Rachel Ridgeway Ivins Grant

Vol. XII. JUNE, 1909. No. 8

RACHEL RIDGEWAY IVINS GRANT.

[At an early hour on the morning of January 27, 1909, Rachel

Ridge way Grant, affectionately known as "Grandma Grant," and the mother of Heber J. Grant, died in Salt Lake City. Sister Grant was the sixth child and third daughter of Caleb Ivins, whose grandmother was a Shreve, a family whose members have conspicuous mention in the history of New Jersey. While residing in Hornerstown with her uncle she first heard the gospel. She eventually joined the Church, and in 1842 went to Nauvoo, where she became acquainted with the Prophet Joseph Smith and other leading spirits of the Church, passing through many severe experiences incident to those days. After the martyrdom, she returned to Hornerstown where she resided until 1853, when, with her sister Anna and others who had joined the Church in that vicinity, she emigrated to Utah, arriving in Salt Lake City on the 10th of August that year. Two years later she married Jedediah Morgan Grant, and November 22, 1856, her only son, Heber J. Grant, of the quorum of Twelve Apostles, was born. Nine days later she was left a widow in very humble circumstances, preferring that condi- tion to accepting an offer from her well-to-do relatives to return to New Jersey and to renounce her religion. She was president of the 13th ward Relief Soci- ety for upwards of thirty-five years, and was always faithful to her duties and cheerful under every condition. Of late years she was almost deprived of her hearing, which unfortunate condition restricted her public work. She bore it all, however, with that great patience and calmness so characteristic of her noble life. She was in her eighty-eighth year when she passed away, and since the celebra- tion of her eightieth birthday, passed her days with her grand-daughter, Lucy Grant Cannon, in peace a nd restful happiness. Her remains were buried from the

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27th ward chapel, January 29. The speakers who paid tribute to this

true soldier of the cause and choice jewel of God, were Elder John Henry Smith, President Richard W. Young, and Presidents Joseph F. Smith, John R. Winder and Anthon H. Lund. Bishop James Maxwell preside 1. Pall bearers.— B. F. Grant, A. W. Ivins, J. H. Grant, John H. Taylor, Ashby D. Boyle, Geo. J. Cannon. Quartette, "Thou dost not weep to weep alone" —George D. Pyper, H. S. Ensign, Lizzie Thomas Edward, Mabel Cooper. Prayer by Elder Joseph E. Taylor. Solo, "Sister, thou wast mild and lovely," by George D. Pyper. Elder John Henry Smith and President Richard W. Young spoke, and Mrs. Lizzie Thomas- Edward sang, "Who are these arrayed in white?" Presidents John R. Winder and Anthon H. Lund spoke and Horace S. Ensign sang "0 my Father." President Joseph F. Smith then delivered the closing sermon, reported by F. W. Otterstrom. The quartette sang "Farewell all earthly honors," and the benediction was pronounced by Elder RulonS. Wells. Editors.]

Elder John Henry Smith said:

My Brethren and Sisters: —It is a privilege to be in attendance upon these services this morning, and to stand in the presence of one such as Sister Grant, one who has been a genuine soldier of the cross all her life long, and who has lived to this good age and enjoyed good health, en- abled to perform the duties that have attached to her life. She has been faithful, true, devoted and earnest. Her life's mission has been a labor of love and devotion to the truth, as she accepted it in her young womanhood, and with that earnest devotion and faith she has met life's vicissitudes with a spirit of heroism and with unwavering courage and faith. She had her part to bear, passing through a variety of trib- ulations and trials, during the early experiences ®f the Saints. Having been faithful, she has f ulfiied her mission and gone forward. She went to her rest, with that faith unabated in any sense of the word. This seems to be a day of the gathering of some of those aged and devoted heroes and heroines of this latter-day work, who came into this western land and put the best there was in them to the building up of this country, and the advancement of the cause of righteousness. While it was not her privilege to go out into the world to travel preach and minister, as some of our brethren have done, who have recently gone to their sleep; yet within the circle of her life she has shown that faith and virtue which hive made her a stay and a strength to the people with whom she mingled — a guardian angel among the sick and afflicted, a prudent, conscientious and careful counselor to those who were in distress and needed counsel. She was an exem-

