--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Pixton, Samuel collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 12 number: 12 published: 1909-10 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'Samuel Pixton, "The Second Great Commandment," *Improvement Era* 12, no. 12 (October 1909): 982–983.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera12012unse 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: improvementera12012unse start_page: 982 end_page: 983 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1909-10) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera12012unse 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 Second Great Commandment . THE SECOND GREAT COMMANDMENT. BY SAMUEL PIXTON I recently heard a prominent business man of a western city say, concerning another of the same place, "I would rather have that man's word than his bond." This unsolicited remark made such an impression upon my mind that I have wondered whether it could be true at this present state of scientific greed and commercial turmoil. Is it possible that one man can place undisturbed confidence in another and re- ceive a reciprocal dependence? How many mutualities of this description can be proved to be sterling among the thousand busi- ness tricks and tricksters that flood the highways of the industrial centers of our nation? In short, is the standard of moral ethics and justice weakened or strengthened by the present get-rich- quick system of doing things; the hurly-burly method of every day life, which is working its way into too many homes where a love of God and of correct living should be cherished? Each person who, because of his station, is compelled to breast the stream of life for a livelihood, should unquestionably swim rather than drift; for Seneca has wisely said "Adversity is virtues op- portunity." Tis by rising above the adversities of life that we grow strong, and as the butterfly passes through its different metamorphic stages of progress, so likewise, although to greater degrees, does man. It is only where this evolution is properly supplemented by the never-tiring 'habit of introspection as to a moral justice to God and to man, that the condition of dependence to which I have referred, exists. If the man of today is going to live the life laid down by the greatest Teacher of all, he must at the outset obliterate from his THE SECOND GREAT COMMANDMENT. 983 panoramic view of life essentials, those which are worldly and which hover around the hand of charity so closely that the latter is seldom seen to the naked eye. And instead of a feeling of true brotherly love, and the uplifting hand of grace and good will, be- ing guiding-rails to our every act, they are heedlessly bent down and trampled under the feet of the maddened crowd, which is starv- ing for speedier means by which to hasten to its goal of greed and misery. If wealth is the aim in this probation, ana brotherly love is a meaningless term, why worry about your or your neigh- bor's good deeds? Why believe a man honest until he proves him- self otherwise, he might entangle you for a life-time before you suspect him? Why exhibit perfect dependence in public integrity which is almost a sham? Just so far as wealth is the aim, just that far is brotherly love deficient. The ideal life should be void of desire for worldly gain except as an aid. And so long as gold is used as an aid it fills its purpose well. If we are to expect any amount of real happiness in this life, we cannot afford to forget the second great commandment, "love thy neighbor as thyself;" but rather think occasionally of our debt to our Maker and to society, which will banish any egoistic tendency from a rational being. Why pray for mercy and the Spirit of God, when we have a feeling of selfishness and covetous- ness burning within us? Do we think the Lord can justly bless us, if *e have a penny in our pocket, and would not share it with a starving brother? "Inasmuch as ye do it unto the least of mine, ye do it also unto me." This the Savio** said. Can we afford to sacrifice any degree of an eternal inherit- ance, for a few paltry dollars, which can be used only for earthly praise or bodily comfort? Good name in man and woman, dear my Lord, Is the immediate jewel of the soul. Who steals my purse, steals trash; 'Tis something, nothing, 'twas mine, 'tis his, And has been slave to thousands: But he that filches from me my good name, Robs me of that which not enriches him But makes me poor indeed. Salt Lake City, Utah