--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - William Shakespeare collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 4 number: 12 published: 1901-10 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'William Shakespeare, "Mercy," *Improvement Era* 4, no. 12 (October 1901): 900.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera0412unse 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: improvementera0412unse start_page: 900 end_page: 900 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1901-10) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera0412unse publication_year: 1901 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 1901, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # Mercy — ; — 900 IMPROVEMENT ERA. own continent and shone here for myriads of years, before it was turned on the East. As early as 1838, the Prophet Joseph Smith announced by revelation that the Garden of Eden was located upon this continent. The following is to be found in the Doctrine and Covenants, page 389. Three years previous to the death of Adam, he called Seth, Enos, Cainan, Mahalaleel, Jared, Enoch, and Methuselah, who were all High Priests, with the residue of his posterity who were righteous into the valley of Adam-ondi-Ahman, and there bestowed upon them his last blessing. Section 116, of the same book, is a revelation which desig- nates Adam-ondi-Ahman as a spot of ground known as Spring Hill, in Daviess county, Missouri. MERCY. r The quality of mercy is not strained; It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven Upon the place beneath. It is twice blessed; It blesseth him that gives, and him that takes: 'Tis mightiest in the mightiest; it becomes The throned monarch better than his crown. His scepter shows the force of temporal power, The attribute to awe and majesty. Wherein doth set the dread and fear of kings. But mercy is above the sceptered sway It is enthroned in the hearts of kings; It is an attribute to God himself; And earthly power doth then show likest God's, When mercy seasons justice. Therefore, Jew, Though justice be thy plea consider this That, in the course of justice, none of us we do pray for mercy; Should see salvation; And that same prayer doth teach us all to render The deeds of mercy. Merchant of Venice.