--- 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: 21 number: 6 published: 1918-04 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: "Young Men's Mutual Improvement Associations, “The Old and the New,” *Improvement Era* 21, no. 6 (April 1918): 539–541." source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera2106unse 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: improvementera2106unse start_page: 539 end_page: 541 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1918-04) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera2106unse publication_year: 1918 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 1918, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # The Old and the New The Old and the New To receive attention in these days, all things must have up- to-dateness about them. Even if old and standard thoughts are presented, they must be dressed in the latest fashion to com- mand respect. In nothing does this apply with greater force than in matters educational. New and catchy methods are adopted to impress the youth with old ideas, and the process is sought to be made as easy as possible for the student. We read stories of hundreds of pages to get an idea that might be obtained in a few sentences. The object of the story is that the thought may be absorbed with interest and ease, so that the reader may have it impressed without over-exertion on his part. Some one has truly said that a classical author is one that everybody talks about, and that nobody reads. His sedate and dignified thoughts are therefore amplified, and doled out 540 IMPROVEMENT ERA in homeopathic doses in a flood of modern books. It is a sad comment. The good old standard methods of teaching religion which made it imperative that the student should dig out of the plain and unsugared books of scripture, simple in themselves, the truths of the gospel, are often supplanted by what is considered easier ways, either through listening to stories or lectures, or hav- ing outlines provided in which the doctrine is made convenient and easy, and the student is freed from mental exertion as far as possible. Every one must recognize the value of system and interest. Without them, teaching is almost in vain. But these alone are not sufficient. The individual must think and act for himself. No deep impression can come to any person's mind when that person is not willing to command his mind itself to struggle. Youth must go back to original sources for inspiration, and be willing to search for the truths and experiences of the past, if they are to be thinkers and wise men of action, and not alone mere listeners and absorbers. Fads in new literature come and go, but the dignified words of the holy scriptures and other standard works, prized and handed down through ages to us, have a special value when we study them for ourselves and make their truths our own. When we discard this method for seemingly easier ones, we do so at a great loss to ourselves. As the flood of new books and methods come to attract our interest, let us take advantage of them, of course, as far as con- sistent; but let us also remember to cling closer to the thought that as students and teachers we must do our share of work and not discard truth because it is dressed in old clothes. We must seek original sources, and learn largely to interest and instruct ourselves by personal effort and also by prayer and the inspira- tion of the Holy Ghost. This applies especially to the study of the gospel and to obtaining a knowledge and testimony of the great Latter-day work in which we are engaged. President Joseph F. Smith wrote recently, in referring to new methods from here and there relating to educational matters: "I may be a little skeptical in regard to some new f angled ideas; and, perhaps without good cause, I doubt the propriety of ap- plying them in our organizations. I sometimes fear that we are in danger of encumbering the Church organizations with too many forms and rules which may put on the shape and hind- rance resulting from too much red tape. The spirit and princi- ples of the gospel are very simple and direct, and are seldom improved by extraordinary methods and rules which men may adopt for their promulgation or induction." So, while we should not despise new books, new methods, new ideas, they should be thoroughly proved before being EDITORS' TABLE 541 adopted. Furthermore, knowledge does not come by hearing and interest alone, but by diligent application to study and meritorious conduct. Let it ever be remembered that we will not gain by abandoning the old, tested, tried and valuable books, authors, and methods, for untried substitutes, though popular for the passing day. This applies especially to the fundamental truths of the gospel which, while old, are ever new, — the same yesterday, today, and forever.