---
title: Improvement Era
description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930.
authors:
  - Frank C. Steele
collections:
  - periodicals
tags:
  - magazine
  - improvement-era
periodical: Improvement Era
volume: 24
number: 3
published: 1921-01
publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations
publisher_place: Salt Lake City
language: en
type: magazine
reference: 'Frank C. Steele, "The Dope Fiend," *Improvement Era* 24, no. 3 (January 1921): 213–213.'
source:
  url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera2403unse
  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: improvementera2403unse
start_page: 213
end_page: 213
rights:
  status: public-domain
  basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1921-01)
  source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera2403unse
  publication_year: 1921
  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 1921, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright.
---

# The Dope Fiend

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WHY BAPTISM?                                   213

called of God, as was Aaron.' (Heb. 5:4.) Aaron received the
Priesthood through direct revelation. (Exodus 28:1.) John the
Baptist, who baptized the Savior, came, as a resurrected being,
and conferred upon Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery the
Aaronic Priesthood, the authority to baptize for the remission
of sins. In turn the same authority that John the Baptist thus
conferred has come to us by the laying on of hands by those who
received the authority in this dispensation."
     "We baptize by immersion, placing the candidate under the
water typical of the burial of the Savior, coming up out of the
water in likeness of the resurrection."
     "However, we do not baptize little children. The object of
baptism is for the remission of sins. Little children are incapable
of committing sin. When they die they are absolutely saved,
and go back to the presence of their Father in heaven, for the
Savior and Redeemer of mankind said, 'Suffer little children,
and forbid them not, to come unto me; for of such is the kingdom of heaven.' (Matt. 19:14.) We baptize the children at the
age of eight, the age of accountability."
     "To one who is accountable, baptism is essential to enter
the kingdom of God, because the Savior said so and set the
example himself by being baptized."
     The company then moved along to see the great organ in
the Tabernacle. In this interval a lady and a gentleman went
to the guide and approved of the doctrine they had just heard
as being reasonable and scriptural.

                         The Dope Fiend

            Down the street he slinks, when night falls low,
            A derelict in the ebb and flow
            Of the city's throng. His hands are cold
            As he taps the door where dreams are sold.

            His eyes are listless, his lips are thin,
            His face is ashen, his chest sunk in;
            Poor fellow! He once was a mother's pride,
            And once had a sweetheart by his side.

            But now, down the street, when night hangs low,
            He slinks —poor chap!— from the city's glow,
            Slinks like a hunted thing to the den
            Where dreams are sold to the ship-wrecked men:

          Dreams that are restful, delicious, and fair,
          But dreams that lead to the gulf Despair.
Raymond, Canada                                         Frank C. Steele