---
title: Improvement Era
description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930.
authors:
  - First Presidency
collections:
  - periodicals
tags:
  - magazine
  - improvement-era
periodical: Improvement Era
volume: 7
number: 4
published: 1904-02
publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations
publisher_place: Salt Lake City
language: en
type: magazine
reference: 'First Presidency, "The Church and Kingdom of God," *Improvement Era* 7, no. 4 (February 1904): 274–279.'
source:
  url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera0704unse
  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: improvementera0704unse
start_page: 274
end_page: 279
rights:
  status: public-domain
  basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1904-02)
  source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera0704unse
  publication_year: 1904
  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 1904, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright.
---

# The Church and Kingdom of God

<!-- page:274 -->

THE 
        CHURCH 
        AND 
        KINGDOM 
        OF 
        GOD.
by 
        the 
        first 
        presidency 
        of 
        the 
        church, 
        in 
        the 
        christmas
"deseret 
        nev/s."
The 
        Christmas 
        season 
        brings 
        to 
        mind 
        the 
        mission 
        and 
        teach-
ings of 
        that 
        Divine 
        man 
        whose 
        birth 
        into 
        the 
        world 
        is 
        now 
        com-
memorated. His 
        forerunner 
        proclaimed, 
        concerning 
        his 
        advent,
"The 
        kingdom 
        of 
        heaven 
        is 
        at 
        hand!" 
        The 
        enemies 
        of 
        Christ 
        and
his 
        cause 
        declared 
        this 
        to 
        be 
        treason 
        against 
        imperial 
        Rome. 
        And
the 
        cruel 
        death 
        to 
        which 
        the 
        Messiah 
        was 
        put 
        followed 
        the 
        accusa-
tion. Yet 
        the 
        kingdom 
        that 
        was 
        announced 
        by 
        the 
        Baptist 
        and 
        the
Nazarene, 
        was 
        in 
        no 
        sense 
        inimical 
        to 
        any 
        earthly 
        government, 
        but
tended 
        to 
        make 
        its 
        adherents 
        better 
        citizens 
        and 
        more 
        useful 
        to
the 
        state 
        because 
        of 
        their 
        attachment 
        to 
        the 
        Church 
        and 
        King-
dom of 
        God. 
        They 
        were 
        to 
        "render 
        unto 
        Csesar 
        the 
        things 
        that
were 
        Caesar's" 
        while 
        they 
        "rendered 
        unto 
        God 
        the 
        things 
        that 
        were
God's."
It 
        is 
        the 
        same 
        in 
        the 
        restoration 
        of 
        the 
        church 
        and 
        kingdom
in 
        the 
        latter 
        days, 
        preceding 
        the 
        second 
        advent 
        of 
        the 
        world's
Redeemer. 
        It 
        is 
        again 
        announced 
        that 
        "the 
        kingdom 
        of 
        heaven 
        is
at 
        hand," 
        and, 
        as 
        a 
        preparatory 
        work, 
        the 
        Church 
        of 
        Jesus 
        Christ
of 
        Latter-day 
        Saints 
        has 
        been 
        organized, 
        by 
        Divine 
        authority 
        and
commandment. 
        And 
        history 
        repeats 
        itself 
        in 
        the 
        old 
        cry 
        of
' 
        treason" 
        and 
        the 
        "Mormon" 
        organization 
        is 
        imperium 
        in 
        imperio.
Yet 
        it 
        does 
        not 
        attempt 
        to 
        exercise 
        the 
        powers 
        of 
        a 
        secular
government, 
        but 
        its 
        influence 
        and 
        effects 
        are 
        to 
        strengthen 
        and
promote 
        fidelity 
        to 
        the 
        law, 
        and 
        loyalty 
        to 
        the 
        nation, 
        where 
        its
followers 
        reside.
The 
        phrase 
        "church 
        and 
        kingdom"  
        is  
        frequently 
        used 
        by

