---
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: 12
published: 1904-10
publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations
publisher_place: Salt Lake City
language: en
type: magazine
reference: 'Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations, "The Power That Holds: A Poem," *Improvement Era* 7, no. 12 (October 1904): 951.'
source:
  url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera0712unse
  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: improvementera0712unse
start_page: 951
end_page: 951
rights:
  status: public-domain
  basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1904-10)
  source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera0712unse
  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 Power That Holds: A Poem

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AT THE LOUISIANA PURCHASE EXPOSITION.                               951

shorter course, and         is   thrown into a vat and is carried away as
waste.
     It is around this table that the World's Fair             crowds of   visitors linger and marvel. The gray-colored stone comprises the lar.
ger part of the mass. The upper edge of the table appears to be
covered with a wide and beautifully colored ribbon. This is a series of streaks of the metals as they align themselves.              The gold,
being the heaviest of all,forms the outer edge. Its rich,yellow tinge
stands out in bold relief against the gray of the silver, the next
heaviest metal.       Then comes a strip of brown copper, and a strip
of black lead.      There are other metals mingled with these four
most important commercial metals, and they combine to make a
beautiful screen, as they are partially held in suspension in the
film of water that covers the entire table.              The "concentrates," as
the product is termed, is placed in small glass phials, and is given
free to visitors, and there are always plenty around while the mysterious machine is in operation.
     At the conclusion           of the World's Fair, the plant will be installed in the Utah School of Mines.              The idea was evolved by Mr.
S. T. Whitaker,   Utah's Executive Commissioner.               Dr. R. H. Bradford, of the   Utah School of Mines, is in direct charge of the operation of the plant.

                    THE POWER THAT HOLDS.
                      If   thou art worsted in the fight,
                        Art scarred, and faint and worn,
                      Remember, from defeat like this
                           The greatest strength is born.

                      Or, if upon the rampart high
                           Thy standard waves amain,
                      Guard well the fortress thou hast had
                        Courage and zeal to gain.

                      To strive and lose   —   to fight and win,

                        Armored thou still must be,
                      God-given the power that holds thee firm
                           In loss, or victory.
                                               —   Selected.