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plar of every one of the ideals that we hold best in our lives, a genuine, devoted wife, a loving, earnest, thoughtful and prudent mother; a con- sistent Latter-day Saint; a thoroughly genuine, big-hearted, generous soul whose life-work has been the uplifting and betterment of her kind. Few can be found who have as faithfully fulfiled the duties and re-

sponsibilities that have rested on their hands. Left a widow in her early days, she followed out with devotion and courage the duties and responsibilities that she had accepted in her motherhood, and in the extension and spread of the work of the Almighty to which she had given her young life. It is a joy — if we can ever have joy in the pres- ence of the dead — to feel that such has been the heroic character of this good woman. It is also a joy to realize that she has gone to her well-earned rest upon the other side, where that army of kinspeople and friends and loved ones, who have gone before, will welcome her with open arms and receive her into their companionship. They will have joy in her devotion and faithfulness while here, and in the fulfilment of her work. She has gone to that reckoning that must come to us all. No words of mine can add to or take from the labors of such a woman as Sister Grant. Her work is done; her mission here is ended. We are to lay her away to await the morning of the resurrection, and that she will come forth clothed with glory, immortality and eternal life, in the due time of the Lord, there is no question in the minds of those who have known her, who have enjoyed her companionship, who have loved her as a mother, as a neighbor, as a friend, as a sister in the Church. We know her virtues and have felt that spirit of love and kindness that was so manifest in her character.Oh! I wish there were more women of her type of womanhood in this world. She was a woman whose devotion and faith, and the character of whose life has made a deep impression in the circle in which it has been her privilege to move, for all the men and all the women who have known her must, if they speak the truth, say that she was indeed one of the jewels sent of our God in the dispensation of the fulness of times, to have part in the establishment of his great latter-day work. We must recognize them as jewels sent of God; we recognize their exemplary lives, their consis-

tent conduct, their unfailing courage, their thorough devotion to the principles of righteousness which the Lord has established. Such was the life and character of our sister whose remains lie here today. I pray that the blessings of our God may attend her son, his chil- dren and grandchildren, and make th<-m equal to the responsibilities that rest upon them. May they follow out the ideals exhibited in the life of such a mother, and may we who have known her intimately in our child-

hood, as boys and girls, and who have grown up under the immediate inspiration of her spirit, ever be able to hold in remembrance her mem-

ory, and may we recollect with satisfaction and joy the good words that she has spoken, the genial, and the proper example that she has set, the evidence of motherly worth, of wifely devotion, her consideration for the unfortunate, and all those elements that go to make both men and

women pleasing and satisfactory to their Heavenly Father. May God's blessings attend you, my brethren and sisters, and may his peace be over you, is my prayer, in the name of Jesus, Amen.

President Richard W. Young said:

— My Brethren and Sisters: I cannot recall the time in my life when I was not acquainted with Sister Grant. Through living very closely together, and I ihink possibly chiefly through being thrown together in the Sunday schools in the old Thirteenth ward, Brother Heber J. Grant and I became intimate very early in our lives, in an acquaintanceship that developed a friendship that has continued until this time; a friendship which, on my part at least, has been marked by an admiration for his character, for his ability and for his devotion to his mother, whose funeral we are attending today. Through that close intimacy and friendship with Brother Grant, I was very frequently in the house of Sister Grant, very frequently at her table, and I slept under her roof on many and many occasions. I am satisfied that my own recollections and opinions of Sister Grant are the recollections of all who are present. We who know anything of her life respect and admire her for the great fortitude of character which she displayed in her early days in identi- fying herself with an unpopular Church. We know how devoted she has been to that Church. We know how she has served the people. We know how devoted she has been as a mother, as a grandparent. We know what a benignity and peace have possessed her soul. We cannot remember her without the utmost satisfaction. She had a peace and a patience about her that is perhaps more truly characteristic of a testi- mony of the existence of God and a future existence than any other quality can possibly be. It seems to me that those who are truly con-

verted to a future state must in patience rise above the petty annoy- ances of this life; they must or should show forth in their daily lives and intercourse with others an imperturbability to the annoyances of life that they cannot otherwise possess. One who is deeply convinced that he will live forever cannot be weighed down and perplexed with the trivialities of this world. There was a calmness and a peace, as I have said, in the face, in