<!-- page:275 -->

THE 
        CHURCH 
        AND 
        KINGDOM 
        OF 
        GOD. 
        275
speakers 
        and 
        writers 
        in 
        reference 
        to 
        the 
        system 
        called 
        "Mor-
monism." 
        It 
        is 
        solely 
        an 
        ecclesiastical 
        organization. 
        It 
        is 
        sep-
arate and 
        distinct 
        from 
        the 
        state. 
        It 
        does 
        not 
        interfere 
        with 
        any
earthly 
        government. 
        Its 
        members, 
        however, 
        are 
        also 
        citizens,
entitled 
        to 
        the 
        same 
        rights 
        and 
        privileges 
        as 
        other 
        persons 
        who
are 
        not 
        of 
        their 
        faith. 
        Its 
        officers 
        are 
        not 
        deprived 
        of 
        anything
appertaining 
        to 
        citizenship 
        in 
        consequence 
        of 
        their 
        ecclesiastical
calling. 
        Their 
        duty 
        to 
        God 
        is 
        not 
        incompatible 
        with 
        their 
        duty 
        to
their 
        country; 
        on 
        the 
        contrary, 
        the 
        former 
        implies 
        and 
        emphasizes
the 
        latter.
The 
        religion 
        of 
        the 
        Latter-day 
        Saints 
        relates 
        to 
        present
conduct 
        as 
        well 
        as 
        future 
        happiness. 
        It 
        influences 
        its 
        votaries 
        in
everything 
        that 
        effects 
        human 
        character. 
        It 
        is 
        for 
        the 
        body 
        as
well 
        as 
        for 
        the 
        spirit. 
        It 
        teaches 
        people 
        how 
        to 
        live 
        and 
        act 
        in
this 
        world 
        that 
        they 
        may 
        be 
        prepared 
        for 
        the 
        realities 
        of 
        the 
        world
to 
        come. 
        The 
        Church, 
        therefore, 
        instructs 
        in 
        things 
        temporal 
        as
well 
        as 
        things 
        spiritual, 
        so 
        far 
        as 
        they 
        relate 
        to 
        the 
        Church, 
        its
properties 
        and 
        institutions 
        and 
        the 
        association 
        of 
        its 
        adherents.
But 
        it 
        does 
        not 
        infringe 
        upon 
        the 
        liberty 
        of 
        the 
        individual 
        or
encroach 
        upon 
        the 
        domain 
        of 
        the 
        state. 
        The 
        free 
        agency 
        of 
        man
is 
        a 
        fundamental 
        principle 
        which, 
        according 
        to 
        the 
        tenets 
        of 
        the
Church, 
        even 
        God 
        himself 
        does 
        not 
        suppress. 
        Therefore 
        the 
        Church
does 
        not 
        dictate 
        a 
        member's 
        business, 
        his 
        politics 
        or 
        his 
        personal
affairs. 
        It 
        never 
        tells 
        a 
        citizen 
        what 
        occupation 
        he 
        shall 
        follow,
whom 
        he 
        shall 
        vote 
        for, 
        or 
        with 
        which 
        party 
        he 
        shall 
        affiliate.
In 
        the 
        case 
        of 
        such 
        Church 
        officers 
        as 
        are 
        expected 
        to 
        devote
their 
        time 
        and 
        talents 
        constantly 
        in 
        its 
        service, 
        and 
        upon 
        whom 
        it
depends 
        for 
        the 
        prompt 
        performance 
        of 
        such 
        obligations, 
        it
requires 
        that 
        they 
        shall, 
        before 
        entering 
        into 
        secular 
        pursuits 
        that
would 
        prevent 
        them 
        from 
        attending 
        to 
        their 
        Church 
        duties, 
        first
acquaint 
        their 
        presiding 
        officers 
        with 
        their 
        desires, 
        and 
        obtain 
        per-
mission to 
        carry 
        out 
        their 
        intentions, 
        in 
        order 
        that 
        no 
        confusion 
        or
failure 
        in 
        the 
        order 
        and 
        work 
        of 
        the 
        Church 
        may 
        be 
        occasioned
thereby. 
        This 
        requirement 
        necessarily 
        extends 
        to 
        the 
        acceptance
of 
        political 
        office, 
        but 
        not 
        to 
        the 
        choice 
        of 
        party 
        or 
        the 
        liberty 
        to
engage 
        in 
        such 
        political 
        or 
        other 
        activity 
        as 
        would 
        not 
        interfere
with 
        the 
        services 
        due 
        to 
        the 
        Church. 
        Every 
        officer 
        as 
        well 
        as
member 
        of 
        the 
        Church 
        is 
        entirely 
        free 
        as 
        to 
        political 
        opinion 
        and

