---
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: 24
number: 5
published: 1921-03
publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations
publisher_place: Salt Lake City
language: en
type: magazine
reference: 'Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations, "By Whom Faith Should be Taught," *Improvement Era* 24, no. 5 (March 1921): 447–447.'
source:
  url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera2405unse
  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: improvementera2405unse
start_page: 447
end_page: 447
rights:
  status: public-domain
  basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1921-03)
  source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera2405unse
  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.
---

# By Whom Faith Should be Taught

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By Whom Faith Should be Taught

     One of the principal and essential doctrines that a Latterday Saint should teach his children is faith in God, in the Lord
Jesus Christ, and in the restoration of the gospel through the
Prophet, Joseph Smith. The first article of our faith reads: "We
believe in God, the eternal Father, and in his Son, Jesus Christ,
and in the Holy Ghost." And yet, the question is often asked:
"Is it necessary to believe in God in order to render the most
acceptable service for humanity; or can we not do just as much
good without faith in God and his established Church as with
it?"   Some young men have argued, "Why the necessity of
membership in the Church or a belief in Deity, when we can
do just as much good to our fellow men free from the handicaps that come from religion?" In other words, they question
the need of faith in God. in order that real good works may be
accomplished, and deign to believe that services may be rendered to mankind just as acceptably by one having no faith, as
by one having faith. This belief is fallacious; because faith in
God is the first requisite for good works, and is the foundation
of true religion from which only acceptable works to God may
spring; because neither works without faith nor faitli without
works is justified.
      In one of the leading commandments to parents in our
Church, it is stated positively, that parents having children in
Zion must teach them faith in Christ, the Son of the living God,
repentance, and to pray, and to walk uprightly before the Lord.
The penalty pronounced for not doing this service is, that the
sin shall rest upon the heads of the parents.
      This commandment is confirmed by Paul, who places faith
first, very plainly, when he says: "Whosoever shall call upon
the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then, shall they call
on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they
believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall
they hear without a preacher? and how shall they preach except they be sent?" Here we have again the natural order, and
parents will notice that one must first hear the word of the
Lord, next believe, and then follows good works. This is confirmed in another quotation from the scriptures, which de-