--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Hickman, J. E. collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 12 number: 4 published: 1909-02 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'Hickman, J. E., "The Tragedy and Triumph of Youth—IV: Ideals," *Improvement Era* 12, no. 4 (February 1909): 286–287.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera1204unse 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: improvementera1204unse start_page: 286 end_page: 287 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1909-02) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera1204unse publication_year: 1909 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 1909, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # The Tragedy and Triumph of Youth—IV: Ideals THE TRAGEDY AND TRIUMPH OF YOUTH. BY J. E. HICKMAN, A. M., PRESIDENT OF THE MI'KDOCK'acaUKMY IV. — IDEALS. Thoreau went to the forests that he might work out his life's ideals, and humanity has made a road to his Walden. John burroughs, years ago, parted life with Jay Gould and retreated to the forests. His high ideals, worked out in obscurity, have given nations new light, and have beaten a path to the door of his hut. So, too, with you, my friend, work out life's ideal, and in some one point, do it better than anyone else, and your fellow men will, if necessary, follow you to the desert to pay you homage. Yet, while man is at his life's work the world often lets fly the poisoned arrow of reproach, but once let him excel, the world will lav aside its weapons and give the honor justly due. While P.righam Young was in the desert with his exiles, the world hurled its thunderbolts at him; but now he has completed his mission, the world honors him for his work. This nation now purposes putting his statue in the galaxy of its famous men. Do not let the hate of a well-meaning world cool your ardor, nor an obstacle of fate thwart your purpose in doing your inspired duty. Have you ever thought that God gave to the bird the power of flight and the gift of song, while to man he grants success only through long years of toil? Why this distinction? The answer is not far to see. Had God not given the song as he did, the bird would never have sung. But he removed man's rewards far from his hand that he might struggle to attain them, and in the attainment develop character. This power of building character comes with action and resistance. It seems paradoxical to say that the THE TRAGEDY AND TRIUMPH ^OF YOUTH. 287 dull, hard-woiking boy often gets more out of his schooling than the brilliant student, yet in many cases it is true. Yes, he excels just as often in life's broader mission. It is not that dulness is superior to brilliancy, but that encountering greater difficulties, it achieves greater victories, and so leads to greater strength of character. It is a noted fact that some of America's greatest statesman and leaders graduated at the foot of their classes. Character, like virtue, is active not passive. A good musician is one who can perform well, but a good man is one who not only can do well, but one who does do well. Character, like virtue, can take no holiday. Character is a development from the cradle to the grave. Being the result of every thought, word, or deed., no day passes without its influence for good or ill. No act, be it ever so trivial, fails to leave its mark, as there is no hair so small but that it casts its shadow. Character, constantly varying, is either elevated on the one hand, or degraded on the other. As on the battle field, the fort that is taken one day may be retaken the next, so in the human character, that which is gained today, through the travail of the soul, may be lost tomorrow through some ruthless act or cankered thought. Within the human breast there are fought the greatest battles of the world. The wreck of the conflict may be violent words, or it may be unspeakable crime. It may be bitter tears, half uttered curses, or smothered groans. It may be a glorious victory as complete and triumphant as Admiral Schley's at Santiago. If a man conquers, he is nobler and stronger; and, like the repeating waves of the ocean, his achievements will act and react in the strengthening of his character. Your struggle is human tragedy, your victory human triumph. Beaver, Utah. [to be continued.!