--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 13 number: 7 published: 1910-05 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations, "Two Plans," *Improvement Era* 13, no. 7 (May 1910): 652–653.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera1307unse 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: improvementera1307unse start_page: 652 end_page: 653 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1910-05) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera1307unse 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. --- # Two Plans 652 IMPROVEMENT ERA. fairly well organized, well-equipped and widely distributed for the purpose of making the best possible observations in the hope that new scientific truths shall be revealed. Logan, Utah. Two Plans. (For the Improvement Era.) When you've planned and plotted; when you've schemed; When you've hoped and struggled; when you've dreamed; And then have seen each favored project fall, And all your honeyed dainties turn to gall; You could curse the world and give up like a rat, But what's to be gained by that? When you've risen in the morning, rested and renewed, When you've felt yourself with God-like power imbued— And then, ere day hath waned, your strength has flagged, 'Till night discovers you entirely fagged; You might give up the struggle with the doffing of your hat, But what's to be gained by that? When you've found a friend, one who you think is true; The one in all this world, to sympathize with you; And then, ah, then, your fond hopes fade away, As time reveals your idol made of clay, You could mistrust the future, when hope has fallen flat, But what's to be gained by that? To battle 'mid the strong ones, and to hold your own, To prove yourself a hero, 'mid thousands, or alone, To rise from insignificance to noblest height, And look back on a course as clean and bright As man can shape on this old habitat, There's something to be gained by that! When others falter, to have faith to stand And reach, perchance, a kindly, helping hand To some poor, fainting brother, sorely pressed; To trust in God, and do your very best, And take life as a game of tit for tat, There's something in a thought like that! To have a heart for others, as we swing along; To "let up" on the dirge, and substitute the song; To quit the sqalid basement, with its mould and blight, And live upon the surface where the sun shines bright; To live and love and labor and laugh, and just grow fat, What better could we ask than that? Lon J. Haddock. PRESIDENT JOHN HENRY SMITH, Sustained April 6, and set apart as Second Counselor in the First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, April 7, 1910.