became the wife of Daniel H. Wells, one of the best and wisest of the heroic men who were the founders of Utah. At the time of the death of President Brigham Young, Brother Wells was and had been for many years, one of his counselors. And he held many offices of trust and honor among the people, and did a great and good work in the building up of this country, Sister Wells worked a great deal with Sister Eliza R. Snow and Sister Zina D. H. Young, having been General Secretary of the Relief Societies for a long, long time. She also traveled with these noble women in the interest of the Relief Societies, and the Young Ladies, and Primary Associations. Sister Wells has been to Washington, the great capital of our nation, a number of times, and to other distant cities, to speak in defense of our people when our enemies have been trying to do us harm. She has talked with many women who have great influence, and with many congressmen and with the President of the United States, and told them the truth about things of which our enemies had spoken falsely to them. And in this way she has helped much to better the condition of our people. Besides she has written a very great deal about the truth of the Gospel, and has published a paper, "The Woman's Exponent," (you know, children, your mother's paper,) and sent it to many parts of the world, to let people know what the Mormon women can do, and are doing a great deal to help the world along and spread the light of truth. Sister Wells has also published a book of choice poems, called "Musings and Memories," which her many friends prize very highly. And which you children will find interesting when you are older. You noticed, perhaps, you were told that Sister Wells was born on the 29th of February. How often does that day come? As it comes only every fourth year, which we call leap year, Sister Wells has had only eighteen birthdays, although this year she is seventy-five years old. In fact, she has had but seventeen birthdays, as the end of the last century, 1900, was not a leap year, and eight years are now passing without a 29th of February occurring. There is much more in the history of Sister Wells that you will like to hear about when you are older, and you will be glad to know, now, that even in her advanced age, she is still bright and active, and writes and works for the purpose of doing good. -L. Lula Greene Richards. ** What is it to be a gentleman? It is to be honest, to be gentle, to be generous, to be brave, to be wise: and, possessing all these qualities, to exercise them in the most graceful outward manner. Thackeray. PARENTS' DEPARTMENT WORK AND THINK. Oh motherhood, how great is thy responsibility! When we realize that each great and each small act and work in a child's life is either building for him the temple of his mind or undoing for him his happiness, it ought to drive us mothers to thinking. To think and what to think, that is the question. It involves the whole of being. Did you ever realize by night that you had drifted through the whole day and had not done one definite thing toward bettering yourself or your children, even though you may have worked hard from sunrise to sunset? Too often we let our legs and arms do it all, when really if we want some satisfaction in life the mind and heart must work as well. I am going to talk to the busiest of busy mothers today— those who always have that good excuse of too much work. Every day brings with it more than one can do and do well, and all these duties seem not to include the children, save in their physical needs. "What are we to do?" you will say. First of all, study this huge duty of work, and see how you can justly and wisely make it less consuming of your time. Maybe you are trying to keep up appearances beyond your means. Try and see if you can't think it out by putting soul first and body next. Just to make this effort will help you to see more clearly, for there always seems to be a tangle of materiality to catch us in its web if we are not watching. Try for a month to thus change your basis of work before you give it up, and remember that if the right aspiration is throbbing in your heart and mind, it will have its result as sure as sunrise is to come. It will work a few of those untellable miracles for you, such as less weariness after hard work; more sense of satisfaction in your common duties, and, therefore, more sunshine to shed upon your babies, more patience and clearer insight to meet their needs. A weary, jaded mother is the one who works without aspiration. After you have perhaps been able to somewhat classify your burden of work and simplify it, your next question will be, How may I use my extra time to the best advantage? I say, in making your motives higher, in pinning your faith on to the next peg above, in facing your own pet weaknesses with their right remedy. in stopping that perpetual excusing and self-criticism, etc. You all know as well as I do. I should say that if you have gained but one hour out of the twenty-four for higher use, gather your children together and have a delightful visit, being a child with them, not a critic or superior. You will thus gain a truer knowledge of their real selves and their needs than you have ever had before. Then if you can have another hour just before bedtime, demand for yourself some reading or study which will lift you in your motherhood. If perchance you can do nothing but jog along in your work and gain no time, demand of yourself that you think nevertheless. One woman who was thus beset with work, pinned for herself slips of paper all over the house upon