<!-- page:276 -->

276 
        IMPROVEMENT 
        ERA.
action,   
        and   
        may 
        resign  
        any  
        position  
        that  
        is  
        in  
        restraint  
        of
perfect 
        liberty.
The 
        early 
        settlement 
        of 
        Utah 
        by 
        the 
        Latter-day 
        Saints 
        or
"Mormons" 
        was 
        the 
        result 
        of 
        persecution 
        and 
        hostility 
        to 
        their
religion. 
        The 
        Church 
        leaders 
        were 
        the 
        pioneers 
        in 
        this 
        coloniza-
tion. They 
        directed 
        the 
        movement 
        and 
        the 
        work 
        of 
        founding 
        and
building 
        cities 
        and 
        industries, 
        for 
        the 
        formation 
        of 
        a 
        new 
        common-
wealth. When 
        the 
        Territory 
        was 
        organized 
        by 
        Congress, 
        they
were 
        placed 
        in 
        public 
        office 
        as 
        the 
        logical 
        and 
        fitting 
        incumbents.
The 
        President 
        of 
        the 
        Church, 
        the 
        leading 
        pioneer, 
        was 
        appointed
Governor 
        by 
        the 
        President 
        and 
        Senate 
        of 
        the 
        United 
        States. 
        Other
prominent 
        Church 
        leaders 
        received 
        civil 
        appointments, 
        and 
        the
most 
        active 
        Church 
        officials, 
        being 
        engaged 
        also 
        in 
        promoting
secular 
        improvements, 
        were 
        elected 
        to 
        territorial 
        and 
        civil 
        posi-
tions. This 
        condition 
        of 
        affairs 
        fostered 
        the 
        notion 
        that 
        "Mor-
monism" 
        united 
        church 
        and 
        state. 
        The 
        unaminity 
        that 
        prevailed
in 
        the 
        choice 
        of 
        these 
        public 
        servants, 
        while 
        the 
        people 
        of 
        Utah
were 
        practically 
        of 
        one 
        faith 
        and 
        party, 
        further 
        favored 
        the
impression 
        abroad 
        that 
        they 
        voted 
        as 
        they 
        were 
        required 
        by 
        the
Church. 
        But 
        the 
        ecclesiastical 
        and 
        political 
        systems 
        were 
        kept
distinct, 
        and 
        their 
        affairs 
        were 
        separately 
        conducted 
        and 
        main-
tained.
It 
        does 
        not 
        follow, 
        because 
        a 
        man 
        who 
        is 
        elected 
        to 
        a 
        national,
state, 
        or 
        municipal 
        office, 
        is 
        also 
        a 
        minister 
        of 
        religion, 
        that 
        a
union 
        is 
        formed 
        between 
        church 
        and 
        state. 
        And 
        if 
        there 
        is 
        any-
thing of 
        that 
        nature 
        in 
        the 
        case 
        of 
        an 
        ecclesiast 
        in 
        one 
        of 
        the
orthodox 
        churches 
        holding 
        a 
        political 
        office, 
        it 
        is 
        different 
        with 
        the
officials 
        of 
        the 
        "Mormon" 
        Church, 
        who, 
        as 
        a 
        rule, 
        follow 
        secular
pursuits 
        for 
        their 
        livelihood, 
        and 
        engage 
        in 
        business 
        like 
        other
citizens. 
        They 
        do 
        not 
        form 
        a 
        separate 
        class 
        even 
        among 
        their
co-religionists, 
        but 
        the 
        priesthood 
        of 
        the 
        "Mormon" 
        Church, 
        is
held 
        by 
        the 
        large 
        majority 
        of 
        its 
        male 
        members. 
        And 
        the 
        Church
exacts 
        no 
        special 
        duty 
        from 
        any 
        person 
        who 
        is 
        elected 
        to 
        a 
        polit-
ical office, 
        nor 
        imposes 
        upon 
        him 
        any 
        requirements 
        that 
        conflict
with 
        those 
        of 
        his 
        secular 
        oath 
        or 
        obligation. 
        It 
        interposes 
        nothing
between 
        him 
        and 
        his 
        full 
        fidelity 
        to 
        the 
        government 
        which 
        he
is 
        elected 
        to 
        serve.
There 
        is 
        no 
        such 
        thing 
        as 
        "the 
        oath 
        of 
        an 
        Apostle," 
        or 
        "the

