--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Richards, L. L. Greene collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 6 number: 4 published: 1903-02 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'L. L. Greene Richards, "Birthday Song of Praise," *Improvement Era* 6, no. 4 (February 1903): 269–270.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera0604unse 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: improvementera0604unse start_page: 269 end_page: 270 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1903-02) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera0604unse publication_year: 1903 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 1903, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # Birthday Song of Praise IN MEMORY. 269 seemed to haunt your mind, whispering, "those who are joined together on earth shall be joined in heaven." In a few months, the sad watch was once more held in that home; but you, dear friend, were not watching this time, only waiting. The doctors said it was a slow fever; yet, as I stood and heard the cold sod strike with its dull sound, I said to myself, you died as others have died, as others live, with a broken heart. "And again, verily I say unto you, if a man marry a wife, and make a covenant with her for time and for all eternity, if that covenant is not by me, or by my word, which is my law, and is not sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise, through him whom I have anointed and appointed unto this power—then it is not valid, neither of force when they are out of the world, because they are not joined by me, saith the Lord, neither by my word. * * * They cannot, therefore, inherit my glory, for my house is a house of order, saith the Lord God."—Doc- trine and Covenants, Sec. 132:18. BIRTHDAY SONG OF PRAISE. BY LULA GREENE RICHARDS. [The following affectionate tribute to President John R. Winder, on the anniversary of his eighty-first birthday, December 11, 1902, was sang in chorus by the Temple choir, the solo being beautifully rendered by Sister Maggie S. Hull, in the morning services at the Temple, on that day.—Editors.] Our noble friend, and kind, This day of days, Our love and thanks combined, In song we raise; That thou hast lived so long, And been so brave and strong, With truth to combat wrong— To God, all praise ! On this, thy natal day, Great heart, and true, We bless thy name, and pray, God to renew, 270 IMPROVEMENT ERA. And grant thee pow'r and grace For every time and place, Until his glorious face Shall greet thy view. Then, well beloved, may we, In jovous ways, Still celebrate with thee Thy day of days; As faithful children still. May we with thee fulfill Jehovah's gracious will, To him, all praise! By evil ne'er enticed, Thy feet have trod The lowly path of Christ, Thou 'st borne the rod; And now, we humbly bring, This grateful offering, We bless thy name, and sing, All praise to God. Yea, praise to him who reigns, And gives reward; Whose arm of love sustains, Whose scribes record, As now thy name appears, With prophets, priests and seers- Through all the coming years, Praise God, the Lord!