LIVINGSTON, Clifton Glen - Funeral Services
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Funeral Services of Clifton Livingston
January 28, 1947
Moroni, Utah
Place: Moroni East Ward, Moroni, Utah
Time: 1:30 p.m., January 28, 1947.
Pall Bearers: Grant Jensen, Earl Livingston, Jessie Livingston, Ray Livingston, Arthur Livingston and Ephraim Nielsen.
Preliminary Music: Faye Draper - Abide With Me - I Know That My Redeemer Lives.
Presiding: Bishop James L. Nielson
Bishop Nielson:
We are very glad to see such a good turn out on this sad occasion. The program will go forward as follows under the direction of Sister Livingston. The opening song will be sung by the Choir, "sometime We'll Understand." President George M. Anderson will be the first speaker. The opening prayer will be by Mont Jensen. Marie Jensen, Lois Jensen Fillis, and Leila Christensen Manwell will sing, "Perfect Day." Abe Little will say a few words, then a song, "In the Garden," by June Pulmer and Phyllis Rogers. The next speaker will be Dermont Madsen, after which we will have a male quartet which will be sung by John Guymon, Harold Arnoldsen, Mack Morley, and Monte Blackham.
Choir: "Sometime We'll Understand," Written by Maxwell N. Corneilius and James McGranahan.
Not now, but in the coming years,
It may be in the better land,
We'll read the meaning of our tears,
And there, sometime, we'll understand.
Then trust in God thro' all they days;
Fear not, for He doth hold they hand;
Tho' dark they way, still sing and praise
Sometime, sometime, we'll understand.
We'll catch the broken threads again,
And finish what we here begun;
Heaven will the mysteries explain,
And then, ah, then, we'll understand.
We'll know why clouds instead of sun
Were over many a cherished plan;
Why song has ceased when scarce begun;
'Tis there, sometime, we'll understand.
Why what we long for most of all,
Eludes so oft our eager hand;
Why hopes are crushed and castles fall,
Up there, sometime, we'll understand.
God knows the way, He holds the key.
He guides us with unerring hand;
Sometime with tearless eyes we'll see,
Yes, there, up there, we'll understand.
Mont Jensen:
Our Father in Heaven, we have met on this occasion to pay our tribute and our respect to Brother Clifton Livingston whom thou has't seen fit to call back home. We ask thee what we may say will be acceptable to Thee in these services, and pray that Thy spirit will be in our mist. Bless those who are to take part today, that the words that they may say will be comfort to those who have been called to mourn at this time. We ask Thee that Thy loving spirit might rest down upon those who have cause to mourn at this time. Bless and comfort them, that they might have an understanding. We dedicate this service to Thee, and to Thy keeping, and we do it in the name of Jesus Christ - Amen.
President George Andersen:
My dear Brothers and Sisters, my heart goes out in sympathy to Sister Livingston and these fine boys and girls and to the fine family in general, for they have lost a father, a helpmate, a companion and a guide. And I trust that the prayer may be answered in my behalf. I would like to say something that would be a value, and a guide and of a comforting nature.
We remember Brother Livingston as a fine man, I would say his body like a statue, a perfect man, manly in his build and his carriage, a prince among men. I think he had the character to go with it.
How happy I am today that we have the Gospel of Jesus Christ, in all its fullness, with all of its hopes, and all of its assurances, and its blessings.
I think the greatest part of the Bible is that part found in John, when Jesus and His disciples were called to a little village, not far from Jerusalem, and some dear friends of the Savior were mourning. They had lost a brother. Two girls went out to meet the Savior. They said to Him "If Thou hads't only been here, our brother would not have died." In the compassion of His soul, He turned to Mary and said, "I a the resurrection and the light." "He that believeth in me, tho he were dead, yet shall he live." And then to emphasize His message He simply said to Mary, "Believest thou this?" And she answered, "Yes, Lord, I believe." There is no better comfort I can think of and the greater comfort than that.
I pray that the Lord will bless Sister Livingston and her family with unity and with faith, because there is a power in the earth, my Brothers and sisters, which is greater than anything in this life and that power is the marriage of man and woman for time and all eternity in the Holy Temples in the Church of Jesus Christ.
May we ever, my Brothers and Sisters, be loyal and draw near to the Lord. May He pour out his sprit on this family, I pray that the next few weeks may not be too hard to bear. May He lighten this sorrow, thus, I humbly ask in Jesus' name - Amen.
