Funeral of President Joseph F. Smith

The Beehive House

Funeral of President Joseph F. Smith

As before stated in the Era, owing to health conditions no public ser-

vices were held for President Joseph F. Smith, except burial exercises at the

cemetery, but it is designed that as soon as opportunity offers and health

conditions will permit, that memorial services will be held throughout the

Church.

Many people called at the residence on the morning of November 22,

the day of the burial, and were permitted to take a last look at the great

leader, so insistent was the demand for this privilege. Thousands of

cards and letters of condolence had been received, also a very large num-

ber of beautiful floral tributes.

The funeral train was arranged under direction of Elders George Albert

Smith, Stephen L. Richards and Richard R. Lyman. It consisted of upwards

of one hundred and fifty closed automobiles, more than a mile in length,

preceded by a platoon of mounted police. Then followed in order, the city

commission, state officials, general authorities of the Church, the Hearse,

next to which were the family, followed by the members of the general

boards of the six auxiliary organizations in their order — Relief Society, Sun-

day School, Y. M. M. I. A., Y. L. M. I. A., Primary and Religion Class-

Temple workers, employees of the President's office, officials and directors

of business organizations with which President Smith had been associated,

followed by large numbers of friends of the President and his family.

Thousands of people thronged the streets to witness the procession.

Traffic was suspended east of Main, on South Temple street, and the great

majority of business houses were closed for the noon hour, during the

exercises at the cemetery, out of respect to the President and his family,

by order of the state and city officials. Notwithstanding the cold weather,

many stood with bared heads as the hearse passed by. South Temple from

Main to Second East, was crowded with people and automobiles.

As the throngs gathered, the great bell in the Catholic cathedral on

South Temple street tolled a solemn requiem, by order of Bishop Joseph

S. Class.

BURIAL OF PRESIDENT JOSEPH F. SMITH 205

Members of the quorum of Twelve Apostles officiated at the Beehive

house ; and in conveying the casket to the hearse, the active pallbearers were

Elders Orson F. Whitney, David O. McKay, Anthony W. lvins, James E. Tal-

mage, Stephen L. Richards and Richard R. Lyman, of the Council of Twelve

apostles. Accompanying them as honorary pallbearers were Presidents

Anthon H. Lund, Charles W. Penrose and Heber J. Grant, Elders Rudger

Clawson, George Albert Smith and Presiding Patriarch Hyrum G. Smith.

The body was encased in an all-metal casket, covered with flowers from

near and far, sent by loving friends during the morning and for two days

before.

At the cemetery, where brief exercises were held, a temporary pulpit was

erected, draped in white, with the American flag and the Hawaiian leis. The

remains were buried directly east of the monument recently erected to the

father of the beloved President, Patriarch Hyrum Smith.

Large numbers of people were present, among them Governor Simon

Bamberger, Mayor W. Mont Ferry, Secretary of State Harden Bennion, the

city commission, and large numbers of Church authorities, workers and

friends.

President Anthon H. Lund was in charge of the services. The tem-

porary pulpit draped in while, fronted by a large American flag was occu-

pied by Presidents Anthon H. Lund, Charles W. Penrose and Heber J.

Grant, Elders Rudger Clawson, George Albert Smith, and reporter Frank W.

Olterstrom. Seats for the family were arranged on both sides, and Church

and State, County and City, officials stoodLnear during the ceremonies.

Messages of sympathy and condolence were received from Elders Reed

Smoot, Washington, D. C, and George F.: Richards, Liverpool, England.

The exercises were short. A chorus of forty members of the Tabernacle

Choir, under direction of Prof. A. C. Lund, sang, "I Know That My Re-

deemer Lives." Prayer was offered by Elder George Albert Smith. The

Eighteenth ward male quartette — Elders H. G. Whitney, George D. Pyper,

Hugh W. Dougall and John D. Spencer— sang, "What Voice Salutes the

Sartled Ear?" Under the direction of Elder B. Cecil Gates, native Ha-

waiians sang, "Aloha Oe," with instrumental accompaniment.

Bishop Charles W. Nibley delivered a short address, embodying some

of the thoughts contained in his later eulogy, written at the solicitation of

the Era and which is found in this number.

President Heber J. Grant spoke briefly, reading the poem by Eliza R.

Snow entitled, "Thou Dost Not Weep to Weep Alone," also a poem by

Edgar A. Guest, entitled, "A Real Man." President Grant stated that he

had labored under President Smith's presidency for thirty-six years, and

that during all these years he had never known anything in President

Smith's life, either in word or act, that was not worthy of a real man. He

said he could say in all sincerity, "He was the kind of man I would like

to be." "Standing here by his grave, I desire, more than language can tell,

the power and the ability, to be as kind, as considerate, as forgiving, as

brave and noble and true, as he was, and to walk in very deed in his

footsteps. I could ask nothing mere."

President Lund thanked all present in behalf of the family, and for the

Church thanked the State, City and County officials, and the general public

for the consideration shown to the memory of President Smith.

The Tabernacle Choir sang, "O My Father," Prof. A. C. Lund singing

the solo part.

President Charles W. Penrose dedicated the grave. — A.