--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 1 number: 2 published: 1897-12 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations, "On the Instability of Youth," *Improvement Era* 1, no. 2 (December 1897): 84.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera12unse 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: improvementera12unse start_page: 84 end_page: 84 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1897-12) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera12unse 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. --- # On the Instability of Youth 84 IMPR O VEMENT ERA . Lee: "When our monuments shall be done away — when nations now existing shall be no more — when even our young and far-spreading empire shall have perished — still will our Washington's glory unfaded shine, and die not, until love of virtue cease on earth, or earth itself sink into chaos." ON THE INSTABILITY OF YOUTH. When I look back, and in myself behold The wandering ways that youth could not descry, And mark the fearful course that youth did hold, And mete in mind each step youth stray 'd awry; My knees I bow, and from my heart I call, 'O Lord, forget these sins and follies all!" "For now I see how void youth is of skill, I also see his prime-time and his end; I do confess my faith and all my ill, And sorrow sore for that I did offend; And with a mind repentant of all crimes, Pardon I ask for youth, ten thousand times. ***** 'Thou, that by power to life didst raise the dead, Thou, that of grace, restoredst the blind to sight, Thou, that for love thy life and love out-bled, Thou, that of favor madest the lame go right, Thou, that canst heal and help in all essays, Forgive the guilt that grew in youth's vain ways. "And now since I, with faith and doubtless mind, Do fly to thee, by prayer to appease thine ire; And since, that thee I only seek to find And hope by faith to attain my just desire; Lord, mind no more youth's error and unskill; Enable age to do thy holy will." Lord Vamp.