--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - H. W. Naisbitt collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 3 number: 12 published: 1900-10 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'H. W. Naisbitt, "Friendship, Love and Truth," *Improvement Era* 3, no. 12 (October 1900): 926.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera312unse 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: improvementera312unse start_page: 926 end_page: 926 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1900-10) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera312unse 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. --- # Friendship, Love and Truth 926 IMPROVEMENT ERA. to win souls to Christ, Always remembering with joy the commandment, "Thou shalt have no other gods before me." FRIENDSHIP, LOVE AND TRUTH. BY H. W. NAISBITT. The mellow voice of Friendship rings Adown the fleeing years; And closer to my soul it clings, In words and quiet tears. For I have tasted mental woe, Its suff'ring hath been mine, The fainting soul alone doth know, The cheer of Friendship's wine! The charm of Love hath brought me bliss, Its dulcet tones have been The prelude to its holiest kiss, Life's elixir unseen! Full oft beneath its magic spell Hath thrilled that music sweet, Which was not all that life could tell To tired and weary feet. The tender touch of Fame hath lit Ambition's lurid fire, Which swelled and died as all unfit Save 'twas for wild desire; It only reached to earthly joy — 'Twas meant life's cup to fill; Beneath it all was base alloy. It vanished at my will! I dreamt of Wealth, men call it gold, 'Twill buy— oh many things; I could not bind, as time unrolled, I found it, too, had wings! And now my Friendship looks afar. E'en Love hath upward flown, And Fame, and Wealth; where gates ajar Heaven makes the whole, my own!