--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Ila Fisher collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 19 number: 9 published: 1916-07 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'Ila Fisher, "The Call of the Ages," *Improvement Era* 19, no. 9 (July 1916): 765–767.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera1909unse 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: improvementera1909unse start_page: 765 end_page: 767 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1916-07) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera1909unse 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. --- # The Call of the Ages — Improvement Era Vol. XIX JULY, 1916 No. 9 The Call of the Ages BY ILA FISHER God dismissed Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden with a Father's blessing that all their posterity should share. Men know this blessing as Work. The divine plan was for men to help each other; but, knowing they would be prone to work for self interests only, the Creator has sent vibrating through all the centuries a ceaseless call directing men to the sources of eternal joy, peace, blessedness. Listen ! This call of the ages is crying Life is for Service! Unfurl Time's roll of honor. Scan the list. On it is not a sordid soul who lived for self alone not a selfish one who lived ; for self alone not a selfish one who lived and died and left the ; world no better than he found it. No ! We revere those who have devoted their lives to willing help for humanity. The perfect chart and compass comes from Christ who did not fear to earn his daily bread by humble toil, who willingly lived and died for our redemption, teaching us that service for others makes men's names immortal. The Apostle Paul is ac- corded a place in history, not because of his marvelous conver- sion, but because by it he learned to serve his God and fellow men. Thomas A. Edison is a great man because the fruit of his toil is for the uplift of humanity. No special voice allures the workers on to heights of fame. They do but harken and give heed to the call that comes to every age, to every clime, to every race of men. To no age, no clime, no race has the call of the ages sounded more piercingly than today in Utah pleading for service. Our pioneer parents have made this mountain home a garden where seeds of industry and righteousness have been sown. But these Pioneer gardeners are dead and dying. Weeds of sin and strife are ripening. Service is needed to keep Utah clean and strong. We have social problems to master, social wrongs to 766 IMPROVEMENT ERA right. There are needed industrial improvements in every field of activity. The Lord has said, "Blessed be the horny hands of toil." That men's work might never end, the Creator has made all earthly things subject to change and decay. Our labor on marble will perish. Our temples will crumble to dust. But there is a service that links the toil of earth with the progress of heaven. What we do to make immortal souls happy, to imbue them" with right principles, noble desires, just fear of God and love for fel- — low men such service will endure through all enternity. — There are natures some cold, selfish, absorbing, who chill and crumble all who meet their touch others radiant, affluent, ; helpful, who enrich by their very presence, whose touch is a heal- ing balm. Such serviceable people are needed, for few hearts are beating today without a hidden sorrow. One in a million, once in a lifetime, can do a big heroic deed, but the little things that link this earth to heaven come every hour of every day. Little courtesies, little kindnesses, loving words and smiles, and wishes, a helping hand to him who is in need— these are not heralded by noisy fame, but angels record them in the Book of Life. They are food for God's hunger, water for his thirst; for inasmuch as we have done it unto the least of these that are his we have done it unto him. Man is that he might have joy. He achieves the greatest joy who gives the most to his fellow men. We should be the happiest of happy people because we have the most to give. T L ntil the gospel in its fulness has been given to all the kingdoms of the earth, the millennium can not come. Our voices can not be heard in some foreign lands because of the din and clamor and clash of war. But there are millions of souls nearer home need- ing the light. Who shall the messengers be? There are souls in Paradise needing work done on earth. Who shall live worthy to enter God's temples for them? We live in deeds — not years. Our age is as full of oppor- tunities as the sky is full We are reaping the benefit of stars. of the labor of all past ages. Much is given us. Of us much is expected. Never was an age so full of sin and sorrow, so full of intricate problems. The world needs lofty dreamers whose effortsmeasure praiseworthy results. The world needs workers. These trying times demand strong minds, brave hearts, willing hands, and much unflinching faith. What though there be pain and peril in the path of progress? Humanity must go on You and I have a part to play. Let us ! then be up and doing. We clamor for success. The brow of him who treads that road is stamped with the seal of Service. With faith in our own ability, charity for those in need, however heavy our own burdens, we all can live helpfully for one day, and ! ! THE CALL OF THE AGES 767 our whole life is but a day repeated. True, we grow weary of working for self, much more for others, but unselfish service will teach us virtues that the idle never know. small, splendid or obscure — — Our duty great or if we find it and perform it faithfully, will tune our lives into an echo of the life of Christ. ' The leaves of the trees wave and struggle with the elements until new buds push them off. Shall we not serve in our given sphere? We are here with talents, time and opportunities. Shall we not improve them as one who must render an account? Genius, worth, power, are more made than born. Because we meet with difficulties, shall we sink in discouragement? Or shall we find our purpose on earth and think, plan, work, live for it? None are too poor, none are too small, none too feeble to be of service. Come, then, put our strengths together What an uplift of humanity will follow when all the good works we intend to do are carried out ! This is your day and mine to do our parts. We know we shall not pass again this way. "But here and now do we do our tasks? Yes, this is the thing our souls must ask: What have we done today?" — The voice of the ages is calling calling to us for better preparation, more efficient service. Hear it, heed it. Let it pen- etrate the hearts of the young, the old, the middle-aged — the soul of humanity "Say not our day is evil. Who's to blame? And fold the hands and acquiesce. Oh shame! Stand up, faint not, work bravely in God's name. Be strong! "We are not here to play, to dream, to drift, We have hard work to do and loads to lift. Shun not the struggle; face it; 'tis God's gift. Be strong-!" MEBER, UTAH The Squanderer BY ELLA WHEELER WILCOX God gave him passions, splendid as the sun; Meant for the lordliest purposes, a part Of nature's full and fertile mother heart. From which new systems and new stars are spun. And now, behold, what he has done! In Folly's court and carnal Pleasures' mart He flung the wealth life gave him at the start. (This, of all mortal sins, the deadliest one.) At dawn he stood, potential, opulent, With virile manhood, and emotions keen And wonderful with God's creative fire. At noon he stands, with Love's large fortune spent In petty traffic, unproductive, mean — _ A pauper, cursed with impotent desire. — Selected.