Trio: Perfect Day - Carrie Jacobs Bond
When you come to the end of a perfect day,
And you sit alone with your thought,
While the chimes right out with a carol gay
For the joy that the day has brought,
Do you think what the end of a perfect day
Can mean to a tired heart,
When the sun goes down with a flaming ray,
And the dear friends have to part?
Well, this is the end of a perfect day,
Near the end of a journey, too;
But it leaves a thought that is big and strong,
With a wish that is kind and true.
For mem'ry has painted this perfect day,
With colors that never fade,
And we find, at the end of a perfect day,
The soul of a friend we've made.
David A. Little:
It is with a great deal of humility that I stand before you here today. It is about a year ago not that we had a similar experience and I was called upon to five a little talk.
In an occasion such as this, I realize that they are hard to understand, and we wonder why they have to come to us. There are few of us who have not been grieved by the loss of some one near and deeply cherished.
All of us must meet sometime and come face to face with these problems. Perhaps most of us feel that we could accept death for those we love, if it did not seem to come with such untimeliness. But we may well ask ourselves "When should we be willing to part with our loved ones?" Who is there among us whose judgement we would trust to measure out our lives? But fortunately they are made by wisdom higher than ours.
And when death comes among us, inconsolable grief and bitterness should have no place. Even when death comes, by events such as this one, which seem unnecessary and unavoidable, we must learn to accept what we cannot help. The greatest blessing that can follow the death of those we love, is reconciliation. Without it there is no peace. There is no purpose in fighting something we cannot touch or brooding upon what we cannot change. We have to trust the Lord in the issues of life and death.
Bitter grief without reconciliation serves no good purpose. Death comes to all of us, but so does life eternal and everlasting.
I hope Minnie and family will find peace, reconciliation and comfort at this time.
In my work I have become very well acquainted with Minnie. I have taught all of her children, with the exception of the little girl. I find Minnie to be very kind to the children, kind to the family, and she was always at work trying to do a little bit more for each child. I talked to her a good may times and I am sure that she has never said a discourteous word about Clifton. There was a great deal of love and affection there. His work kept him away a lot of the time and Minnie was always glad when he could come home. We all admire Minnie and the children. They all loved and respected him. Having worked with Minnie, I feel that I know her better than I knew Clifton and I have always admired her. For it seems tome she has many worthy qualities which we would al like to have. She is kind and patient.
I'll always remember when Clifton came home last Christmas and his little girl could hardly wait to read to her daddy, and he sat patiently and let her read the whole book to him.
He was clean in thoughts, clean in action, he was generous in giving his time and money and in serving in the mission field. The people he met in the mission, whenever they came to Utah, were glad to call him their friend. I think he must have been a good missionary to be so well remembered by all these people who come back to Utah. These qualities go to make up an understanding father and a good husband.
I would not feel good without saying a word about his good mother. She is always kind, she is always ready to help in time of sickness and trouble, and my deepest sympathy goes out to her, and I would like to say a word to these boys: I know they are husky boys; they are full of vim and energy. But now their mother has two jobs to perform. She has a great load to carry. You must help her, love her, and listen to the things she tells you. I know that her judgement is good. I would listen to her closely.
I would like to read a poem which I think will express my feelings and sentiments at this time. The poem is called "Sharing Life With You."
Sharing Life With You
There's a comforting thought at the close of the day,
When I'm weary and lonely and sad,
That sort of grips hold of my lonely heart,
And bids it be merry and glad.
It gets in my soul and it drives out the blues,
And finally thrills through and through.
It is just a sweet memory that chants the refrain:
"I'm glad for my life with you."
Did you know you were brave? Did you know you were strong?
Did you know there was one leaning hard?
Did you know that I waited and listened and prayed,
And was cheered by your simplest word?
Did you know that I longed for that smile on your face,
For the sound of your voice ringing true?
Did you know I grew stronger and better, because of
The life I shared with you?
I am glad that I live, that I struggle and strive,
For the place that I know I must fill;
I am thankful for sorrows I'll meet with a smile
What fortune may send - good or ill.
I may not have wealth, I may not be great,
But I know I shall always be true,
For I have in my life that courage you gave
When I once shared life with you.
Song: In A Garden By June Fullmer and Phyllis Rogers
I come to the garden alone
While the dew is still on the roses
And the voice I hear
Falling on my ear
The Son of God discloses.
And He walks with me
And He talks with me
And He tells me I am His own.
And the joy we share
As we tarry there
None other has ever known.
He speaks and the sound of his voice
Is so sweet the birds hush their singing.
And the melody that He gave to me
Within my heart is ringing.
I stay in the garden with Him,
Tho the night around me be falling.
