work, not worthy of your support? How can you refuse at least to encourage them in their efforts to benefit mankind, by adding your name to the list of subscribers? You pay only for the actual cost of printing and material, and behold the value given you in return! Personally, have you thought of this fact? Do you really and fully realize that our aggressive ness and persistency is moved by the spirit to preach and publish the Gospel in every quarter of the earth, and not to acquire wealth? Yet this is verily true.

The Elders' Journal is purely a missionary paper. It is a silent, unpaid preacher of the Gospel, and seeks but to gain entrance into every home, that its missionary spirit may be felt, and that its teachings may fill the mind with useful knowledge and train the heart to love all mankind; to love the Truth; to love God, and to inspire the soul to a life of goodness and usefulness; and, in the hours of trial and sorrow, to unveil the star of

From Stake Presidents, Bishops and Counselors.

From bishops of wards and president of stakes and their counselors the JOURNAL has received hundreds of testimonials and recommendations, sufficient to make a nice-sized volume. They are certainly encouraging and are deeply appreciated; furthermore, every one of them, although not produced in this number, will be turned to good account. They are valuable assets to the JOURNAL, and will be applied in local fields to advance the cause of God. Bishops of wards have recommended it to the members of their wards, and presidents of stakes have recommended it to the Saints within their jurisdiction. We regret that we have not the space to give them all special mention, but as an example of their endorsements we quote the following:

"The ELDERS' JOURNAL will certainly be a great blessing to the missions; and I believe it will be of equal benefit to the Saints at home if they will read it. With this thought in view, I have recommended it to the High Council and Priesthood of the Jordan Stake of Zion, and hope results will follow."

HYRUM GOFF, President of the Stake.

The question for you to decide is not, Can I afford to take the JOURNAL? but CAN I AFFORD TO BE WITHOUT IT? The moral, intellectual, and spiritual side of man must be nourished constantly, the same as the physical, or it shrivels up. and he becomes hard and impenetrable. A man with this disease is the most pitiable of all, for, unlike the physically afflicted, whose pains cease in death, his sufferings will continue with him beyond this life, and will be more painful and acute there than they are here. Don't starve your soul! Feed it with rich, wholesome food! You can get it in the ELDERS' JOURNAL!

"What in the world is the matter with you?" Brother Martin?" importuned his fellow-associate. "I never see you that you do not release about one hundred pounds of compressed ideas on the ELDERS' JOURNAL."

"The plain fact is," replied Brother Martin, "the ELDERS' JOURNAL is a silent missionary. It converted me to the Gospel, and I am bubbling over with anxiety to have it introduce the light into your soul, too."

The oldest Gospel letter known in the Church was written by Sister Lucy Smith, the Prophet Joseph's mother, under date of January 6, 1831. The original ocmmunication is now in possession of President Joseph F. Smith. It is truly a priceless gem, filled with beautiful thoughts. To read it is an inspiration. Only once has it ever appeared in print, and that was in the ELDERS' JOURNAL.

for the mal of major General Wilson Law for unbecoming conduct.

The above self-explanatory prints are facsimiles of original orders signed hy the Prophet Joseph's own hand. They were issued, as can be seen, to Charles C. Rich, on the dates which appear in the documents, and for the purposes set forth therein. The writing has been reduced considerably in the illustrations above, in order to conform to the size of the JOURNAL page; the signature of the Prophet, however, is manifestly clear and distinct. The historical letters from which these copies were taken belong to the Editor, who has them now in his possession. He has other ancient and equally interesting papers, the facsimiles of which will appear in the JOURNAL from time to time.

The Name of the Father Maintained in Honor by the Faithfulness of His Sons.

"Brother Hyrum, what a faithful heart you have got! Oh, may the Eternal Jehovah crown eternal blessings upon your head, as a reward for the care you have had for my soul! Oh, how many are the sorrows we have shared together! and again we find ourselves shackled by the unrelenting hand of oppression. Hyrum, thy name shall be written in the Book of the Law of the Lord, for those who come after to look upon, that they may pattern after thy works."-JOSEPH SMITH, August 11, 1842.

"And from this time forth I appoint unto him (Hyrum) that he may be a prophet, and a seer, and a revelator unto my Church, as well as my servant Joseph. That my servant Hyrum may bear record of the things which I shall show unto him, that his name may be had in honorable remembrance from generation to generation, forever and forever."-Revelation given to Joseph Smith, January 19, 1841.

hope and let its rays of divine light shine in upon the despondent and darkened chambers of the breast, chasing the clouds and the blackness away, and making the life buoyant with the strength of God's arm of power and His spirit of love.

