The National Woman’s Relief Society
The Relief Society, now known as the National Woman’s Relief Society, was organized in Nauvoo, March 17, 1842, by Joseph Smith, the Prophet, assisted by Elders John Taylor and Willard Richards. The object of the society, as stated by the Prophet, was “to look after the wants of the poor, to search after objects of charity, and to administer to their wants; to assist by correcting the morals and strengthening the virtues of the community, and thus to save the elders the trouble of rebuking.” He also expressed the desire that the society might be built up in a most high and acceptable manner, and should be a select company of the virtuous, and those who would walk circumspectly. One feature of the work of the society should be to purge out iniquity, surmount difficulties, “though the soul be tried, the heart faint, and hands hang down.” The members should observe the laws of God, hearken to counsel and keep free from the evils of the world, and be “choice, virtuous and holy.”
This organization, composed exclusively of the women of the Church, now (1922) numbers about fifty thousand members. It has accomplished a wonderful work in the care of the poor, alleviating the distress of the needy, the sick and afflicted, comforting those who mourn and preparing the dead for burial. All this work, and much more, which would fill volumes, has been accomplished in the spirit of true charity and love by the members, who unitedly endeavor to carry out the admonition and instruction given by President Joseph Smith at the time of the organization in 1842.
Outlines have been prepared from year to year and a course of study presented to the members by which they are trained not only in their duties as members of the society, but also in various branches of education, to the intent that they may be better equipped for the duties of life.
The Deseret Sunday School Union
In the fall of 1848, a little more than a year after the arrival of the pioneers, Richard Ballantyne came to the Salt Lake Valley with his family. He located in the old fort and the following spring made plans for a home. He arranged his building to provide for the holding of a Sunday School, and on Sunday, December 9, 1849, the first Sunday School in the Rocky Mountains was held at his home, Elder Ballantyne being both superintendent and teacher. His Sunday School was popular among the members of the Church and was well attended until the year 1850, when a chapel was erected in the Fourteenth Ward into which the Sunday school was transferred. Not long after this other Sunday schools were organized in Salt Lake City and in a number of other settlements in Utah. However, there was no uniformity of method or course of study in these schools.
The possibility of the Sunday school as an agency for teaching the Gospel to the youth was early recognized and the importance of uniformity and co-operation in this task was urged early in 1866. In November, 1866, as a result of the growing sentiment, a meeting was called at which a general organization was effected for the purpose of concentrating and unifying Sunday school efforts. Elder George Q. Cannon was elected president of the organization which was called the Deseret Sunday School Union. The scope of the activity of the Deseret Sunday School Union is Church-wide, and its purpose is to establish uniformity in Sunday school methods, to develop greater teaching efficiency, and through co-operation to improve the quality of the work done. The Juvenile Instructor, first published by Elder George Q. Cannon early in 1856, is the official organ of the Deseret Sunday School Union, and is a potent factor in accomplishing these results. It contains uniform lessons for each department in the Sunday schools. Teacher-training work, as a means of developing greater teaching efficiency, was first undertaken by the Sunday schools under the leadership of the general board. This movement has since attained Church-wide application under the leadership and direction of the Priesthood.
As an organization, auxiliary to the Priesthood, the ultimate aim of the Sunday schools is to teach the principles of the Gospel and to stimulate the pupils to render willing obedience thereto. More specifically, the Sunday school aims so to equip its members that they will be able not only to work out their own salvation through the application of, and obedience to, the principles of the Gospel which they have been taught, but also to prepare themselves for service in the Priesthood, in the mission fields, and in the organizations at home, through which opportunities are afforded them to render service to others. The Sunday school recognizes no age limit, but aims to accommodate all grades of spiritual development from infancy to old age.
From a membership of 50 pupils in the first Sunday school, the enrollment has increased until in 1920 there were 970 Sunday schools in the organized stakes of Zion with an enrollment of 170,164 pupils and 18,184 officers and teachers. The Sunday school work and organization extend into the missions where there are 596 schools which have an enrollment of 25,189 pupils, and 4,623 officers and teachers. The Sunday school in the mission field is recognized as the best means of arousing interest in the work of the Church and as a step toward the establishing of branches. —Albert Hamer Reiser, general secretary.