But He bids me go,
Through the voice of woe,
His voice to me is calling.
Dermond Madsen:
As I approach this responsibility, I pray for your interest and your prayers, that I might do as well as the preceding brethren have done; that I might collect my thoughts and my emotions and add some enlightening words of consolation to his good family, the mother, neighbors, and all his friends who are called upon to mourn.
I have known the Livingston family nearly all my life. They spent many years of their lives in the part of Fountain Green that is known as Birch Creek. I remember Jessie, going to school with him. He was a little older than I. I became better acquainted with the rest of the family years following.
As I sat here and watched this building fill to its over capacity and the good sisters place the flowers on the stand, I thought of the thousands of lives that this good man must have touched in the forty-eight short years that he was privileged to live among us. I thought of his Mother, when she brought him into the world; her hopes, her ambition, her love and her teachings throughout his early days. I thought of his brothers and sisters as they romped and played over the rolling hills of Birch Creek, of his playmates in school and all his friends that he gathered about him as he grew into manhood.
This courtship with Minnie… what a perfect courtship it must have been, to be privileged to rear such an outstanding family that they have, what a blessing they are entitled to.
The remarks that President Anderson made in regards to his marriage that was not just for life, but they took each other for life eternal.
I have been privileged in the few short years that I have lived in Moroni, to become acquainted with this family of theirs. I have watched these boys and girls grow up. The girls have grown up to be fine young ladies that any mother or father could be proud of. And these boys have been so faithful to follow the advice of their father. To look into their faces you couldn't help but see the goodness in their hearts. I now with all the training they have had, there is no question, but, that they are going to be the fine young men their father would have them be.
It hasn't been as an easy task for Brother Clifton and Sister Livingston during their married life. It has taken cooperation between the two of them to make ends meet. It is no easy task today, in which to raise a family and to keep a home as neat as theirs and to bring through this unity and cooperation that they have and the happiness that they have had in the past years, and the success that they have had. They have enjoyed their little home.
Their children and they have certainly been a credit to this community and to these good people. Brother Clifton Livingston has taken very active part in his quorum responsibilities. He was a member of the 275 quorum of this Stake. In any capacity you could depend that Clifton would fulfill it. I remember not quite tow years ago, Brother Clifton was asked by his quorum to handle a project. It required his time, much of it. And during the summer I called on Clifton, and I asked him how he was getting along and he said, "I am not so much interested in what I get out of it myself, as I am that the quorum progresses."
This seemed to be his attitude in everything. He was a man that cared more for the other fellow than he did for himself. It was always a pleasure to meet him. I often went out of my way to pass the time of the day with him, because in doing so, it brought his broad smile and a pat the back, which you could always depend on.
I was talking with a brother, who spent four months with Brother Clifton. He stated, "I have never had, in my company, a finer young man," and he went on then saying, how he kept the Word of Wisdom and there was never a word said about anyone. Whenever people said anything about someone else, there was nothing said by Clifton. He was dependable and he was a fine companion on the range.
I thought the world and all of him, and like the rest of you, I was shocked by hearing of the accident which occurred last Friday.
I know that the father of this family could not be at home from time to time. In spite of this, he was certainly an excellent father.
Sister Minnie's life was spared because of her faith and that of the family. As I thought back over the past short forty-eight years, I think of the progress that one man has been able to accomplish in such a short time. The friends that he has made. I know of no enemy, not one that has ever said a bad word about Brother Livingston. Friends… he had them everywhere. Everybody spoke to Clifton. When he stepped into the store, we could always depend on his bright smile.
In closing I would like to read a few lines of Brother Hawthorn. I think it described the life of Brother Clifton and the path which he has laid out for his sons to follow.
The Road of Happiness By O. Lawrence Hawthorne
Across the rolling hills of life
A friendly highway leads,
A road whose every wondrous mile
Is paved with noble deeds.
Where solemn purpose points the way
Where will and judgment meet,
For any man this course begins
And kindness guides his feet.
This highway is the only road
That leads to great success;
No other trail, no sidelong path
Will find true happiness.
Though up and down its route may run
It carries straight and far
And gains at last the heaven where
Life's great possessions are.
The youth who sets a worthy goal
And formulates a plan
Of progress that enables him
To serve his fellow man
Begins at once to know the joys
That glorify and bless
The lives of those who family walk
The Road of Happiness.
That has always been in Brother Clifton's life.
God bless his memory and bless this family. That the Lord will continue to watch over them and his good mother, I humbly pray in Jesus' Name - Amen.
Quartet - The Deepening Trials - Mack Morley, Harold Arnoldson, Monte Blackham, and John Guymon.
