Utah Enquirer | 1888-06-01 | Page 2 | At Rest

AT IMPOSING FUNERAL SERVICES eloquent tribute to the memory of the late ap ostle erastas snow about S wednesday morning the remains of tho late apostle erasing snow were conveyed to the tabernacle salt lake ity and from that hour until noon when the funeral services began thousands of persons passed through the building and viewed alic remains the face of the distinguished dead bore evidence of great suffering yet there was a naturalness and a pleased expression about the features I 1 there were no emblems of mourning the stand where the speakers sat and the structure on which the was placed being the only places where any display was made and there the drapery was of pure white studded with white flowers and fringed with green foliage one noticeable feature in the floral designs was a doorway of white flowers placed there in behalf of mem r ers of the church of jesus christ aya token of respect to erastus snow the apostle of the scandinavians the members of decease ds family present on the occasion numbered awen ty six A large number of visitors came in from various portions of the territory to attend our correspondent recognizing among the vast assembly several from eacle of the following named distant southern counties millard iron garfield beaver and washington before the commencement of the services and while the audience was being seated kents orchestral band which occupied a position near the centre of the hall played several dirges apostle Lorenz presided on the occasion he called the congregation to order and the hymn mid scones ot confusion etc was sung APOSTLE F D offered the opening prayer and alie choir sang aho vho are these arrayed in white etc APOSTLE SNOW was the first speaker he commenced liis remarks by quoting from revelations v 13 chap 14 and I 1 heard a voice from heaven saying unto me write blessed are the dead which die in the lord from henceforth yea saith the spirit that they may rest from their labors and their works do follow them we meet together and sisters for the purpose of showing respect to our departed brother and also to liis family kindred and friends his demise biad been unexpected and unlocked for by most of alie saints unexpected and undesired we cannot say that brother is dead he lives knowing more alian he ever did since he had an existence on earth among the cli ildren of men we feel that we now meet in his departure a heavy loss and in aliis we are deceived we need and we feel it fully his counsel and the wisdom he has gained by long experience but in our loss he has gained a victory if he could talk to us this morning he would say 1 I leave fought a good light I 1 have kept my faith this lie could most truthfully say and the blessings promised in the opening quotation would most assuredly follow him we have learned many things from the gospel that the world that astonished us when we first heard of them we have formed ties that give us the privilege of enjoying the same associations hereafter as we have enjoyed here so lias brother erastus he has formed liea that are eternal and everlasting now he has gone to the other world and his works will follow him because he has obeyed the will of god jie now realizes the benefits of the principles he has taught there is nothing in the heaven or on the will mm u these well liht the angel say write because alie principles were of euch value to alie brothed erastus rests from his arduous eart lily duties which he had been engaged in fur so many years and he now sees and realizes the blessings promised to alio die in the lord it is with a satisfaction we have not words to express that H e look back over the life of the deceased our brother erastus snow we have no sombre decorations here today all is all pure and symbolical of the spirit that has gone to be crowned with a crown of glory find receive all alie blessing that can be conferred upon a most righteous man had our crottier br swerved irom thy path of duty had lie become an apostate then indeed might we have used such decorations as would indicate sorrow when he first saw this beautiful valley and the blue waters of the great salt lae la e matiy years ago as he emerged from the rugged pass in the mountains to alie eassi of ifa he waved his bat and shouted need we fear eliat in greeting alie brethren who had passed away as lie went behind the vail that he had an to once use the same exclamation aa he with joseph hyram brighten brother ta lor and others ho closed by invoking the blessing of god upon the family ot the departed that they might do honor to his name A 0 I 1 do not remember the occasion when I 1 have felt so lonesome as I 1 have been nince I 1 heard of the death of apo te erastue scow I 1 had acquainted with him since he was a bo and I 1 never associated socia ted with him either in a private or a public capacity but I 1 always realized that he waa filled the holy spirit that he was inspired of god he was a wise counselor a leading in the church there Is no one whose society I 1 have more enjoyed n erastus snow and I 1 know of no man in the church whose counsels have apon more quickly obeyed we mourn liis loss when I 1 heard of his death I 1 could not but express the belief that lie biad departed at a when we could illy spare him that lie was a strong man