---
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: 2
number: 5
published: 1899-03
publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations
publisher_place: Salt Lake City
language: en
type: magazine
reference: "Young Men's Mutual Improvement Associations, \"Editor’s Table: In Lighter Mood,\" *Improvement Era* 2, no. 5 (March 1899): 388."
source:
  url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera25unse
  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: improvementera25unse
start_page: 388
end_page: 388
rights:
  status: public-domain
  basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1899-03)
  source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera25unse
  publication_year: 1899
  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 1899, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright.
---

# Editor’s Table: In Lighter Mood

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the loss of individuality which it incurs. We learn to imitate, to conform, to merge our own identity in that of a crowd; we lose our selfrespect, grow timid and dare not trust ourselves. In this way we fail to
cultivate the peculiar powers which belong to us, and which alone can
enable us to do our part in the world, a part which can be done by no
other.
Intelligent planning does as much for the day's work as for the
building of a house. It is all very well to say, "Doe the next thynge;"
'but in most cases the "next thynge" is in our control, just as the brick
is when it is ready for the bricklayer's hand. No accomplishment of
vendeavors is possible unless there is an orderly marshalling of forces.
The only kind of hope that is worthless is that which languidly waits
for some good thing to drop from the skies into the lap of the idler.
There are some people who are forever expecting, like Micawber, that
something will turn up, hoping for some lucky stroke of fortune which
shall render their own labors unnecessary. But that is a mean and flabby
state of mind, quite unworthy the name of hope. When gratified it is
not really benefited, and such seeming advantages soon lose all their
flavor and power.
"Live so as to be missed," was the message a great man once sent
to some young people. He knew that most lives are not of that sort.
Many of us will not leave a very big gap in the world when we depart
from it. Our lives have not been put into other lives. We have not
spent our energies in touching other people in helpful ways. The best
that can be said over many of our biers will be, "he never harmed anybody." And that is a poor eulogy.
There are some who contend that man is wholly selfish, and that
the apparent difference is due only to different stages of intelligence.
If he perform acts of justice and kindness, if he recognizes the claims of
others and hasten to satisfy them, it is only to gratify himself, or because
Jie knows that such conduct will react in some direct or indirect way to
benefit himself. Happily we have no faith in so low an estimate of
humanity. There is certainly an inherent self-love in every one which
is his preservation. Without it all improvement, all happiness, health,
safety, and even life itself, would be forfeited. But there is also an
inherent sympathy with others more or less clearly manifested. Witness
the evident distress of the very young child when he thinks his mother or