--- 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: 26 number: 11 published: 1923-09 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations, "Life’s Visions and Purposes", *Improvement Era* 26, no. 11 (September 1923): 1023–1027.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera26011unse 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: improvementera26011unse start_page: 1023 end_page: 1027 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1923-09) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera26011unse publication_year: 1923 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 1923, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # Life’s Visions and Purposes Life's Visions and Purposes A Study for the Advanced Senior Class, M. I. A., 1923-24. By President Emeritus George H. Brimhall. and Dean Harrison V . Hoyt of the Brigham Young University. Lesson I — Our Class A. Definition of Vision. — In this course of study vision shall mean that which is projected by the mind and visualized by the imagination. It does not therefore, mean the impression or view obtained through a miraculous source or divine interposition or presentation. The word vision stands for view of the future projected as was the government of the United States by its founders, the mowing machine by its inventor, the ideal landscape by the painter, the vanishing of the saloons by the reformers, the future manhood of youth. B. Scope of Lessons. — Six courses finished. Six years ago our Class began its work and has completed six subjects: 1. "The Ethics of the Doctrine and Covenants." 2. "How to Lessen Contributions to Crime." 3. "Prophecies and Promises of the Lord." 4. "Vital Problems of life." 5. "Sources of Joy and Factors of Happiness." 6. "Doing Common Things in an Uncommon Wjay." More than ten thousand adults have participated in this work each year, and if the benefit to the individual has been in keeping with that of institutional development, great good has been accomplished. The task before us now is to study "Life's Visions and Purposes," with the great central purpose of bringing each member of the class as a whole to points of higher vision and greater purposes. May we not fittingly adopt as our class motto, the Call of the Universe "higher levels and more vision," as we move, week by week, on through the twenty- four lessons enumerated below: 1. Our Class. 2. My Future Self. 3. The Education for Me. 4. The Eternal Union. 5. The Home. 6. My Institutional Obligations: State, Church, Social. 7. My Service. 8. My Service (Continued). 9. My Ethical Existence. 10. My Physical Fitness. 11. My Spiritual Strength, or Obedi- ence to the Laws of the Lord. 12. Individual Estimates of the Course Social, Educational, Spiritual. 13. Our Community. 14. Our State. 15. Our Republic. 16. The Church as a Miracle or Gift from God to Man. 17. The Church as a Natural Growth. 18. The Church as a Protector. 19. The Church as a Distributor of Truth. 20. The Church as a Trainer. 21. The Church as a Social Savior. 22. The Church as a Spiritual Life Preserver. 23. The Church as the Best Investment on Earth: Time, Energy, and Means. 24. Class Reunion. C. Advantage of Vision and Purpose. — The history of the race is full of evidence that where there is no vision from God the people perish. Vision, is therefore, fundamental in the great scheme of salvation. There is ample, everyday evidence to prove that the lack of vision in the individ- ual and in the community indicates that the individual and community will cease to progress. As to purpose, there seems to be scriptural evidence that the great Creator has divided the creation into three steps: First, a purpose for the 1024 IMPROVEMENT ERA creation ; second, a spiritual creation ; third, a material or temporal creation. In the book of Abraham we find that the Gods counseled and de- liberated among themselves about the creation of man. They then created him spiritually and thereafter they created him physically. This being true, then, for man to proceed without a vision or purpose, would mean that he is lacking in one fundamental principle. The breadth of vision, and the extent of the purpose, is the measure of the magnitude of the mind individually or collectively. Suggested Program of Procedure Adopted by Committee on Advanced Senior Work and Discussed in Department Meeting of the June Conference 1. Preliminary business five minutes. 2. Answering assigned questions, fifteen minutes. 3. Class leader's lecture fifteen minutes. 4. Class discussion fifteen minutes. Lesson and other germane problems. 5. Summary and assignments ten minutes. If there are fifteen questions, the answers would be limited to one minute each. For ten questions allow one and a half minutes each. Questions and Problems 1. What does vision mean in this course? 2. Distinguish between visions of life and visions such as the visions of Lehi and the Prophet Joseph. 3. How is vision related to ambition? 4. How is purpose related to push? 5. Name six courses of instruction which have been completed since the organization of the class. 6. What is your opinion in regard to a class motto or slogan? 7. Distinguish between vision and purpose in life, (a) by explanation, (b) by illustration. 8. See Hand Book, p. 147, par. 7, 9. What is your purpose toward the support of your class leader? 