Improvement Era, April 1930

THE IMPROVEMENT ERA 3SE Vol. 33-41 APRIL, 1930 No. 6 The Lifted Ensign A Call to Israel Dramatic Poem Characters Impersonated: ELI AS \ : EPHRAIM : : JUD AH ELI AS: A VOICE that crieth in the Wilderness : "Make plain and straight the Highway of our God!" One Hundred Years, on Time's swift pinions flown, Since raised the Ensign for the Gathering — One hundred years, and still the standard waves, Summoning the chosen from world-wandering, Calling the covenant people from afar, To greet the coming of their God and King. Children of Jacob, Isaac, Abra- ham, Sheep of the flock the Shepherd comes to fold! How have ye answered to his beck- oning call? What have ye done his pathway to prepare? Give answer, Ephraim, from thy mountain height, Where streams the signal seen and sung of yore — First-born of God in these, Earth's final days, By ORSON F. WHITNEY Of the Council of the Twelve "And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth." — Isaiah 11:12. Speak thou, and let the winds thy Of mighty nations, whispering from the dust; Mine to unfurl the Ensign, and to sound story tell ! EPHRAIM: T HEAR thee, and with joy I A answer thee: 'Twas mine to welcome the return of Truth, Of old from Error's wide domain withdrawn; Mine to unshroud the buried mys- tery O'er sea and land the tidings won- derful ; Flooding the world with truth and righteousness, Thrusting the sickle in the golden grain, Reaping a ripened field, and garner- ing The earliest sheaves of Israel's harvest home. I've toiled and wept and bled to bring once more The fulness of Christ's Message unto men; To build redemptive Temples, that the dead, Obedient to law in spirit realms, Might with the living share in joys divine. More wouldst thou hear? — There's more I fain would tell. THE AUTHOR ELI AS: yELL on!— tell on! wearies not mine ear. EPHRAIM: Truth ♦Written for the Centennary Celebration of the Church of Jesus Christ of "F SPELLED ^Y tyranny from Utter-day Saints. April 6, 1930. Freedom s ground,