--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Span, Reginal B. collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 1 number: 1 published: 1897-11 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'Reginal B. Span, "Is It Worth While?" *Improvement Era* 1, no. 1 (November 1897): 33.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera11unse transcription: Transcribed from the Internet Archive scan of each issue (the item for each issue is named in the issue's own source); unnumbered advertising leaves are omitted, printed page numbers are kept as page markers. identifier: improvementera11unse scan: "Original source link: https://archiveviewer.org/viewer/internet-archive/improvementera11unse" start_page: 33 end_page: 33 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1897-11) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera11unse publication_year: 1897 note: The Internet Archive item metadata carries a blanket "© Copyright by Intellectual Reserve, Inc." notice. The library owner judged it inapplicable because this issue was published in 1897, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # Is It Worth While? IS IT WORTH WHILE? Is it worth while to listen To ought that the world may say? Is it worth while to heed the praise, Or blame—of life's short day? Let men slander as they will, And whisper falsest words of ill — Don't mind—but keep thy spirit still, Noble, pure and true. For in this mortal life of ours, We form the life that is to be — Our habits form our characters — And character our destiny. It matters not what men may say — Of no avail is slandering spite; For nought can harm the steadfast soul That trusts in God and does the right. « —Reginal B. Span, in Intelligence.