--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Heber J. Grant collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 5 number: 4 published: 1902-02 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'Heber J. Grant, "Messages from Japan—Have a Purpose in Life," *Improvement Era* 5, no. 4 (February 1902): 288–290.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera0504unse 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: improvementera0504unse start_page: 288 end_page: 290 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1902-02) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera0504unse publication_year: 1902 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 1902, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # Messages from Japan—Have a Purpose in Life HAVE A PURPOSE IN LIFE. BY APOSTLE HEBER J, GRANT. To the students of the University of Utah: — Inasmuch as it is impossible to be with you at your devotional exercises tomorrow morning, I take the opportunity of dictating a MESSAGES FROM JAPAN. 289 few words to be read by Professor L3mian, or whomever he may select. This is my first attempt at dictating anything to be read to an audience, and [ do not expect to be able to express myself as sat- isfactorily on paper as I could, were I permitted, to meet with you and enjoy the inspiration of your countenances to assist me in what I had to say. Continuing my remarks of this morning, I wish to urge upon you to have a purpose in life, and to labor with all the zeal and energy which you possess to accomplish that purpose. Samuel Smiles has said that "purposes are like eggs; unless they are hatched into action, they will run into decay." You are all aware of the utter lack of value of decayed eggs, and, therefore, I appeal to you not to allow your purposes to become like unto them. It has been said that "knowledge without practice is like a glass eye — all for show and nothing for use." Try always to make practical use of the knowledge that you gain while in school. The oftener you use your information, the greater will be your ability to do so, and the more good you can do to your companions. An Irishman was met on the street one day, and his friend remarked, "Hello, Pat, I see you have a glass eye." "Yis; but faith, the thing is a great fraud. Niver a bit can I see out of it." Don't allow your knowledge to be as worthless as Pat's glass eye, but see through it and use it, not only for your own benefit, but for the benefit of your associates. Every kind word spoken gives you greater ability to speak another. Every act of assistance rendered by you, through the knowledge that you possess, to aid one of your fellows, gives you greater ability to aid the next one. Good acts grow upon a per- son. I have sometimes thought that many men, judging from their utter lack of kindness and of a disposition to aid others, imagined that if they were to say or do a kind thing, it would destroy their capacity to perform a kind act or say a kind word in the future. If you have a granary full of grain, and you give away a sack or two, there remain that many less in your granary, but if you per- form a kind act or add words of encouragement to one in distress, who is struggling along in the battle of life, the greater is your capacity to do this in the future. Don't go through life with your lips sealed against words of kindness and encouragement. 290 IMPROVEMENT ERA. nor your hearts sealed against performing labors for another. Make a motto in life: always try and assist someone else to carry his burden. The true key to happiness in life is to labor for the happiness of others. I pity the selfish man who has never experi- enced the joy which comes to those who receive the thanks and gratitude of the people whom they may have aided in the struggle of life. I commend Longfellow's "Psalm of Life" to your careful perusal. It has been said that, "To do that which before us lies in daily life is the prime wisdom." By having this for a motto, in addition to having a purpose in life, and making practical use of our knowledge, I have no fear but that all the students of the University, in after years, will be instruments for good in the hands of God, in accomplishing his purposes on earth. The president of the University of Utah, Joseph T. Kingsbury, whom I am sure you all love and respect, is an example of fidelity and enduring devotion to the duties that daily come up before him, and I commend that example to you. The lasting devotion of Dr. John R. Park has been one of the bright, particular stars which has helped to guide me so far through the battle of life, and there is in my heart a debt of grat- itude for him and others to whom I feel that I owe much for the limited success which has attended my efforts. I know that Dr. Park is made happy in knowing of the success of any of the boys and girls who were his pupils. I know that you love and respect the president of your university, and in no way can you show that love in a manner that will be more highly appreciated by him than in doing your duty, and living worthy lives, both while in and out of school. The University, to a certain extent, is judged by it graduates. Let every student feel that when he shall graduate and go forth to do the battle of life, that he will so order his conduct that he will bring credit to himself, and thereby, of necessity, credit to the institution of learning to which he owes so much. All that I have said with reference to showing your love and gratitude to the president of your institution, applies with equal force to the professors, who labor diligently for your advancement; and, above and beyond this, it applies to your fathers and your