--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Sarah E. Pearson collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 6 number: 12 published: 1903-10 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'Sarah E. Pearson, "A Life Sketch", *Improvement Era* 6, no. 12 (October 1903): 915–921.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera0612unse 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: improvementera0612unse start_page: 915 end_page: 921 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1903-10) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera0612unse 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. --- # A Life Sketch THE "DIVINITY THAT SHAPES OUR ENDS." 909 even this seemed to be a providential circumstance. By this application of what is called the law of natural selection, which is only another name for the law of divine selection, Utah became peopled by a sturdy race of men and women. I have mentioned only a very few out of the many examples that might be presented to confirm the belief that the Lord takes cognizance of the acts of his children —that there is a divinity that determines their destiny. Hundreds more might be cited if necessary. The life of every individual who has attained to any success, either small or great, if closely examined would, no doubt, reveal evidence of divine guidance — every one, it seems, has been directed to the place he is best fitted to occupy. But what about those whose lives are failures? I believe thesame statement will also apply to them. They, too, without doubt, were recipients of the same divine care, but, having their own agency, as all mankind have, they chose to disregard the admonitions of that guiding divinity, and by doing so have failed in the accom- plishment of any great good in life; yet it may be said they have attained to the destiny for which they were best fitted, even though it be the fate of the drunkard or the doom of the crim- inal. While the illustrations I have presented are from the lives of persons more or less prominent among the Latter-day Saints, I have not mentioned the great leaders of the people — such men as Joseph and Hyrum Smith, Brigham Young, John Taylor, Heber C. Kimball, Parley P. and Orson Pratt, George A. Smith, Daniel H. Wells, Wilford Woodruff, Lorenzo Snow, George Q. Cannon, and others of the past, and those of the present. By what subtle power were so many of these strong characters brought together and united so firmly in one grand cause? Surely it was not the personal influence of any ordinary mortal, or even superior human being, unaided by a higher power. It is doubtful if any other such group of strong characters —men of such sublime moral courage, and so well fitted to perform the parts to which they were assigned — as the ones referred to, could be found in any other community in the world. Assuredly there was a divinity that shaped their ends, and fitted them together in the foundation of the mighty structure known as the Church of Jesus Christ of Lat- 910 IMPROVEMENT ERA. ter-day Saints. Their lives and labors furnish pointed proof of the fact which I have been .endeavoring to establish. And who that possesses a knowledge of the history of these men, and what they have done, can deny that they were divinely inspired, and that the work thev sought to build up is the work of God? The his- tory of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is in itself a powerful testimony of its divinity. EVERY KNEE SHALL BOW. BY RUTH M. FOX. I stood in the valley and wondered Where the God of the mountains could be, As they towered triumphant above me, Maintaining his majesty, In all their magnificent grandeur, Proclaiming eternity. Enthralled, I gazed on the lightning Flashing far from the east to the west, Fantastically striking the heav'ns, And piercing the mountain's proud crest; But I questioned, whence comes this wild beauty, And wherefore my soul's unrest? I listened in awe to the thunder, When it trembled and crashed o'er my head, Quivering the great earth beneath me, And filling my being with dread; Still the demon of doubt did possess me: "Where is the great God ?" I said. Then turning about to the ocean, With it's mysteries hidden and deep, Envying" the peace of the sleepers That neath the dark surface did sleep; I cried out, "Say, where is thy master, And who doth thy bound'ries keep V — — EVERY KNEE SHALL BOW. 911 Out from the depths of the waters There came a significant roar: "Thou fool, seekest thou the Eternal Who made both the ocean and shore ? Who made thee, thou questioning doubter ? Go, lift thine eyes and adore." I turned from the cold, surging billows Half ashamed of my lingering doubt, Distrustful, unloved and unhappy, The hope of the future shut out, While even the voices of nature Appeared my mad follies to scout. Then the moon swept forth from its hiding, And the stars twinkled in the blue dome, Shedding their radiance about me, As mine eyes the landscape did roam. Subdued by the exquisite beauty, I stood there, repentant, alone. I liftedmine eyes towards heaven With a longing displacing despair; I knew I had sinned, but dared not, In my stubborn heart form a pray'r. Yet I felt that a Master Designer, Had fashioned this planet so fair. Through the hush then stole a soft whigper Yet 'twas keen as a two-edged sword: "Oh man, didst thou doubt thy Creator ?" I fell on my knees to my Lord. Ev'ry tongue shall confess the Redeemer, Ev'ry knee shall bow to his word. THE THOUGHT OF SELF. BY GRACE FROST, OF SALT LAKE CITY, "Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ^ (Gal. 6:2). Is not this a law of our Savior which is being kept very little by people at the present day ? It isnow "every man for himself," regardless of his fellow man. Even in our own