--- 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: 4 published: 1898-02 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations, "Symposium of Best Thought," *Improvement Era* 1, no. 4 (February 1898): 282–285.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera14unse 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: improvementera14unse start_page: 282 end_page: 285 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1898-02) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera14unse publication_year: 1898 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 1898, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # Symposium of Best Thought SYMPOSIUM OF BEST THOUGHT, Thinking what we ought to do does not bring success in life; but acting with aim and energy. — Brigham Clegg, Heber City, Utah. "Many there are who give honor to God for the performance of great miracles; yet, by their silence, discredit his hand in the commonplace happenings of life." — J. B. Higgs, Salt Lake City. "A man may seek the applause of his fellows by some act of 'bravery,' as interpreted by man; yet be amoral coward in the sight of God, who knows all men's hearts. A man may be timorous, and even a coward in the presence of violence; yet his nobility of soul and moral strength is known to the Father." — Emit H. Lund, Ogden, Utah. We live in thought. If we think poorly, we live poorly; if we think highly, we live highly. — N. L. Morris, Salt Lake City. In the final and righteous adjustment of all things it will be discovered that, invariably, "a law unobeyed" or "disobeyed" is synonymous with "a blessing unobtained." — John V. Bluth, Ogden, Utah. Let no thoughtful man say he does not believe in inspiration. If he cast his mind backward over his career, he will discover instances when, through the operation of a power from without, he has risen above his ordinary self. If he believes in inspiration he has taken the first step toward a belief in revelation, which is inspiration perfected. — John Nicholson, Salt Lake City. SYMPOSIUM OF BEST THOUGHT. 283 Not he who merely succeeds in making a fortune, and in so doing blunts the natural affections of the heart, and chases therefrom the love of his fellows, can be said to be truly successful: but he who so lives that those who know him best shall love him most; and that God, who knows not only his deeds, but also the inmost sentiments of his heart, shall love him: of such an one only — notwithstanding he may die in poverty — can it be said indeed and of a truth, "he should be crowned with the wreath of success." — Heber J. Grant, Salt Lake City. It seems to me that we are always ready to laud a man's ability, even if associated with vice; but seldom is it that we admire a man's goodness of heart and righteousness of life, if such an one is unfortunate enough to possess only mediocrity of talent. — Alma Ash, Salt Lake City. Relatives: An ignorant person is always right, because he can not know when he is wrong, which proves that knowledge and right are not always brethren. Spelling sure s-h-u-r-e, and sugar s-h-u-g-a-r, has a pernicious influence on the reader; yet there are many prominent and successful men who spell these words with an h, which goes to prove that spelling and prosperity are not near relatives.— Edward H. Anderson, Ogden, Utah. To have a successful Improvement Association it is necessary that perfect union exists among the officers, and that each fills the position that he is called to occupy. Promptness in opening, brief prayers, short lectures, plenty of good music, short prayer before parting, a hearty hand shake — good bye until next meeting. — H. J. Walk, Brighton, Utah. In studying men, I am inspired with the thought that integrity and faith are the grandest attributes of human character. Integrity, that noble trait which makes us really men, and faith, that glorious gift which lifts us up to God. — Thomas Hull, Salt Lake City. Habit becomes a part of our nature. It follows, therefore, that in youth our habits should be those we would have no desire to change. — Frederick Best, Mill Creek, Utah. I believe there would be more happiness and prosperity in this world if men would scatter more flowers in the pathway of their friends and fewer on their graves. — A. J. Higgs, Salt Lake City. "Man is that he might have joy;" and though he may pass through much tribulation, the time will come when he shall see the wisdom of the plan of life, and acknowledge God as the giver of all blessings. It is because of man's misunderstanding that he condemns what is, as unbecoming a wise Creator. — A. J. H. Davis, Salt Lake City. One of the inalienable rights of man and sufficiently important to be classed with liberty and life itself, is the pursuit of happiness. True happiness comes only to those who are inspired by hope, guided by experience and supported by faith. With such guides any task required can be undertaken with cheerful, intelligent energy, even though the obstacles in the path, to those who have not hope and faith, seem insurmountable. — George M. Cannon, Forest Dale, Utah. The realms of thought and the vocabulary of words may be likened unto a mighty chaos, from which every one is invited to create something which will make the world better. He who fails to do this, not only fails to do his duty, but proves himself blind to heaven's choicest blessings. — Wm. Bennion, South Taylorsville, Utah. In the pursuit of duty comes pleasure and peace of mind, no matter how unpleasant that duty may be. — Chas. A. Welchman, Grover, Wyoming. If parents look carefully into their own hearts and lives, will they not find there the seeds of the immorality of their children? How many parents can say that unclean words have never crossed their lips? Is there one who can say "no unclean thought has ever come into my heart." Parents, kill young people if you will with poison to the body, but do not blight or kill their souls by poisoning them with an almost constant flow of jests and stories that are funny only because they are unclean. — Richard R. Lyman, Salt Lake City. SYMPOSIUM OF BEST THOUGHT. 285 Adversity brings us nearer to God than prosperity. The little one learning to go alone feels no need of help until it meets with a sad tumble. Then it reaches out its little hands and pleads for mamma. So we, in prosperity, feel that our own strength is all-sufficient; until, surrounded by adversity, we, too, stretch forth our feeble hands and cry, "Father!" — Amanda Done, Salt Lake City. To know that sometime in the eternities man will be able, through knowledge, to produce the real of what he can on earth at best but produce an imitation, should inspire him to labor patiently to obtain his soul's desire. — Lillie T. Freeze, Salt Lake City. Let us serve God with all our might, not thinking thereby that we do him a favor, neither to be applauded by any man; but that we through the grace of God may gain eternal life. — C. V. Hansen, Logan, Utah. My best thought? I must confess a truth, my best thought has been my secret ambition. What is that? To be good for something, and in that goodness to be great. My ideal has been the manliness of Christ. If I could incorporate into my nature a part of his wonderful knowledge of human minds, that singularly heroic strength of character, that humility withal, it seems to me, now, that the aura of my soul would gladden with its touch all who might come within its radius. I believe it would bring me such supreme content that Faust-like, I would say, "Moment still delay, thou art so fair." — Mathonihah Thomas, Farmington, Utah. A VOICE FROM ENGLAND. I am pleased to learn that a revival is going on in M. I. A. matters at home, and that greater interest is being taken in this important branch of education than for some years past. I hope this will continue, for the more interest our young men manifest in mutual improvement, the better qualified they will be for missionaries and the less heart aches and humiliations they will have to contend with when they find themselves engaged in missionary work.— Joseph W. Mc- Murrin, Liverpool, Eng. [From a letter to Elder Nephi L. Morris.]