--- 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: 23 number: 4 published: 1920-02 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations, "Spirit Communication," *Improvement Era* 23, no. 4 (February 1920): 294–295.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera2304unse 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: improvementera2304unse start_page: 294 end_page: 295 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1920-02) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera2304unse publication_year: 1920 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 1920, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # Spirit Communication — 294 IMPROVEMENT ERA from any notion that men may have of his honesty, must make the student of spirit life pause and investigate. Joseph Smith announced that he had received visitations from God and his Son Jesus Christ. This statement has appalled and horrified many professed Christians, who would give to God and his Son less power of expression, than they would give to angels or a disembodied spirit; but if we argue that spirits and angels may communicate with man, why draw the line against God, the Father of spirits? Which horn of the dilemma shall we take that he cannot, or that he lacks the sympathetic concern for the world in its great times of need? One alternative is as inconsistent as the other. Following that remarkable visitation of the Father and the Son, there were a series of others. An angel, who represented himself to be one of the ancient inhabitants of this continent, came and revealed the hiding place of ancient records, which in due time were translated. This was an instance where an authorized messenger had accomplished a definite and worthy — object the enlightenment of the world as to a dead race, and a barbaric living one. Then revelations through ancient worthies came, which had for their object the restoring of lost powers and authorities. Theologians have sometimes wondered at the meaning of a certain passage of scripture, the very last words of the Old Testament: "Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord; and he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse." Joseph Smith states that Elijah came to him and gave him powers relating to the union of the living with the dead, which opened up the way for the turnnig of the hearts of the living to the dead, and the dead to the living, for the accomplishment of the things that shall — make them one alike in knowledge and salvation. Largely, in this way, a system that is called "Mormonism" was evolved. Truth upon truth, principle upon principle, it was formed, a perfect and consistent whole, which has elicited the admiration of many sober-thinking men. Much of this was done through the visitation of beings from another sphere of existence. So we are ardent believers, not in your psychic phenomena, perhaps, but in the more important truth, the fact of God's ministry to his children through his spirit or angel servants. We are met with the denunciation founded in the scriptures that predict the lvinsj and deceptive influences that should come in the last days, but we rest our defense on this challenge that not one declaration made to us bv the means that have been ; ; — SPIRIT COMMUNICATION 295 describedis contrary to reason or the revealed word of God. That measure or standard, together with a calm estimate of values as seen in the benefits that come to man directly through these revelations, should be the test. We submit cheerfully to that test; and furthermore, while we are warned to beware of false agencies, we are assured that the existence of the fraudulent and deceptive is proof of the value of the true and authoritative, which should not be discredited because of the existence of the counterfeit. We may be sure, my brother, that in the end, truth will come out of the conflict, like gold out of the — furnace untarnished. Pocatello, Idaho Lincoln the Honest From out the woods with zest of youth A shrinking soul emerged one day; His hope was in the strength of truth, With honest toil to break the way. The world was wide, himself but one — A speck of dust yet none were more; What had been tried could yet be done If will were lent where lacked before. In after years he reached a mark, His honesty had won him fame; The White House door was opened wide, The needs of country called his name. 'Mid clank of chains and roar of guns, To helpless serfs he bade good cheer, He stopped to lift the fainting ones To homes of peace from dens of fear. Today he lives in hearts of men Who love to honor heroes true We praise the One who lent to him The Red, the White, the heavenly Blue. — Our wish is one his name must live To shape our lives in years to be His hope is ours,—may courage bid To serve the right as faithfully! Boston, Mass. Claudia May Ferrin