10. What method do you suggest for keeping up a spirit of good fellowship in the class? Lesson 2. — My Future Self A. Mind Compared to Matter. — If we gaze into the firmament on a clear night, observe the countless stars, and then contemplate the unseen, until we are lost in space a feeling of almost self-nothingness takes possession of us, and we are wont to exclaim how unimportant man is, — a mere 6peck in the universe. But recovering from our awe-stricken state we recall that this speck has reached out and brought within its grasp of thought all those visible worlds and more. The one human mind has taken the countless worlds into its grasp and contemplation. The mind has directed our nerve of sight to reach out and rescue numberless worlds and suns from a bottomless void. In time, their heat may be harnessed for our service, just as we harness the oscillations of ether to carry our messages. All the stars together cannot contemplate a single mind. Then wonder upon wonder, this mind, greater than all matter, can contemplate itself and can consciously improve itself. It can grow by living; stars and suns grow dim by expenditure of energy. The process that is growth to the mind is decay to the sun. B. Know and Guide Thyself. — The bringing of souls to Christ has been declared by the Lord to be the most profitable of all employments, but the most important part of this soul-bringing is self-soul-bringing. Coming to God must precede bringing others there. LIFE'S VISIONS AND PURPOSES 1025 Secondary self-training may be carried through other people's knowl- edge of us but first self-training must come from clear visions of one's self -improvement. "Know thyself" Animals when left to themselves follow their environment downward or upward; man rises above his environment through vision and purpose. The animal looks out; man not only looks out from himself but he looks in upon himself. Animals may imitate character, man creates character. Truth is a knowledge of things and their relations, A knowledge of the most important things is the most important knowledge. Self is the mest important of all things to the individual. "Know then thyself, pre- sume not God to scan, the proper study of mankind is man." — Pope, "Essay On Man." Epistle II, 1:1. "The real science and the real study for man is man" — Chorion. In my first primeval childhood was I nurtured near thy side" This poetic statement had behind it a declaration of the doctrine "Man was in the beginning with God." (See Doc. and Cov. 93:29). C. We Were Doubly Added Upon. — We are "added upon" — that is, we are given bodies. Only the spirits who kept their first estate can have bodies. There were spirits who were given bodies but denied the blessings of the Priesthood. We are given bodies and we enjoy the privilege of the Priesthood. We then must have done something more than keep our first estate. Did we not keep it valiantly when divine authority was the object of a struggle? We did something more than interfere, we fought and were doubly added upon. (See Revelation 12:7; Pearl of Great Price; Book of Abraham 1:21-25.) D. Proper Self Inventory. — We can scarcely become acquainted with ourselves until we make an inventory of our aptitudes, inclinations, and habits. The self survey should include all of our strong points or good tendencies and habits. It should also include the opposites or weak tend- encies and habits. In short, it should include all which we know will result in a self-acquaintance, out of which will come an increase of self-respect, hopeful purpose, and a plan for self-betterment. By looking into our future probabilities and possibilities from the standpoint of our persent condition and tendencies, our attention should be directed to the following two sets of questions: A. 1. Where will I probably land if I keep on this course? 2. What will my earth-life be with the habits I have? 3. What are my earth-life possibilities? 4. What changes must I make to reach the possibilities that I see? B. 1. Pursuing my present course, where will I land in the land beyond? 2. What are the highest possibilities for me in my next estate? Having thus visioned our future probabilities and possibilities we should fix our purposes and plan our procedure for the best possible physical organization with which to do our work, the highest possible mental power, the best moral character and the most cultured taste possible, and aided and inspired by a most perfect faith in God. The Greeks were wont to inspire their children with the admonition, "Hitch your chariot to the stars." We have higher ambitions to inspire us and should say, "Strive for the glory of the sun; seek through service b seat among the Gods." SUMMARY I see myself a child of God, in a pre-existent world. A hero grown defending right, truth's banner wide unfurled. I vision self upon this earth, with power of mind to rise On wings of thought above the stars, and win the highest prize. The aim of my existence here shall be, to have more celestial joy Than sorrow in the sum of life; build more than I destroy. 1026 IMPROVEMENT ERA To seek the truth and defend the right, and in rriy work be glad; Be much more moved by love of good than by the fear of bad. I look^ beyond with hopes most fond and see my place above, I make resolve, the problem solve — How to merit my Father's love. Questions and Problems I. What unmistakable evidences have we that man is the offspring of Deity? 2. Give evidence that the study of the self is a human trait possessed by none of the"lower animals." 3. Wherein is the mind of man greater than all the physical universe? 4. What are the evidences of our pre-mortal valiancy? 5. What is the character-building value of a careful self survey? 6. Present in one minute a list of purposes which when carried over into habit will keep one "physically fit." 7. Give a one minute talk on "mental weakness." 