--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Ursenbach, O. F. collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 17 number: 4 published: 1914-02 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'O. F. Ursenbach, "The Most Perfect. A Poem," *Improvement Era* 17, no. 4 (February 1914): 370.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera1704unse 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: improvementera1704unse start_page: 370 end_page: 370 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1914-02) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera1704unse publication_year: 1914 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 1914, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # The Most Perfect. A Poem 370 IMPROVEMENT ERA "for" in II Nep. 25 :29. "And now, behold. I say unto you, that the right way is to believe in Christ, and deny him not, and [for] Christ is the holy one of Israel." So also for "while," as, "And those men again stood to scatter their flocks ; but Ammon said unto his brethren, encircle the flocks round about that they flee not; and [while] I go and contend with these men." — Alma 17:33. The writer has at hand no Biblical references showing a corresponding use of "and" for "while" and "for," but these examples serve to illustrate the Hebraic practice — often repeated— of uniting propositions together by "and" instead of some more appropriate connective. 4. Concerning the Use of "and" for "ivhen." The Hebrew conjunction for "and" may also be used before a clause expressing a co-existing act or condition, as, "Noah was six hundred years old, and [i. e. when] the flood was upon the earth." — Gen. 7:6. — Heb. Gram., par. 287:1. BOOK OF MORMON ILLUSTRATIONS : "And it came to pass that they were about to return to the land of Nephi, and [when] they met the men of Gideon." — Mos. 19:22. "And Gideon pursued after him, and was about to get upon the tower to slay the king, and [when] the king cast his eyes round about towards the lan4 of Shemlon." — Mos. 19 :6. "And it came to pass that a long time had passed away, and [when] the Lord of the vineyard said unto his servant." — Jacob 5:29. Nothing further shall at present be remarked concerning the uses which the Book of Mormon makes of the conjunction "and." Sufficient, and more, has already been brought forth to manifest that in this respect that book is far more Hebraic than English. Tt employs this conjunction in various constructions which the idiom of our language does not provide for, or directly antagonizes, (to be continued) The Most Perfect You may sing of great pretentions, Or of bards and poets grand; Of great men with great inventions, Whom we honor in the land. But the being most perfected, Through the ages as they roll, Is the life that is protected With a chaste and moral soul. RAYMOND, CANADA O. F. UrSENBACH.