The Weber Literary Journal Jubilantly he waved his hand, and turned quickly to be on his way to the railroad. But this unexpected movement spoiled Sergeant Stanger's calculations. The ball which was to have passed over the negro's shoulder, crashed through his skull instead. His figure stiffened, relaxed, and crumpled up face down in the willows. A tiny rivulet of deepest red trickled through the mud to mingle lazily with the brown waters of the river. A red-bird hopped about in the bushes peering, curious and unafraid. Lines on Leaving Memel Leslie J. Christensen Note to poem Memel is a town of about 40,000 inhabitants, in the extreme northeast corner of what was formerly East Prussia. The territory is now under Lithuanian rule. The word, "Memel", is said to have come from German "mummel" and, later, "mummel," meaning "water rose" or "water lily," hence the appellation, "flower." The city is said to have been sacked and burned by conquering bands no less than ten times in its history. My little flower, Memel, by the sea, The pain of parting, long delayed thru those Sweet, vivid hours, is mine now at the close Of my loved sojourn, that will ever be A jewel of dear afterthought to me: I've wandered where thy tiny lighthouse throws Its big white arms out to the friends and foes That cold, rough Baltic tosses near to thee, And there have dreamed indeed, relived thy days When ancient war-fleets, tipping to the gale, Entered thy harbor, 'mid wild shouts unmanned, Plundered and left thy little homes ablaze Have wished I had been there, with sword and mail To help such menace from thy land. 16 The Weber Literary Journal Why Study the Scriptures? An Oration prepared for the Heber J. Grant Oratorical Contest at Weber College, Ogden, Utah, by J. Vernal Stimpson, and delivered by J. Vernal Stimpson, at the same College on Monday, November 23, 1925. FROM the Mormon point of view, a study of the scriptures is of great importance, not only because it is valuable in practical life, but also because it will fill the greatest need of the world. In the first place, what does the term scriptures involve? This question may be answered: Firstly, the Bible, which contains the secular and religious history of Ancient Israel, the dealings of God with this people, and an account of the personal ministrations of Jesus Christ and those who immediately succeeded Him in Palestine; secondly, the Book of Mormon, which bears a similar relationship to the ancient inhabitants of the American continent; thirdly, the Doctrine & Covenants, which contains one hundred thirty-six revelations given through modern prophets to the members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; and fourthly, the Pearl of Great Price, which contains the revelations of God to Moses, an inspired translation of the twenty-fourth chapter of the Gospel of Saint Matthew, and the Book of Abraham, as translated from rolls of papyrus taken from the catacombs of Egypt. How have these scriptures served in practical life? How have they contributed to the fabric of present civilization? To the historian, the value of scripture study must already be self-evident. The Bible is practically the only original text on the history of Ancient Israel. In fact, the critical historian, Mr. H. G. Wells, considered Bible history important enough and authentic enough to write approximately sixty pages of his famous "Outline of History" upon facts taken from the Old and New Testaments. And again, the absorbing questions, Who? Whence? and When? with respect to the builders of the great commonwealths of ancient America, are answered satisfactorily nowhere, but in the Book of Mormon. The lawyer must refer to the scriptures for the origin of the funda- 17