive reading, thinking, and acting on the part of the individual member; thus permanently impressing and establishing him in this universal system of education, based upon revelation, self-culture, and mutual or associative effort and relation. Education as you know is the development and use of one's entire self. In other words, the accumulation and proper application of physical, spiritual, intellectual and moral power; or, the development of correct thought and its expression 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. The death of James Russell Lowell, which occurred August 12th, 1891, has taken from this country one of its brightest minds. As our Minister abroad, he has, perhaps, given to foreigners a better idea of the nobler side of American character than any other man. George William Curtis in Har per's pays him the following tribute: "Mr. Lowell's interest in public afiairs was that of a clear sighted man who knew history and other nations, and had As will be seen from the Manual, special the strongest faith in a government based instructions are given to the members, upon popular intelligence. The country and each class of officers for their general never sent abroad in the person of its guidance; to this your attention is directed. Minister a better American. Spain and As you are aware this great organiza- England saw in him not only a tion is of such a character that its direct- who by his literary genius had coning, teaching, training influence extends to the home reading, or preparation of the individual member around the fire- hood, man ferred honor upon his country, but who showed that the finest quality of man a wholesome common-sense trained and amply equipped, was distinctively American. His patri gressive lesson or exercise; thence to the monthly joint session; thence to otism was not the brag of conceit nor the district and stake conferences, and the blindness of ignorance, and the culminating in the general annual con America of the hope and faith of its no ference in June each year. Thus making blest children was never depicted with more searching insight than in his plea for democracy spoken at a mechanics' institute while he was Minister in England; nor were the manly independence and courtesy of the American character ever more finely illustrated than in his essay upon a certain condescension in foreigners.' It was a patriotism which did not admit that arrogance and conceit and blatant self-assertion are peculiarly American, nor insist that every thing American was for that reason better than everything which was not American. It was never unmindful that the root of our political system and of our national character was not aboriginally American, nor did it deny the traditions of an older civilization and to the life of older nations a charm distinctively their Our literature has no work more essentially American than the Biglow Papers, not only in the dialect form, but in its dramatic portraiture of the popular conscience of New England, of Lincoln's 'plain people' who have given the distinctive impulse to American civilization, and from whose virtues has largely sprung the American character. own. It is worth while to lay stress upon this quality of Mr. Lowell, because it is the one to which much of his peculiar influence is due, yet which is often overlooked or denied. That influence sprang from the humility of his genius, his generous sympathy with noble aspiration and endeavor, his political independence, and his steadfast fidelity to the high ideals of his youth." It is hoped soon-before the fall work begins to circulate a roll and record book for the M. I. A. that will bring joy to the hearts of the local secretaries. It will be simple, so that anyone can understand it, and with little labor, will contain all the matter necessary to truthfully and intelligently make the reports desired by the general authorities. Messrs. G. P. Putnam's Sons have just published "The Leaf Collector's Handbook and Herbarium," an aid in the preservation and in the classification of specimen leaves of trees of Northeastern America, arranged by Charles S. Newhall. As a valuable and interesting $250 companion to all summer ramblers this book has no equal, and by a careful The following Associations are found to be the winners of THE CONTRIBUTOR premiums, volume twelve: 100 VOCAL CULTURE. student of nature can be arranged into a rare and handsome souvenir. The month of August records the loss of two great minds to these United States. About the time of Mr. Lowell's death, George Jones, proprietor of the New York Times, passed away. Jones was one of the founders of the Times, and his aim was to get above the lower tastes of the masses and maintain a clean and honest Journal. Scandal gossip and sensation were not desired for its pages, but the honest day's news were given without fear or favor. Under Jones' management it became a mighty giant against political fraud and trickery. GETTYSBURG AND WATERLOO COмPARED. --At Gettysburg there were present in action 80,000 to 85,000 Union troops, and of the Confederates some 65,000. At Waterloo there were 120,000 soldiers of the Allies under Wellington and Blücher, and 72,000 French under Napoleon; or, there were about 150,000 combatants at Gettysburg and about 190,000 at Waterloo. In each case the weaker army 437 made the attack and was defeated. Lee did not have to face such heavy odds as Napoleon; but, whereas, Napoleon's defeat was a rout in which he lost all his guns and saw his soldiers become a disorganized rabble, Lee drew off his army in good order, his cannon uncaptured, and the morale of his formidable soldiers unshaken. The defeated Confederates lost in killed and wounded 15,530, and in captured 7467, some of whom were likewise wounded, or 23,000 in all; the defeated French lost from 25,000 to 30,000 probably nearer the latter number. The Confederates thus lost in killed and wounded at least twenty-five per cent. of their forces, and yet they preserved their artillery and their organization; while the French suffered an even heavier proportional loss and were turned into a fleeing mob. Comparing the victors, we find that the forces of the Allies at Waterloo consisted of several different kinds of troops. Wellington had under him 68,000 English, Germans, and Dutch-Belgians, while Blücher had 52,000 Prussians.— Century. VOCAL CULTURE. ONE of the most important and, probably, one of the most difficult features connected with our associations, is vocal culture. Still, it is one of the exercises of nearly every meeting, and one, in which every member should, at least, try to take a part. If it needed anything to demonstrate its importance, the interest taken in the subject by the General Superintendency, should be sufficient. The Circular issued by the General Superintendency last fall, contained a suggestion with regard to vocal culture, advising the officers of the Young Men's Mutual Improvement Associations to organize singing classes, and, to encourage them in this, a musical contest was arranged for, to stimulate the young men to learn to sing. The contest, which took place in June last, was novel and interesting, and the first of the kind ever held here; still, it was a success, and the liberal patronage that it received, proved that the effort was highly appreciated by both old and young. And, to still further encourage the young men in excelling in the divine art, Superintendent Moses Thatcher announced, that in June next, one thousand dollars would be given in prizes for another contest, which is to be both vocal and instrumental. While there is much room for culture in both vocal and instrumental music, still I think there has been more advancement made in the latter than the former. The necessity of vocal culture is manifest on almost every hand, especially among the young. Go where you may among our people and you will find a necessity for more male singing. Salt Lake City may be an exception. The |