Life’s Mission

360 IMPROVEMENT ERA, God's choicest and greatest of prophets—the vagaries of an apos- tate Christendom will have no attraction for the youth of Israel. It was generous in you, Messrs. Editors of the Era, to give place to the really able article of Mr. Van Der Donckt. I am glad you did it, for several reasonst First, because it was a courteous, and generous act in itself; second, it stands out in marked contrast to the treatment accorded us in sectarian religious periodicals; third, because it must demonstrate to our youth that we have no fear of placing our principles where they may be tested by the religious doctrines and philosophies of men; and although the elders of the Church of Christ may not be equal in learning and polemical skill with the champions of other systems, yet we have the truth, and our confidence is that it will hold its own in the con- flicts that may beat upon it. We have the truth, I repeat, on this sub- ject; that is, we have the truth, so far as God has been pleased to reveal it. All truth respecting God is not yet revealed, even to the Church of Christ now on the earth, but so much as he has revealed, is true. Our feet in the matter have been set in the right path; we have lines of truth placed in our hands, which, if we and our children but follow patiently and with becoming humility, I am sure will lead us into that fullness of truth wherein is no incompleteness, but all is truth—God's truth, and all the truth about God. LIFE'S MISSION. BY F. F. DALTON. The question might be asked: In what does man realize the greatest happiness? Perhaps I would surprise some if I said, work! work of the brain—work of the muscles—that work most fitted for us. Some sorrows, some griefs, some misfortunes, are drowned in the meshes of work—the work of the brain and the brawn—it is the solace of many, the heritage of all, the nucleus of every suc- cess in life; yet some, especially young people, live in dread of as- suming a work: some, with the thought that the mind will be