and one we needed in guiding us through the crisis we are passing he never failed to fulfill the duties enjoined upon him a principle worthy to boast of a pride that should actuate every latter day saint if all the elders f israel were as staunch as brother erastus the church would be stronger than it is to day there are too many excuses offered for performance nonperformance non of duty nowadays As has been said previously lie has gone beliinda alie throne where he will bo a power with alie quorum there there aro no doubt many alio feel as 3 do today to day but I 1 cannot help saying the lords will be done slay wo so conduct that wo may have the privilege of associating with liim in a better sphere than this which may god ernnt for christs sake amon APOSTLE bonx W when the news reached me that erastus snow was dead brollier Brot lier jolli henry smith and I 1 were at Gunni eoa sanpete county before that however as I 1 was sitting at a desk reading a book I 1 turned to him and said brother erastus is dead he looked at me strangely for a moment but later the news came it was alie of the of god wherever the church biad needed a strong man for alie furtherance of gods purposes erastus snow was chosen he hag been on alie outposts of the kingdom when the rising generation seek for nn example let them look up ro brother eranius Era sius may god grant that we may bo all as successful and as worthy as lie ANGUS M it is with tant I 1 can control my feelings on this occasion T have been closely allied to snow for the last forty five years and under many sad I 1 so not know of any man in the church today to day who had the strength and power that he biad he was a worthy son of god what we have lost oui brethren in the spirit have gained may tho peace of god attend his remains may they lie in peace until the trump of god sounds and may we then be worthy to meet him PRESIDENT D H WELLS I 1 teal that we have lost a great man in the death of the brother who liea before us ever since I 1 have known him and many deurs before he had been amaat earnest advocate of the principles of the gospel although a prince has fallen in israel today to day he has gone home to his creator and his god gone to live with his brethren who have preceded him our desire iq that it may be as well with us as we believe it is with him if we are faithful to the purposes of the gospel we will inherit the mansions prepared for us before the beginning of the world how comforting the thought our brethren have gone before to prepare a place for us for those who adhere botha end for erastus snow we will not mourn for ourselves we have suffered a great loss may we emulate his example may the god of heaven bless us all ELDER ANDREW sin ce I 1 was a little boy I 1 can remember the name of erastue snow I 1 happened to be bom in the county where he was preaching the word of god my heart is too full on this occasion to express what I 1 feel for eliat man lie has been a father to me and he lias helped me materially to furt lier my desire that of doing something for the kingdom of god I 1 never heard a man or woman say a word against liim the work inaugurated by him in scandinavia had born most excellent the mission opened up there had brought some souls into the church of whom had emigrated to utah I 1 have received much good advice from the great man who lies dead before me and I 1 hope I 1 shall never forget it APOSTLE D RICHARDS if I 1 were to consult my personal feelings in the matter I 1 would be found among the than on the stand I 1 became acquainted with brother erastus some fifty years ago and I 1 remember how marvelous it was to me that he should have alie power to bring forth such convincing arguments from the scriptures it is forty years ago since erastus snow C G eich and myself were ordained to the apostleship and since eliat time we have been thrown closely he had a wonderful tenacity whenever he took hold of anything he stuck to it and always came up right I 1 have always looked upon him as a senior and was willing that he should be an example to me 1 pray that the blessing of the lord may fall upon the branches of his family and I 1 feel to prophesy that he shall increase and of his dominion there shall be no end may we be worthy to dinglo with him hereafter APOSTLE H J there never was a day there was not an hour but erastus snow was ready and willing to sacrifice his own good for tho interests of the saints he was a true latter day saint and moro could not be said of any man it was my intention biad time permitted to read to you the last public adress made by him however at this time a portion will suffice during the delivery of this sermon ho eaid the lord keeps his own counsels in these things and it is not given to us to know nd understand the day and the hour when the son of man will come but it is for us always to be prepared and to so live that we shall be prepared for him when he does come and whether we lay down our bodies before the coming of the son of man or not it mat not so that we have filled our days with usefulness are prepared to come forth when the trump shall sound and call forth the dead I 1 do most hearthy endorse those sentiments which have been expressed concerning the dead who die in the lord they do not of death it seems to me that there is no death but they