---
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: 3
number: 4
published: 1900-02
publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations
publisher_place: Salt Lake City
language: en
type: magazine
reference: 'Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations, "Be Happy, My Boy: A Poem," *Improvement Era* 3, no. 4 (February 1900): 273.'
source:
  url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera34unse
  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: improvementera34unse
start_page: 273
end_page: 273
rights:
  status: public-domain
  basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1900-02)
  source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera34unse
  publication_year: 1900
  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 1900, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright.
---

# Be Happy, My Boy: A Poem

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THE LIFE AND LABORS OF SIDNEY RIGDON. 273

 At the conference next day, in consequence of his weakness, resulting from his labors of the day before, he called on John C. Bennett to officiate in his place. Consequently, on the 8th, John C. Bennett was presented, with the First Presidency, as Assistant President until President Rigdon's health should be restored. President Rigdon delivered a discourse, in the afternoon of the same on "Baptism for the Dead," followed by President Joseph <iay,

Smith on the same subject. On Sunday, Uth, President Rigdon spoke on "Baptism for the Remission of Sins." On Sunday, June 1, President Joseph Smith says, "Elder Sidney Rigdon has been ordained a prophet, seer and revelator." Early this month Joseph said, "The newspapers of the United States are teeming with all manner of lies, abusing the Saints of the Most High, and striving to call down the wrath of the people upon his servants." How much like the condition of things now, .at the junction of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries!

 BE HAPPY, MY BOY.

 At all this world's crosses, and all this world's crowns, Look up and be happy, my boy; Nor heed its sad sorrows, nor all its dark frowns, Look up and be happy, my boy.

 Whenever the cares of your day shall oppress, Look up and be happy, my boy; Let faith in the future your soul still possess, Look up and be happy, my boy.

 Then God will protect you, and all will be well. Look up and be happy, my boy; His spirit shall weave round about you its spell, Look up and be happy, my boy. ^