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42 results from LDS.org, BYU.edu and other LDS sites

Contributors

in The Disciple as Scholar: Essays on Scripture and the Ancient World in Honor of Richard Lloyd Anderson

Toronto: A Growing Light in the East

in Ensign Sept. 1988 by Richard Robertson

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248 results from the the gospelink library

results:  1 - 25 of 42   next >    last >>
 

The Closing of the Early Japan Mission by R. Lanier Britsch

in BYU Studies, vol. 15 (1974-1975)

Still Other Great Erroneous Dogmas in Paul's "Falling Away"

in On the Way to Immortality and Eternal Life by J. Reuben Clark

Speed and the Spirit by Joseph J. Cannon

in Improvement Era, 1928

Three Nights' Public Discussion (1850), John Taylor

in Pamphlets: Latter-day Tracts by Various General Authorities

Arrival in France-Preparations for Work-Monsieur Le Maire-Permission to Lecture-Meetings in Boulogne-Sur-Mer...

in Life of John Taylor by B. H. Roberts

Japan 1901-1924

in From the East: The History of the Latter-day Saints in Asia, 1851-1996 by R. Lanier Britsch

Elements of a Harmony and the Harmonies Herein Relied Upon

in Why the King James Version by J. Reuben Clark

Elder Harold B. Lee

in Conference Report, October 1954

Prediction of the Prophet's Grandparents-Agitation for the Removal of the Saints from Clay County Missouri.

in History of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, vol. 2 by B. H. Roberts, Joseph Smith

Other Erroneous Dogmas Appear

in On the Way to Immortality and Eternal Life by J. Reuben Clark

Great Erroneous Dogmas Develop

in On the Way to Immortality and Eternal Life by J. Reuben Clark

Which Came First, the Music Or the Words? (A Greek Text and Coptic Melody: Musical Transcription and Analysis of the Setting)

in By Study and Also by Faith, vol. 1 by John M. Lundquist, Stephen D. Ricks

The Japanese Mission in Action by Dr. John A. Widtsoe

in Improvement Era, 1939

The Cycle Continues

in Harold B. Lee: Man of Vision, Prophet of God by Francis M. Gibbons

British Travelers View the Saints 1847-1877 by Edwina Jo Snow

in BYU Studies, vol. 31 (1991)

Bibliography

in Why the King James Version by J. Reuben Clark

President David O. McKay

in Conference Report, April 1952

The Post Primitive Church Grapples with Paganism

in On the Way to Immortality and Eternal Life by J. Reuben Clark

Events of the Month. by Thomas Hull, General Secretary of Y. M. M. I. A.

in Improvement Era, 1902

Editorial

in Improvement Era, 1937

President Charles Wilson Nibley

in Improvement Era, 1932

The Primitive Church Organization Disappears

in On the Way to Immortality and Eternal Life by J. Reuben Clark

New Era Begins for Church Growth

in Harold B. Lee: Prophet and Seer by Brent L. Goates

The Church in the Orient

in Ye Are the Light of the World by Harold B. Lee

John Lyon: Poet for the Lord

in Supporting Saints: Life Stories of Nineteenth-Century Mormons by Donald Q. Cannon, David J. Whittaker

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Springville
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Speed and the Spirit

BY JOSEPH J. CANNON

[This story was read to Dr. Haymond in order to assure accuracy of details. He objected to the suggestion of the heroic, but we agree with the author that as long as he refrained from the slightest exaggeration, adhering strictly to the facts, the story should stand as it is.—Editors.]

I LIKE Springville. The town has character. The people there seem a little more subject to enthusiasms than most. Years ago when state prohibition was a faint hope, national a dream. Springville refused to license saloons. Revenues were scarce and bars elsewhere invited her sons, but Springville had ideals.

I am wondering which influence more greatly stirred the genius of Cyrus Dallin in his youth, the beauty of the close mountains, that startling range from Timpanogos to Nebo, or the appreciative friendship of his neighbors in Springville. I know he loves those neighbors now with a great love. I am sure the sensitive soul of John Hafen felt deeply there the harmony of his human surroundings. His gentle, artistic mood was affected by them as much as by the evening light across the lake or the autumn hues on the mountainside. Art galleries like the noted one at the Springville high school are not accidents. They grow out of the soul of a people.

