--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Lant, John A. collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 10 number: 3 published: 1907-01 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'Lant, John A., "A Godly People Bless the Earth: A Poem," *Improvement Era* 10, no. 3 (January 1907): 198.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera1003unse 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: improvementera1003unse start_page: 198 end_page: 198 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1907-01) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera1003unse publication_year: 1907 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 1907, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # A Godly People Bless the Earth: A Poem 198 IMPROVEMENT ERA. "For our only friend, the murdered emperor," answered the sharp voice of a man; and as he spoke, a brown arm flashed out and slashed a knife deep into the heart of the cruel soldier. Murder, crime, despair! And why? Only the vultures tried to read the riddle, as they circled and swung above the surging, sweating, swearing crowd. But vultures must live, good sirs! And above all, beyond all, and through all, rings the proph- ecy of the gods: "No king shall reign in all the land of Anahuac." Where is Maximilian, and where Malinche? Are the vultures the only expounders of the riddle? Nay, the gods have not for- gotten. Quetzalcoatl still remembers all his promises, and some day he will make it plain. Maximilian and Marina are waiting, somewhere, some place. Who knows the key to open their prison doors? Who bids the captive welcome, and sets the prisoner free? Is it not Quetzalcoatl? Then wait, and watch, and pray, my Malin- che, the time is nigh, just at thy prison door. The humming- bird of promise is beating back the birds of gloom and death. Thy deliverer approaches! For when thou, or one of thy kindred, doth enter the brazen sea, then shalt thou and thine be forever free. [the end.] Salt Lake City, Utah. A GODLY PEOPLE BLESS THE EARTH. [dedicated to the brethren of the central states mission, by a friend.] A godly people bless the earth, Let menace to all evil come, By kindly deeds and saintly worth; With good disproving slander's tongue. America ! thou grand and free Ope thy heart, each soul who bore To gospel glories bend the knee, False witness,thoughtless, o'er and o'er; In humble thankfulness and prayer, Thou art forgiven ; canst thou forgive, For these are gaining everywhere; And "Mormon" precepts strive to live? From revelation's reop'd fount, These Latter-days mean peace for all These glorious latter days they count, These Saints in gladness meekly call When men from strife and wrong shall To share the joys bequeathed from flee, . heaven And earth—a paradise to be For them, for thee, the precious leaven Eeceive the lessons hidden long That all God's children born to earth In joy sublime, and gladsome song. May merit life divine from birth. Kansas City, Missouri. j0HN a. Lant.