| Show DEATH OF ELDER JOHN LYON It is rare that Death lays hish and upon one who without special official position in the Church was wasSO wasso wasso SO widely known personally or by reputation as Father John Lyon w who departed th this is life Ufe soon after 2 am yesterday Thanksgiving Day November at his residence in inthe inthe the Twentieth Ward Ward of this city rity John Lyon was born in Glasgow Scotland on the of March 1803 so that his age at death was 86 years and nearly nine months mouths He was the son of Thomas and Janet Mc- Mc McArthur McArthur Arthur Me-Arthur Arthur Lyon of a somewhat cul- cul cultured cultured cul cultured yet hard hardy stack SU suA as gen gen- generally generally generally belongs to the race layout the Tweed The early eady history of his pro pro- progenitors progenitors genitors is somewhat Involved in obscurity notwithstanding the Scottish methods metho s of con con- continuous continuous on- on registration In the toils toUs and struggles of early semi or complete orphanage he exhibited exhibited exhibited ted that drift towards intellectual al pursuits which was evidently hereditary although it found none of those opportunities which come from schools and disposition alone in the midst of grinding poverty enabled the little fellow to from such resources as he could ld reach the thirst for learning and advancement The routine of education self education enabled the untiring worker to achieve quite a literary reputation in early life the local press pu publishing many of his original efforts until finally an engagement upon a local paper gave him that Y settled literary taste which contin contin- continued t l almost up to the close of a long i longi and well-marked well life Like most of r i his countrymen young Lyon was wae early imbued with Presbyterianism in fact tact it was in the blood but the discipline and anti training of newspaper life then as now not infrequently led to indifference indifference ence it If not to actual scepticism in regard to many things deemed reli reli- religious religious religious This was pre pre- presented presented presented in this case by the preaching of a then famous fatuous and zealous Elder of the Mormon W m Gib- Gib Gison Gibson son Gib-son son John Lyon had at that time been married to Janet Thomson sev sev- several several several eral years an aul anJa j a little family was the result when his acceptance of the Gospel transpired His baptism took place on the Slat of ot March 1844 at Kilmarnock Ayrshire and andin andin andin in April following he was or- or ordained ordained or ordained an Elder and appointed to preside over the lo local al branch Subsequently he was called out as a trav traveling ling Elder After laboring in that capacity for some time he was appointed President of England the W Worcestershire Eng E g- g gland land Conference This missi l was a trying trying one one for himself and family for no regular lar salary fell to them as preventive a against pov pov- poverty poverty poverty erty and affi affliction This labor con con- continued continued continued for three years during which time of absence three of his child child- childr children children r ren n dies diel and consequent release was followed b by appointment nt to preside over the Glasgow Glasgow conference in 1852 where h hr he continued one year and then was released to gath gath- gather gather er to Utah As an interesting fact of the trip I Capt David Brown and nearly all the crew rew of the ship International were baptized Brother Lyon and his family left Glasgow February 1853 and reached Salt Lake City September of the same year One of his last acts prior to lei leaving his native land laud was the donation of of his be fur the benefit of the Perpetual Emigration Emigration Emigration tion Fund The book was published in Liverpool in 1853 and thou thousands nd of copies are to be fou found nd scat scat- scattered scattered through the homes hOllies of Utah Several hymns in that collection are in continuous use in the congregations congregations of the Saints being part vart of the general hymn book of ol the Church Three years after his arrival in the valley he be married Caroline Holland Elder L Lyon on was the father of 12 children by his first firt wife Five of these survive him and by his second wife he had seven children and these are all living to lament the death of their progenitor w whose hosl death is the first one in the family for near thirty years His grand grand- grandchildren grandchildren grandchildren children number 49 an and his great great- grandchildren living Jiving and dead are 51 51 So that Father Lyon was a aI I and indeed practical patriarch was I ordained to that position and office on the of May 1872 Pr President Woodruff being beine voice on that occa ocea- Mother L Lyon on to whom the de- de deceased de deceased ceased was married sixty-four sixty years ago still survives although vcr very f feeble ble and pa partially She is the t 4 special 1 charge of J her ber 1 dau daughter AI A- A AI I Mrs Lillian Staines whose devo devo- devotion devotion devotion tion to her father and mother is a fitting if not the hest best possible illustration of that fidelity and care for parents that is so fully enjoined in that sacred relationship as inculcated inculcated inculcated in the Gospel of Jesus Christ Father Lyon was a trusted man manIn In all aU respects honest brave intel intel- intelligent intelligent intelligent and full of testimony to the truth if opportunities outside r of f or early poverty and struggle in the Church could have moved him he might have stumbled but he was steadfast and everywhere here reliable For over thirty years he had charge of the Endow Endow- Endowment Endowment Endowment ment House enjoyed his religion and attended his bis me meetings tings near to the day of his death Strength de- de decision decision de decision and devotion were his hie char char- characteristics characteristics and his honor hon hon- honesty honesty hon esty were of almost phenomenal type I His departure full fun of years i invokes R n more satisfaction than regret for he fought the good fight he kept the faith he has fi finished nil nil-hed his bis course and he is d to his crown In the leaving of his aged partners there seems a suggestion in one of his fugitive verses unpublished 1 heretofore The ship is sailing oer o'er the sea The water seeks the strand while I am far tar removed from thee Ithe unseen spirit spiris land Well We'll meet together yet Where the sun shall never set i With a welcome of your hand r r rAnd And nd a love without regret I I IThe The Twentieth Ward meeting meetinghouse meetinghouse meetinghouse house was crowded Dec 1st on the occasion of the funeral services over the remains of the late Father John Lyon The proceedings were con con- conducted conducted conducted ducted by Bishop George Romney The opening hymn sung by the choir was one of the productions of the deceased It appears on page rage 60 of the hymn book and begins thus o 0 Lord I responsive to Th Thy call callIn In life or death befall befall Our hopes for bliss on Thee del deg end Thou ar our everlasting Friend I 1 1 The opening prayer was offered by Elder Ehler George Goddard The large congregation were ad- ad addressed ad addressed dressed sed by the following brethren old friends an and associates of Broth Brother r Lyon Lyou Elder William C Dunbar Bishop John ShArp Elders Robert Patrick James McGhie John Gray Oray Elias Elia Morris John Nicholson H HW W Naisbitt and William Willes President Angus M Cannon Vannon and Bishop Geor George e Romney The speakers dwelt upon the many conspicuous virtues that graced the character of the deceased his intelligence devotion to truth his honesty and integrity A heavenly peace which dispelled the shadow of death pervaded the assem assemblage blage a aThe The benediction was pronounced by Elder Joshua Midgley A large cortege followed the re- re remains re remains mains mams to the cemetery where the thet t ody of this noble veteran was laid a pending the sounding of the trump i 1 of the first resurrection J z i |