About a score of years ago I was guest at a home there. The large lot was half city, half country, lawn in front, garden and stables behind, typical "Mormon" settlement home, part of a farm but away from it, built before the time of autombiles and good roads, when Indians and isolation induced the farmers to live in town and raise their field crops at a distance. Milk cows came from the pasture at night and lay down at peace in a corral. In the stable were a number of horses, among them a Shire stallion.

Out on the lawn under the high apple trees I visited much with two children whom I loved, a black-haired boy and a golden-haired girl, twins, Creed like his mother, Elma like her father. They seemed so typical of the little town, those two, of its best traditions, highminded, enthusiastic, charming. They interested me greatly, those sprightly youngsters, well born, both as to parents and to community. I drew from them many things. They had ideals; they said their prayers; they had never tasted tea or coffee. That suggested something. In that shady garden we three entered into a contract. We would never use tobacco, tea or coffee, or liquor, until we all sat down and had these things together. I did not consider it a very serious contract—for the twins.

Years passed. Creed interested himself in athletics and played basketball in high school. Then he entered the University of Utah and made the track team. Soon he became known as the Utah flash. "The 'Mormon' speed demon," his competitors on other teams called him. Sportsmen said he ran like a million dollars—whatever that may mean. The professional work he wished to do could not be prepared for here, so he went East, to the University of Pennsylvania.

Several years ago I saw on the wall of his office the photograph of the finish of a race. It interested me. He mentioned that there was a story connected with it. Part he told me then. At different times since I have drawn most of it from him, little by little, and learned some details from others.

It was the end of May, 1919, at the Harvard stadium, the annual meet of the Inter-Collegiate Association of Amateur Athletes of America—the I. C. 4 A's. To Cambridge the great American colleges had sent their best men, seventeen hundred in all, to compete. Creed Haymond was captain of the Pennsylvania team. The night before the meet Coach Lawson Robertson came to the room. He was in good spirits. In the try-outs Penn had qualified seventeen men. Cornell, her most feared rival that year, had only ten. As the scoring for the five first places in each event was five, four, three, two, one, naturally the number of men a team had in the finals greatly influenced its chances.

"Creed," Robertson said, "if we do our best tomorrow we will run away with it."

"We're going to do our best, Robby."

The coach hesitated. "Creed, I'm having the boys take a little sherry wine tonight. I want you to have some, just a little of course."

"I won't do it, Coach."

"But, Creed, I'm not trying to get you to drink. I know what you 'Mormons' believe. I'm giving you this as a tonic, just to put you all on your metal."

"It wouldn't do me any good, Robby; I can't take it."

"Remember, Creed, you're captain of the team and our best point winner, fourteen thousand students are looking to you personally to win this meet. If you fail us we'll lose. I ought to know what is good for you."

Creed Haymond believed he had the best coach in the world, and with reason, for Lawson Robertson has since been chosen head coach for the Olympic teams of 1920, 1924, and 1928. Creed knew too, that other coaches felt a little wine to be useful when men have trained muscle and nerve almost to the snapping point. He also knew that his team needed his best efforts. He intensely wished to give them, but there is something of steely moral courage in Creed Haymond and he looked Robertson in the eye and said, "I won't take it, Coach."

Robertson smiled a little, not a gay smile it is true. On his grim Scotch face there was a curious expression. "You're a funny fellow, Creed. You won't take tea at the training table. You have ideas of your own. Well, I'm going to let you do as you please."

He went away and left the captain of his team in a state of extreme anxiety. Supposing, Creed thought, he made a poor showing tomorrow; what could he say to Robertson? He was to go against the fastest men in the world. Nothing less than his best would do. This stubbornness of his might lose the meet for Penn. His teammates were doing as they were told. They believed in their coach. What right had he to disobey? Only one right, one reason, this thing he had been following and believing all his life—this Word of Wisdom. But what is it anyway, something Joseph Smith thought up or really a revealed message to us from God? It was a critical hour of the young man's life and, with all the spiritual forces of his nature suffusing him, he kneeled down and earnestly, very earnestly, asked the Lord to give him a testimony as to the source of the revelation he had believed and obeyed. Then he went to bed and slept the sound slumber of healthy youth.

