--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Inonye, G. collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 21 number: 9 published: 1918-07 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'Inonye, G., "Testimony of a Japanese Member of the Church," *Improvement Era* 21, no. 9 (July 1918): 815–816.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera2109unse 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: improvementera2109unse start_page: 815 end_page: 816 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1918-07) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera2109unse 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. --- # Testimony of a Japanese Member of the Church ; ; TESTIMONY OP A JAPANESE 81? different to American or European ideas and has a different starting point. Some men advocate that the Japanese have capacity to comprehend life's meaning easier by the theories of philosophy than by the love of Christ. Of course, I don't believe such prejudice, but such certainly is the inclination of Japanese thought generally. Then the propagandist, especially of a foreign country, must understand that there are different conditions concerning the growing man in Japan. I have always tried to explain my skepticism only by reasoning powers, but I felt the gradual increasing of sin, and I felt the increasing suffering of a sinner until, finally, I have been convinced that man is weak and I have often said so with a powerful testimony. I know this Church is right; I can honestly believe that the Prophet Joseph Smith was a most marvelous man, and I could discover the truth only by his leading; and I believe this Church will be prosperous in the coming future. be faithful to God, all Saints in America! Even I, a Japanese, am hoping to struggle in the favor of God as a faithful servant, and will seek the truth always. I remain, with respect, your brother, G. Inonye. Osaka, Japan Sagebrush A ha^ green upon the desert floor Which shimmering dips to meet the Inland Sea. The trunks and branches, rough and bent, but free, Are guardians of a kingdom evermore. Here drowsy chippy comes, when night doth lower; The branches shield the hare a hawk did see; Upon the twigs swing cradles of the bee In the pungent leaves, the grouse has food in store. The wearied Redskin rests beneath its shade, While waiting for its wood to roast his game Then, with its bark, he builds a rough, soft bed. The pioneers come, lean, eager, unafraid; With ax and plow the desert lands they tame. The sagebrush goes and a nation grows instead. J. S. Stanford. Are Men Created Equal? Individualism is Eternal By Dr. James E. Talmage, of the Council of the Twelve Democracy holds as a distinguishing and fundamental principle the recognition of individual rights and privileges. The living units of a democratic system are citzens, not subjects. Before the law, so far as it be administered in justice, all citizens are on a plane of equality. In the exercise of the elective franchise, for example, the ballot of the poor man, the unscholarly, the weak, sick or maimed, counts just as much as that of the millionaire, the university graduate, or the athlete. All this is inherent in democracy as a political system. If, through corrupt administration a citizen suffers deprivation of his rights, the fault, grievous though it be, is not chargeable to the system but to the officials who have misused the authority delegated to them. In this sense it is affirmed in the Declaration of Independence, as the first of the truths therein set forth as self-evident, and as assuring to all their inalienable rights "that all men are created equaF' and in this sense the affirmation is irrefutable. ; No other foundation could support a stable structure of government by the people. But it is manifest folly to carry this conception of the legal equality of citizenship to the extreme of assuming that all men are alike in capacity, ability, or power. As long as mankind live in communities there will be leaders and followers, men of prominence, and of necessity others who are relatively obscure, men of energy and idlers, and consequently masters and servants. • Doubtless much of the existing disparity among men, such as the inequitable distribution of wealth, the unrighteous acquisition of power and its iniquitous exercise, is pernicious — evil in the sight of God and ominously wrong under the laws of man. Nevertheless, attempts to right such wrongs by illegal force, and to establish a false equality by promiscuously taking from one to give to another tend toward disruption and anarchy. We are confronted by this profound fact: Individualism is an attribute of the soul, and as truly eternal as the soul itself. (1) In the unembodied, preexistent or antemortal state, we were decidedly unequal in capacity and power. (2) We know we are not equal here in the world of mortals. (3) Assuredly we shall not be equal after death, either in the intermediate state of disembodiment or beyond the resurrection. We read that Jeremiah was chosen from among his fellows