---
title: Improvement Era
description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930.
authors:
  - Peery, Joseph S.
collections:
  - periodicals
tags:
  - magazine
  - improvement-era
periodical: Improvement Era
volume: 22
number: 4
published: 1919-02
publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations
publisher_place: Salt Lake City
language: en
type: magazine
reference: 'Peery, Joseph S., "Be Brief," *Improvement Era* 22, no. 4 (February 1919): 301.'
source:
  url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera2204unse
  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: improvementera2204unse
start_page: 301
end_page: 301
rights:
  status: public-domain
  basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1919-02)
  source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera2204unse
  publication_year: 1919
  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 1919, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright.
---

# Be Brief

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CONGRESSMAN JOSEPH HOWELL                    301

of Wellsville, and always took a keen interest and an active part
in the Church to which he was always devoted.
     He was recognized as one of Utah's most able and successful
business men, as evidenced by positions he held at the time of
his death on the directorate of two of the leading banks of Salt
Lake City, and as president and director of a number of the
largest enterprises in the state.
     While he possessed exceptional business abilities, he was
withal a student. His mind was always active and his judgment
was unfaltering. To few men is given such a splendid intellect
as he possessed.
     In 1878 he married Mary Maughan, daughter of Bishop
William H. Maughan, of Wellsville, who was the helpful companion of his life, and to whom, equally with himself, is due the
credit for his unusually successful life. They have ten children,
all   of whom are living.
    Joseph Howell was a loving father, a devoted husband, a
wise counselor, a thorough student, a true friend, a great statesman, a successful man.

                               Be Brief

                            By Joseph S. Peery

    Most speakers talk too much. A thorough preparation, with
words shot out from the heart, will move people to action. Mere
words will cause weariness and complaint.
    Southey says, "Be brief, for it is with words as with sunbeams, the more they are condensed the deeper they burn."
    A presiding officer who allows speakers to go past the usual
dismissing time, does a real injury to the meeting, and to the
speakers themselves. A speaker should study his watch, and
not go over the allotted time. If he does trespass on others' time,
he not only weakens his own remarks, but weaknes the effect
of the whole meeting.
     For a convention to be a success, the speaker should be limited in time, a timekeeper should be appointed to tap one minute before the time expires, and then the speaker should observe the rules by promptly quitting.     It is just as important

to stop on time as it is to start on time.
     "For this is a day of warning, and not a day of many words."
Doctrine and Covenants 53:58.