---
title: Improvement Era
description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930.
authors:
  - Grigg, Hallie
collections:
  - periodicals
tags:
  - magazine
  - improvement-era
periodical: Improvement Era
volume: 13
number: 6
published: 1910-04
publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations
publisher_place: Salt Lake City
language: en
type: magazine
reference: 'Grigg, Hallie, "The Petals," *Improvement Era* 13, no. 6 (April 1910): 526.'
source:
  url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera1306unse
  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: improvementera1306unse
start_page: 526
end_page: 526
rights:
  status: public-domain
  basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1910-04)
  source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera1306unse
  publication_year: 1910
  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 1910, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright.
---

# The Petals


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526                            IMPROVEMENT ERA.

things, from the orthodox faith of the founders of the republic.
The boast of the hour is our liberalism in religion. Churches com-
pete in making conditions of membership and belief easy.          The
power of religion is being liberalized out of it. It is still respect-
able to be connected with            the church, but much of it is a lip and
not a heart service.            Consult your own heart, home and observa-
tion if this be not too generally true.
Achievement and discovery now come so fast that the most
marvelous are received without surprise.                   I    know of no field of
morals, of commerce, of attainment, upon which has been placed
'
the seal       'complete."       Until the tides are harnessed, until the
heat and energy of the sun            is   stored for the use and happiness of
man, the two oceans joined by a Panama passage of peace, and
Alaska and Patagonia linked by a pathway of steel, until intemper-
ance and wrong are curbed, until labor and capital both recognize
the golden rule, until justice and right shall be the portion                      of
every citizen, no American youth dare say, "The harvest has been
gathered,       there   is   no work for my hands."              In every educated
American youth are the              possibilities of a Samson,       and it is their
own fault if they grind corn for the Philistines.
From the schools of today are to come the masters of tomor-
row.  The Lincolns, Phillips, Beechers, the Roosevelts. What
crown or cross fate may lay at your door no oracle can tell; but
let your life,     your training, your character be such that when the
knock comes you can respond, "I am ready!"

"The Petals."
(For the Improvement Era.)

The dainty petals are falling;
The rare fruit-bloom is o'er,
Yet we sorrow not, recalling
The bounteous fruits in   store.

The plans for success we cherished
May fail, as years go by.
Shall we mourn that they have perished,
•    If we are improved thereby?
Hallie Grigg.
Na    pa, Idaho.