“Jagd Nach Dem Glück”

"JAGD NACH DEM GLUECK." BY ELDER HUGH J. CANNON, PRESIDENT OF THE GERMAN MISSION, BERLIN. Occupying a conspicuous place in one of the galleries of Berlin, is a large picture bearing the above title—The Chase After Fortune. Glueck, or Fortune, is represented by a female figure, and she is being pursued by a young man on horseback. She manages, however, to keep just out of his reach. All in vain, he applies the spurs to his steed; in vain, he implores her to wait for him. To his outstretched arms and appealing cry, she returns a winning smile, inciting him to greater efforts. A beautiful girl lies under his horse's feet; in his frenzied determination to reach the object of his desires, he has trampled her to the earth, but even this does not check him in his flight to destruction. The fleeting figure seems so very near, she beckons him with her fair arm, and holds out such great inducements, if he will but come a little farther; that the thought of turning back was not to be con- sidered. She had already cost so much time, so much effort, he has given up his all for her, and now to lose her would be to lose everything. Turn back he cannot—will not. A little greater ex- ertion on his part, and the prize must surely be his, and he will be richly rewarded for his perseverance. But, he has come to the end of the road. Before him is an abyss into which he must fall, and the grim figure of Death, unseen by him, is riding by his side. These dangers, however, are all unnoticed. He has no thought for anything except the happiness which he vainly im- agines is awating him. The writer is not a connoisseur of art, and cannot, therefore,

272 IMPROVEMENT ERA. judge the picture from the standpoint of an artist. Neither is it his intention, in this article, to attempt such a task; but the can- vas teaches a lesson, and points out a moral more eloquently than the most gifted pen could do; and one need not be a great artist, in fact, it is not necessary to know anything about art, to be ben- efited by a study of this painting. After all, are not many of us in positions similar to that occupied by the young man in the pic- ture? What would some of us not give to overtake Fortune? (which represents wealth, ambition, worldly pleasure and the gratification of our baser selves). She stands just before us, so beautiful, so alluring, and beckoning so invitingly for us to follow. Some of the brightest men in the United States have heard the gospel of Jesus Christ, and many of them have been thoroughly convinced of the sincerity and honesty of those who were advo- cating its principles. In many cases, they have been convinced of the correctness of these principles, and that they were revealed by the Almighty to the Prophet of this dispensation for the guidance of his wandering children here upon earth. But their political ambitions, their love of worldly honor, or their unwilling- ness to subject themselves to the strict moral laws imposed upon all Latter-day Saints, lured them on, and they allowed virgin truth to be tramp ed under their feet, in order that they might receive one smile from the siren who was leading them to their doom. In other respects, perhaps, these men were not lacking in honesty or courage, but their unconquerable, desire to be well thought of by their fellow-men would not permit them to join, or even to befriend this unpopular people. One of the most notable instances of this kind was Stephen A. Douglas, who was at one time a good friend of Joseph Smith. In order to gratify his ambition and gain political distinction, he refused to listen to the dictates of conscience, and made a bitter attack upon the Saints, although the Prophet of the Lord had warned him of what the result would be, if he took such a course. He rejected true honor, and was in turn rejected by the spirit of manly uprightness that had formerly characterized his life; and all this because he thought he could see Fortune ahead of him hold- ing out alluring promises. Almost every Latter-day Saint knows what the result was. When he denounced this people, and said

"JAGD NACH DEM GLUECK? 273 that they were "outlaws, unfit to be citizens of a territory, much less ever to become citizens of one of the free and independent states of this confederacy," he gave the destroyer, who unseen was riding alongside, a fatal hold on him. Stephen A. Douglas was not the only candidate for the Presidential chair who was acquainted with the doctrines of the Church, and who had every reason to believe they were true; nor was he the only one who found, when it was too lata, how elusive Fortune may be. The history of the world is full of such instances. But per- haps the Church itself furnishes more and better illustrations, at least to its members, than can be found elsewhere. Of the prom- inent men who left the Church during its infancy, and even up to the present time, all were urged on by the fictitious promise of wealth, power, worldly pleasure, or the honors of men. A very slight acquaintance with Church history is sufficient to show how vain these promises were, and how much disappointment they brought to those who allowed themselves to be led away by them. Instead of happiness, remorse is invariably the result; for neglect of duty brings sorrow and suffering, sooner or later. Instead of gaining the honor and applause of the world, these men were looked down upon; for, however anxious the world may be to lead men astray, she despises them after they have proved recreant to their principles. Perhaps, some day, an artist will paint a picture somewhat similar, and yet very different, to the one here described. His subject may be a man who is devoting his life to the pursuit of Truth. If he understands his subject, he will show how one whose energies are bent in this direction always elevates those with whom he comes in contact, instead of trampling them under foot. During the pursuit, he has been near enough to Truth to enjoy her sweet companionship, and to learn many valuable lessons from her —lessons in virtue, sobriety, honesty, and in doing good to his felloe-man. He has learned to be truly happy. Through her guidance, he is able to avoid the precipice, or is carried safely be- yond it; and when Death's angel does finally call for him, no feeling of fear follows the summons, for he can see before him the smiling face of his Master, and can hear the words, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant."