--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Martin, Thomas L. 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: 'Thomas L. Martin, "It Is Up to You," *Improvement Era* 25, no. 1 (November 1921): 65–66.' 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: 65 end_page: 66 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. --- # It Is Up to You It is up to You By Dr. Thomas L. Martin, Professor of Agronomy, Brigham Young University There is a tendency on the part of some to make their schooling a matter of convenience, and, inasmuch as the at- tendance at college will necessitate a little effort, a little grit, a little determination, they are content to relax in their desires and wait until they are a little better prepared financially. The world loves a man with a purpose, especially when that man has enough red blood in his veins to cany out that pur- pose in the face of difficulty. "It stands aside for the man who knows where he is going." It admires the man who proves that to secure an education finances are but thirty-three and one- third per cent; determination, sixty-six and two-thirds per cent. We were placed upon this earth to subdue it, but when we see young men and oftentimes young women living lives that indi- cate that the earth has subdued them, it is indeed a sorry spec- tacle. A man, when he knows where he stands and what he plans to do in this world and launches out into the unknown to accomplish these ends, is always happily surprised to find that nature, with her forces, has enlisted in his cause and is working for his success. Beautifully does Ralph Parlette tell about the Mississippi river in his book entitled, Go on South. The Mississippi river, the Father of Waters, begins as a little, trickling creek. It wabbles through the woods of Min- nesota. It does not know where it is going, but it is on its way. Folks criticise it and say it has not water enough to get out of the county. It only says, "I'm going ahead." It has water enough to start out, and that is all it cares. As it continues south it picks up a little more water here and there, and it sud- denly finds itself developing into a big stream. "Do you know why the Mississippi goes South?" is asked. To continue to be the Mississippi. If it should stop and stagnate, it would not be the Mississippi river, it would become a stagnant, poisonous pond. What a wonderful illustration for the struggling youth! As the river goes south it finds obstacles in the way. Concrete dams are placed clear across its path. It still i« determined to keep going south, so it rises higher than the obstacle and sweeps over it on its selected path. The power it develops, due to over- coming the obstacle, brings light and power to a thousand cities. It meets further opposition from drainage canals, the muddy 66 IMPROVEMENT ERA streams of its tributaries, all conspire to make things unpleasant for the Mississippi, but it still goes south, neutralizing the poison of the polluted streams and becoming bigger and stronger for the experience. As it approaches the Gulf of Mexico the rive becomes so large that science has not yet been able to put a bridge across it. It bears upon its bosom the commerce of many nations, and gives to the struggling youth one of its greatest lessons: — with small beginnings and a great determination, the biggest things in life are accomplished. If the little creek on Lake Itasca, in Minnesota, should have thought that its waters were too small to start on South, it would have degenerated into a poisonous swamp and deprived the world of one of the greatest wonders of the age. The life story of the Mississippi river is the life story of every man who has become a leader of men. Young man, what is your decision? Do not shrivel in the face of a small financial difficulty. Make the start, and you will be surprised at your own powers. Your family, society, your religious ideals, your future associates, demand that you make the start. Surely you have the stuff within you. Read Up by George Matthew Adams, Go by George Harrison Phelps, University of Hard Knocks by Ralph Parlette, then prove to the world you have the stuff within you. It is your ethical and re- ligious duty to secure your educational training. Get it. Provo, Utah The Reward Though Unseen is Sure By George Henry Norman "Good afternoon, Sister Garratt, I am pleased to see you at Sunday school. Have you been ill?" "No," said Sister Garratt, "only staying away from the meet- ings." Elder Norton, who had been a keen student of human nature all his life, perceived by her disinterested answer that there was some other reason for her absence. A further question elicited the fact that she had become somewhat discouraged. Said Sister Garratt: "I have put a lot into the Church, and have got so little out of it; I have come here Sunday after Sunday; wet or fine, winter and summer, I have been in my place as a teacher; yet, I do not seem to have made any progress whatever, — in fact the children seem to get more unruly in the class