Next morning Coach Robertson came into the room and asked anxiously, "How are you feeling, Creed?"

"Fine," the captain answered cheerfully.

"The other fellows are vomiting. I don't know what's the matter with them," he said seriously.

"Maybe it's the tonic you gave them, Coach," Creed volunteered.

"Maybe so," Robertson answered shortly.

I heard Jack Dempsey tell once of the strange feelings he had during the hours preceding a fight. While amateur events evoke less cruel determination to win than where one's job in life is involved, every athlete who is about to meet the supreme test before a great crowd has the tenseness, fright, exhilaration, the feeling of glory that makes the occasion memorable. On that almost perfect day in late May the Penn team entered the great Harvard stadium entitled to full measure of confidence. The dope sheets of the coaches and others, where every man was listed and graded from past performance, gave Penn a margin over the best of the other teams. Gathered there was the flower of American athletics. Every man was known. Of the seventeen entrants Pennsylvania had qualified the day before, she counted on seven to win the meet and on others to pile up points.

Two o'clock found twenty thousand spectators in their seats—the same sport-loving crowd that has watched bull fights in Spain, jousts in France and England, gladiators in Rome and the fair athletes of Greece—waiting, that crowd, to see conflict, joyous, excited, partizan, every contest on track or field giving rise to an emotional battle among the spectators, but multiplied many thousand times as the tense occupants of the bleachers in divided sympathy made their feeling vocal; generous, though, that crowd, ready to cheer the best man, victor though he might be over the friends of most of them.

As the events got under way, it became plain that something was wrong with the wonderful Penn team. In that beautiful race, the quarter mile, the grinding test of speed and endurance, Pennsylvania's man was figured to take second place and win four precious points. The startled Penn supporters watched the field run away from him; he came in last. In the half-mile event the inter-collegiate champion of the year before was Penn's entrant. Coach Robertson's dope sheet gave him first in that event with five points. He finished fifth with one point. Two men were entered in the pole vault. They were considered the classiest men in America in that picturesque event. They were expected to take first and second places and win nine points. At a height below their own records they tied for third place and won between them five points. The man entered for high jump, confidently counted on as a point winner, did not place. The one who should have taken third in the low hurdles was too sick to run.

The hundred-yard dash, the classic of track events was announced. The six fastest men in the colleges of America took their places. This and the two hundred twenty yards to be run later were Creed Haymond's races. Penn desperately needed him to win them. Would the jinx that had been pursuing his team get the captain? In the toss up Haymond had drawn the second lane. At his side in the first lane was Johnson of Michigan, six feet two inches tall.

"Ready!" The six sprinters crouched. Each put his fingers on the ground at the line and his right foot into the hole he had kicked for the start.

"Set!" Every nerve and muscle strained.

The pistol shot—and every man sprang forward into the air and touched earth at a run—that is, all except one—Creed Haymond, captain of the Pennsylvania team. The tall Johnson had used that second lane in the semi-finals and with greater spread had kicked a hole for his toe an inch or two behind the spot Haymond had just chosen for his. Under the tremendous thrust Creed gave, the narrow wedge of earth broke through, and he came down on his knee behind the line.

Probably most sprinters would have let the others go. No coach or crowd would expect a man to get up and make a pitiful spectacle of himself running behind. Creed Haymond, I said, has moral courage. His physical courage matches it. He got up and ran behind, but, man, how he did run! His brain on fire—the school—the team—Robby—desperate, but not hopeless—at sixty yards, the last in the race—then seeming to fly—passing the fifth man—the fourth—the third—the second—only the tall Johnson ahead—and close to the tape—lips away from teeth—face drawn in agony—heart bursting with the strain—sweeping in that climax of whirlwind swiftness past Johnson to victory. The timers caught the flash as he crossed the tape and called it ten seconds flat;—but no man could know the actual speed of that running.

Through some mistake in arrangement, the semi-finals of the 220 yards were not completed until almost time to close the meet. With the same bad break that had followed the Penn team all day, Creed Haymond was placed in the last heat. Five minutes after winning it he was called to start in the final of the two-twenty, the last event of the day. One of the other men who had run in an earlier heat rushed up to him.

