AUTUMN LEAVES

Volume 24

MARCH, 1911

Keep Moving.

By J. C. Grainger.

Number 3

EVER relinquish the great object of your ambition, whatever it may be, great or small, only honorable. Let it be more or less distinctly ever present in your mind. Let it ever exert a controlling influence over all your actions.

In the first place, have some definite aim in your life, some distinct and leading object of your ambition; and be ambitious to accomplish it.

An aimless, objectless life is a dull and dreary waste. It lacks stimulus, piquancy, zest, and enjoyment.

In choosing an object of ambition, choose a worthy one, in behalf of which all the strength, all the higher and nobler faculties of your nature may be enlisted. Have an aim that you may unblushingly and proudly exhibit to the light of day, and for which you may safely challenge the respect of all. Then, pursue it earnestly and steadfastly. No matter what discouragements assail you, or what obstacles present themselves in your way, keep right on in the pursuit of your object. If your progress be slow, still persevere, and make it sure.

Do sorrows come to you? They come to all. The continued adherence to the great plan of usefulness which you have laid out will do as much as anything can to brighten your path, even when grief and gloom overshadow it.

Press on, through good report or evil report; through darkness or through sunshine; amid storms or under peaceful skies. Still press on, and never relinquish the great object you started to accomplish as life's work.

Commend him who with aid and encouragement of friends, succeeds; but the man most to be admired is he who succeeds in spite of opposition, adversity, and scorn.

The Students' Society.

By Lucy L. Resseguie.

If a little of that which has been called to mind by each one is somewhat alike it is hardly to be wondered at, for "walked we not in the same Spirit?"

I

'N THE summer of 1886 several who were interested talked among themselves about the need which they felt of a better understanding of the books of the church. It seemed an insistent thought with each one and finally culminated in a called meeting at the home of Elder S. F. and Sr. M. Walker, on the afternoon of November 7, 1886, at Lamoni, Iowa. Then was organized a pioneer society in the Reorganized Church, for the study of the church books. Nine were present at this meeting. They were Srs. Mary J. Cazaly, Eliza France, Viola Blair, Carrie L. Smith, Lucy L. Lyons, and Brethren Willis W. Kearney, A. M. Chase, S. F. Dillon, and F. M. Weld. It was decided to call this "The Students' Society." A constitution was drafted, officers elected, and meetings held every Tuesday evening. The last meeting in each month was devoted to prayer and testimony, and every hindrance or help that in any manner lifted each one up nearer the ideal life seemed to be told for the benefit of all on those nights.

As the membership grew larger the society organized three bands of ten for special work, each ten having a leader. The duty of one ten was to visit the sick and help in every way possible; another to visit the aged and help them; yet another to visit the members of the society and strangers coming into the town. Then was the motto of the society adopted, "Get thy spindle and thy distaff ready and God will send thee flax."

The result of these meetings, this study, was, that it not only gave each one opportunity for personal development in studying the principles of righteousness, in work and in faithfulness, but they learned to love more, to have more charity for each other and for others. It is good to remember these words of Thomas a' Kempis, "Endeavor to be patient in supporting others' defects and infirmities, of what kind soever; because thou hast many things which others must bear withal."

There are golden memories of those evenings. It was pioneer work, and perhaps the study was not as systematic as now, but the Lord told them through one of their number that if they continued in humility he would continue to bless them. Then one happy night at prayer meeting a luminous mist filled the upper part of the room and rested just above the heads of those who were present, remaining there until the close of the evening. This was plainly seen by a member who had been detained in town by business and who sat outside the door in the next room to enjoy the meeting without disturbing it. At another time a sister rejoiced and said that "His word was in her heart as a burning fire shut up in her bones," and many times they lingered, feeling the influence of the Spirit, and were loath to go.