which which were written the sweetest and most reassuring truths. On her pantry door, over the sink, behind the stove, in her sewing basket, at the mirror, from the front to the rear of the house, everywhere she studied the words and the meaning quietly and constantly, until they became the clothing of her mind and entered into all she did; these words decided and acted for her in many a hard and weary hour. Instead of indulging in irritation and friction, she indulged and soothed herself with the perfect thought of loving kindness and high ideals. Over the sink was written: "The lowliest work searches the heart to its deepest recesses, bringing forth the jewels of patience and humility. Never despise it, for God also goes down to the deepest places and there perfects all things." On the pantry door was written: "The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof. His plenty can never fail if we make ourselves deserving, and become like unto his nature in plenteousness and generosity." On the work basket was pinned: "He clothed the lily in a seamless garment. Not the raiment of the body, but that of the mind shall shine in His sight and let us thus clothe our children from within first." On the mirror was written: "I shall be satisfied when I awake in Thy likeness and see myself in Thy image. The divine motherhood is never weary in welldoing and never grows old. Today am I born new if I walk Thy perfect way." On the back door: "Today I shall love my neighbors and see in them only what God intended and what each of us longs and strives to be. No one can enter my door and bring anything but the Christlike in, and no one can go out except the Christlike thought shall follow him." And many more ringing words were scattered over the house, giving constant cheer and refreshment of thought. It were indeed a fairy tale if I tried to tell you of the wonderful mental growth which came out of all this quiet pondering and its outworking. We can There is no excusing ourselves for not thinking. work like slaves and yet be idle, all that drudgery counts for is how far has it urged us into reflection and philosophic thought. Tomorrow the work is all here to be done over again, but the thoughts, which we think today will tomorrow grow into greater thoughts, and hence are bound to free us from our struggles and liberate our lives from the ills which flesh and mind have seemed to inherit.-A. H. P. IF. If we noticed little pleasures Cheerful place this world would be! -Adele Ingersoll. Sloth makes all things difficult, but industry all easy; and he who rises late must trot all day, and shall scarce overtake his business at night, while laziness travels so slowly that poverty soon overtakes him.-Franklin. He liveth long who liveth well, All else is life but flung away; He liveth longest who can tell Of true things truely done each day. Profanity never did any man the least good. No man is richer, happier, or wiser for it. It recommends no one to society; it is disgusting to refined people and abominable to good. Look up and not down, look forward and not back, look out and not in, and lend a hand.-Hale. He who is good at making excuses is seldom good for anything else. Franklin. QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS Questions in regard to Primary Work will be answered in this At what age should children be admitted to the Primary association and when are they old enough to be promoted to the Mutual Improvement Associations? President Louie B. Felt often traveled with Sister Eliza R. Snow in the interest of the Primary associations, visiting, organizing and giving instructions in regard to the new labor which was then devolving upon our sisters. Sister Snow having been appointed by President John Taylor to see that these associations were organized in all the wards of the Church, doubtless had counseled with him in regard to the proper manner in which these meetings should be conducted. Our General President, Sister Felt, states that Sister Snow set the Primary age at from 4 to 14 years, when the children should be promoted to the Mutual Improvement Associations. Sometimes children who are less than 4 can go to meeting and behave very well. Sometimes an older child cannot go unless he takes brother or sister with him. We should not, and do not care to lay down any rigid rules, and if very little children can attend meeting and not disturb others,we should do our best to make them welcome and happy, too. In regard to our older children many report great difflculty in keeping them, especially the boys, in Primary up to the age of 14. In the Y. I. M. I. A. they are not allowed to enroll the girls until they have reached this age; and though they may attend the meetings, they are not expected to take part in the lessons or contribute to the Dime Fund. In the Y. M. M. I. A. the entrance age has been definitely stated, that no boy under 14 may be enrolled as a member of the organization. If younger bovs will attend and behave themselves properly there is no serious objection to their presence, but they are not to be enrolled as members. We believe that these instructins should be carried out by these organizations. It is sometimes thought that if the Mutual Improvement Associations would insist upon the observance of these rules, part at least of our difficulty in keeping the older children in Primary would be overcome. Let the children feel that it is a privilege to join the Mutuals: that their admission to them is predicated upon reaching a certain age and the record of good work done in Primary Association. We want all our children |