--- 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: 17 number: 10 published: 1914-08 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations, "Editors’ Table—Science and Evolution," *Improvement Era* 17, no. 10 (August 1914): 981–983.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera17010unse 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: improvementera17010unse start_page: 981 end_page: 983 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1914-08) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera17010unse 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. --- # Editors’ Table—Science and Evolution : Editors' Table Science and Evolution Attention is called to a series of special articles that will ap- pear in the Era on subjects relating to science and evolution, by Dr. Robert C. Webb, the first of which, under the title, "Science Falsely so Called," is printed in this number. Students and others interested in up-to-date thought on these vital subjects will find much pleasure and profit in the brilliant arguments of Dr. Webb, who has already been favorably introduced to our readers in a number of papers which have heretofore appeared in the Era, on "Joseph Smith, Jr., as a Translator," "Truth-Seeking," "The Gali- leo of Sociology," etc. Parables A parable is understood to be a comparison or a similitude. It is defined in the dictionary specifically as a "short, fictitious nar- from which a moral is rative of a possible event in life or nature, drawn." Dr. Talmage is favoring our readers with a series of parables based not on fiction, but on true experience, for he be- lieves that actual occurrences may as justly serve for the basis of parables as fiction. Both the narrative and the moral in these parables grip the reader with their aptness. The fifth of the series appears in this number. "Treasures in Heaven" Is the title of a new volume, just printed, continuing the old Faith-promoting series which many of our middle-aged readers will remember as having been originated and published some thirty or thirty-five years ago, by Elder George C. Lambert. This new volume contains, among others, the wonderful story of Niels, "A Modern Stoic." Work actuated by faith, under very adverse circumstances, is the keynote of the story which will be read with delight by all who have had to undergo toil and hard- ship in life, as well as by the young people who have life before them, and who from this true and remarkable story will receive faithand encouragement to make the best of their surroundings. Other volumes are to follow as the demand may warrant. They are designed to promote faith and to incite good works in those who read them. He announces as among his prospective titles 082 IMPROVEMENT ERA "Choice Memories," "Eternal Riches," "Gems of Reminiscence," "Nuggets of Truth," "Restored Gifts," "Called of God," "Heroes of Humble life," "Why Try?" "Essence of Experience," "Cher- ished Recollections," "Triple Extract," "Lest WeForget," "Broth- er's Keeper," "Inspired Counsel," "Heavenly Help," "Blessings Recalled." In the present volume, aside from the story referred to, are four others —"A Woman with a Purpose," "An Excep- tion," "My Mother," and "Examples of Righteous Zeal." The volume consists of about 100 pages of type and style similar to the old edition issued some thirty-five years ago ; price 25c. Author's address, 141 West, 1st South, Salt Lake City. Character Since the development of character will be considered in the Junior Y. M. M. I. A. classes during the next season, the follow- ing sermonet written by Robert J. Burdette, is worthy the careful consideration of class leaders. We have the permission of the publishers of the National Magazine, Boston, to reproduce it in the Era : Someone has said, "Character is what a man is in the dark." What he is without an audience. His reputation may be grand- stand play a safe, senseless slide to second with the ball a quarter ; — of a mile away a cloud of dust and thunders of cheers from peo- ple who don't know the game. His character may be the sacri- fice hit that brings him hisses from the same class of people— and advances the team. What you wish you were, that's your ideal. What people think you are, that's your reputation. What you know you are, that's your character. To paraphrase Abraham Lincoln, you may fool some other people all of the time, but you can't fool yourself one little bit of the time. Reputation is a variable estimate, depending not upon what people know about you, but upon their guesses, made from what they see of you. "We have lived together for fifty years," said the Left Hand, "and I never saw him do one charitable action." That's reputation. But all that time the generous Right Hand was the almoner of God, working in loving and secret fellowship with Him. That's character. You will not drink wine, not even for politeness' sake, and at the table of an esteemed friend, and "our Best Society" says you are a fanatical, bigoted prohibitionist. You refuse to encourage a vile story with a smile. Some people say you are a cold-blooded hypocrite. You will not permit yourself to laugh at a funny story, well told, in which all the "laugh" is in its profanity. And folk EDITORS' TABLE 983 say you are self-righteous. And you carry your Bible in your hand when you walk to church. And they say "a canting Phari- see." Yet all the while your character is that of a sober, pure- — minded, reverent, God-fearing man a Christian. Four reputa- tions —all bad, and one character which outweighs and outlasts the four, going into eternity with you. — Character you won't find the word in your Bible. But there — you learn what it is. The Bible isn't a dictionary it's a Teacher. The primary meaning of the word "character" is an instrument for marking or graving commonly, a mark engraved upon a plate of ; stone or metal a figure cut deeply into a plate of bronze by a ; chisel of steel. Now do you begin to understand what character is? Something which your daily life cuts deep and deeper into your soul day by day, and marks you, I pray, for one of God's men or women, even a special one among his millions. "To him that overcometh I will give a white stone, and in the stone (not 'on' it, you will observe) a new name written, which no man knoweth save he that receiveth it." Isn't that glorious? Won- drously glorious ? That new name, graven by the finger of God, in exclusive confidence with yourself, deep in the white pebble of — your life that's your character. Not Simon, as men called you. But Peter by the dear Lord's re-christening. What God knows you are, and what you know you are. Do you begin to understand what your character is ? Even the angels may never fully comprehend your true char- acter. John quotes Christ as saying that it is a secret between God and yourself. Maybe God himself doesn't quite know your new name yet. He is learning it from your daily life. Are you setting him a fair copy for that new name? Every day you pray the Heavenly Father to watch over you and keep you from evil in your actions. Do you pray just as earnestly that he will watch just as carefully to see what you are thinking, hear what you are whispering, that he will look down into your deepest soul to note what are your secret inclinations ? By these things you are shap- ing your character. God doesn't make it you do. ; Character is not builded up, like a house that can be torn ' down if it be found defective. It is being engraved, day by day, deep, deep, deep into your very soul— the immortal part of you. You can't rub it out. Should you try to cut it out, it will leave a hole that will have to be patched, a wound that may heal, but will heal with a scar. Character stands. And you can't write your character in the ragged years of the fag-end of a misspent life. Christ can forgive the sins of a penitent thief on his death- bed. But he can't give him the character of an honest man. He was a thief all his life. And in death he is just a forgiven thief. A pardoned convict. The record stands. It can't be changed to show that the convict was never in the penitentiary.