A record of one of these golden memories comes from the pen of Sr. A. M. Chase, the first secretary of the Students' Society, in these words:

"The Students' Society was a great help to me along doctrinal lines, and also was of great value in my spiritual development. Many events come to mind to-day that occurred during my connection with the Students' Society. Some of these impressed me more deeply than others because of the greater degree of divine power attending them. Our sole purpose when we met was the study of God's word and so the whole of the evening was spent in this way. As we read and studied the history of that people, how God dealt with them, and of his marvelous work on this continent so many years ago, whatever came up that we were not quite clear upon, if there was any doubt as to the meaning or lesson to be gained therefrom, we were always advised by our president to "Take it to the Lord; just pray over it and you will get help,' and surely the light came. When we next met we were all a unit; all received help or information from the same source, and so it could not be otherwise. In this way we learned to depend upon the Lord for guidance, and so our faith and trust in him was greater.

"We were studying of the wonderful character of Alma, his great faith, and the establishment of the church upon this continent. One

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evening in particular I remember. We had gone fasting and with a prayer in our hearts for a blessing, and it seemed everyone present had some good thought to give, and especially the young men, who seemed inspired as they told of the unlimited power of God with his people.

"As I looked upon the eager, earnest faces I thought of the great responsibility that comes with such knowledge as we were gaining,

and also of the consequences that surely must accrue, if this knowledge was not used for the glory of Him from whom this light came. Could not, would not these young men be just as valiant armor bearers in the Lord's work now as some of those characters we were discussing?

"This thought remained with me through the whole evening, and at the close, while praying, suddenly the room to me became as light as the brightest noonday. In the center of the room the light

seemed very much the brightest, and in the midst of this appeared a ladder, the rounds of which seemed to be of beautiful white marble, which sparkled and shone in the light as if covered with diamonds. As I looked upon the scene one of the most earnest of those young men stepped into the light and upon the first round of the ladder. Then one after another followed until more than half of them had taken this step, at one time four stepping up at once. Some ascended almost to the top, while others remained near the lowest round, and how their faces shone with that holy light! I seemed to wonder what all this meant, when upon looking closer I could read upon one side of the ladder in gold lettering, 'Holy Priesthood,' and upon the other side was this quotation from the Book of Covenants: "The glory of God is intelligence, or in other words light and truth.' As the full meaning of all this seemed to come to me the vision disappeared and words can not express my feelings. I was conscious that the influence I had been under was indeed divine, and how my soul rejoiced at what I had seen and the information it portrayed! Only those who pass through like experiences know that we can not describe to others half what it means to us. Before retiring that night I jotted it down in my diary with the names in the order as they appeared to me, and I have watched the fulfillment of this, the four men who were ordained at a conference at Davis City having their part in this fulfillment, until all but one were numbered with the priesthood. I waited for quite a number of years and wondered if it could be that I was mistaken about this one. I was anxious to see the complete fulfillment.

"One day during my husband's second year in missionary work in Utah we were with him in Salt Lake City and while reading the Herald I noticed this item in the Kansas City news:

son of W. W. Blair, was ordained to the office of

I read this twice over, then exclaimed, "Thank the Lord!'

"Well, this was one of the events that helped me to understand that God still lived to bless his people and did sometimes reveal to us the future.

"Get thy spindle and thy distaff ready and God will send thee flax' was our motto. Surely in proportion as this preparation for service was made the Lord has recognized merit and has indeed sent the flax from which we are each preparing the material that, if rightly applied, will make for us a robe of righteousness.

"I think of many who are doing a great work in the ranks of the ministry, and also could mention others who perhaps are not so widely known and prominent in public work who are working along just as faithfully and accomplishing much real good in his service. One young man, who lived alone on his farm, and would often drive in five miles to attend these meetings, now is presiding priest over one of the leading branches in one of the stakes. Another who drove almost as far is now pastor of a branch in southern Oklahoma.

"I could mention many who are working along faithfully and acceptably in a more quiet way. Carlton says: