--- 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: 24 number: 12 published: 1921-10 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'Joseph S. Peery, "Enthusiasm in Preaching," *Improvement Era* 24, no. 12 (October 1921): 1058.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera24012unse 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: improvementera24012unse start_page: 1058 end_page: 1058 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1921-10) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera24012unse 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. --- # Enthusiasm in Preaching Enthusiasm in Preaching By Joseph S. Peery "He who is enthusiastic is young at eighty. He who loses his enthusiasm is old at forty." Enthusiasm in preaching, es- pecially promotes continued youth and alertness. Good ex- amples are President Joseph F. Smith arid President Charles W. Penrose. Nothing is more pleasant than preaching the revealed gospel, and nothing is more important. In section 50, Doctrine and Covenants, the question is asked: "Unto what are you or- dained?" The answer follows, "To preach my gospel by the Spirit." The gospel message is the best and sweetest message of all ages. It lifts up and brings joy and peace. The Latter-day Saint misionary, true to his ordination, is noted for his earnest- ness in giving this glorious message of universal salvation. He deals with the whole world, and freely gives his glad tidings, far better than gifts of diamonds. The more he gives, the more he feels and learns and desires to give. He is in the service of the Savior of the world, and his compensation is the Spirit of the Lord. He feels exquisite joy when he can get even one soul to listen to the words of eternal life. He knows that it means so much for that soul. He so wants that child of God to realize his royal parentage and glorious destiny, if only he will yield obedience to divine will. Time and fatigue are nothing in com- parison with the fulfilment of the elder's mission. He is en- thusiastic with his love for his brother's salvation. Though his hair may whiten in this unselfish service, his enthusiasm keeps him young and eager to continue forever in giving that which has lifted his own thoughts and feelings to sublime heights. Such enthusiasm in the good cause will continue into the next life. However, he does not have to wait for his reward, as con- tinually he receives heavenly happiness. He has the joy of the spirit that Tennyson praises, "What joys can equal those that stir the spirit's inner deeps!" Is it worth while to "bring glad tidings of good things?" Yes, above everything else, John Whitmer was told, and every enthusiastic Latter-day Saint elder realizes the same.