--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - O. S. Marden collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 7 number: 1 published: 1903-11 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'O. S. Marden, "About Friends", *Improvement Era* 7, no. 1 (November 1903): 30.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera0701unse 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: improvementera0701unse start_page: 30 end_page: 30 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1903-11) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera0701unse 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. --- # About Friends 30 IMPROVEMENT ERA. is good in all creeds, but the little truth contained in each is so enveloped in a mass of tangled misconceptions and false ideas, that the advocates of these various creeds become like Gratiano, the ancient proser, who spoke an infinite deal of nothing; and whose reasons were as two grains of wheat hid in two bushels of chaff; "you shall seek all day ere you find them, and when you have them they are not worth the search." Truth brings unity, and unity strength and power. Let us all work for the advancement of truth, that God's purposes might be fulfilled in the earth, and that the truth may become a greater factor in the world than it is at the present time. ABOUT FRIENDS- Those who would make friends must cultivate the qualities which are admired and which attract. If you are mean, stingy, and selfish, nobody will admire you. You must cultivate generosity and large-heartedness; you must be magnanimous and tolerant; you must have positive qualities; for a negative, shrinking, apolo- gizing, roundabout man is You must cultivate courage despised. and boldness; for a coward has few friends. You must believe in yourself; if you do not, others will not believe in you. You must look upward, and be hopeful, cheery, and optimistic. * * * * If you are selfish, and think of nothing but your own advance- ment; if you are wondering how you can use everybody to help you along; if you look upon every man or woman you are intro- duced to as so much more possible success capital; if you measure people by the amount of business they can send you, they will look upon you in the same way. If you have friends, don't be afraid to express your friend- ship; don't be them that you admire or love them. afraid to tell If you love anybody, why not say so? If you enjoy anyone's company, why not say so? It costs you nothing; it may mean everything to your friend, and to your friendship. — 0. ^'. Marden,