sent to no steps backward being taken. Full minutes of its proceedings will be published in the July number of the ERA. A CORRECTION. In the report of our M. I. A. missionary work, published in the last issue of the ERA, the name of Alma Ash, of Salt Lake City, was omitted from the list of missionaries who labored in Davis and Tooele Stakes, and the name of J. C. Knudsen, of Provo, inserted. Elder Ash labored in Davis and Tooele, and Elder Knudsen only in Utah Stake. ENCOURAGEMENT FOR "BUSY" MEN. Our active young men in M. I. A. work who may be tempted to think at times they are too crowded with work may be comforted with the following reflections which we clip from a contemporary: Men who have "half a dozen irons in the fire" are not the men to go crazy. It is the man of voluntary or compelled leisure who mopes, and pines, and thinks himself either into the mad house or the grave. Motion is all nature's law. Action is man's salvation, both physical and mental. And yet nine out of ten are wistfully looking forward to the coveted hour when they shall have leisure to do nothing, or something only if they "feel like it"-the very siren which has lured to death many a successful man. He only is truly wise who lays himself out to work till life's latest hour; and he is the man who will live the longest, and will live to the most purpose. EVENTS OF THE MONTH. BY THOMAS HULL, SECRETARY OF THE GENERAL BOARD Y. M. M. I. A. As this issue of the ERA contains an elaborate account of the progress of the Spanish-American War, which will be followed each month with the continued history of the contest, many war events are omitted from this department. * * * * * April 12th: The senate rejected the nomination of H. N. McGrew as register of the land office at Salt Lake City. * Consul General Lee arrives in Washington today and was met by thousands of people and given an ovation. General Lee was before the committee on foreign relations late today. He said that in his opinion there was no room to doubt that the destruction of the Maine was due to Spanish agencies. 13th: A most disgraceful scene occurred in the house of representatives today, when the report of the committee on foreign affairs was presented, over the question of the length of time to be allowed for debate. Members fought like madmen and pandemonium reigned for a time. Disgraceful personalties were indulged in and personal encounters occurred. * 14th: General Fitzhugh Lee today was tendered a reception but declined to accept. * * A meeting of the Spanish Cabinet at which the Queen Regent presided was held this afternoon in Madrid. It was decided to reopen the Spanish parliament on Wednesday next, April 20th, instead of April 25th. 15th: Orders were issued today for the concentration of six regiments. of cavalry, twenty-two regiments of infantry and the light batteries of five regiments of artillery, at four points in the south, viz. Chickamauga, New Orleans, Tampa and Mobile. * * * * * 20th: The 24th Infantry left Salt Lake this morning to join the troops being concentrated in the South. * The senate today confirmed Frank D. Hobbs as register of the land office at Salt Lake City. Senor Polo, Spanish minister at Washington, upon receiving notice that the President had signed the joint resolution of congress on the Cuban question asked for and received his passports. He left for Canada in the evening. * * The house today passed as an emergency war measure the bill empowering the President to call out the volunteer forces and providing for their organization. * 21st: Postmaster-general Gary has tendered his resignation and Charles Emory Smith was nominated by the President and confirmed as his successor. 25th: Secretary of State John Sherman tendered his resignation to the President today. 26th: Governor Heber M. Wells today issued a proclamation calling for volunteers to serve in the army of the United States. number of men called for is five hundred. * * * The approximate Seven men were * * killed today by an explosion at the California powder works at Santa Cruz. * The senate today passed the army reorganization bill, passed by the house on the 23rd inst. The bill increases the army when at maximum strength to 61,000 men. 27th: The American fleet sailed from Hongkong today, headed for Manila. 28th: In a letter addressed to Governor Heber M. Wells, the First Presidency express the hope that Latter-day Saints, citizens of Utah, "will be found ready to respond with alacrity to the call which is made upon our state" for volunteers. May 1st: Governor Wells telegraphed the War Department today that Utah's quota of volunteers is filled and that the men will be at Fort Douglas ready to be mustered into service on May 5th. 3rd: A special dispatch from Madrid announces that the war will be pushed by Spain with greater vigor. 4th: Governor Wells this evening appointed Richard W. Young and Frank A. Grant captains of companies A and B respectively, Utah (volunteer) Light Artillery. 5th: Riots, caused by the high price and scarcity of food, are prevalent in the provinces of Spain. 6th: Serious bread riots occurred today in central and northern Italy. Troops have been called out and many persons killed. 8th: ** * * Governor Wells today named Joseph E. Caine for captain of the troop of cavalry included in Utah's quota of volunteers. General Stewart L. Woodford, United States minister to Spain, arrived in New York today. * 9th: The two batteries of Utah's artillery were mustered into service today. * * In accordance with the suggestion of the President, congress today passed a vote of thanks to Commodore Dewey and the senate passed a bill increasing the number of rear-admirals in the navy in order that the President might appoint Commodore Dewey. A joint resolution was also passed directing the secretary of the navy to present a sword to Commodore Dewey, and to have a bronze medal struck in commemoration of the battle of Manila, to be presented to each of the officers and men who took part in the battle, * * The riots in Italy continue. In Milan whole streets have been torn up by the mob. serious riot occurred today at Linares, Spain. Many were killed. * * * * A 10th: A mother's congress was held today in Salt Lake City and a permanent organization effected. 