--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Sorenson, Lawrence J. collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 25 number: 1 published: 1921-11 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'Lawrence J. Sorenson, "If I Can," *Improvement Era* 25, no. 1 (November 1921): 73.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera2501unse 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: improvementera2501unse start_page: 73 end_page: 73 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1921-11) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera2501unse 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. --- # If I Can If I Can The gift of birth hath set me free! If I can now employ at length The faculties God gave to me, The time, the talent, light and strength, I shall not fail my ministry. If I can turn the wheel of fortune fair For nobler purpose than to gratify The narrow self — hoard not to hold, but share — I shall not live in vain nor fear to die. Success is sure if I can but keep free From selfish fetters that enslave mankind, From bands that curb the soul and will in me, And dwarf the power of hand and heart and mind. If I can make some other person smile, Or breathe some hope unto his stricken soul, Life's hour of acting then is worth the while, I'd ask to play no nobler, higher role. If I can only gain and cultivate That simple grace which Paul called charity, The grace which knows no bounds however great, That is the noblest, rarest quality. I shall not then judge nor disdain another; The world shall be then one vast home to me, Each soul a sister or a well loved brother, Endeared by grace of human sympathy. St. Charles, Idaho Lawrence J. Sorenson