---
title: Improvement Era
description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930.
authors:
  - Dalton, F. 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: 'F. F. Dalton, "Life’s Mission," *Improvement Era* 6, no. 5 (March 1903): 360.'
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: 360
end_page: 360
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.
---

# Life’s Mission

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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