Don't forget that by treating your boy like a gentleman you will do much toward making him one. Don't treat your boy as a hardened criminal if you discover him in sin. Remember he is a fallible creature, capable of being led in to mischief and of originating it. Don't ever get so busy or hard-pressed for time that you haven't leisure to listen to your boy. Remember if he lives he will be a man and all too soon away from you. Make the most of these days with his. Don't, when your little boy, scarcely out of the cradle, asks you a question, "Mamma, where did I come from?" fail to recognize this as God's message to you that that tiny boy is ready for the truth concerning his origin. Don't lay the corner stone at this critical moment to an insur mountable barrier of false modesty between you which may prove your boy's destruction. He has a right to know himself. Don't treat your boy to a perpetual diet of frowns, scoldings, and fault-finding. The old saying that "Molasses attracts more flies than vinegar" will apply to boys as well as flies. Try what love will do toward winning your boy to a nobler manhood. Don't fail to instill in him a disgust for all that is vulgar and impure. This you can do by giving him such reverence for himself and you as will make him scorn to dishonor either by so much as an impure thought. Don't have anything in the house too good for him to enjoy and share with you and don't make him use the back stairs in order to save the front carpet. If, as may be the case, God has only loaned you this boy for a brief while, you may realize when too late that he was vastly more precious than all else you possess.-Mabel L. Conklin. If mothers were to be asked what gives them a great deal of concern about the little people that are growing up in the home, they would answer quite unanimously that the thousand and one wishes of little folks are what give mothers great anxiety. Have you ever stopped të ask yourself how many times a day you say, "I wish this were so," "I wish that would happen," "I wish I could do this," "I wish somebody else would do that?" Think how many wishes you make in the course of a day. You ask if I blame you for wishing. No, it is all right. But I think you ought to consider that wishing is not, after all, the best thing. This is what one great writer has said: "It makes the mind very free when we give up wishing, and only think of bearing what is laid upon us, and doing what is given us to do." If there is anything that ought to be avoided, it is slavery of any kind. If there is anything that men desire most, it is freedom, and a free mind is something very greatly to be desired both by children and others. In order to be free. in mind simply give up wishing and bear what comes to you and do what is given to you to do. This is good counsel. "I wonder in how many comfortable, well-to-do homes goes up to high heaven that ungrateful refrain, "I'd like to know what I've got to be thankful for." In this world, where there is so much of pain, so much of misery, if, by God's good providence, He has seen fit to put us in better places than some, oh, let our hearts go up to Him in grateful thanks, instead of bemoaning our fate-that there are still others "better off" than we." OFFICERS' DEPARTMENT ANNUAL PRIMARY CONFERENCE. The seventh annual general conference of the officers of the Primary associations of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will be held in Salt Lake City, June 4th, 5th and 6th, 1909. All officers, stake and local, are requested to be present at all the sessions of this conference. Whitney Hall, 2 p. m.: LOUIE B. FELT. Presidency Primary Associations. FRIDAY, JUNE FOURTH. Music, Granite Stake; Chorister, Luella Ferrin Sharp, Organist, May Bennion; Address of Welcome, Louie B. Felt; Reading of Annual Report; Libraries, Vilate Peart; Discussion; Socials in the Primary, Ida B. Smith; Discussion; Secretaries, Margaret C. Hull; Discussion; Choristers, Nellie P. Whitney; Discussions; Physical Culture, Isabelle S. Ross; Discussion. SATURDAY, JUNE FIFTH. Whitney Hall, 10 a. m.: Music, Utah Stake; Chorister, Mamie Bird; Organist, Grace Ellison; Roll Call of Stakes; Preparation, May Anderson. DEPARTMENT WORK: First Grade, Conducted by Louie B. Felt; Second Grade, Conducted by Clara W. Beebe; Third Grade, Conducted by Vilate Peart; Fourth Grade, Conducted by Margaret Hull; Fifth Grade, Conducted by May Anderson. Stake Boards should arrange to have one representative for each of the grades. Whitney Hall, 2 p. m.: Music, Davis Stake; Chorister, Frankie Randall; Organist, Nellie Pack; Lecture, "The Wayward Child," Dr. E. G. Gowans. Be sure to bring your Primary Song Book. Whitney Hall, 7:30 pm.: Primary Social: All Stake Officers and members of High Council interested in Primary work cordially invited. SUNDAY, JUNE SIXTH. Assembly Hall, 10 a. m.: Music, Liberty Stake; Chorister, Edna Evans; Organist, Beth Cusworth; Testimonies. Tabernacle, 2 p. m.: Addresses: By representatives of the Y. M. M. I. A.; By representatives of the Y. L. M. I. A.; By representatives of Primary Associations. Tabernacle, 7:30 p. m.: Addresses: By representatives of the Y. M. M. I. A.; By representatives of the Y. L. M. I. A.; By representatives of Primary Associations. STAKE CONVENTION DATES FOR THE YEAR 1909. April, Tooele. May, Utah, Nebo, Juab, Alpine, Cache, Hyrum, Benson, Oneida, Jordan, St. Johns, Snowflake and Bear River. June,-Bannock, Bear Lake, Pocatello,Black Foot, Bingham, Rigby, Davis and Granite. July,-Alberta, Taylor, Big Horn, Fremont, Teton, Yellowstone, Beaver, Parowan, Wayne, Sevier, Star Valley, Summit, and Uintah. August.