THE INDEX.

With the closing number of each volume, is sent a convenient index to both authors and subjects, separately arranged in alphabetical order. This is a special feature which will enhance the value of the bound volumes, which are intended to be of service as books of reference in the home or elsewhere.

WHERE TO GET VOLUMES BOUND.

Subscribers who have no book bindery convenient may send their volumes to the ELDERS' JOURNAL to be bound at the following prices, which include return postage: Cloth, 75 cents; half leather, $1.10; full leather, limp, $1.35.

We cannot supply any missing numbers. Just as soon as the last number is out, the whole volume ought to be bound, to preserve the numbers in as nice condition as possible.

PERSONAL QUESTIONS.

Now, dear reader, may we ask, What do you think of the ELDERS' JOURNAL as a magazine for your home? Are you not convinced beyond a doubt of the high intellectual and moral influence it would exert in your habitation? Are you not absolutely satisfied that this publication is indispensable at your fireside and in your reading circle? Do not the "Scrapbook of Mormon Literature" and a "Library of Church Literature," features strike you as being the most valuable opportunity ever before offered to you in the line of publications? In the light of the mighty place the JOURNAL occupies as a Missionary, are you not prepared to sustain, both with your heart and with your hands, the earnest appeal solemnly made by

in which he said:

THE PROPHET JOSEPH SMITH

"It becomes a duty not to be dispensed with that the Saints of the last days owe to themselves and their children, as well as to the public in general, to use all lawful endeavors to disabuse the public mind in relation to the affairs of the Kingdom of God, which has been committed to them; so that, so far as in them lies, they will guard the public against the abuses which are heaped upon them by reason of a spirit of persecution which rages most unhallowedly against the truth."

If to all these questions you cannot answer "Yes," then let us appeal to you to carefully read again

THE STRONG TESTIMONIALS

of our representative men, sprinkled over these pages. As to the importance and the weight of these endorsements, we have only to say, These brethren

are our leaders, and their words of recommendation need no comment from us, for we regard them as more than sufficient to convince any reasonable mind of the fact that the ELDERS' JOURNAL is a publication worthy of a place in every home. It is truly a Home Missionary, making its visits regularly twice a month; and every Latter-day Saint ought to realize, after reading the foregoing pages of conclusive evidence, that if he bars this messenger of light from his home, he is not only depriving himself and his family of the benefits of the valuable information it contains, but he is also barring from his habitation the influence of God's mightiest men in this dispensation; for most assuredly does the same holy spirit by which their thoughts have been expressed, accompany their written words; and the JOURNAL, by resurrecting their inspired sermons and writings, gives the present generation the glorious opportunity of enjoying the beneficent effects of the exalting and hallowed influence of these stalwart pillars of the Lord of modern times.

IMPORTANT QUESTIONS TO DECIDE.

Shall I begin this Library of Church Literature, and thereby avail myself of this valuable fund of information now offered to me? Shall I put this kind of literature before my children in preference to something questionable as to its effects? Shall I bar the good influence of this publication from my home? Shall I deprive myself and my family of the heart and soul growth sure to result from this kind of reading? Shall I take an interest in selecting the material for my reading table and be sure of there always being something good and wholesome handy, or shall I pay no attention to this matter and permit the "yellow journal," the "dime novel," the papers filled with crime and evil-all of which are afloat on every hand-to do their poisonous work, without my doing something to countering the foregoing pages of conclusive evidence, that if eh bars this messenger act their influence upon my loved ones? Shall I keep fresh and alive within my own memory, and also do what I can to keep bright within the minds of those about me, the lives and works of the oracles of God in the last days? Shall I feed my heart and soul upon the things of eternal life, cultivate within my bosom a love for the Gospel of Jesus Christ and keep burning brightly in my heart a testimony of the divinity of the work and mission of God's noble Prophet to this generation? Shall I help the Cause of Jehovah established in the earth, support with my faith and works His missionaries, and also every other agency adopted to spread the truth and to redeem the children of our Father, that others may be saved as well as I? Shall I be an active, progressive Latter-day Saint who grows by doing. or one who, through lip service alone, attempts to stand? All these, and a hundred other similar and equally important questions, each individual should ask himself when offered a chance to become a reader of this publication; and if to each interrogation he is able to give the correct answer, then we say to him, "YOU CANNOT REFUSE TO TAke the Elders' Journal."

One dollar a year is the cost of subscription; and if the interest on