<!-- page:277 -->

THE 
        CHURCH 
        AND 
        KINGDOM 
        OF 
        GOD. 
        277
oath 
        of 
        an 
        Elder," 
        or 
        of 
        any 
        other 
        office 
        in 
        the 
        "Mormon" 
        Church.
Nor 
        is 
        any 
        person 
        belonging 
        to 
        it 
        required 
        to 
        take 
        an 
        oath,
obligation, 
        covenant 
        or 
        agreement 
        against 
        or 
        to 
        the 
        injury 
        of 
        any
government 
        under 
        the 
        sun. 
        All 
        statements 
        to 
        the 
        contrary 
        are
mistakes 
        or 
        wilful 
        untruths. 
        The 
        Church 
        and 
        kingdom 
        of 
        God
promotes 
        obedience 
        to 
        the 
        laws 
        of 
        the 
        land, 
        and 
        recognizes 
        the
national 
        constitution 
        as 
        of 
        Divine 
        origin, 
        in 
        that 
        it 
        was 
        framed 
        by
wise 
        men, 
        raised 
        up 
        by 
        the 
        Almighty 
        for 
        that 
        very 
        purpose. 
        Its
principles 
        are 
        to 
        be 
        upheld, 
        and 
        the 
        authority 
        it 
        confers 
        is 
        to 
        be
respected 
        and 
        sustained 
        by 
        every 
        Latter-day 
        Saint. 
        This 
        has 
        been
taught 
        in 
        the 
        Church 
        from 
        the 
        beginning, 
        in 
        public 
        and 
        in 
        private,
and 
        is 
        established 
        as 
        one 
        of 
        its 
        "Articles 
        of 
        Faith." 
        Such
statutes 
        as 
        at 
        any 
        time 
        were 
        resisted 
        by 
        "Mormons" 
        were 
        opposed
because 
        they 
        were 
        believed 
        to 
        be 
        contrary 
        to 
        the 
        constitution,
and 
        were 
        tested 
        in 
        the 
        manner 
        provided 
        in 
        that 
        sacred 
        instrument.
The 
        result 
        has 
        been 
        acquiesced 
        in, 
        at 
        the 
        cost 
        of 
        much 
        humiliation
and 
        suffering 
        to 
        many 
        individuals.
The 
        Bible, 
        which 
        is 
        one 
        of 
        the 
        written 
        standards 
        of 
        the 
        "Mor-
mon" Church, 
        teems 
        with 
        predictions 
        and 
        promises 
        of 
        the 
        estab-
lishment of 
        Divine 
        rule 
        on 
        the 
        earth; 
        of 
        the 
        advent 
        of 
        a 
        reign 
        of
righteousness 
        extending 
        over 
        all 
        the 
        face 
        of 
        the 
        globe. 
        Christ 
        is
to 
        be 
        king, 
        and 
        all 
        nations 
        and 
        peoples 
        are 
        to 
        serve 
        and 
        obey
him. 
        That 
        is 
        to 
        be 
        the 
        kingdom 
        of 
        God 
        in 
        very 
        deed. 
        The 
        Church
of 
        Jesus 
        Christ 
        of 
        Latter-day 
        Saints 
        is 
        set 
        up 
        preparatory 
        to 
        that
kingdom. 
        Its 
        gospel 
        is 
        the 
        "gospel 
        of 
        the 
        kingdom." 
        Its 
        prin-
ciples, ordinances, 
        authority 
        and 
        gifts, 
        are 
        of 
        heavenly 
        origin. 
        It
is, 
        therefore, 
        the 
        spiritual 
        "Kingdom 
        of 
        heaven," 
        bearing 
        within 
        it
the 
        influence 
        and 
        power 
        that 
        are 
        to 
        open 
        the 
        way 
        for 
        the 
        fulfil-
ment of 
        the 
        prophecies 
        concerning 
        the 
        universal 
        dominion 
        of 
        the
Son 
        of 
        God. 
        Church 
        members 
        are 
        commanded 
        by 
        Divine 
        revela-
tion, to 
        "be 
        subject 
        unto 
        the 
        powers 
        that 
        be, 
        until 
        he 
        comes 
        whose
right 
        it 
        is 
        to 
        reign." 
        They 
        are 
        thus 
        enjoined 
        by 
        the 
        same 
        author-
ity: "Let 
        no 
        man 
        break 
        the 
        laws 
        of 
        the 
        land, 
        for 
        he 
        that 
        obeys
the 
        laws 
        of 
        God 
        hath 
        no 
        need 
        to 
        break 
        the 
        laws 
        of 
        the 
        land." 
        The
twelfth 
        article 
        of 
        faith, 
        taught 
        to 
        children 
        in 
        the 
        Sunday 
        schools, 
        to
the 
        young 
        people 
        of 
        both 
        sexes 
        in 
        the 
        Mutual 
        Improvement 
        Associa-
tions, and 
        to 
        all 
        communicants 
        in 
        the 
        Church 
        is:    
        "We 
        believe 
        in

