--- 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: 15 number: 12 published: 1912-10 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations, "Don’t Be a Scrub," *Improvement Era* 15, no. 12 (October 1912): 1106.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera15012unse 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: improvementera15012unse start_page: 1106 end_page: 1106 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1912-10) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera15012unse 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. --- # Don’t Be a Scrub 1106 IMPROVEMENT ERA the narrow way to eternal life. This in order that when the Bride-groom comes the Church may be clothed in righteousness, as a bride prepared to meet him. This work has to be carried on by mortal men and women having all the imperfections common to fallen nature to overcome, and though they may be criticized and opposed, and their weaknesses magnified in the eyes of the world by misguided men, the Lord of the Vineyard is watching over his servants, and directing their labors, and at the appointed time he will come and reward every man according to his work, and no faithful laborer will be condemned because of his weaknesses. MA NCOS, COLO. Don't be a Scrub A story is told of a leading banker of Salt Lake City, not a member of the "Mormon" Church, who, in relating his experience with men in his employ, was heard to say: "I haven't any use for a 'Mormon' elder who smokes ; there is something wrong with him ; his character is the kind that we cannot tie to." Asked the reason why he held that opinion — for he employs and is pleased with a number of "Mormon" men who do not smoke, although he, himself, smokes, as do most of his non- "Mormon" clerks, — he said: "The Latter-day Saints are taught that it is wrong to use tobacco, or strong drink. This thing is impressed upon them from the beginning. It is a vital part of their religious teaching. They have grown up with the idea. Young men go on missions and teach these principles to the people of the world. Now, when men of this class return and use tobacco in any form, or drink, there is something wrong about them, and they are not the kind of people I want in my employ." Dr. Karl G. Maeser, the great Latter-day Saint educator, once said, and he may have had reference to this class of people : "Do not be a scrub, nor a veed."