"Tell the starter, Haymond, you demand a rest before running again. You're entitled to it under the rules. I've hardly caught my breath yet and I ran in the heat before yours."

Creed went panting to the starter and begged for more time. The official said he would give ten minutes. Just then the telephone rang and the starter was ordered to begin the race, as the crowd was clamoring. Regretfully he called the men to their marks. Under ordinary conditions Creed would have had no fear for this race. He was probably the fastest man in the world at this distance, but he had already run three races during the afternoon, one the heart-breaking hundred yards, and only five minutes before the 220 semi-finals.

At a high point in the grand stand Coach Lawson Robertson, of Pennsylvania, and Coach Tom Keene, of Syracuse, sat with their stop watches in hand. It had been announced that Haymond would try to break the world's record. The two coaches had chosen this place as the best possible one from which to get the correct time of the race. From it they could see perfectly the smoke from the revolver and were above the runners at the tape. During their professional careers they had timed from different positions thousands of sprinters. They knew their game.

With surprise they saw the starter order the breathless men to their marks, and standing behind them raise his pistol; then the white puff of smoke. That explosion gave sudden movement to those still, crouched forms. They rose from the ground like a flock of frightened birds. This time the Penn captain literally shot from his marks. Robertson's heart bounded with his man. What a sweet sight as almost arm to arm the runners started down the straight away. Haymond was emerging from the crowd and definitely taking the lead. Would he have the stamina to hold the pace after the strain of the other run? The two coaches noted his magnificent stride—legs extended like a hurdler's—he was sprinting away from the field. They sensed the superlative swiftness and held their breath. Running his race alone, unpressed by competition, the little Penn captain drove himself to the tape in a burst of speed, eight yards ahead of his nearest man. As he crossed it, both coaches, directly above him, snapped their stop-watches; then looked at them; then looked at each other almost with awe. Both watches registered twenty-one flat.

Something of the glory of that achievement tempered Coach Robertson's disappointment. Penn had lost the meet. Davis, her other sprinter, had run sixth instead of second, as his records entitled him to do, both in the hundred and the two-twenty, following in almost fatalistic sequence the failures of his team-mates that day. To everybody's amazement, Pennsylvania, out of seventeen entrants, had only one inter-collegiate champion, Captain Creed Haymond.

The two coaches hurried down to consult the timers. To their astonishment and disgust, they found that the officials had caught differing time on the wonderful race. Robertson laid his hand on the shoulder of the captain of his team. There was a touch of sadness in his voice. "Boy," he said, "they're not going to give you your true time. We can't help that, but it may comfort you to know that you just ran the two hundred and twenty yards in the fastest time it has ever been run by any human being."

At the end of that strange day, as Creed Haymond was going to bed, there suddenly came to memory his question of the night before regarding the divinity of the Word of Wisdom. The procession of that peculiar series of events then passed before his mind,—his team-mates taking the wine and failing—his own abstinence and victories, victories that were amazing to himself. Had Daniel and his three continent companions as startling reason for testimony? He had asked the favor of some witnesses from the Lord. What relation did all those things have to his prayer? In the sports of track and field, does God teach his purposes?

For hours, sleepless, he lay in contemplation. And to the clean heart of this young man of sweet, simple faith came the assurance he had sought.

"This Word of Wisdom which has been supposed to have become stale, and not in force, is like all the counsels of God, in force as much today as it ever was. There is life, everlasting life, in it—the life which now is and the life which is to come.

"The travels and labors of the elders about to go on missions will throw them into positions which will cause them to seek unto the Lord. They need to live their religion, to go forth with pure hearts and clean hands, and then preach the Gospel by the power of God sent down from heaven. They should touch not and taste not of sin, and when they return they should come pure and clean, ready to meet the Saints with open countenances."—Brigham Young.

THE TEST

It's easy to praise and keep the faith

In the midst of clear evidence;

It's natural to turn to God in need,

And be blessed by his providence.

But with his powers unmanifest,

Do you have the strength to stand the test?

Each new-born day with hope is prized;

But night leaves hope unrealized.

Can you keep your confident glow the same,

When your own weak heart must kindle the flame?

Endure with patience? Trust and pray?

That is the test we face today.

Fielding, Utah EUNICE PETERSEN

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