---
title: Improvement Era
description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930.
authors:
  - Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations
collections:
  - periodicals
tags:
  - magazine
  - improvement-era
periodical: Improvement Era
volume: 7
number: 10
published: 1904-08
publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations
publisher_place: Salt Lake City
language: en
type: magazine
reference: 'Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations, "Notes," *Improvement Era* 7, no. 10 (August 1904): 798.'
source:
  url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera0710unse
  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: improvementera0710unse
start_page: 798
end_page: 798
rights:
  status: public-domain
  basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1904-08)
  source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera0710unse
  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.
---

# Notes

<!-- page:798 -->

The individual members of the Church have their free agency,
but should not be governed by the prevailing fashions and fads
least of all by the fatal fallacy: no family and no home. Such a
course means disruption and death to the best institutions with
                                                —
which a man may identify himself the home and the church;
and with these with their influences and teachings gone, the state
is in danger of destruction from moral degeneration.
                                                         Joseph F. Smith.

                                        NOTES.

       It is   the   little   things, the trifles, which cut   down the average of
success possibility.

       "How can I hear what you say," said Emerson, "when what you are
is   thundering in my ears?"

       He who sticks to a lie for self-protection         is   as if he clung to a
lightning rod in a thunder-storm.           Selected.

       Dr. Franklin once made the following offer to a young man:
     "Make a full statement of all you owe, and of all that is owing
you.   Reduce the same to a note. As fast as you can collect, pay over
to those you owe.   If you cannot collect, renew your note every year,

and get the best security you can. Go to business diligently, and be
industrious; waste no idle moments; be very economical in all things;
discard all pride; be faithful in your duty to God, be regular and hearty
in prayer, morning   and night; attend church regularly every Sunday;
 and do unto all men as you would they should do unto you. If you are
 in too needy circumstances to give to the poor, do whatever else is in
 your power for them cheerfully; but if you can, always help the poor and
 unfortunate.          Pursue this course diligently and sincerely for seven
 years, and if you are not happy, comfortable, and independent in your
 circumstances, come to me, and I will pay your debts."