"From that time Professor Maeser has faithfully lived to fulfill the wishes of its founder. How he has succeeded is demonstrated every year by the hundreds of young men and women who there receive for the first time a knowledge and testimony of this Gospel. Too much praise cannot be bestowed upon the Honorable Board: President A. O. Smoot, Harvey Cluff, Wilson H. Dusenberry, Bishop Myron Tanner, Bishop Harrington, Bishop Bringhurst and Sister Coray for their energy and labor to make this school all that Brigham Young intended it should be.
"In the deeds bestowing a grant upon this institution it is plainly stated that the young men be taught mechanism, and the young ladies domestic duties. In accordance with this a young ladies' department has been organized and we have endeavored to carry out this peculiar feature desired by President Young, my beloved father.
"I have occupied the position of advisor and director to the young ladies for the past four years. I have now the advantage of a fine large room built expressly for this branch of education. Was called to preside over the Primary Associations of Provo, am a Counselor to the President of the Young Ladies' Mutual Improvement Association also; and an officer in the Provo Silk Association."
While living in Salt Lake City, Mrs. Zina Y. Williams was one of the committee superintending the decoration of the great Tabernacle. Large classes were taught artificial flower making, and thousands of yards of festoons and hanging baskets, interspersed with appropriate mottoes and flags made the vast ceiling a bower of beauty for many months. She has taught decorative work of different kinds in several towns of our Territory, possessing a special gift in this direction.
An energetic spiritual laborer, a loving daughter and faithful wife and mother, she has also a wide circle of sincere friends. She was the first of President Young's daughters to manifest prominently in the face of opposition, her willingness to unite with the associations organized for the repression of extravagance in dress, table expenditure and frivolity, and for the cultivation of spiritual knowledge, and mutual improvement. These meetings were regarded with aversion and even ridicule, by many, as tending to bring women into too great publicity. This proved to be an incorrect idea. Sister Williams was one of the earliest spiritual laborers and has never faltered or deviated from her line of duty. President Young has other daughters also, who have later become officers and actively interested in the Women's Organizations among this people; and they will without doubt, develop many of those abilities, which, combined and made subservient to the will of God made the name of Brigham Young immortal in history.
LOUISE M. WELLS.
SECRETARY OF CENTRAL ORGANIZATION OF THE YOUNG LADIES' MUTUAL IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATIONS.
The fact that most of the ladies of this work are of mature, and some even advanced years, suggests the thought—what of the "rising generation" of this people? How have the practical workings of this system which the world can judge of only from report and occasional glimpses into its operations, but which with the youth of the people is a literal and sole experience—affected their ideas and purposes?
Time, steadfast determination and spiritual progress have adjusted all mingled and varied elements of individualities and nationalities in those who received the Gospel in scattered homes in different parts of the earth, have overcome those obstacles (which were such through inexperience in newly restored truths and laws,) and brought all to the proper level of their individual sphere of action and usefulness. What a piece of master-work has this been! Order out of confusion, brotherhood created between stranger races.
It has been often said, "that when the old stock dies out," the world can better judge the worth of our doctrines; if they survive and grow in the hearts of the succeeding generation their parents did not plant the spiritual tree in lack of wisdom, and it will after this test of years prove worthy of the serious consideration of those who now deem it beneath their thoughtful attention.