The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-02-01
THE LAST SAD RITES.
FUNERAL OF ELDER EDWARD
STEVENSON YESTERDAY.
A Large Concourse at the Tabernacle
Addresses by Seymour B.
Young, J. Golden Kimbal1, Presi-
dent Woodruff and President Jos.
F. Smith.

EmblemS of mourning draped the in
terror of the tabernacle yesterday. On
the sacrament table, beneath the tier
of pulpits. in white casket, lay all
that was earthly of the late Elder Ed
ward L. Stevenson. The services over
the remains occurred at the usual hour
of meeting and took the place of the
customary form of devotion.
The pulpit and semi-circular balcony
on either side were covered with white
crepe. Palms and a variety of potted
plants stood upon the long line of pull
pits. The sacrament table where the
bier stood was almost hidden with
floral tributes, and the casket itself
was laden with garlands and floral de-
signs of variegated colors After the
last speech in honor of the departed &c
cleSiaSt, the remains were conveyed
through the south entrance while the
audience slowly emerged from the
north and east exits. A long cortege
accompanied the remains to the ceme-
! terry.
Elder Seymour B. Young, a mem
Der of the seven presidents quorum to
which Elder Stevenson has belonged,
first addressed the audience. He spoke
of the tireleSS and successful work of
the departed elder in preaching the
truth in Zion and abroad. Elder Stew
enson, he said, had been associated
with the church since his youth. Lately
he had been actively engaged in mis-
sionary work. and filled out the meas
ure of great, energetic and useful
life.
Elder Stevenson he continued,
was brave, courageous and steadfast.
There was never any uncertain note in
his voice. His utterance was the ut
terance of one whose faith never fall
tered and whose love for his brethren
and the priesthood had never wavered.
On his deathbed, his devotion to his
brethren, and his immovable faith in
Gods work and his revelations to his
people was beautifully apparent.
He was eminently a pure man. His
eye was single 10 the work of God, and
there was no pleasure for him so great
as the performance of his duties. He
would have gone to the end of the
world had he been called, so great was
his confidence in the authority and
priesthood of God. His duty was al
ways the foremost theme in his life,
and he perhaps preached as many ser
mons in the Lords vineyard as any
other one man. He had only one aim
the well being of the human family.
Elder j. Golden Kimball referred TO
the deceased. Elder Stevenson, he said,
had labored almost continuously with
out wishing or receiving temporal re-
ward.
He has kept always" ne said. the
day star of faith and hope before him.
He was never tempted from the course
he started upon by any of the allure
ments that surrounded him.
President Woodruff spoke briefly in
praise of the deceased elder. Our
brother" he said. still has a great
mission to perform When he left this
sphere, he went to one which was
higher and brighter and was met by
the prophets and men of God with
whom he was acquainted in the flesh.
When a man who has held the
priesthood and been faithful to his COW
Grants dies. he receives a glorious re-
ward. He has borne faithful testi-
mony all his life to the truth of the
Lords work. 1 rejoice at the work he
has performed In my associations
with my brethren, 1 have had great
joy and occasionally great sorrow.
have seen men who had testified to the
truth of the Book of Mormon and the
mission of Joseph Smith, afterwards
turn from the truth which they had
heretofore proclaimed. Elder Steven
son never became traitor to his
brethren, and therein there is happi-
ness 1t is a sad thing when Latter
day Saints allow themselves to weaken
and be led astray. Israel mourns when
one of its leaders passes away, but
We know that there is a crown await
ing him.
President Joseph F. Smith said that
Elder Stevenson has been an eXemplar
of the gifts and graces of the gospel,
and the conduct of his life was worthy
of emulation.
He 10 continued fr1Ip
unto the end. The Lord says that he
who lays down his life for his cause
shall find it again. He fulfilled his /
mission as far as any man can in keep |
ing the words and preceptS of the |
Lord. He forsook all evil, and lived !
as far as man can by every word that
out of the mouth of God.
In his youth, when trials and afflic- |
ton beset the Saints, his life was fire. /
quently in jeopardy, but he never fall |,
tered nor grew afraid. 1 know of no |
man who has borne a more faithful |
testimony than Elder Stevenson. He |
has shown by his life that it is we'll |
to be true to God.
Recently he was sent into some of /
the surrounding states in order to find |
and organize the scattered Saints. He /
went without fear or complaint, and |
be was instrumental in instilling in
many a knowledge of the gospel of |
Christ. l have always hOnored him
for his zeal and integrity. and 1 feel
that if I live to perform such a work
rs he has achieved then l shall know
that my mission has been full and
complete.
Elder Stevenson will go to his re-
ieemer, and then he will receive his
TO perform a work in the
1ther world. His spirit will no more be
die in this life than it was when
clothed in the fleshy tabernacle. But
The spirit without the body is not per-
feet and his body will receive a literal |
and be runited with the
spirit. The doctrine of TRANSPORTATION
and incarnation is a great fallacy and
Jesus Christ was the type of the resur-
'ection and in the eternal world Elder