---
title: Improvement Era
description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930.
authors:
  - J. W. Ward
collections:
  - periodicals
tags:
  - magazine
  - improvement-era
periodical: Improvement Era
volume: 4
number: 1
published: 1900-11
publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations
publisher_place: Salt Lake City
language: en
type: magazine
reference: 'J. W. Ward, "Childish Wisdom," *Improvement Era* 4, no. 1 (November 1900): 38.'
source:
  url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera0401unse
  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: improvementera0401unse
start_page: 38
end_page: 38
rights:
  status: public-domain
  basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1900-11)
  source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera0401unse
  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.
---

# Childish Wisdom

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38                     IMPROVEMENT ERA.


would never have received the wondrous blessing of the Gospel,
and now they can see the hand of God through it all! They are
prospering now, and her letter concludes: "Tithing has established
our faith as no other way could."



                       CHILDISH WISDOM.


          'Twas the hour of prayer, and the farmer stood,
            With a thankful heart and a lowly mind,
          And prayed to the Author of every good,
            That the Father of all would be very kind,
          And bless his creatures with raiment and food;
           That the blessings each day might be renewed,
          That every man might find relief,
          And plenty for hunger, joy for grief,
          Be measured by the Merciful One,
           To all who suffered beneath the sun.

          The prayer concluded, the godly man
            Went forth in peace to inspect his farm,
          And by his side delighted ran,
            Glowing with every healthful charm,
          His little son, a sprightly boy,
          Whose home was love, and whose life was joy;
          And the father said, "The harvest yields
          A plentiful crop, my son, this year;
          My barns are too small for my grain, I fear."

          And they wandered on through row upon row
            Of plumy sheaves; and at length the child,
          With earnest look and a rosy glow
             On his shining cheek, looked up and smiled,
          And said, "My father, do you not pray
          For the poor and needy, day by day,-
          That God, the good, would the hungry feed?"
           "I do, my son." "Well, I think as you plead-"
          His eye waxed bright, for his soul shone through it-
          "That God, if he had your wheat, would do it."
                                                   J. W. Ward.