Though deep'ning trials throng your way,
Press on, press on, ye Saints of God.
Ere long the resurrection day
Will spread its life and truth abroad,
Will spread its life and truth abroad.
Though outward ills wait us here,
The time at longest is not long,
Ere Jesus Christ will reappear,
Surrounded by a glorious throng,
Surrounded by a glorious throng.
Lift up your hearts in praise to God,
Let your rejoicing never cease,
Through tribulations rage abroad,
Christ says, "In Me ye shall have peace,"
Christ says, "In Me ye shall have peace."
What though our rights have been assailed,
What through by foes we've been despoiled,
Jehovah's promise has not failed,
Jehovah's purpose is not foiled,
Jehovah's purpose is not foiled.
His work is moving on a pace,
And great events are rolling forth;
The kingdom of the latter days,
The "little stone" - must fill the earth,
The "little stone" - must fill the earth.
[Speaker not listed?]
When you look over this large congregation and see all these nice flowers, I think it shows something that words cannot express.
I have known Brother Clifton and his good wife for many years. I have lived neighbors to the family and I am glad to say that I can call them my friends. They have been friends to me, a swell family to live next to.
I have known Sister Minnie and her father's family for many years. I have known Minnie ever since we were children together. We have been just like one family all our lives. I grew very fond of Uncle Sern and his children. We watched the brothers and sisters grow up and I remember Minnie when we was a baby.
Brother Clifton hasn't had a chance to show his ability. I don't know of a man who had the ability that Brother Clifton had. Brother Clifton's work took him away from home and if his work could have been at home, he could have shown that ability, to the fact that he was well able to perform his duties. He would have had a chance to be with his family more.
He filled a mission in California and I know he must have filled a good mission. When he spoke, he had a good delivery and made many friends on his mission.
I have been with Brother Clifton on several occasions to administer to the sick. He was very capable to perform these ordinances. It must be a comfort to know he had the power of the gain of life and salvation. Like it has been said here today, he must have lived a clean life and I don't believe that he has ever broken the Word of Wisdom.
I believe that ever since he went on a mission that Sister Minnie has been faithful. She mentioned to me the other day that they had been separated a good share of the time. Sister Minnie was always waiting for him to return and had the hopes that he would return, but now it will be just the opposite, and how Sister Minnie, you will find Brother Clifton when God sees fit to call you home.
This good Sister and this good family, these girls and these boys, now have a greater responsibility to take the place of their father and to do all they can to assist. They will keep their lives fit and be a lot of help and satisfaction to their mother.
Bishop Nielson:
I don't know what I can say that has not been said here today about the family. They have been very close friends to me, this whole family. May God bless this kind and good mother, the wife, the boys and girls, that they may stay close, that they may be able, when the time comes, to join again with their father.
In behalf of this family, we wish to thank all who have taken part in any way.
We bring these services to a close by the Choir singing "God Be With You Till We Meet Again." Howard Blackham will offer the closing prayer. The grave will be dedicated by Bishop Prestwich.
God Be With You
God be with you till we meet again,
By His counsels guide, uphold you,
With His sheep securely fold you,
God be with you till we meet again.
Chorus
Till we meet, till we meet,
Till we meet at Jesus' feet;
Till we meet, till we meet,
God be with you till we meet again.
God be with you till we meet again,
When life's perils thick confound you,
Put His arms unfailing round you,
God be with you till we meet again.
God be with you till we meet again,
Keep love's banner floating o'er you,
Smite death's threat'ning wave before you,
God be with you till we meet again.
Howard Blackham:
Our Heavenly Father, we present ourselves before thee this afternoon. We are thankful for the memories of Clifton, for his life, for the example of his love, his friendship, and his association. We pray that they spirit may comfort this good family, that his memory may be an inspiration throughout their lives. We pray, Father, that we might honor his memory whenever the time presents itself. We are indeed thankful for the Gospel and the principles that it teaches us. There will be a union in heaven.
We ask Thee to send Your protection upon this group while they journey to the cemetery and we dedicate these services to Thee in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Dedication of the Grave
Bishop James Prestwhich:
Our Father which art in Heaven, we have gathered around this spot of ground surrounding this open grave. We dedicate and consecrate this spot of earth as the final resting place for the body of Brother Clifton Livingston. We thank thee for the life of this good man. We pray that thou wilt hallow and bless this ground that this body will take its definite and natural course, that the earth may receive it back to nature. We pray that thou wilt grant this particular request. And we ask Thee to do this and we do it in the name of Jesus Christ - Amen.