are moving on to life life eternal these aie the sentiments of erastus snow As he said then so say I 1 now he does not taste of death but is moving on to life to life eternal I 1 have been requested to read the fol blomn written by apostle thatcher erastue Era stua snow is dead how few among latter day saints how few indeed of his immediate associates comprehended ended hia worth or fully apprehended his generous unselfish disposition ho was great because good an intellectual tel giant yet humble as a child now and in years to come as questions of magnitude affecting the public weal arise the void caused by his departure will seem fathomless as the grief at ids loss will seem intense As the load he carried without a murmur settles upon others already heavily burdened with accumulated responsibilities how vividly will they sense the taking away of one ever ready always willing to put a lifting wheel in the future when dark clouds of persecution are riven by the fierce of hatland hate and wrathful storms beat upon defenseless heads alio can fill the place of erastus snow in times of peace when the al lure ments of a deceitful case threatened danger in the path of unsuspecting youth who will be able to supplement the wise couns 1 l eliat hath laid the foundation for many a prosperous pure and patient life to whom now can the go for a chart to guide them over lifes troubled soa with the same confident assurance that they have experienced in going to him into aliat listening ear and sympathetic heart shall alo troubled now pour their atory of distress who now will console the forsaken or comfort the grief stricken as he has done the poor came to him friely and the abick and weary laid their b burdens urdens upon his shoulder without hesitation who will bear them now As the knowledge that erastus snow is dead bettles into the feelings of the people the fountains of emotion will break forth and silent tears will moisten many a spot where for hours he has atcon patiently listening to piteous tales chile incipient disease bowed sowed tho seeds of death in his body for when the borrows of others overshadowed him erastus snow was wholly oblivious to seaf heedless of consequences lie lias stood for licurs liours exposed to the night winds of a southern desolation more than alian the snows and frosts of n northern cluroe while thus exposed thoughtless persons have poured ino liis sympathetic ear tales of trouble as if hia heart never fail to but now lie is bicad and tho drafts of friends and the demands of enemies must eacle io to protest liis mortal career is ended 1 oh the cause of his taking avray we bearch amid th burnau bur niu sands and gleaming volcanic rocks 0 southern utah where lias been spent the best years of his life many a weary night ho hw bou ait repose while exhausted nature sweat at every pore was chilled by the winds sweeping tin cactus alaina of or through the pines of the picara alabre to those who in their uil enforcement of alie lav liivi deprives him of alie consolation aiu i comforts 01 homo what shall thy har ot ho under trying circumstances lie rec fitly endured a severe operation upon his t aw exhausted by the pain inflicted while trying to rest in a room ibid acu to he v as unused he contracted a severe cold eliat resulted in hia death not long since a brother in deep aubic tion exclaimed 1 I would give moro this moment to see than any man living for he could tell me what to do in this hour of supreme trial measure his laic s work and how beautiful and perfect in every part it now in the presence of death seems As husband and father tender and true at and juat As friend and brother devoted and unchangeable 1 As statesman and scholar profound and As defender of constitutional liberty and consistent As g servant of god faithful devoted true magnanimous to enemies generous to friends unswerving in life trusting and confident in death such was erastus snow let the fingers of fame weave garlands with which to entwine alie brow of battle begrimed heroes let ambition sing from monumental piles the praises of those who in life wrought carnage and death but for us we will keep fresh in our hearts the memory of the good and true whose mission was devoted to life not death he has left us to join those gone before let us emulate his works following his example and when thrones shall totter and kingdoms fall joyfully in his mansion home shall greet him wives children and friends APOSTLE SMITHS it is almost impossible for me to sufficiently control my feelings that I 1 may be able to speak during the short time allotted to me the name of erastus snow has been a familiar one to me since my earliest youth I 1 have lived in his biome and associated with his friends and family 1 have mingled with him in council and in auch places as try mens souls and I 1 have never in all my experience with him known him for one moment to doubt to hesitate in regard to the work our Fathe rhad imposed upon him in liis house be was gentle and allec ti onate and kind and aa just as god haa made mortal man lie possessed a judicial mind and had lie followed the law would have stood high none would have excelled him god chose him to labor for the good of the saints and well and faithfully did he respond and never faltered under difficulty or pain As an organizer he had few