December 7, 1933
Only Kelland could write this: "Clement James had reached that time of life when a quite-astounding sophistication seeks to keep one pace ahead of disconcertingly abysmal innocence. He was sixteen." (Story in S.E.P.)An encouraging thing about delving into the lives of great men is the revelation that they had the very same human weaknesses which we attribute our own smallness to. Lincoln suffered a drawn out spell of morbid despondency which would make a modern psychiatrist shake his head. Also the sturdy, unflinching Father of His Country was subject to violent outbursts of temper (righteous anger, if you will) and he was extremely sensitive to adverse criticism, so much so that his rugged physique was nearly shattered by his nervous indignation over the injustices heaped on him during the French and Indian War.
The women of the Church will gossip and form cliques and get jealous of each other - but they are certainly the backbone of the Church. The men are guilty of the same sins, possibly not so much for they are not much concerned with details and personalities - but they could never put on a chicken pie dinner like the one we had tonight. Just when the efficient masculine Board of Trustees begins to despair of financing next month's bills, along come the women and pluck a dinner and bazaar out of thin air, and presto: seventy more dollars.
