Edward H. Anderson

Edward H. Anderson Sermon Delivered by President Heber J. Grant at the Funeral Services of Edward H. Anderson, Richards Ward, Granite Stake, February 5, 1928 I consider it an honor to be asked by the family to speak on this occasion. I can endorse all of the splendid re- marks which have been made here today by those who have spoken. Every com- pliment that has been paid to the integrity of Brother Anderson and his devotion to his family, to the Church and to his friends, meets with a hearty response in my heart. I know that nothing has been said here today that is not thoroughly merited by our dear departed brother. I have upon many occasions paid the same compliment to Brother Anderson that was paid to him by President Smith; namely, that I, as the nominal editor of the Era, have never thought there was the least necessity of looking over an article before its appearance in that magazine. I have had a perfect assurance that noth- ing would appear in the editorial columns, under the suptrvision of Edward H. An- derson, that would not be in keeping with the gospel of Jesus Christ as we under- stand it and that would not be worthy to appear in that magazine. I have al- ways felt that if he had the slightest doubt regarding any editorial, he would submit it before publishing; and there has never been any occasion for him to submit any article to me during the many years I have been the nominal editor. Prior to becoming the editor, as nearly all of you know, I was nominally the manager, and not only the nominal manager, but, in some respects, the actual manager. One year I signed more than eight thousand letters asking for support of the magazine. I secured a great many advertisements for it and laborjed dili- gently for its advancement, particularly during the first year, when Elder Roberts and I planned almost daily how to estab- lish the magazine and make it of value to the people. I have never been associated with a man who was more loyal to me while he was the editor of the mag- azine and I the nominal editor. I have never been associated with a character whose esteem for and devotion to the work of the Lord, and desire to fulfill every obligation devolving upon him, was greater than that of Edward H. Anderson. In every walk of life he has sought to know the mind and will of God and the desires of those who, in the providence of the Lord, have been called to preside over the Church, or the various institutions of the Church with which he was con- nected. If those of us who have presided have had faults and failings, which we undoubtedly have had, he has never ad- vertised them. He has done nothing but magnify and support the gospel of Jesus Christ as revealed to us by those who have been chosen to stand at the head of the Church or of its various organ- izations. In saying this. I do not wish anyone to think for one moment that Edward Anderson did not have a mind and a will and an opinion of his own on all matters. He was ever ready and will- ing to contribute his ideas, his thoughts and wisdom (and he had wisdom), with- out restraint. He was not afraid to ex- press himsdf. He wasn't loyal and true to those who presided over him by simply saying, "Me too," or agreeing with every- thing without expressing his own ideas. He was in very deed a man of God, a Latter-day Saint, a man with an abiding and absolute assurance and testimony re- garding the divinity of the work in which we are engaged.