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the words and in the life of Sister Grant, that I am satisfied convinced all who came in contact with her that she had an abiding faith in God and in his everlasting kingdom, and in her own salvation. She has died with the love of who knew her and the respect of the entire com- all

munity. May God preserve her memory, her blessed memory and ex- ample, to her generations after her. May God pour comfort into the heart of Brother Heber, who, though he knows, of course, that she has died full of years, and has lived beyond the ordinary and allotted time of men and women, yet parts from her with great sorrow and great grief. May God bless him and all the other members of the family, is my prayer, in the name of Jesus. Amen.

President John R. Winder said:

While we may have some sad reflections on occasions of this kind, there are many things that bring us joy and satisfaction. When we think of it, what a happy thought it is, that our sister has been faith- ful, and has gone to her eternal rest. While sitting here, I was think- ing what a grand army she will meet on the other side, five presidents of the Church, a number of their counselors, and her honored and be" loved husband. I remember him with much pleasure, always, because when I came to this country, a stranger in a strange land, her husband was among the first of those who extended the hand of kindness and fellowship to me, and gave me words of comfort and consolation which I have never forgotten. I well remember the time, fifty- five years ago, when I had the pleasure and the honor of meeting with Sister Grant in our social gatherings; and from that time to the present I have never lost sight of her. I remember distinctly just exactly how she looked at that time beautiful in appearance, and so lovely in disposition and character, even in her younger days. I have never met her since then without feeling better because of meeting her and conversing with her. I always felt happy and cheerful, because of the beautiful and delightful spirit which she had with her. Again I say it is a happy thought that we feel so confident and sure that she has gone to a happy and glorious reward, and a pleasant re- union with her friends on the other side. Think of the joyful meeting and the honor and glory that will be her reward throughout all eternity; Isn't it a happy thought, my brethren and sisters? She was just a few months older than I am — I do not remember

how many, but only a few months. She has lived a happy life, always doing]the best she knew how in all her dealings, no matter with whom

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she came in contact. She was always desirous of benefiting and doing good to all. I hope, my brethren and sisters, that we will remember her example, that we will strive, during our lives, to do all we can for the benefit of others, as she has done, that when we shall be called upon to go to the other side we may be as well prepared as she is. I hope that will be my lot. I pray that the blessings of the Lord may rest upon the family. I

pray that he 'will bless her son. I remember, also, the day when her be- loved husband passed away, when she was left a widow, with our be- loved brother Heber, her son. I remember the day of the funeral and all that pertained to it. All these things loom up before me this morn- ing, just as clear as I see your faces, and bring to my recollection many good things that I might say in relation to her and her beloved husband and also her son Heber. May the Lord bless the family. May joy and peace be with them always, and when their time shall come, may they be prepared to go and meet her, is my prayer, in the name of Jesus, Amen.

President Anthon H. Lund said:

We are in the presence of the dead. Brother Young has said she has filled a glorious mission here upon the earth, and, as Brother Winder remarked, it is pleasing to contemplate such a life as she has lived. I

have not been acquainted with her until of late years, but whenever I have met her my heart has gone out to her. She was the personification of patience. At social gatherings, although she]could not hear what was said, she would sit patiently looking on, and she would enjoy it because she saw that we were enjoying ourselves. Whenever we looked at her, she had a smile for us. I loved that woman. I loved to meet her and

shake hands with her. She had a beautiful spirit and led a useful life. I feel that it is indeed well with her, that she will meet her beloved hus- band and those who are near related to her, whom she loved here, and also the many friends that have gone before, with whom she was ac- quainted here upon the earth. More than a half century she was a widow, devoting herself to her son, who did not have the pleasure of knowing his father, his father being called away s« early. She was de- voted to her son, and in time was rewarded by seeing him called to be an apostle of the Church of Jesus Christ. This must] have given her great joy. Later she had the joy of seeing her nephew called to the same position. I know it is well with Sister Grant. She gave herself to her husband — one of the greatest missionaries the Church has had, earnest and forceful, oneVho could convert souls and who could persuade