--- 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: 12 number: 1 published: 1908-11 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations, "In the Rocky Mountains," *Improvement Era* 12, no. 1 (November 1908): 24.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera1201unse 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: improvementera1201unse start_page: 24 end_page: 24 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1908-11) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera1201unse publication_year: 1908 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 1908, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # In the Rocky Mountains 24 1MPR0 VEMENT ERA . and being haughty and impetuous, were difficult to be restrained or turned from their purpose, and thus occasioned very many and great evils. * * * * Socrates was never in haste that his followers should become skilled in speaking, in action, or in invention, but, previous to such accomplishments, he thought it proper that a love of self-control should be instilled into them; for he considered that those who had acquired those qualifications were, if devoid of self-control, only better fitted to commit injustice and to do mischief. * * * * He that orders and holds together the whole universe in which are all things beautiful and good, and who preserves it always unimpaired, undisordered, and undecaying, obeying his will swifter than thought and without irregularity, is himself manifest only in the performance of his mighty works, but is invisible to us while he regulates them. * * * * FROM BOOK 5. * * I consider that those live best who study best to become as good as possible; and that those live with most pleasure who feel the most assurance that they are daily growing better and better. * * * * It is indeed acknowledged that no man of all that are remembered, ever endured death with greater glory [than Socrates]; for he was obliged to live thirty days after his sentence, * * and during that time he was seen by all his friends living in no other way than at any preceding period ; let it be observed throughout all the former part of his life he had been admired beyond all men for the cheerfulness and tranquility with which he lived. * * * * Of those who knew what sort of a man Socrates was, such as were lovers of virtue continue to regret him above all men, even to the present day, as having contributed in the highest degree to their advancement in goodness. To me, such as I have described him, so pious that he did nothing without the sanction of the gods; so just, that he wronged no man even in the most trifling affair, but was of service in the most important matters to those who enjoyed his society; so temperate that he never preferred pleasure to virtue; so wise that he never erred in distinguishing better from worse, needing no counsel from others, but being sufficient in himself to discriminate between them; so able to explain and settle such questions by argument; and so capable of discerning the character of others, of confuting those who were in error, and of exhorting them to virtue and honor, he seemed to be such as the best and happiest of men would be. But if any one disapproves of my opinion, let him compare the conduct of others with that of Socrates, and determine accordingly. Forest Dale, Utah.