--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Poulsen, Ezra J. collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 21 number: 11 published: 1918-09 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'Poulsen, Ezra J., "A Friend," *Improvement Era* 21, no. 11 (September 1918): 946–947.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera21011unse 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: improvementera21011unse start_page: 946 end_page: 947 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1918-09) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera21011unse 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. --- # A Friend A Friend By Ezra J. Poulsen I had a friend who was true and tried; for through all the enchanted years of blossoming youth, we trod the hills and vales of life together. At manhood's dawn this friend of mine joined the vanguard of a great cause the cause of human liberty. Willingly and cheerfully he went into the bat- tle line. He went, not as a servant forced by the iron hand of a master, not as one drunk with a lust for the blood of his fellow-men, but as a citizen soldier, equipped with a true conception of eternal justice, and armed in the defense of a righteous cause. He was a friend and companion of the brave, a protector of the weak, and the scourge of cowards. Trusted and loved by all who knew him, this man was an honor to his country and his God. He met the onrush of the enemy with an eager eye, and with an arm strong and steady. It was a hapless foe that met his steel. But in the crash and storm of the conflict he was borne down. And there, on the molten crest of the battle's wave, he died. There are many things that man may do to win the gratitude of his fel- lows, but the sacrifice of life is the supreme test of all. It is the test that made the Master suffer the agonies of Gethsemane. And, to use his own words: "Greater love hath no man than this, that he lay down his life for his friends." Let me say, as the world groans under this great cata- clysm of the nations: All honor to him who dies that we might live, and be free! Garden City, Utali. ! " ;