---
title: Improvement Era
description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930.
authors:
  - Thomas, Mat
collections:
  - periodicals
tags:
  - magazine
  - improvement-era
periodical: Improvement Era
volume: 1
number: 7
published: 1898-05
publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations
publisher_place: Salt Lake City
language: en
type: magazine
reference: 'Mat Thomas, "Peace, Be Still, a Poem," *Improvement Era* 1, no. 7 (May 1898): 487–488.'
source:
  url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera17unse
  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: improvementera17unse
start_page: 487
end_page: 488
rights:
  status: public-domain
  basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1898-05)
  source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera17unse
  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.
---

# Peace, Be Still, a Poem

<!-- page:487 -->

PEACE, BE STILL.

               Jesus spake unto the throng-
                   Teaching them the right from wrong,
               Of the duties that belong
                    To mankind.
                He the words of life did tell,
                    As the shades of evening fell
                O'er that land where Jewry dwell
                    By the sea.
              'Let us to the other side.
                    There awhile we will abide,"
                Said the Lord. Then o'er the tide
                    The Chosen sailed.
                Christ awearied,   fell asleep.

                    In the boat upon the deep;
                He was in his Father's keep-
                    Naught he feared.
                Soon the waves were lashed to spray,
                    Like the clouds ere break of day,
                Driven on in fiercest play
                    By tlie wind.

<!-- page:488 -->

——              —— ——

          Then the Twelve with fear awake;
              In their trembling tones they spake
          To the Lord, as o'er him break
              Angry seas:
      '
          'Master, wake or we shall die
              Whilst thy soul in sleep doth lie;
          Tempest-tossed, the boat runs high
              Save us, Lord."

          Jesus raised his Godlike hand.
              As it were a magic wand,
                            —
          Spake the words divine command
              "Peace, be still!"

          Quiet reigned, in might supreme,
              Christ indeed a king did seem.
          From his face shone love's bright beam
             On the Twelve.
      "Exercise a living faith.
           God ye worship, not a wraith."
      "He will answer," — yet he saith
              "Yield belief."
                        *       *     *
          Troubled soul, do not repine.
              In thy trials, light shall shine;
          Christ's command is ever thine,
              Meant for thee.
          When the tempest of thy woes.
              And the agonizing throes
          Of thy ills around thee close,
              Nigh to death,
          Leave all thoughts of earth behind:
              Look unto the Lord, so kind,
          And his words bear oft in mind:
            "Peace, be still!"

          Think how calm was Christ that night.
              How he changed the dark to light;
          Now as then faith wins the fight:
              Peace, be still!
                            Mat. Thomas,
                                    Farming-ton, Utah.