11th Dispatches received today in London state that during the and two thousand wounded. riots in Milan, Italy, one thousand persons were arrested, six hundred killed 12th The British Secretary for the Colonies, Hon. Joseph Chamberlain, made a speech at Birmingham, England, this evening in which he strongly advocated an Anglo-Saxon alliance. His address was greeted with cheers. evening for Cheyenne. 15th: The Utah company of rough riders left Salt Lake City this Edward Remenyi, the great vio * * * linist, fell dead this afternoon in San Francisco, while playing before an enthusiastic audience in the Orpheum theater. * * members of the Spanish cabinet today tendered their resignations. BOOK REVIEW. POPULAR CUSTOMS. We have received from the house of J. B. Lippincott Company, Phila delphia, a copy of "CURIOSITIES OF POPULAR CUSTOMS, ANd of Rites, CEREMONIES, OBSERVANCES and MISCELLANEOUS ANTIQUITIES," by William S. Walsh. The work is a volume of more than a thousand pages, and yet of such form as not to be an unhandy volume. It is profusely illustrated with many rare cuts and engravings that add a charm to the subjects treated. It is a valuable encyclopedia on the curiosities of popular customs, and yet is an amusing as well as an instructive volume. One that will help the "busy man" pass a pleasant hour, as well as being indispensable as a work of reference to the student; for Mr. Walsh seems indeed to have explored all the odd nooks and corners of literature, and has brought from their hiding places and mingled with more serious information, an abundance of amusing anecdotes and queer sayings. In the libraries of our Improvement Associations it would be a very great help in furnishing materials for lectures and essays, and as such we commend it to the consideration of the librarians of our associations and to young men generally. USEFUL TRACTS FOR IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIA TIONS. RAYS OF LIVING LIGHT is the title of a series of twelve tracts by Elder Charles W. Penrose, of the Salt Lake Stake of Zion. It is the object of the writer of these tracts to set forth the faith of the Latter-day Saints in a brief and yet lucid manner. In this task Elder Penrose has succeeded most admirably. Starting in number one, with the self-evident proposition that there can be but one true religion, and in number two defining the doctrine of the Church of Christ concerning the Godhead, he proceeds successively with the several doctrines of the church and with the points of controversy which have arisen between the saints and the world in the course of presenting the gospel to this generation. We are not saying, of course, that these doctrines and points of controversy receive elaborate treatment, the space which Elder Penrose allotted himself and the nature of the purpose precluded that, but the stranger who desires to learn in brief the faith of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints cannot do better than read this series of tracts. The saints having friends in any part of the world where the English language is spoken cannot do better, if they desire to start those friends upon a course of inquiry concerning the restored gospel, than to send them this series of tracts. It is to be hoped, too, that Rays of Living Light will be translated into other languages, that they may be used in all the world. To the elders traveling and preaching the gospel they will unquestionably be received with great delight, as especially helpful in their work. One other use we would suggest in relation to them— they should be used at home for the conversion of our unconverted youth. During the past winter a very great number of young men have been brought into the Improvement Associations. Many of them are not profoundly converted to the faith of their fathers, and that for the reason that they have never investigated it, have given it no thought; to such the ERA commends the Rays of Living Light, and we suggest that officers of the asoaciations call the attention of such members of the associations to these strcts and encourage them to read them. Elder Penrose for nearly half a No man in the century has been an exponent and defender of the faith. church, perhaps, has ever excelled him in clearness and directness of style in writing, and in nothing he has written does his terseness of expression and clearness of style appear to better advantage than in this last service he has rendered the Church. BY BISHOP O. F. WHITNEY, AUTHOR OF THE HISTORY OF UTAH, etc. "Now is the stately column broke; The beacon light is quenched in smoke; The warder silent on the hill." In the death of William Ewart Gladstone there passed from earth not only the greatest English statesman of the Victorian era, modern times. In an age that has produced so many great and remarkable men,-the laurel-crowned victors of war, science, art, philosophy and statecraft, not to mention social and religious reform, this is saying much; but even a cursory study of the man and his motives, as reflected in the mirror of his life's work, shows that the subject merits the eulogy. but also one of the most remarkable men of One of the signs of a truly great man is a cosmopolitan character and disposition. A man whose sympathies are not bounded by family, state, or national lines; whose heart goes out to all humanity; who is patriotic, loyal and loving to his |
