---
title: Improvement Era
description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930.
authors:
  - Smith, Joseph F.
collections:
  - periodicals
tags:
  - magazine
  - improvement-era
periodical: Improvement Era
volume: 6
number: 5
published: 1903-03
publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations
publisher_place: Salt Lake City
language: en
type: magazine
reference: 'Joseph F. Smith, "Editor’s Table: An Epistle on Ethics," *Improvement Era* 6, no. 5 (March 1903): 388–389.'
source:
  url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera0605unse
  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: improvementera0605unse
start_page: 388
end_page: 389
rights:
  status: public-domain
  basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1903-03)
  source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera0605unse
  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.
---

# Editor’s Table: An Epistle on Ethics

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EDITOR'S TABLE.
AN EPISTLE ON ETHICS.
If it were in good form to project "don'ts" at the young men
of the Church, I should head the list with what is a very important
one: "Don't meddle with other people's business; mind your own."^
The "Mormon" creed: "Mind your own business," is a good
motto for young people to adopt who wish to succeed, and who
wish to make the best use of their time and lives. And when I
say young people, it includes as well aged and middle aged men
and women.
Let it be remembered that nothing is quite so contemptible
as idle gossip. Byron said a good thing when he put into the
mouth of Don Juan these words:
In  fact  there's  nothing makes me  so much grieve
As that abominable tittle-tattle,
Which is the cud eschewed by human cattle.
How idle to go about whispering mysterious words here and
there—words often without foundation in fact, but uttered with
injurious intent, and perhaps with the idea of creating for the
whisperer some imaginary respect, because of his supposed pos-
session of special knowledge! But such action seldom bodes
good, or sets upon the round of human lips sentiments of appre-
ciation for the excellent, the beautiful, and the true, in a brother,
neighbor, or friend. Such gossip and meddling constantly hold to
view the defects of its subjects, and the scandals that are born fly as
upon the wings of eagles. To be thus engaged is a positive injury,
also, to the person so employed, because by constantly holding the
defects of others in his own mind, he ruins his own ability to see
and appreciate the virtues of his fellows, thus stifling his nobler self.

<!-- page:389 -->

EDITOR'S TABLE. 389
It is so very much better for a person to strive to develop him-
self by observing all the good points he can find in others, than to
strangle the growth of his better self by cherishing a fault-finding,
sullen and intermeddling spirit. The scriptures support this
thought. The great Psalmist says in substance in the fifteenth
psalm: "He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to
his neighbor, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbor, shall
abide in the tabernacle of the Lord, and never be moved." To
abide in the tabernacle of the Lord is to enjoy his Holy Spirit.
Now, he that taketh up a reproach against his neighbor is in great
danger of losing the Spirit of the Lord. "But my neighbor has
done this, that, or the other that is forbidden by the law or the
Church, or good usage, why should I not set him right?" says one.
Let that one ask himself: "Is it my business?" The answer will
suggest itself: If it is not my business, let me be wise enough to
mind my own business. For "he that refraineth his lips is wise,
and he that uttereth a slander is a fool"; and, further, the Lord
declares through the Psalmist: "Whoso privily slandereth his
neighbor, him will I cut off."
But with all these warnings, and with the constant drilling
into our ears of the virtue of minding our own business which
was early a characteristic of the "Mormon" people, and which is
so yet, thank God—there are still persons among us who delight
in meddling with others' affairs, setting forth idle tales about
their neighbors, and seeking to create strife and turmoil among
the people. They are loath to lead out to do anything themselves,
but are constantly worrying about what others do, and how they
do it. They are ever alert for the disagreeable, and seldom see
good in anything, or behold virtue in the motive of anyone.
Such a spirit should be avoided, and especially by young
men and women, who should rather seek to cultivate magnanimous,
charitable, and loving thoughts towards all. We meet in others
just about the sentiments we entertain of them, and are paid in
return with much the same coin that we circulate. Our duty,
then, is to surround ourselves with an atmosphere of kindness and
consideration for our fellows. Such a course will prove favorable
to all that is best in us, and will produce a like effect upon all who
come within the circle of our influence.   It will, besides, and best