--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Parry, Edwin F. 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: 'Edwin F. Parry, "Philosophy of Joseph Smith’s Teachings: A Suggestive Study," *Improvement Era* 5, no. 12 (October 1902): 962–963.' 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: 962 end_page: 963 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. --- # Philosophy of Joseph Smith's Teachings: A Suggestive Study ment, and, turning from passage to passage, they read, both bend- ing over the book: "For ye ...took joyfully the spoiling of your . goods, knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance." " That will be pretty fine material with which to build castles, " won't it ? " Again, the Lord promises the faithful ' An inheritance incor- ruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you.' " 'And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain; for the former things are passed away.' " ' He that overcometh shall inherit all things ; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.' " Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into ' the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.' " There conceive of it, Thora. ! We can not understand, only as God touches our eyes, and our hearts, with his love, when a faint glinpse of its glories is given to us." The two sat in silence. From the fjord come faint sounds of music, wafted by tha breeze from the notes of an accordion which some fisher- lad was playing. The afternoon was passing, and yet they tarried. " Yes, Thora," he said, " we will walk together, not only to the river of death, but also out beyond that stream into the gokbn realms of eternity. ' All things shall be ours, whether life or death, or things present, or things to come,' all shall be ours, as they are Christ's, and Christ is God's; for then all power will be given us, and we shall be celestial beings, to walk and work in God's universe forever. Then we may build our castles, and set them in the garden of the Lord, there to stand forever, reflecting the glory of God. We may adorn them with all the beauty that our hearts can desire or our imaginati )n conceive, for will not the riches of eternity be at our command and service! Then shall we be truly rich, for God will give to us our inheritance. Then shall we THE CASTLE BUILDER. 961 be truly wise, for all heights and depths of knowledge will be open to us. Then shall we be truly powerful, for nature's secrets will be to us as an open book, and the elements will be in our hands as clay in the hands of a child. " Thora, to live and love forever — my mind is lost in the in- finitude. may talk about the home 1 shall buili you, my queen, I with its gleaming marble and precious stones: I may try to pic- ture it surrounded with trees and grass and flowers and singing birds ; I may try to tell of the new joys forever springing up, the new triumphs to be celebrated, the flights to be taken into the regions of never-ending wisdom and knowledge — but, the human mind is Though God has given us a glimpse, Thora, it is weak. — but a glimpse, after all but I thank God for that much. What lies before us yet in this life, we know not, but as long as we have this glorious light of hope shining along our path, though that path may be beset with danger and suffering, and strewn with ruin and desolation, yet will we lift our eyes to the light and journey on." The sun went down, and the sky grew full of color. In the solemn hush of evening, every small sound was distinctly heard. Then these minor notes were hushed, one by one. The breeze blew soft and low through the pine forest ; the waters laved soothing- ly murmured in deep, low tones; the sand ; the distant ocean the shadows grew deeper, and the stillness of night came on. Then all sounds melted into one— the soft, soul-penetrating ca- dence of a world asleep. Harald and Thora went silently down to the boat. The sail was hoisted, and they floated into a silver sea. Over head, steady and true and constant, shone the Polar Star. [the end.]