the constant strain? Are you a childless, unloved woman, too old to be married, with no prospect of a home and no hope for the family of dear children which would mean so much happiness to your lonely starving heart? Or, have you personal sickness and weaknesses to contend with in addition to all of these enumerated cases?

Are your family sickly, and is your husband not at all the man you thought he was when you married him? Are you the child of a stepmother or father, and is your life one constant burden of misunderstood actions and mis

interpreted motives? You see, I have enumerated quite a number of things that most of people call trouble and to many they are not a fancy, but are hard, sad facts. Well now, what I wish to say to you all is, are you not one and all somewhat in the habit of saying to yourself or others that your troubles are greater and more aggravating than anybody's in this wide, round world? Do you not often allow your mind to dwell on your unhappy circumstances and looking upon others, whom you fancy are favored, say in your heart that you are not favored of the Lord as are those others? I have talked with many people, and I am frequently honored with the confidence of my friends, and so far as my experience has permitted me to observe, I find all sorts and classes of people full of the belief that their own burdens

more

are of the heaviest and most tantalizing kind. No matter what the trouble may be, nor how small it may appear to others, it is always extremely large in the eyes of the possessor. When I can get the opportunity I say to my friends who are thus suffering, "You are not nearly so afflicted as you think you are. A great deal of suffering lies in your own mind, or in your liver, and if you could only make up your mind to throw off that evil spirit which has fastened its hold upon you, you will be a happy soul, no matter what your circumstances may be. Think of it! Any one in this Church thinking they are afflicted, and called upon to make sacrifices! What a way to look at the Providences of God! A friend said to me the other day, one who has seen some reverses during the recent hard times financially, that he was more and more convinced of the innate meanness of people every day he lived upon the earth. He did not care to go out in any social gatherings, for he was sick. of it all, and he had no means to ask people to come and feast at his house in return. He is, I must say, one of the most unhappy men I know of. And his wife, who has been for years, one of the sweetest and loveliest Mormon women who ever came to this earth, has partaken in a great measure of this same spirit, and they are almost hermits. I know a young girl, who is a stepdaughter, and she thinks she is one of the most unlucky or unhappy

mortals on this earth. And yet she has many gifts and worldly blessings. If you could only

look into the heart of the next person you meet on the street, you would be surprised to see the feelings of dissatisfaction existing there. The whole tone and spirit of the American nation, is a restless, dissatisfied condition, that leads men on and on?

one

But in what way are they going on and on? To peace and happiness, or to excitement and frivolity? I want to write a warning word to you, and to you, my dear and unknown friends, no matter what your circumstances may be, know one thing, God is as well acquainted with your life as you are, and if He thought it was necessary for you to have a change, it would be given to you. I do not now mean in speaking of this self-pity and spirit of complaint the ambition which spurs us on to higher and still higher achievements. What I mean is the perversion of that glorious gift, true ambition, and like all other perverted Divine attributes, it makes its possessor one of the wretchedest of mankind. Make it the habit of your life from this moment, to say "I am blessed," "I am all right," "I am just as I should be. If it is trouble I am going through, let me learn the lesson speedily, and go on to another."

CHRISTMAS.

It is a custom to offer congratulatons at this season of the year,

but I read so many of these efforts to be eloquent, that sometimes I think I will pass them by.

To me, the Christmas is a season devoted to the pleasure of the children and my visiting friends. It is not the anniversary of the birth of Christ, for the old pagan holiday of Michaelmass is not that sacred season which comes with the sixth day of April, the birthday of the Church, and may I not say the birthday of our beloved Savior? But the Christmas suggests plum-pudding, and turkey, stockings in the fire-place, candy, dolls, noise, fun, feasts and general jollity. We enjoy the day because it is the most exquisite enjoyment to see our children happy, and in that we are perfectly happy. But if any but a mother can enjoy getting to bed at the small hours of the night after many and weary hours of the morning, and then be awakened by the children's shouts, the noise. of tom-toms, and tin whistles, with sickly forecasts of the future superinduced by the sight of handfuls of candy going down the tender throats of children, I say it requires a mother's great, big, unselfish heart to rejoice in these sundry sights and sounds. And yet I know of some families where Christmas is allowed to drift by with small notice because of its trouble, and I pity such children, oh I pity them. What happy happy Christmases I had in my youth! And for the sake of those dear memories, I want to make happy memories in my chil

dren's hearts, and so bear the tin whistles and wait as patiently as may be for the colic to ensue and give the catnip and hot bath with great love and care. I have read several times lately that it is cruel to give children things that are useful on Christmas. Well, I don't know. I used to enjoy the new shoes I got just as well as the twelve pieces of candy and the twelve assorted nuts which occupied the place of honor in my stocking. But there is wisdom in all things. And while it is not wise to fill children's stockings with trifling toys that break with the one day's usage, every child ought to have some toy that will last and be a joy to his heart. Iron toys, blocks in great variety, games, dolls, dishes, colored books are all pretty and do not

break so soon as the tin tops and cheap trumpets. But dear mothers, let us give more than anything else, a fuller measure of love and patience to our loved one, and help them in all eagerness to learn to be wisely, truthfully happy.

