---
title: Improvement Era
description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930.
authors:
  - Fox, Ruth May
collections:
  - periodicals
tags:
  - magazine
  - improvement-era
periodical: Improvement Era
volume: 12
number: 5
published: 1909-03
publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations
publisher_place: Salt Lake City
language: en
type: magazine
reference: 'Fox, Ruth May, "Victory," *Improvement Era* 12, no. 5 (March 1909): 377.'
source:
  url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera1205unse
  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: improvementera1205unse
start_page: 377
end_page: 377
rights:
  status: public-domain
  basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1909-03)
  source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera1205unse
  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.
---

# Victory

<!-- page:377 -->

VICTORY.
(For the Improvement Era.)
Unnumbered the myriads encamped in the vale,
Their gay banners streaming over idols of Baal;
'Gainst the people of God they came from afar,
But they sensed not the Force they must face in the war, —
' 'The sword of the Lord and of Gideon. "
Their camels were laden with accoutrements fine,
Their princes and nobles were flushed with new wine
From the vintage of Israel, whose fields they laid low,
Threat' ning destruction — bah! they never would bow
To "th' sword of the Lord and of Gideon."
Oh, proud were the boastings, aloud they proclaim
Their prowess and conquests; how easy to maim
The army defensive and glut on the spoil;
But they knew not the Pow'r which all powers could foil;
"The sword of the Lord and of Gideon."
The ribaldry over, they lie down to rest,
Each man with his shield clasped close to his breast;
With dreams of fair captives, ha, ha, on the morn,
The victory was theirs; and they laughed it to scorn,
"The sword of the Lord and of Gideon."
Lo! they are startled with trumpets full blare,
The crashing of pitchers, the lamp's vivid glare;
Before the mean army they fly in dismay,
Devouring each other by the sword on the way —
"The sword of the Lord and of Gideon."
Salt Lake City, Utah. Ruth May Fox