<!-- page:278 -->

278 
        niPRGVEMENl 
        ERA.
being 
        subject 
        to 
        kings, 
        presidents, 
        rulers 
        and 
        magistrates, 
        in
obeying, 
        honoring 
        and 
        sustaining 
        the 
        law."
The 
        courts 
        of 
        the 
        Church 
        are 
        entirely 
        ecclesiastical. 
        They
adjudicate 
        between 
        Church 
        members 
        in 
        matters 
        of 
        dispute, 
        and 
        in
the 
        promotion 
        of 
        Church 
        discipline. 
        Litigation 
        among 
        them 
        is
deprecated, 
        and 
        it 
        is 
        deemed 
        wrong 
        for 
        brother 
        to 
        go 
        to 
        law
against 
        brother. 
        But 
        no 
        penalty 
        is 
        enforced 
        other 
        than 
        disfellow-
shipment, 
        or 
        excommunication 
        as 
        the 
        extreme 
        punishment. 
        The
courts 
        of 
        law 
        are 
        recognized 
        in 
        their 
        secular 
        capacity, 
        and 
        their
decisions 
        are 
        honored 
        and 
        observed.
Sermons, 
        dissertations 
        and 
        'arguments," 
        by 
        preachers 
        and
writers 
        in 
        the 
        Church, 
        concerning 
        the 
        kingdom 
        of 
        God 
        that 
        is 
        to
be, 
        are 
        not 
        to 
        be 
        understood 
        as 
        relating 
        to 
        the 
        present. 
        If 
        they
are 
        so 
        presented 
        as 
        to 
        convey 
        the 
        idea 
        that 
        the 
        dominion 
        to 
        come
is 
        to 
        be 
        exercised 
        now, 
        the 
        claim 
        is 
        incorrect, 
        no 
        matter 
        by 
        whom
set 
        forth, 
        because 
        it 
        is 
        in 
        direct 
        conflict 
        with 
        Divine 
        revelation 
        to
the 
        Church. 
        Such 
        opinions 
        do 
        not 
        weigh 
        at 
        all 
        when 
        placed 
        in 
        the
scales 
        against 
        the 
        word 
        and 
        command 
        of 
        Almighty 
        God.
The 
        Church 
        and 
        kingdom 
        of 
        God 
        does 
        not 
        use 
        any 
        compulsion
over 
        the 
        souls 
        of 
        men. 
        Nor 
        does 
        it 
        claim 
        any 
        right 
        so 
        to 
        do. 
        The
priesthood 
        which 
        it 
        bears 
        is 
        Divine 
        authority 
        to 
        administer 
        in
behalf 
        of 
        Deity, 
        in 
        the 
        truths 
        and 
        ordinances 
        of 
        salvation. 
        Those
who 
        hold 
        it 
        are 
        warned 
        against 
        seeking 
        to 
        exercise 
        unrighteous
dominion, 
        and 
        instructed 
        that 
        it 
        can 
        only 
        be 
        maintained 
        '"by 
        per-
suasion, by 
        longsuffering, 
        by 
        gentleness 
        and 
        meekness 
        and 
        by 
        love
unfeigned." 
        The 
        presiding 
        authorities 
        therein 
        regulate 
        the 
        afl'airs
of 
        the 
        Church 
        by 
        "common 
        consent," 
        and 
        their 
        jurisdiction 
        is
within, 
        and 
        not 
        without, 
        its 
        ecclesiastical 
        limits. 
        Every 
        member
of 
        the 
        organization 
        in 
        every 
        place 
        is 
        absolutely 
        free 
        as 
        a 
        citizen,
and 
        is 
        not 
        restrained 
        of 
        any 
        liberty 
        enjoyed 
        by 
        non-members.
The 
        attitude 
        of 
        this 
        Church 
        toward 
        other 
        religious 
        societies
is 
        thus 
        clearly 
        set 
        forth 
        in 
        the 
        eleventh 
        article 
        of 
        our 
        faith: 
        "We
claim 
        the 
        privilege 
        of 
        worshiping 
        Almighty 
        God 
        according 
        to 
        the
dictates 
        of 
        our 
        conscience, 
        and 
        allow 
        all 
        men 
        the 
        same 
        privilege,'
let 
        them 
        worship 
        how, 
        where 
        or 
        what 
        they 
        may." 
        In 
        this 
        spirit,
we 
        act 
        toward 
        all 
        the 
        nations 
        and 
        kingdoms 
        of 
        the 
        world. 
        We
have 
        no 
        quarrel 
        with 
        any 
        of 
        them. 
        In 
        proclaiming 
        "the 
        king-
dom of 
        heaven's 
        at 
        hand," 
        we 
        have 
        the 
        most 
        intense 
        and 
        fervent