Church this is the case to a greater or less extent, yet we are called brothers and sisters, and the evil is still growing. Our neighbor may be in trouble, but if we are not intimately acquainted, we consider it not our business, especially if he is not of our faith. We go pleasure-seeking while one, perchance in the next house, is bowed down with sorrow. How can we ? If the person be "Mormon," Jew or Gentile he is one of God's children, and, being so, is entitled to our love and sympathy. The gospel should broaden not narrow our minds. Sympathy is sweet, even though itcome from a Hottentot, and one's burden is lightened thereby. There are some people who obey the Master' 3 words concern- ing lightening the burdens of others, but they are few compared with those who do not. Young people are much given to this evil. There are many of them who are even unmindful of the bur- dens carried by those of thair own household. Mothers are worn out with domestic duties, while daughters are going hither and thither having a good time, never seeing the weary eye and lag- ging step of their parent; and sons are allowing their fathers to carry like burdens. What is going to happen if this condition goes on ? If chil- dren do not care enough for those to whom they owe their being; THE THOUGHT OF SELF. 913 to share their burdens, they will never learn to bear the burdens of others in after life. Girls and boys, begin now. It is never too late to mend. There are few things more displeasing in our Heavenly Father's sight than "selfishness." It is one of the "roots of all evil." Let us show by acts of consideration and kindness that we are unselfish and love our fellow men. Christ says that we must first love our brother whom we have seen, or we can never love God whom we have not seen. If we love our brother, we must show our love, and in no greater way can this be done than in set- ting one's selfish desires aside and helping him to bear his burdens. In doing this, we will not only help our brothers and sisters, but please the one who was so unselfish that he died for us, his broth- ers and sisters. Can any one follow in more unselfish footsteps ? Let us hold our crosses with one hand (for all have crosses, though some are heavier and rougher than others) while we help some poor, shipwrecked brother to steady his; and look upward ever to our Savior. His cross was heavy, so heavy that he staggered under its weight, but he bore it uncomplainingly and unselfishly, for it was for our sake. Always remember this, and though our cross be ever so heavy, we can lighten its weight by thinking of those borne by our brothers and sisters. Do not try to shirk it, but bear it bravely, asking God to help you and all who have a cross to bear. The "prayer of self" is not a fit prayer for any of us. Instead of saying "Father, help me," say "Father, help us," remembering our Elder Brother said in his prayer, "Father, give us our daily bread,'' not "Give me my daily bread." Selfishness is a powerful foe to fight, but we must all c onquer it, if we intend to keep the commandments of God and ever come to the perfection of loving our neighbor as ourself. THE PROPHET AND THE SALT LAKE TEMPLE; BY J. L. TOWNSEND, PAYSON, UTAH. (For the Improvement Era.) Who hath a prophet's eye? Who dares to cast the die, And say to Destiny, "Thus shalt thou be! Here, where the sagebrush grew, Here, where the ouzel flew, He for ward looked: he could this temple see; For faith and vision shapes our destiny! Who hath a prophet's ear, The still small voice to hear, And learns what God desires shall be made known? His voice shall ring along Through centuries of song; His fame be known when other fame has flown, A royal regent of God's royal throne! Who hath the power to do, Unwavering and true, The will of God? 'Tis he whom God ordains! God's seal upon the brow Shows why, and when, and how; All heights above, all depths beneath, attains; Gives power, gives strength — all mystery explains! Who hath an iron will? Who can his hearers thrill With some great hope, some purpose loved and vast? Yet here love's labor brought The skill, the faith, that wrought This massive temple, welding first and last All dispensations of the mighty Past. A LIFE SKETCH. BY SARAH E. PEARSON. PART I. There are many beautiful testimonies of the existence of things unseen which are never recounted to the scoffer at all, and not always, for one cause or another, to the children of the covenant. Yet to speak of those things which are lawful tends to increase our faith and add to our patient endurance under stress of suf- fering. We may know the things of God by the Spirit of God, and that, to the pure and fervent mind, is one of the strongest and most wonderful, as well as the commonest of testimonies. It is not given to everyone to have visions or the ministra- tion of angels, but we who may not be so favored love to hear the experience of those who do. I have often had it in my mind to write something of the life- experience of my maternal grandfather, Nathan Staker, who passed from this sphere of action some years ago, at a ripe old age, leaving many descendants in this western country. He was four or five years the senior of the Prophet Joseph, and was of German-Dutch extraction. My first introduction to a sketch of the history of my "fore- bears" on my mother's side came in this wise: My mother's sister, Mary A. Farnsworth, was one day visiting at my home, when I brought out a genealogy of my father's family three hundred years back, and showed her the long line of American patriots and states- men, remarking that I was very proud of my American ancestry. She laughed, and said, "My dear girl, 'pride goeth before a fall;' for your great-grand- father, on your mother's side, was a native of Hesse-Cassel in