Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Morgan 4: John Morgan Funeral Address, Part 3 of 3

Travel throughout the south, where he labored, and though men may not believe in the religion he advocated, yet they honored him, and their respect for him taught them respect also for the people he represented. That respect was so great and his record was so well known that he had access to men standing in positions that Elders without such a record behind them did not possess, and whatever of influence his record as a soldier brought to him and whatever wisdom God granted to him, I know from my continuous association with him for more than fourteen years, he brought to the support of the work of God with which he was identified.

The country loses one of its bravest defenders in the death of John Morgan; the state a good citizen; the Church of Jesus Christ one of its ablest leaders whose mission has been to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ. The First Council of Seventies in his demise loses one of its wisest counselors; one whose judgment we all felt to respect. But above all the family of this man loses a kind husband, an indulgent father and a kind and steadfast friend whose whole heart was centered in bringing to pass their welfare and establishing them in honor in the midst of the people.

They will feel his loss more than any of us will feel it; and with them I sympathize and condole on this occasion.

So far as Elder John Morgan is concerned, his battles are over. Of late the fight has been a hard one for him, but he has won it. And let it be said that the same courage which he displayed upon the field of battle was brought into all the difficulties with which he was surrounded, either as a missionary preaching the gospel or as a citizen of the community, struggling with adverse circumstances and against great odds. His victory, I say, so far as he is concerned is won; and though he was not free from faults, as none of us are free from them—I believe he was as self-conscious of his weaknesses of any man I ever knew. Yet those were but as motes in a glorious sunbeam and I fell that all is well with him. And while we stand here smitten with sorrow because of the loss we sustain in his departure—I can imagine what a royal welcome will be given to him, and what joy will be in the hearts of those who are preaching the gospel in the spirit world when it is heralded in that world that Elder John Morgan is among them!

I pray that the Lord will bless us that we may emulate his good example, cherish his memory and seek to be worth of future companionship with him. For my single self if, when the time comes that I pass away, my friends can say, as we can say of him, that he fought the good fight, that he kept the faith, I shall indeed be content with life’s mission. May God bless the family of Brother Morgan and may their hearts be comforted by the consolation which the Gospel brings; and may his children be trained up to revere the memory of their father is my prayer in the name of Jesus, Amen.

Part 1.
Part 2.

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