[Rudger Clawson]
Spoke of the feelings of bitterness that have been aroused among the Swedish people of the church. It had been a question in his mind whether it was good policy to encourage a spirit of nationalism among the people of God. It seems to beget a spirit of clannishness, and there is some danger of these various nationalities - namely, the Danish, Swedes, Germans, and Swiss - breaking up into factions. It is certainly a matter that should receive careful and serious consideration.
Elder Hy. M. Smith followed. ... Many of the employees of Z.C.M.I. are non-Mormons, and many of the [Mormon] employees are weak in the faith. Deprecated the spirit of faultfinding against the priesthood, which he has met in the church. Considerable fault had been found with Pres. Smith, his father, because of his remarks at the last conference in reference to lawyers, which remarks were misunderstood. Desired to see the spirit of union among the saints.
Elder Clawson ... Said that the practice of self-abuse existed to an alarming extent among the boys in our community who attend the district schools, and also, he doubted not, the church schools. He felt that the boys and girls should be properly instructed in regard to this evil. The matter could be mentioned to good advantage at our priesthood meetings.
Elder Abraham O. Woodruff felt that this question of national lines among our people [was] very important. He had noticed that the saints in the German organization were drifting into a spirit of indifference. The matter needs looking into. ...
[Source: Stan Larson (editor), A Ministry of Meetings: The Apostolic diaries of Rudger Clawson, Signature Books in association with Smith Research Associates, Salt Lake City, 1993, http://bit.ly/rudgerclawson]
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