--- 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: 19 number: 4 published: 1916-02 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: "Young Men's Mutual Improvement Associations, \"Harvest Time in Peace and War,\" *Improvement Era* 19, no. 4 (February 1916): 344." source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera1904unse 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: improvementera1904unse start_page: 344 end_page: 344 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1916-02) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera1904unse publication_year: 1916 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 1916, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # Harvest Time in Peace and War Harvest Time in Peace and War Once more October lays her magic hand,As though in benediction, on the waiting land;Once more the sound of harvesters afield,Gathering the bounties of the summer's yield,Proclaims the autumn here. Once more, from grateful hearts, the peans raiseFor bounteous harvest crowning waiting days;Plenty is ours, and all its blessings comeTo make life happy, in each pleasant home;Thank God that Peace is ours. But O, from 'cross the seas we catch the soundOf other harvest—that of War—renownedFor making beasts of men; of women, slaves;Orphans of children; land of untimely graves;Ruin and devastation out of all. Where grain should grow are trenches, carnage filled ;Where pure love flourished, faith and virtue killed;Where flowers once bloomed, by fearsome stench we kenThe woeful havoc wrought by war-mad men,Zealously obeying War's demands. We stand in awe of such a gruesome sight;We pity those whose day has changed to night;And, from our peaceful firesides, pray that GodMay bring from out this war-made chaos, good—A world-wide covenant of peace. Was it in vain that Jesus lived and died?Is "Prince of Peace" a name but to deride?"Love for our fellow men," but empty words?Shall implements of peace be changed to swords?Almighty God, forbid! God of the nations, Thou art waiting yet,'Though in their madness men Thy name forget,Waiting, thro' this fierce travail, for the birthOf world-wide peace to reign o'er all the earth,So out of evil shall the good be born! Effie Stewart Dart. SPANISH FORK, UTAH, 1915