--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Unknown collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 28 number: 8 published: 1925-06 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: "Unknown, “The Passing of President Charles William Penrose,” *Improvement Era 28, no. 8 (June 1925)*: 779–780." source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera2808unse transcription: Transcribed from the Internet Archive scan of each issue (the item for each issue is named in the issue's own source); unnumbered advertising leaves are omitted, printed page numbers are kept as page markers. identifier: improvementera2808unse start_page: 779 end_page: 780 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1925-06) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera2808unse publication_year: 1925 note: The Internet Archive item metadata carries a blanket "© Copyright by Intellectual Reserve, Inc." notice. The library owner judged it inapplicable because this issue was published in 1925, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # The Passing of President Charles William Penrose THE PASSING OF PRESIDENT CHARLES WILLIAM PENROSE It is with deep sadness and sincere feeling of regret that we record the death of our beloved leader and friend, President Charles W. Penrose, which occurred at his home, 222 South 9th East, Salt Lake City, at 9:30 p. m., Saturday night, May 16, 1925. He lived to an extremely advanced age, having passed his 93d birthday on February 4 last, an age greater than is allotted to the average man, and yet we were loath to part with him. His cherry spirit was known to us, his wise counsel, his brilliant intellect, and the warmth of his splendid and appealing testimony of the gospel. It seems amazing that this man's life should have extended over practically the entire period of the history of the Church, to within less than two years from its beginning. Brigham Young had not yet been baptized when Charles W. Penrose was born in London, England, on the 4th of February, 1832, and the entire membership of the Church would hardly have filled one of our modern ward chapels. The great length of his life attests the strength and endurance of the sturdy English stock from which he came. It must have been a glorious privilege to him to have been united in his youth with the cause of building up the Church and kingdom of God, and to see it grow and prosper, and extend its borders into every land, and himself to reach a high and influential position, with his name loved and honored by all. He will be forever remem- bered as a valiant, capable and worthy soldier in the cause of Christ. With his voice, and with his pen, President Penrose labored un- tiringly as a defender of the faith and an exponent of its doctrines for almost seventy-four years. His masterful pamphlets, "Why I am a Mormon," "What the Mormons Believe," "Mormon Doctrine," "Priesthood and Presidency" and "Rays of Living Light," have been, and will continue to be, distributed by the tens of thousands. But his chief claim to be long remembered will no doubt rest with those glorious songs of his, "Oh ye mountains high," "School thy feelings, oh, my brother," and many others. They have struck a responsive chord in every heart, and will be sung and read by the Latter-day Saints when the facts pertaining to the author's life may have faded in the dim mists of time. Also great praise is due him for his thousands of writings for papers and magazines in defense and advocacy of the Saints and the doctrines of the Church. In summing up the life of President Penrose we may say that his chief characteristic was his determination to do right at all times and live according to the precepts of his religion. He was persistent, 780 IMPROVEMENT ERA determined, ever at work in the line of his duty. To one who knew him well he said recently, " 'Mormonism' is as much a part of me as my arm, my leg, or my heart;" and again, "Do right because it is right, and not because anyone tells you to do it." On the day of his death President Heber J. Grant paid him this tribute: "President Penrose was one of the greatest defenders of the faith that the Church has ever had. He was one of the most able ex- pounders of the doctrines of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by pen and word of mouth. For ten long years he labored without purse or scrip to spread the gospel in England, and later re- turned to that same field as president of the European mission, having charge of all the activities of the Church from Scandinavia on the north to South Africa, on the south. A great and good man has passed to his reward." The editors of the Era regret that this number of the magazine was practically made up for printing before the death of President Penrose, hence, the place and space that his passing deserves could not be included in this number. Further attention will be given in a future number. — P. N. My Baby My heart beat with a throbbing pain When my baby passed away! Within my throat, in a refrain That choked me o'er and o'er again Were words that never could be said About my wee one, too soon dead — Yet Hope's bright star shone overhead When my baby passed away! What could a mother's love foresee. When my baby passed away? All that a fervent love could be Was bound up in this gift to me! Alas! a mother's heart must feel Realities of woe and weal — Shall not a future yet reveal Why my baby passed away? Some purpose, I had faith to learn, When my baby passed away, Is cause for early life return: We may not yet the cause discern, But this much faith to me is given, Though heart be sad, with sorrow riven A part of me went up to Heaven When my baby passed away! Payson, Utah JOSEPH LONGKING TOWNSEND