--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Anderson, Edward H. collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 15 number: 3 published: 1912-01 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'Anderson, Edward H., "Orson Pratt’s Hundredth Anniversary," *Improvement Era* 15, no. 3 (January 1912): 193.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera1503unse 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: improvementera1503unse start_page: 193 end_page: 193 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1912-01) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera1503unse publication_year: 1912 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 1912, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # Orson Pratt’s Hundredth Anniversary — RSON PRATT'S hundredth anniversary was fittingly o celebrated by memorial services in the great Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, October 8, 191 1. He was a man who had but little early opportunity for education, but he became selfeducated. His example in doing' things under difficulty should be an inspiration to all who struggle. He ranks easily among the great literary and religious men of England and America, who were born in the early part of the nineteenth century. Orson Pratt was a deep thinker as well as an industrious and painstaking worker. As a speaker he commanded marked attention and his frequent sermons in the great tabernacle were ; attractive features of the services, in early days. He had something to say, and his sermons were given in a way to interest and convince. Sometimes, because of their length and his calm deliberation, they wearied the boys and other hearers who were fond of lighter matter, but all are better for having heard them. Orson Pratt devoted his entire life to the cause of God, paying little attention to temporal affairs. Disinterestedness in self marked his whole career. He died poor in things pertaining to this earth, but bounteously rich in patience, gentleness, willingness to obey and abide by counsel, and in spiritual blessings. His name and labors are honored in the Church of Christ, and willmake themselves felt for good in many generations to come. "Orson Pratt," said the Deseret News, at the time of his death, "was truly an Apostle of the Lord. Full of integrity, firm as a rock to his convictions, true to his brethren and to his God, earnest and zealous in defense and proclamation of the truth, ever ready to bear testimony to the Latter-day work, he had a mind stored with scripture, ancient and modern, was an eloquent speaker, a powerful minister, a logical and convincing writer, an honest man, and a great soul who reached out after eternal things, grasped them with the gift of inspiration, and brought them down to the level and comprehension of the common mind. Thousands have been brought into the Church through his preaching in many lands, thousands more by his writings. He set but little store on the wealth of this world, but he has laid up treasures in heaven which will make him eternally rich." Edward H. Anderson.