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Show 'ALWAYS STUDIOUS' Prophet's Brother Recalls Early Days BY S. PERRY (Editor's Note: S. Perrv Lee. brother of. Harold B. Lee and a member of the Church News staff, prepared the following o be used by the Church News on President Lees birthday In March. We feel it Is appropriate to use it at this time.) President Harold B. Lee is a spiritual of Enoch. He has the spirit of revelation and magnifies his calling as a prophet, seer and reveiator." It was President Joseph Fielding Smith, speaking at the closing session of General Conference, Oct. 3, 1971, as he paid tribute to his first counselor in the presidency. He was speaking of my brother, that curly haired tyke who came to join me 74 years ago in the humble little cottage in Idaho. He came wide-eye- d and questioning into the lone and dreary world on a blustery day in March 1899, bom to Samuel Marion and Louisa Bingham Lee, without benefit of an attending physician but with the aid of a Aunt Susan Henderson. Following his advent came two more brothers and two sisters, Clyde, Waldo, Stella and Verda, to form an interested and interesting family in that little cottage, now converted into a home of love and companionship by doting parents. I cant write of him now, disassociated from the rest of the family, because we Claim him now more than ever for he is heart of our heart and advocate with the Father for our family, as well as for the church as a whole, with whom we now must share him. One of our sisters expressed this thought following his accession to the presidency, when she plaintively said, I feel as if I have lost a brother and gained a prophet. Did he, as a child, give any indication of his knowledge of his ultimate destiny as a church leader? None was apparent. A line of a song Primary children sometimes sing describes him in those He played as little children days: of The games pleasant played. youth Our mother had a system all her own in keeping her brood in line and under surveillance. She always saw to it that we went to our parties and various intersecure ests outside the home in the knowledge that when we returned, she was bound to get the whole story from the mouths of two witnesses. giant with faith like that mid-wif- e, ..." Harold had beautiful heavy, wavy hair and mother, I think somewhat diasppoint-e- d that her firstlings were not girls, took full advantage of his crowning glory to train it into dangling ringlets that reached below his shoulders. A beautiful so exclaimed the neighbor picture, ladies; but no boy could tolerate such a travesty to manhood, nor did he for long. One day he made use of mothers scissors with good effect and snipped off one of the annoying danglers. The image was now destroyed it could not be replaced, and he was shortly transformed into the haircut. fellow that he was, by a boy-lik- e were The shorn curls carefully preand some time however, served, LEE our Grandfather Bingham, of the Idaho State Penitentiary, prevailed upon one of the inmates who had skill in such things, to braid the curly locks into two watch chains, which our mother kept among her treasures. Later one of them became the prized possession of my brothers wife. Fern. In our family everyone was required to work in some degree, according to his ability. Our father was a firm believer that we were here to work out our salvation and it became an axiom, that if we would eat well, we must labor for the things which we needed. Our garden was one of the main projects, and under the kindly persuasion of a wise father, each was led to do his fair share. afterward, who was deputy warden the farm, food storage for the future, especially in the winter, was a way of life; no trip to the grocery store or supermarket was possible. Our milk supply, as well as meat, eggs and potatoes and other vegetables, were produced on the farm. In those days on last-minu- Milk in the summer was kept fresh and sweet in the milk house that spanned a running stream near the house. pans of milk were cooled therein and later skimmed. The resulting cream was and moulded into pounds of butter to be bartered for groceries or for family use, and was stored in the mill, ..iouse to be drawn of upon as needed. The process was buttermilk flecked with tiny nodules of butter a gourmets delight. Six-qua- rt hand-churne- ct honest-to-goodne- Potatoes and vegetables were stored in an underpound were stored in jars of earth-toppe- d pit. Eggs waterglass. Wheat was taken from ihe thresher at harvest time to the mill and exchanged for sacks of flour a years supply. A steer and a hog were butchered the fall and smoked or otherwise pre- -' served to be used through the year. Haying-tim- e brought various jobs. duated from riding the derrick Harold horse that was used to lift the huge forks-fu- l of hay onto the growing stack, to pitching the hay onto the wagon from the cured haycocks. He also learned to mow and rake the ripened alfalfa and other fodder grasses. He became adept at drivd team that hauled the ing the lumbering wagonload of sugar beets to the loading dock. p four-in-han- These and other taxing but interesting tasks he mastered one by one, which conditioned the powing boy for the man he was to become. In the descriptive language of the scriptures, He increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man. Always studious in school and in his auxiliary and priesthood classes, he early displayed a talent for music. He charmed his teachers and had ready rapport with his classmates and wide circle of friends. He early learned to play the piano under the tutelage of a Scottish lady, who was prone to rap knuckles at the sound of a wrong note. Soon he was playing the This early portrait shows S. Perry Lee, left, Clyde B. Lee and Harold B. Lee, who was about 4 years old. piano or organ for Primary and Sunday School. Rest-tim- e from farm labors found him at the piano, adding to his skill and to the pleasure and delight of honWolks ' t the sounds of music which he provoked. His music carried over into his church rffiiiations as he organized choruses among the boys and girls in the ward. Later it became of one of his pleasures to play duets with his eldest daughter, Maurine, who was also blessed with musical talent. He has frequently delighted audiences as he traveled throughout stakes of the church, when he offered to substitute for an absent organist. One of his adventures into the world of music was his early enrollment in the Clifton Silver Concert Band. Our father surprised us one day as we were convalescing from a bout with scarlet fever, by bringing into our sickroom two for instruments a baritone shining Harold and a cornet foe me. That cured the fever in jig time, but I'm afraid the raucous sounds that came from those shiny horns in the learning process gave our parents many a headache. From playing in the home-towband, we later became members of the Oneida Academy Band and Orchestra, and were often invited to play with the Preston Military Band for a fee. After graduation from high school, Harold played the trombone in a dance band, which played from town to town in our valley. It was at this time that he entered the teaching profession, qualifying for a teachers certificate by attendance at the training school at the Albion State Normal, near Burley, Idaho. His first assigment was at Silver Star, school building south of a tiny Weston, Idaho. Here was accommodated all eight grades, or as many as the numr, ber of students justified. His lone Varsal by name, was either his greatest problem or his prize pupil, for I heard his name muttered often in his night-tim- e dreams, as he visited home on weekends. I remember his name still, and I am sure he has not forgotten. From Silver Star, he was transferred to Oxford, Idaho, where he was teacher and principal of a larger school. He led in the activities of the school as well as the sports of the community, of which he became an integral part. Following his mission, he was engaged for a number cf years as a principal of Whittier and Woodrow Wilson Schools in the Granite School District in Utah. His call as a missionary to the Western States Mission severed early Idaho associations, but added new experiences n one-roo- m first-grade- calling for faith and prayer, judgment and endurance, all building a strong testimony of the gospel. He advanced from missionary, to student,' to teacher, to marriage, to fatherhood; accepting calls to service in church and community. One of the highlights of his church service was his appointment as president of the Pioneer Stake, at an early age; the youngest stake president in the church at that time. Another was his call to help develop the fledgling Church Security Program, later known as the Church Welfare Plan, all of which culminated in his call as a special witness for Christ as a member of the Council of the Twelve Apostles a junior member by 20 years. Along the way, he found time to sene his community, serving for a time as one of the commissioners of Salt. Lake City. It was during his presidency that he demonstrated his concern for the poor and the needy during the depression years when a great number of the members of Pioneer Stake were out of work. Truck loads of young folks were taken to outlying cherey and other fruit orchards to pick fruit, on shares, that food could be had for those without means. Vacant areas were utilized for gardens of vegetables, and cared for and harvested by groups of laborers recruited from the wards of the stake. Men and boy were put to work building a gymnasium as a make-wor- k project on Eighth West Street in Salt Lake City, using materials from other buildings which were being torn down. The building bears his name today, and stands as a monument to the efforts and foresight of a young stake president and his associates to succor the needy, and provide work for the unemployed. Many will call him blessed for his will- -' ingness to help those in need. He was in great demand as a speaker, particularly at funerals, where his words of consolation and inspired explanations consoled and buoyed up these bereft of loved ones. For his family, he always had deep concern and all received of his largess, whether of his wise counsel, jobs for those out of work, monetary loans or gifts or blessings of the priesthood under his hands. His feelings for those near him was expressed by verses of appreciation which were penned by him . (The following poem, Appreciation was written by President Lee and was read at his home to celebrate the 38th WEEK ENDING DECEMBER on page 10 29. 1973 CHURCH -5 |