EDITOR'S TABLE.

"WHERE YOUR TREASURE IS, THERE WILL YOUR HEART BE ALSO."

Regardless of what has often been said by the authorities of the Church on the subject of secret societies, letters are constantly being received by the IMPROVEMENT ERA desiring answers on various phases of this question. How strict shall we be with young men who have joined? Is there any harm in joining a secret society purely for financial reasons? Is it wrong to join a secret society whose aims are only fraternal and charitable? What shall be done with persons belonging to the Church who are now members of a secret society? Why is it wrong to join protective societies when none such exist in the Church? Is it wrong to join a protective society with a view only of protecting one's family?

It is a well known truth that the counsel of the First Presidency of the Church, in all cases, has been and is against our brethren joining secret organizations for any purpose whatsoever, and that wherever any of them have already joined, they have been and are counseled to withdraw themselves from such organizations, as soon as circumstances permit and wisdom dictates. In taking this position, there has not been, neither is it intended that there shall be, any controversy with the societies, and with their aims and objects. The merits of the various orders are not considered at all; their aims may be ever so worthy and their objects ever so commendable. That matter does not enter into the discussion, so far as a member of our Church is concerned.

The gospel of Jesus Christ is true, and is a power unto salvation, temporal and spiritual. A man who complies in every respect

therewith has everthing that any society can offer, with countless truths and consolations added: "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." The Church is divinely organized, and in that organization there is provision for the development and practice of every virtue known, every charity revealed. For this reason and for its promises of eternal life and glory, the gospel, and the Church divinely established for its promulgation, should be nearer and dearer to a follower of Christ than all other things. "No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and Mammon."

It is true that many of our people have been led to join these various societies on the ground that their aims and objects are purely charitable and social in their character; and, besides, inducements are held out procuring life insurance at greatly reduced rates. Now, however worthy their aims and objects—and there is no controversy on this point-they are outside the pale of the Church, and, by joining them, young men divide with man-made organizations their allegiance to the Church, which, for the love of Christ and the glorious and eternal promises of his gospel, demands their all. In joining other sociéties than the Church, young men render themselves liable to have their feelings, in whole or in part, alienated from the Church, for where their treasures aresocial, fraternal, charitable, financial-there also will their hearts be found. Gradually, too, at first imperceptibly, perhaps, the society will exert an influence that will have a tendency to withdraw the man from the Church, on the principle that every organization, like every creature with life, looks to its self-preservation first. "He that is not with me is against me: and he that gathereth not with me scattereth."

Then come the plausible financial excuses in the way of insurance, and we have young men pleading for themselves or their families at death-providing for the future. That is a natural feeling, but if it cannot be satisfied without the risk of our losing the spirit of the gospel, of what benefit is it? "For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul?"

Ambition to be rich, says Paul, drowns men's souls. We have many examples in the Church of brethren who have made shipwreck of their faith because of their inordinate desire to gather wealth-to provide for their children and families. In some cases they gained the wealth; in others, they died poor; but, in either event, they lost the faith, and often their children, whom they provided or sought to provide for, have squandered their inheritance, or are without hope in Christ Jesus, death finding them bankrupt for eternity. They accentuate the present and temporal, forgetting the kingdom of God and their inheritance therein, which are the great essentials. On the contrary, there are hundreds of the Saints who have died poor in this world's goods, but with a faith surpassing understanding. Their children have struggled with the world, buoyed up by the rich treasures of hope and faith; and their very struggles have made them strong. They seek first that which is essential, the Spirit of God and his kingdom, and God makes all the incidentals.-possessions, food, clothing, —his gracious care. Of them it shall be said: "Their reward is sure: they stand prepared to take upon themselves the responsibilities connected with the ordinances of the house of the Lord. Every man who understands the gospel must know that the Church, along the line of its labors of salvation and redemption, cannot ally itself with any institutions that are begotten by and conducted in the spirit of the world; but it must hold itself free from them, of whatever name or nature. Since the Church is made up of members, and since any organization can only be what its aggregate individual membership is, the members must also be free. Those of the brethren who are still in doubt as to the evils of secret associations, will find abundant proof in the history of the Church, as written in the Book of Mormon, to be traced from references in II Nephi 10: 15. (References page 85.)

In conclusion, the members of our Church who have faith to heed the advice of the authorities thereof, will not ally themselves, under any pretense, with any organization not instituted by the Lord for the building up of Zion. Neither will they, for any consideration, allow themselves to imbibe the spirit of the world, or be tempted to lose their faith, which will be the result with those who divide their interests, devoting some to other organizations.

This is the testimony of those who have joined and who have later withdrawn. Nothing can be permitted in the members that is calculated to bring division and weakness to the Church, yet those who have been led to join other institutions should not be dealt with harshly, but should be made to understand the position of the Church, and where it is so understood, they should shape their affairs for withdrawal, in humility and repentance, from that which threatens their standing. Joseph F. Smith.

ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS.

Joining Secret Societies.

I would like to have an answer to the question: Is there anything wrong in members of the Church joining secret societies? A number of our young men are joining, because they say it protects their families,

This question has often been answered in the affirmative, and with good reasons. The reader is referred to an editorial in this issue of the ERA, and also ERA vol. 6, page 149, from which it is learned: "No members of the Church should be led away by men who under any pretext seek to induce them to become members of any organization, secret, social, or otherwise, outside the control of the Church." On the eighth of last August, in reply to an inquiry from Organizer W. S. Montgomery, of the Fraternal Brotherhood, President Joseph F. Smith said that "the policy of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is and always has been against its members allying themselves with any of the secret or fraternal orders."

Raffling and Gambling.

Is it proper to raffle property for the benefit of missionaries?

No; raffling is a game of chance, and hence leads to gambling; for that reason, if for no other, it should not be encouraged among the young men of the Church. President Young declared raffling to be a modified name of gambling; said that "as Latterday Saints we cannot afford to sacrifice moral principles to financial gain," and advised the sisters through the Woman's Exponent

not to raffle. President Lorenzo Snow endorsed and approved of these sentiments; President Joseph F. Smith has also expressed his unqualified disapproval of raffling; the General Sunday School Board have declared against it; and finally the state law makes it unlawful to raffle with dice; and if it is unlawful with dice, in principle, is it not just as injurious with any other device? With all these objections, should it not be clear to anyone that raffling horses, quilts, bicycles and other property is not sanctioned by the moral law nor approved by the general Church authorities. But it continues just the same, and if you do not believe in it, you should refuse to patronize it, so helping the cause. Now, how shall we aid the missionary who wishes to sell a horse, or what not? Let everybody give a dollar, and let the donors decide, by vote, towhat worthy man, not of their number, the horse shall be given. No chance about that-it is pure decision, and it helps the people who wish to buy chances solely for the benefit of the missionary, to discourage the gambling propensities of their natures. However, here is an additional thought: The element of chance enters very largely into everything we undertake, and it should be remembered that the spirit in which we do things decides very largely whether we are gambling or are entering into legitimate business enterprises.

The Gospel Embraces Both Plan and Power.

What is the Gospel?

In a general way, the gospel is the plan of salvation promulgated by Jesus Christ for the redemption of mankind. It is also "the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth." (Rom. 1: 16.) The plan may be called the law, the commandments of God; the power, the Spirit of God. Salvation is obtained by combining in one's life and practice the plan and the powerthe word and the spirit.

Choosing a Patriarch.

In case he who should hold the office of General Patriarch in the Church is not worthy, who has the authority to choose another?

The Lord, through the President of the Church, would reveal the name in such a case, and then the name of the person so nomi