--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Brown, Clarence William collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 27 number: 12 published: 1924-10 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: "Clarence William Brown, ““Mormonism” as an Educational Institution,” *Improvement Era 27, no. 12 (October 1924)*: 1127–1129." source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera27012unse 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: improvementera27012unse start_page: 1127 end_page: 1129 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1924-10) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera27012unse publication_year: 1924 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 1924, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # “Mormonism” as an Educational Institution "MORMONISM" AS AN EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION By Clarence William Brown [Clarence William Brown, one of the competitors at the finals of the Y. M. M. I. A. public speaking contest at the late June conference, was born July 29, 1902, in Ogden, Utah, and is a son of Chistopher J. and Electa E. Brown. He received his schooling under Principal D. H. Adams in Madison School, and graduated from the eighth grade there, in 1915. He attended the Weber Academy, taking three years high school and one year college study, at that institution, filled a mission in the southern states, leaving July 1, 1920, and labored under President Charles A. Callis for two years and eight months. He spent part of his time in the Kentucky conference as president, and later was made superintendent of mission Sunday Schools, with headquarters at Atlanta, Georgia. He visited and organized schools in Georgia, Florida and South Carolina. On his return home he spent one more year at the Weber College, graduating in 1924, and is at present president of the elders' quorum in the 5 th ward of the Mount Ogden stake. We are indebted to Superintendent I. F. Williams for this information. — Editors.] How do the Latter-day Saints rank in physical strength and vitality? The best index to the physical soundness of a people is infant mortality. A recent census reveals the fact that one hundred and one babies out of a thousand, born alive in the United States, die before they become one year of age. Only sixty-four out of a thousand born in Utah die before they become of this age. The figures prove the presence of physical cleanliness and stamina resulting from the teachings of "Mormonism." , Again, statistics disclose the fact that the average length of life in the United States is thirty years. It is a startling affirmation to declare that the average age of the adherents of "Mormonism" has in- creased from thirty years to thirty-six years, an increase of 20%. Such are the results of obedience to the wholesome, hygienic rules given to the Saints by revelation. But, even greater achievements than these can be anticipated, for stronger bodies will continually evolve until we shall ultimately realize God's ideal of physical manhood. Psychologists affirm that great minds can best be sustained by sound, healthy bodies. It is evident, therefore, that "Mormonism" is creating a desire for physical fitness, is building a substantial foundation for the increased intellectual activity which this religion asserts is a prime requisite of a complete life. From its incipiency "Mormonism" has fostered the development of the mind. Inspired by divine light the Prophet Joseph Smith revealed certain great and fundamental principles of intelligence which have been dynamic forces in impelling the Latter-day Saints to rise to more exalted hopes and holier deeds. 1128 IMPROVEMENT ERA His simple declaration, "A man can be saved no faster than he gets knowledge" is a far reaching thought, a great mainspring to human endeavor, carrying man onward and upward to the realization of a higher, and nobler life. "The glory of God is intelligence" is an active, positive prin- ciple, containing the power of continuous mental growth. It has supplied the springs of action for its believers to seek out from science, literature, art, the things which make for happiness. It has lifted them out of the sordid pleasures of a material world and created in them a desire for that which is divine. Such are the principles of intelligence which appeared as beacon lights in the destiny of the Latter-day Saints. Such are the principles which actuate their lives and influence them to seek the great, the good, the beautiful. Such are the principles which are making the Church of Jesus Christ a great educational institution. Furthermore that its adherents may develop their capacities to the greatest perfection possible, "Mormonism" is providing those facilities essential to the acquiring of a liberal education. It distributes its members in inter-related local organizations, and provides courses of study and practical activities which teach them their correct relation to their fellows, to society, to the state, and to God. With a firm belief in the maxim that a person retains only that which he gives away, it furnishes opportunity for its people to develop by service to others. It supplies work for each to do that each may learn by doing. Furthermore, in the cause of higher education, it has builded schools, endowed colleges, and developed an educational system which is unsurpassed in the world. But with this superiority in intellectual attainment "Mormonism" is aware of the fact that mere physical and mental development do not satisfy all the purposes of human existence. To be alive only to strength, appetite, pleasure, wealth, and pride, which come from physical and intellectual achievements, and not to be alive to purity, and love, sympathy, and kindness, hope and ambition resulting from spiritual development, is to be almost dead. In the development of all his capacities "Mormonism" recog- nizes man's need of God. Human intelligence has its limitations but the inspiration and intelligence from the Almighty are infinite and eternal. Among men, knowledge is meagre, truth is limited, justice is defective, mercy is failing, righteousness is insufficient, and love is incomplete. All of these qualities are held by man, but held by him imperfectly. So to realize his ideals man looks beyond himself to the Being in whom these qualities are perfected. It is then that "Mormonism" contributes its most priceless gifts in educating its people in spiritual things, in their relationship to God. It declares that, "As man is, God once was; and as God is, man "MORMONISM" AS AN EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION 1129 may become." Man is of divine lineage, the offspring of Deity, having inherent within him the powers and attributes of God. His duty, therefore, is to develop these traits and powers that tell of his Divine descent and to become, even while mortal, Godlike. To enable its people to do this, "Mormonism" has provided them with the greatest code of ethics that has yet been given unto man — the gospel of Jesus Christ. In it are contained the laws, ordinances, principles, and commandments necessary for the perfection of man's nature in the image of his God. This gospel enlarges sympathy, increases reverence, nourishes faith, inspires hope, exalts the imagination, and keeps alive the fire of love. It awakens within the Latter-day Saints a firm belief in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous and in doing good to all mankind. With Alma, a Book of Mormon prophet, it teaches that to prostitute virtue or chastity, is one of the blackest crimes in the heavenly category. Such teachings linked with temple ordinances have created in the hearts of the people a divine sacredness for the marriage covenant. They have solidified the home, decreasing divorces by over 30% The importance of this is readily apparent when we consider that 75% of our immorality and juvenile delinquency come from homes where divorce has wrought havoc. Under the influence of these salient principles, the Latter-day Saints are becoming an example of righteousness unto the world, a city set upon a hill which cannot be hid. Thus is being developed in its people that physical strength that qualifies them to perform the constant duties of life, the power to think, that enables them to cope with the problems of their environ- ment, that faith in God and clean living by which they are able to ful- fil all the purposes of human existence. Is there a need in the world for such liberal education? In this age of great change and upheaval, when men have fallen into the habit of measuring human achievements by material stan- dards, and when their motives are almost wholly controlled and di- rected by economic forces, the supreme need is for a prophetic voice to call men back to a consideration of things spiritual. That voice is the voice of the Latter-day Saints, declaring that man must har- moniously develop his capacities, making the physical and intellectual subservient to the spiritual, if he is to fulfil the purposes of his divine inheritance. Therefore, as Latter-day Saints, we must hold steadfastly to the simple faith of our fathers. We must continue to develop all our capacities, and allow the fruits of the gospel of Jesus Christ to radiate from our lives. Thus through our good work we may convince the world that man cannot expand to the fulness of his nature, without the help and assistance of the Eternal God.