Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1909-02-06

resoiute In maintaining those virtues
than was John Nicholson.
Gle possessed tho unusual qualify
OF being able TO- crticiHo the Work or
a subordinate with great severity let
without lmpalrlna the ties ~ friend
ahipi and there was never uoment
when / loved him less because he nad
thrown ms copy into the waste basket
ana had accompanied the act Wllh
structures that ! would not have hsteh-
ed % from another. ] knew his purpg'e
was 90 uphold the character of The
Deseret News, and give me the utlh-
Ing ! required.
"Aa bee could ccnsurc severely without
lmpalring confidence BOO h.s honesty
DE could likewise praise without sus-
piclou OF nattury. and hc did not ncel-
tate tO commend the work of amy meme
Der of the stan when Dee thought DO nad
merit
"rhe relations here referred to were
maintained during 10 period which was
one of gloom % he church and " sc-
we're trial 90 thousands of jos most
prominent members throughout the
stakes of Zion. from 1855 to 1880. bul
John Nicholson, whose pen cNIfesa.d
the sentiments and announced tne pole
icy OF the Church. as "a body, never
wavcred nor fslteIed
lie WAS not an educated man 100 the
usual sense. indeed h.s opportunities
for acquiring am education lu youth
were limited But he possessed Keen
alert intellect good memory ana
very unusual capacity for acquiring
knowledge upon an subjects, s' tnat
long before he reached middle age hh
was well qualified to associate Win
cultured and scholarly men,
81 doubt 81 his gifts as humorlst
Were fully known 60 many persons' ne
did not often display them BOB his writ
ugs. but by his wit. and his power
to see and set forth the funny side Of
things. and To- mimic ANA satirize, he
often set the whole staff in a roar ~
laughter ] used To- think that in hui
NOR and satire he greatly resemoled
Dickens.
His literary style was strong and
rugged and his logic was unanswcrable.
In clear and accurate reasoning Doe was
very powerful Tie was intensely re-
ugi0us and devotional and was spirit
ual-minded 20 very high degree.
When writing an editorial he would
throw his whole heart and soul into
his work, sometimes Co AN extent that
made IL very faugung. and when ho
had finished an article DE would often
ask some member of the staff Co criii-
cize 10 or suggest improvements. HUI
mility was So marked d trait OF his
nature that he not only was willing io
accept suggestions from subOrd nales,
but sought them.
AS an editor bis judgment was
quick, penetrating. comprehensive and
almost infallible. As preacher DE
was eloquent magnetic and conviue-
ing AS a Latter-day Saint there was
no sacrifice he would not have made
for his religion Occasionally his little
children would visit the editorial r.Oms,
and his tender and affectionate manner
towards them proved him ana ideal
father. As a citizen his patriotism was
unbouuded and his loyalty Co "a friend
was never 20 my knowledge questioned
He was free hearted TO "a fault Ho
was among the early ones 90 De im-
prisoned for conscience sake, iu the
"raid" Of the eighties, and after his
release, ex-convicts guilty of various
crimes whom he had known IN prison.
often called at the editorial rooms
and asked him for money. Although
his pecuniary circumstances forbade
such liberality, I never knew him 20
refuse.
"IIe was a humble, faithful. talented
man; and II he had "a fault u was
on overreaching virtue. If greatness
is a relative quality determined hy
comparison with its posaess0r's con-
tcmporarics and tho time and environ
ment lu which he ala his work, John
Nicholson viii always hold "a prominent
place among the early journalists ot
the Latter-day saints
"Sume might not think IL in the best
taste 10 write in a vein go PERSONAL
but John Nicholson's death De- per-
sonal bereavement 20 me, aud 1 feel
Justified in telling why He was nay
patron. my preceptor, my friend. After
] had been admitted 70 the bar 7 cone
tinued at newspaper work chiefly be-
cause he advised me 10, and toli mo
that 30 was my calling IN life; and su %
poor qualifications as I may have for
my present position and vocation /
probably should not have acquired but
for his aid and counsel. In my regard
he holds "a place close to- that OF my
own father whom he greatly resembled
IN his moral and spiritual qual ties
Sincerely.
"B. r. CUMMINGS"