| 683 "The choir sang two beautiful and appropriate anthems. . . .Hymn No. 896 was sung as the closing hymn, it having been composed by Bro. Smith. The beautiful casket containing the body of our brother rested upon pedestals before the pulpit, and upon it and before it were arranged a few pretty and suggestive floral emblems. Seated upon the front seat, by the side of the sorrowing widow, was Bro. Alexander McCallum, who kindly acted as escort to her, and by her other side sat Ethel, the little girl adopted by Bro. Smith when in Australia and brought by him to America. Back of these and all around were surrounding Saints of all ages, who had gathered to pay a last tribute to the memory of one whom God had honored and blessed in life and taken to himself at death.
"The sermon was from the words found in Matthew 19:27-29, and consisted of a review of the life of Bro. Smith and a tribute to the many excellencies that adorned his life, as well as words of comfort to those now mourning his departure. It was a good effort and was well received. The funeral cortege was long, extending the length of three city blocks as it moved along. At the grave Bro. Luff offered a few remarks and then closed the services with prayer. The company waited until the grave was filled and then solemnly wended their way to the waiting vehicles in which they were borne back to the activities of life from which they had been called for a few hours to pay honor to the dead."
The last public ministration of Elder T. W. Smith was the offering of the opening prayer on the occasion of President Joseph Smith preaching a discourse in Independence a short time before Elder Smith's death.
JAMES CAFFALL.
James Caffall was born July 14,1825, in England. His childhood, youth, and early manhood were spent in his native land.
He embraced the gospel in December, 1845, and soon after became an active and zealous minister.
(page 683) |
