--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Hyde, W. A. 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: 'Hyde, W. A., "My Three Invisible Companions," *Improvement Era* 12, no. 1 (November 1908): 25–30.' 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: 25 end_page: 30 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. --- # My Three Invisible Companions [Photo by C. R. Savage.] In the Rocky Mountains. Grand Canyon of the Arkansas, on the Rio Grande Railroad. MY THREE INVISIBLE COMPANIONS. BY PRESIDENT W. A. HYDE, OF THE POCATELLO STAKE OF ZIOX. THE TEMPTER. 0 thou incarnate, invisible one, ordained of Hell, and permitted of Heaven, — unloved yet inseparable soul-companion, single or innumerable, yet one and the same in essence and object, — I would speak with thee. Thee I know, — yet know not; feel, — yet feel not; hear, — yet hear not, but thou must know ^nd feel and hear: now I marshal my soul that I may accuse thee, thou minister and plenipotentiary of evil! Thy mission is destruction, and the end of thy counselings is death. Thou settest thy snare for the child, and the little one shall not escape thee. Scarce had I laid aside the swaddling clothes of the prattler, and donned the vestments of reason, ere thou didst stand by the way to lead me. Thou didst put forth the hand of gentleness and thy words were sweet as honey; yet in thy heart was no pity, and hate welled up in thy bowels as a spring of bitterness. Thou didst set my hands to do evil, and I understood thee not. Thou didst put me to play with flowers, the thorns whereof pricked me, but thy face was covered and thy smile I did not see. 0 thou arch magician, by what master tricks of necromancy hast thou shared my way through these long years unrebuked. Thou didst come dancing to me in my youth, suiting thy airy lightness to my playful soul, and bravely with wide-open eyes I followed thee, I knew not whither. At thy sportive nod, I cast aside my shield of prudence, and thou didst hurl thy javelin to my center. MY THREE INVISIBLE COMPANIONS. 27 I cried aloud in my hurt, but the darkness enveloped thee, and I heard thee not till the wound was healed, when thou didst come with modesty and gently did begin again to woo me. 0 that I might see thee, to know thee; come from the shadow of thy hiding place, that I may hate thee. Who has given thee the key of my heart? — therein are my treasures; and of mv mind, for therein are my powers; yet thou plannest while I sleep, the battle of the morrow. The weak places of the citadel, thou hast discovered, and my soul shall be delivered up to thee; thou lookest upon my clean hands and laughest in glee, for these shall be soiled in the battle. Thou wast never a child nor youth, only as similitude has made thee such; ancient and modern arts thou dost possess, and thy cunning has been wrought out through many generations. Upon thy tongue is childish thought for childish mind, and thou reasonest keenly with the philosopher. At the noon of time thou didst stand before a God, and thy words were the wisdom of evil; and now in my manhood, when many wounds have made me fear, and many snares have taught me caution, thou comest ever in new guise. Thou liest in ambush, thou arguest, thou disclaimest, thou arrayest my mind against itself, and in my confusion thou takest me. Thou art never ashamed and dost never tire. Resisted, thou dost flee, to return again when I weary of watching. Ten thousand plans dost thou conceive, and thy plots are numberless. When I gird myself with righteousness thou art near me, and thine eye piercest mine armor. When I pray, thou addest thine unction; when I would give, thou biddest my heart rejoice at my charity; thou revealest to my left hand what my right hand doeth, and giveth me pride in mine uprightness. Where shall I escape thee when thou makest evil of my good? Only in the bondage of evil have I freedom from thee, for then dost thou stand apart and joy at my overthrow. 1 would that resistance might thwart and defeat thee entirely. Would that mine ears could be locked to thy whisperings: 0 my soul, listen not to this dealer in lies. Yet thou art not wholly victorious? for my soul abhorreth thee; and thou art not wholly devoid of good, for thou hast taught 28 IMPRO VEMENT ERA . me fear. Thou settest up against the truth, thy plausible lies, and my choice has taught me wisdom. Among thy traps and pits I walk with prudence, lest I fall in them. I set a watch upon my towers, that thou come not in the night upon me. I bend mine ear to the Good Spirit, and open mine ear to his whisperings, that thou mayest not beguile me; yea, I search for the rock, that my feet may stand securely. Yet shall I not boast of strength in thy presence, for thine ears hear my vanity, and straightway thou settest a host to gird me about; rather shall Hear my God and trust in him, for he alone can deliver me. THE GUARDIAN. 