If you want to know how to obtain choice premiums send ten cents for five week's trial subscription to The Woman's Tribune, Washington, D. C. Everybody sending $1.00 before January 1, 1893, will receive this national weekly paper one year and their choice of one of the great art pictures in color, "Columbus before the Court of Ferdinand and Isabella" and "The Landing of Columbus."

Y. L. M. I. A. CONFERENCE. THE regular quarterly conference of the Young Ladies' Mutual Improvment Associations of the Salt Lake Stake was held Tuesday, December 6th, 1892, in the Assembly Hall, President Mary A. Freeze presiding.

After the usual opening exercises, Mrs. Susie Young Gates addressed the congregation on the subject "Duties of Children to Parents." She thought no child can become a good child from

a sense of duty alone; there must be an abiding love to make a generous heart. We must impress upon our children what they owe their spiritual parents, that they may pray often to them from a sense of love. She urged the young ladies to pray for their parents and sustain them by their love and kindness as well.

Mrs. Minnie Snow urged the young ladies to value "Time;" to regard time as a gift of God, and spend it in improvement. She did

The

Miss Louie Poulton then favored the audience with a sacred solo.

Territorial President E. S. Taylor said she felt impressed to speak on the subject of marriage. She regretted to see the flippant manner with which this most noly relation is viewed by the young of this generation. The Lord has said, "I hate putting away," and assigns but one cause for divorce. The marriage relation is joy and happiness in the extreme or loathing and misery. Yet no life is perfect that is not a dual life, and she urged the young ladies to seek unto the Lord for guidance in this thing, that their choice may be one with whom they can stand for time and eternity.

Dr. Maggie C. Shipp said that the subjects referred to here interest us as women more than any other. She pictured the love a mother bears for her offspring, and felt to impress upon the young ladies a sense of gratitude and devotion to their parents. She thought more attention should be paid to etiquette in our meetings, but should always teach the girls that when their hearts are filled

the spirit of love and kindness towards every one.

President Mary A. Freeze exhorted the young ladies to make good use of their time, not to spend too much time in the adornment of our bodies, but more in the cultivation of the mind. She believed the time spent by some of our young ladies in curling their bangs would enable them to learn several languages.

Closing prayer Mrs. Maria Holt. Evening session convened at 7:30 p. m. After the devotional President Freeze re

exercises,

ferred to the YOUNG WOMAN'S JOURNAL, JOURNAL, saying it had not yet paid expenses, and as it is the organ of the young ladies, it is desired that they support it by trying to increase its circulation.

Mrs. M. B. Talmage continued. the subject previously referred to, saying that no matter how old we are we can never repay what our parents have done for us. She referred to the conduct of some of our young ladies, saying their conduct was such that it seemed to her they were "running astray" rather than being "led astray." She urged those present to be circumspect, that this might not be said of them. She closed by bearing a strong testimony to the benefits of prayer, and urged all to pray often.

Mrs. Mattie H. Tingey said she

Mrs. M. Y. Dougall encouraged the young ladies to be faithful and magnify their calling and cultivate

organized in our midst would not draw the young ladies away from their church duties, for she considered them of far greater impor

tance than all things else, for all light and knowledge on every point comes from God.

A duet was then rendered by Mrs. Annie Murphy and Miss

Jane McKay.

Mrs. Nellie C. Taylor felt that our Heavenly Father will not bless us if we dishonor the words of our parents. We cannot cherish or praise our parents too much. Advised the young ladies in choosing a husband not to look at the gold and the polish, but at the heart-see that it is as true as steel. To choose a husband that is worthy to go to the temple, for if a wrong commencement is made something will always go wrong.

Brief remarks were made by Miss Edith Sampson and Mrs. Mary C. McKay, after which the conference adjourned for three months.

Singing.

Benediction Mrs. Mary E.

Irvine.

L. S. CARTWRIGHT, Sec.

RESOLUTIONS OF RESPECT. [The following tributes are addressed to the Stake Officers of the Y. L. M. I. A., and therefore we print them. We could not open the JOURNAL to notices of any but Stake Officers.]

E. S. Taylor. PROYO CITY, Sep. 28th, 1892. Resolutions of respect to the memory of Evlyn Billings, who departed this life September 13th, 1892:

Whereas, our Heavenly Father has seen fit in His all-wise providence to call from our midst our beloved sister, Evlyn Billings, Secretary of the Young Ladies' Mutual Improvement Association of Utah Stake,

Resolved, that we recognize in the death of our sister the loss of an able, efficient and devoted Saint, and an earnest worker in the cause of mutual improvement.

Resolved, that we condole and deeply sympathize with her bereaved family in the loss of a kind and affectionate daughter and sister.

Resolved, that we cherish her memory and regard her virtues as ever worthy of emulation.

Resolved, that these resolutions be entered in the Mutual Improvement record; also that copies be furnished the bereaved family; also to the YOUNG WOMAN'S JOURNAL for publication.

Farewell, Eva, heaven's gateway
Opened and you entered in,
Never in this world of sorrow
Will your soul know grief or sin.
You in heavenly choirs are singing;
Here on earth we miss thy voice;
But we know, though we are
grieving,

You with angels now rejoice.

Farewell, Eva, till the morning
Of the great millennial day,
Then we hope to meet and greet