8. Name the activities indispensable to faith preservation and spiritual growth. 9. Show that good people who never oppose a reform but refuse to "put their shoulder to the wheel" for the triumph of truth must be content with secondary exaltation in the world to come. 10. Wherein does the following quotation contain gospel truth? "The fault, dear Brutus is not in our stars but in ourselves, that we are underlings." Shakespeare "Julius Caesar," Act I, Scene 2. Lesson 3.- -The Education for Me Importance of Knowledge. — If we are to achieve the desirable things of life and realize the full measure of our possibilities and responsibilities we must first have a knowledge and understanding of what they are, and above all, how they are to be obtained. Most of us sense a desire to escape the treadmill of the rank and file and routine work. Thoughtful consideration causes us to wish for an education through which we may find a desirable position in the world and be fitted to fill that position: or an education through which may come the success of "being able to do what we like to do in such a way that we will not need to do something else for a livelihood;" or an educatioi that will help us keep in harmony with our better selves, with good society and with the mind and will of God. Education for Leadership — We wish for the education which makes for leadership, which means vision beyond that of common; couragt stronger than that of the common; and more patience, and service superior to that of the common. We vision scientific leadership giving us decisive victories in oui battles with disease and drudgery; we vision moral leadership guiding us to higher character levels; and we vision spiritual leadership raising mankind from despair of death to the hope of eternal life and progression. Knowledge Vitalized. — A vision or knowledge of the desirable things which education and training can bring is not the only thing necessary. In order for us to escape the shackles of tradition and environment and put over knowledge to good use, it must become vitalized until it ripens into a principle objective, a major ideal, or a life's purpose. This objective, ideal, or purpose will then furnish us with motive force, inspirational incentive, or inherent urge "which carries us on to the achievement of those ideals." Books Food for Vision. — All good books deal with desirable things of life, they increase our knowledge, they ripen our understanding of the reward for our various efforts and thoughts, and they furnish us food for life's visions and objectives. Our M. I. A. course is not only a means of culture, but it can be made UFE'9 VISIONS AND PURPOSES 1027 the means of ripening our interest in some particular vocation or field of thought, into a life's desire or major objective. The class preparation, the class leader's talks, and the class discussion are all rich with opportunity. Therefore, if we do not increase our knowledge and achieve the desirable things of life we apply to ourselves the old saying of the Romans, "The fault, dear Brutus, that we are underlings is not in the stars, but in ourselves." The person with a worth while educational ambition should be ready to assert himself to the extent of saying: I will complete the M. I. A. reading course. I will read some current magazine of general information. I will learn the benefit of the M. I. A. class work and association. I will constantly contribute to my major ideal or purpose. I will learn the ways of the Lord from the written pages and living oracles. What else I must miss, my spiritual education shall not be neglected. I will have a daily, all-around progressive education similar to that possessed by many of our Church leaders. Questions and Problems 1. If we are to achieve the desirable things of life what is the first requirement? 2. What does an education do for its possessor? 3. What does the quality of leadership involve? 4. What does a vision or knowledge of desirable things ripen into, a principal objective or major ideal? 5. How does a major ideal furnish us with an inherent motive force or incentive? f: Discuss the necessity of having a major ideal or specific aim in life if we are to accomplish the most. 7. There are three kinds of ideals, viz. (1) Great ultimate ideals; (2) Contributory major ideals; (3) Contributory minor ideals; No. 1 is regarding the hereafter; No. 2 is the profession one chooses, and contributory to No. 1; No. 3 is contributory to No. 2, and may be numerous. Tell how you should select these ideals. 8. What kind of books should be selected for the M. I. A. reading course in ordei to stimulate ideals? 9. Discuss the old saying of the Romans, "The fault, dear Brutus, that we are underlings is not in the stars but in ourselves." 10. Name the worth while objectives given in this lesson and give three additional ones. Success "To have endured early hardships with fortitude, and overcome dif- ficulties by perserverance; to have founded or developed a large business, useful in itself, and given employment to many; to have achieved fortune, independence, position, and influenve; to have established a character above reproach; to have accumulated esteem, the confidence and the friendship of his fellows; to have given largely of money to charity; and of time to citizenship; and to have gained all this of the world without losing the soul by avarice, or by starving the heart into hardness — I say, he who has so lived has nobly lived, and he should find peace with honor when the shadows begin to lengthen and the evening of life draws on." — David R. Forgan, President, National City Bank, Chicago; from Through the Meshes. June. 1923.