--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Sears, J. S., et al. collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 2 number: 7 published: 1899-05 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'Sears, J. S., et al., "Life-Influencing Maxims," *Improvement Era* 2, no. 7 (May 1899): 538–540.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera27unse 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: improvementera27unse start_page: 538 end_page: 540 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1899-05) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera27unse 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. --- # Life-Influencing Maxims LIFE-INFLUENCING MAXIMS. "For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ; for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth." Having accepted a call to fill a mission in the service of God, often would I think of this passage. Then I would reflect upon the trials, tribulations and persecutions a missionary must pas» through. Was I ashamed of the Gospel of Christ? No; and was more willing than ever to fill a mission in the cause of love and truth, especially if it meant the salvation of any honest soul. Often in our travels as ambassadors of Christ Jesus, people reject our tracts, make light of our faith, and scoff at us. This only makes me want to throw my head higher and bear my testimony and say, "I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ," for I know it is the power of God unto salvation to those who believe and obey. What was it that caused our people, those noble men and women, to suffer such persecution and cross the barren desert to a free land of worship? It was the Gospel of Christ which they had received, a living testimony, the spirit of which testified that they were the chosen people of God. And why did they sacrifice lands, homes and riches and endure such hardships? Because the Gospel is the power of God unto salvation, and they knew it. What if they should lose their lives in God's service? They well knew they would have a crown laid up in heaven, as Paul of old. If anyone takes upon himself the Gospel of Christ he also takes upon himself trouble and persecution. As every brick of the wall of Babylon was stamped with the letter N, standing for Nebuchadnezzar, so is every effort for the building up of God's kingdom stamped with the letter T, standing for trouble. LIFE-INFLUENCING MAXIMS. 539 When the young and rising generation consider the lives of those who have worked and are still working for the upbuilding of Zion, what kind of men do they find? *rhey are those who listen with a moist eye to tales of suffering and distress, who ever have a kindness in their manner and a forgiveness for those gone astray; they are men who have graduated at the Royal Academy of "Trouble/^ and they have the diploma written in wrinkles on their own countenances. What heartaches they have suffered! What tears they have wept! What injustice they have endured! All because they were not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, for it is the mightiest influence for purification, and is the power of God unto salvation. /. S. Sears, Clay County, North Carolina. "Strong passions accompany strong minds and terrible is the conflict which reason has to keep and subdue them." The above, picked up in my youth from a novel by J. F. Smith, in CasselVs Weekly, published in London, England, fastened itself in my memory the first minute I saw it, and has been the light of a guiding star in many dark and dangerous places through my life. Yes, I said, "terrible is the conflict which reason has to keep and subdue them." To illustrate, I will say there is a kingdom within us, and Reason is the king. The appetites and passions are his subjects. Some of them are very headstrong and rebellious, and need constant watch-care. Why, they will stand up before the court and plead their cause, like some lawyers, in a most eloquent manner, although on the wrong side of the case; in fact, the wrong side ever needs the most eloquent pleading to make it appear plausible. Here then is the battle-ground. But there sits King Reason on his royal throne, his wife, Wisdom, on his right hand, and might I say that he has his secretary. Memory, with his collection of ready references, also to assist him; and there he sits judging and deciding all matters according to the known principles of right and wrong, granting equal rights and liberties to all his subjects in their times and in their seasons, for they are all God's gifts, and by the exercise of their legitimate functions. 540 IMPROVEMENT ERA. according to the dictates of this high court of justice, peace, happiness and harmony reign throughout the realm. John 0. Freckleton. Since I began to earnestly study the scriptures, the passage which struck most deeply in my heart and seemed to speak as of the voice of God within my soul, was that found in the fifty-eighth section of the Doctrine and Covenants, beginning at the 27th verse: "Verily I say, men should be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of their own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness; for the power is in them, wherein they are agents unto themselves," etc. This is where salvation begins, by the actions of our hearts, for as Christ said, "The kingdom of God is within you." (Luke 17: 21.) Or, like the admonition of Paul to Timothy, "Stir up the gift of God, which is in thee." Here we have the authority, and by stirring up these gifts we become anxiously engaged in a good cause, and inclined to do many things in the cause of truth of our own free will. Anon. Some one has said: "Do unto others as you would have others do unto you." This maxim made quite an impression upon my mind when a young boy; it has never left me. I adopted it as my motto, audit has certainly had a decided influence in shaping the course of my life. me to resist temptation, and often when about It has helped to do that which I ought not to do these words would come to me like a beacon light and turn me again into the right path. Thus it has proven a guide to me, directing me to walk in the path of the higher law of doing unto others as I would that others would