<!-- page:279 -->

THE 
        CHURCH 
        AND 
        KINGDOM 
        OF 
        GOD. 
        279
convictions 
        of 
        our 
        mission 
        and 
        calling, 
        and 
        intend 
        to 
        stand 
        by
them 
        under 
        all 
        circumstances 
        and 
        conditions. 
        But 
        we 
        do 
        not 
        and
will 
        not 
        attempt 
        to 
        force 
        them 
        upon 
        others, 
        or 
        to 
        control 
        or
dominate 
        any 
        of 
        their 
        affairs, 
        individual 
        or 
        national. 
        We 
        regard
all 
        people 
        as 
        the 
        children 
        of 
        the 
        Eternal 
        Father, 
        and 
        therefore 
        as
our 
        brothers 
        and 
        sisters. 
        We 
        seek 
        their 
        welfare, 
        we 
        endeavor 
        to
enlighten 
        them, 
        we 
        desire 
        their 
        happiness, 
        progress 
        and 
        salvation.
We 
        abhor 
        tyranny, 
        we 
        resent 
        oppression, 
        but 
        we 
        do 
        not 
        believe
in 
        retaliation 
        for 
        real 
        or 
        supposed 
        injuries. 
        We 
        seek 
        to 
        enjoy 
        and
exercise 
        the 
        spirit 
        that 
        inspired 
        the 
        world's 
        Redeemer 
        who, 
        we
believe, 
        will 
        eventually 
        be 
        its 
        king. 
        And 
        with 
        that 
        feeling, 
        we
proclaim 
        that 
        the 
        motto 
        of 
        this 
        Church 
        and 
        kingdom 
        cf 
        the 
        latter
days 
        on 
        this 
        Christmas 
        day 
        in 
        the 
        year 
        of 
        our 
        Lord 
        1903, 
        is, 
        as 
        of
old, 
        "Peace 
        on 
        earth, 
        good 
        will 
        to 
        man!"
Joseph 
        F. 
        Smith,
John 
        R. 
        Winder,
Anthon 
        H. 
        Lund,
First 
        Presidency 
        of 
        the 
        Church 
        of 
        Jesus 
        Christ 
        of 
        Latter-day 
        Saints.
DO 
        IT 
        WELL.
"One 
        of 
        the 
        main 
        maxims 
        that 
        my 
        father 
        impressed 
        upon 
        me
in 
        childhood," 
        writes 
        a 
        successful 
        and 
        faithful 
        man, 
        "was 
        this 
        one:
'Whatever 
        is 
        worth 
        doing 
        at 
        all, 
        is 
        worth 
        doing 
        well.' 
        " 
        It 
        is 
        sad
to 
        see 
        the 
        half-hearted 
        way 
        in 
        which 
        some 
        boys 
        go 
        about 
        their
business; 
        it 
        makes 
        one 
        long 
        to 
        take 
        the 
        tools 
        out 
        of 
        their 
        hands
and 
        do 
        the 
        work 
        for 
        them. 
        Then 
        there 
        are 
        others 
        who 
        only 
        think
of 
        getting 
        done, 
        without 
        caring 
        how; 
        their 
        work 
        is 
        scamped 
        and
unsatisfactory. 
        They 
        forget 
        the 
        Master's 
        words, 
        "He 
        that 
        is 
        faith-
ful in 
        the 
        least, 
        is 
        faithful 
        also 
        in 
        much." 
        Since 
        there 
        is 
        nothing
too 
        small 
        to 
        be 
        done 
        to 
        the 
        glory 
        of 
        God, 
        surely 
        we 
        should 
        not
think 
        it 
        too 
        much 
        trouble 
        to 
        do 
        our 
        work 
        in 
        such 
        a 
        manner 
        as 
        to
gain 
        his 
        approval.