-Box Elder, Malad, Cassia, Union, San Juan, Millard, and Liberty. September, Woodruff, Emery, Salt Lake, San Luis, Ogden, Panguitch, Kanab, and St. George. October, North Sanpete, South Sanpete, Ensign, Morgan, Pioneer, Wasatch. November -North Weber, Weber, Maricopa, St. Joseph and Juarez. ORDER OF BUSINESS FOR PREPARATION MEETINGS. Preparation meetings may be held before or after the regular session of the Primary Association, or at any time most suitable and convenient for all officers. Every worker in the Association is expected to attend and take part in the preparation work. The lesson matter should be carefully read and considered by each officer BEFORE coming to the preparation meeting. The President should have a suitable book in which to keep all the business. All arrangements agreed upon by the local Board should be carefully entered and preserved. The order of business for preparation meetings as suggested by the General Board, is as follows: 1. Prayer. 2. 3. Reading and approval of minutes of previous meeting. 4. Appointment of officers for home visits to gather in new members and encourage better attendance of old ones. No child of Primary age in the ward should be neglected by this organization. A record of all visits shculd be kept. 5. The appointment of places for each officer. At the head of the room should be the officer who will conduct the exercises for the session with the Secretary, Chorister and Organist. The rest of the officers to be distributed through the room; some at the door, inside and out, to welcome each child as it enters, some to usher each one to its place, and some who will sit with the children in their respective grades. The same order should be observed during the closing exercises and until every child is started towards its home. 6. Singing: /The three songs for opening and closing, also for the singing practice, should be selected and practiced by the officers. It is suggested that the officers sing alto to encourage part singing with the children. 7. Prayer: Prayer may be offered in three ways, concert prayer, prayer by an officer and prayer by a child. All these forms should be used, but in every session one child should be given an opportunity to offer prayer. It is part of our work to help the children to pray aloud. If an officer is to offer the prayer or to lead a prayer in concert, care should be exercised to be brief and to use such words as may be expected from a child. Each grade should take its turn in this part of the exercises, the teacher of the grade appointed having the responsibility. When the children are coming in one may be requested to open or dismiss the meeting with prayer. This request should be made very quietly, if the child is too shy or nervous and refuses, it should be spared any unnecessary embarrassment. Another child may be asked, but if the second one refuses it should then be understood that the teacher will offer the prayer herself; by so doing there will be no confusion or delay. 8. If a preliminary or supplementary program is used, decide what it shall be and who shall take part. It is a good plan to give the program to a grade, the teacher of the grade appointed taking the responsibility of giving the parts to the children, and assisting in the necessary preparation. 9. If there be any special business to put to the association, plan it carefully so that there may be no trouble in making the children under stand. 10. The location of each grade with all necessary arrangements for narching, division into grades, and reassembly should be thoroughly understood. 11. After every detail has been discussed and decided the officers divide into groups to plan how to present the lessons. Every worker should be interested in a grade. 12. Good work cannot be accomplished unless you have the Children's Friend. If you have not already subscribed, DO IT NOW. LIBRARIES FOR PRIMARY ASSOCIATIONS. A Committee on Libraries, of the General Board of Primaries have met and decided on a number of books suitable for officers and children of the Primary associations. It is desired that every Local association own the books suggested for officers to assist them in the preparation of the lesson work in the various grades. For the use of the officers there are the four standard church worksnamely, Bible, Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants and Pearl of Great Price. Other works of our Church are suggested which will assist in teaching the principles of the Gospel. Smith's Bible Dictionary will be helpful in the study of the Bible. The Faith Promoting Series will be valuable in furnishing incidents and material to be used in connection with the grade work. Self Help and Character by Samuel Smiles, also Thayer's Ethics of Success, furnish stories of an inspiring nature, and incidents in the lives of successful men and women, which may be used by the teacher in connection with the lesson work. How to tell stories to children and a number of books of short stories for children especially adapted for telling will assist the teachers in their work. The three books on Child Study: The Moral Instruction of Children; Children's Rights; and Every Day Living are recommended for the advancement and education of the officers. These books should be read and studied by all officers that a better knowledge of child nature be obtained. An account of the establishment of Primary work will be found in the book of Life Sketches by Aurelia S. Rogers. The following list of books is offered for your consideration to choose from in establishing children's libraries in the stakes or wards. This list will be added to from time to time. It is suggested that before sending in orders a suitable place be provided for the care of the books. That the Librarian of the stake or ward see that all books are properly recorded and labeled and that she be responsible for the books loaned out. We should be pleased to handle your order through this office, 205 Templeton Bldg., and will give you the best prices possible according to the books ordered. |