---
title: Improvement Era
description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930.
authors:
  - Joseph Longking Townsend
collections:
  - periodicals
tags:
  - magazine
  - improvement-era
periodical: Improvement Era
volume: 17
number: 8
published: 1914-06
publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations
publisher_place: Salt Lake City
language: en
type: magazine
reference: 'Joseph Longking Townsend, "I’ll Take You by the Hand, Brother," *Improvement Era* 17, no. 8 (June 1914): 724.'
source:
  url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera1708unse
  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: improvementera1708unse
start_page: 724
end_page: 724
rights:
  status: public-domain
  basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1914-06)
  source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera1708unse
  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.
---

# I’ll Take You by the Hand, Brother

<!-- page:724 -->

—    ;               •

724                        IMPROVEMENT I'.RA

as solemnized in the temples of the current dispensation, already

number many millions and the continuation of the work is marked

;

by unabated zeal and devotion.

"The Gospel of Jesus Christ is given for the salvation of

human-kind its requirements apply ahke to the living whose

;

blessed privilege it is to hear its glad tidings while in the flesh,

and to the dead who may accept the truth in the spirit world. The

genius of the Gospel is that of altruism unbounded its power to   :

save extends beyond the portals of death. As the vicarious work

for the dead can be done only in sanctuaries specially devoted

thereto, there will be an ever-present need for temples so long as

there are souls awaiting this ministry.

"The present is the age of greatest import in all history, em-

bodying as it does the fruition of the past and the living seed of

the yet greater future.  The present is the dispensation of fulness,

for which the dispensations of by-gone centuries have been but

preliminary and preparatory. The saving and sanctifying labor

incident to modern temples surpasses that of the temples of earlier

times as the light of the full day exceeds the twilight of the

>!awn."^

I'll    Take You by the Hand, Brother

Tliough oft you've stumbled down, brotlicr,

Tliough oft been spurned by men,

I'll take you by the hand, brother,

And lift you up again.

The great heart of the Master,

With love so kind and true,

Is     ready to forgive, brother.

Is yearning now for you.

I'll    take you by the hand, brother.

When ship-wrecked in life's storm;

The haven of the Lord, brother.

Has hearts both true and warm.

Oh, come where friends can greet j'ou,

Let me not plead in vain!

I'll   take vou by the hand, brother,

And lift you up again.

Come while we wait for you, brother.

Come, gather to the fold

There's hope and joy for you, brother,

There's love and peace untold.

Think how the Savior loves you,             —

His call is to all men,

I'll take you by the hand, brother.

And lift you up again!

PLEASANT, UTAH                         JOSEP'I LoNGKING ToWNSF.XP

/See "The House of the Lord," pp.           23.3,   234.