0 my soul, be thou comforted, and be thou not afraid, fear God and him only, for his salvation is sure, he shall deliver thee. He setteth one as a watchman over thee; in his hand is strength, and valor and wisdom are in him, and he shall be a bulwark and rock of defense against thine enemy. My soul, be thou not dismayed, — gird up thy loins in strength. Let thine ear hear and thine heart understand. Angel Guardian, hear thou my words while my soul communes with thee. I have heard thy voice, and I know that thou art. Thou dost counsel good, and thy paths are righteous, for God hath commissioned thee. Strength is in thine arm and authority in thy presence, and none shall lay hand upon me to harm me. Thou sittest as a watchman upon the tower and thou beholdest mine enemies. Thou hedgest me round about, that my tabernacle bo not delivered to Satan, and my soul to the Adversary. When an infant thou didst know me, and when a child thou wast near me, and didst put forth thine hand to shield me. When my feet walked in dangerous paths, thou didst guide me safely so that I perished not: thou hast been very tender unto me. While I slept, thou hast communed with my spirit, and in the silence of the night thou hast warned me. Thou rejoicest in my righteousness and sorrowest at my evils. Thou goest into my closet with me and seest me pray, and in the secret places of my sins thou hast observed me. Let mine eyes be covered up, and my face be ashamed that thou hast seen. MY THREE INVISIBLE COMPANIONS. 29 When thick dangers threaten, thou speakest to my spirit in warning, and happy am I if I hear and heed the words of thy counsel; yea, may my spirit hear thy voice and know it, as the sheep the shepherd. Yea, I would be constrained of good, but thou constrainest not: thou deliverest the body from evil, that the adversary lay not his hand upon it, but my judgment thou takest not away Thou guardest the gates of my tabernacle, and my temple thou defendest, that the unholy enter not, but the sanctuary of the conscience thou dost not invade. Let confusion come upon me, and sorrow and defeat be my portion, when I shall offend and dismiss thee. By my bended knee, know thou my humility and repentance, and desert me not. 0, consider my mortality, for I am of the earth; my spirit would fly with thee and be delivered, but my soul awaiteth the deliverance of my Redeemer. 0 my soul, awake and consider, — stretch forth thine hand that happily thou mayest feel, open thine ear that thou mayest hear. 0 my companion, turn thou not from me for my follies, but walk with me to the end; then may I clasp thy hand and see thee and know thee again, brother and angel companion of my soul. THE. GOOD SPIRIT. Bow down, my soul, in humility, let fear come upon me; let my heart tremble because of my transgressions, for thine eye is upon me and thou hast known my follies. Thou searchest my inmost parts; yea thou knowest the deep things, and ascendest into the uttermost bounds of the universe. Spirit of Truth, unknowable power and influence of Deity, let me speak in humility that I be not condemned. My heart rejoices in the love of my Redeemer, yea he has greatly blessed me, and his hand has not been withholden. By his grace hath he wrought out my salvation, and mercy is in his heart, and the law of kindness upon his lips. He looketh upon his sons and daughters and considereth them, yea, he neglecteth not any of them. He lighteth a flame in the heart, he putteth his Spirit there as a light; yea it shall be a lamp to his path all his days. The things of old are known unto thee, and thou knowest the future also; the secrets of the earth are thine, and the stars hold 30 IMPROVEMENT ERA. not back their mysteries; thou seest beyond the curtains, and thine eye piercest the deep. Thy mouth is full of wisdom, and righteous counsels proceed from thee. Thou puttest thy words into my mouth, yea, my mind is illuminated, and thou makest me to know the peaceable things. My soul testifieth, yea, it beareth witness; thou looseneth my tongue to speak eloquence, and maketh my words to convert the ungodly; yea, I stand before the unbeliever and am not ashamed, for thou hast written the law of redemption upon my heart. My spirit looketh into the past and knoweth its beginning, and the future thou hast not witheld; yea, intelligence is its seed, and truth the root of it. Thou makest me a son of God, yea thou puttest Divinity in me. Out of the immensity of the past am I come, and the future shall not restrain me; thou biddest me to grow, and quickenest my heart with the power of the infinite. Thou watchest over my soul as the mother over her infant. In thy love thou chidest me, and thy reproof bringeth sorrow to my heart. Thou dost strive with my soul, and dost bear with forgiveness my weaknesses; thou whisperest patience and fortitude; thou givest me faith to stand. Thou rebukest the adversary of my soul, when he would slay me, and circlest me about with the strength of a legion. 0 my soul, remember the law of righteousness, and go not in the way of evil. Stay thou not in the path of transgression, lest I be smitten for mine evils, and the light depart from me. Who shall bear thy sharp words, and the words of thine anger who shall endure, for they burn as an iron from the forge? Leave me not to mine enemies; be merciful, 0 Lord, let thy Spirit strive with me yet awhile. "Search me, 0 God, and know my heart: try me and know my thoughts: and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." Pocatello, Idaho.