---
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: 5
number: 12
published: 1902-10
publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations
publisher_place: Salt Lake City
language: en
type: magazine
reference: 'Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations, "Live for Something," *Improvement Era* 5, no. 12 (October 1902): 964.'
source:
  url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera0512unse
  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: improvementera0512unse
start_page: 964
end_page: 964
rights:
  status: public-domain
  basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1902-10)
  source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera0512unse
  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.
---

# Live for Something
<!-- page:964 -->

PHILOSOPHY OF JOSEPH SMITH'S
                        TEACHINGS.
                     A SUGGESTIVE STUDY.

                        BY EDWIN F. PARRY.

    The writings and teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith and
the revelations given through him present    many strong evidences
that he was inspired of heaven     A study of his life and works is a
worthy pursuit for any young man. The prophetic utterances of
the Prophet— such as have been or are being fulfilled      —
                                                      are not
the only proofs of his inspiration.     The wisdom and philosophy
of his teachings afford additional testimony to the fact that he
was divinely enlightened.
    In the world generally, only men of mature years, of wide ex-
perience, and ripe scholarship,   are regarded as philosophers.    It

has been said that a man's mind does not begin to be philosophical
until he is past forty years of age.   Joseph Smith fell a martyr at
the age of thirty- eight, and yet the wisdom of the doctrines he ad-
vanced is equal to that of the most profound thinkers the world
has ever known. Take for an illustration this one gem of philos-
ophy from the writings of the Prophet:
     "There is a law irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foun-
dations of this world, upon which all blessings are predicated;- and
when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that
law upon which it is predicated."
     Those of experience will be convinced, on due consideration,
that this is true philosophy— a wise axiom.     It is   a key to the
treasury of heavenly knowledge, for it opens the door to the store-