Edited Remarks of President Joseph F. Smith
At the funeral of John M. Cannon
I have known him (John M.
Cannon) more or less intimately for 40 years – in the days of his youth - very
intimacy in later years. I have been
closely associated with him in business matters in connection with President
George Q. Cannon and others.
I bear my testimony absolutely
to what has been said with reference to him.
It was said by one of old, “let him who would be the greatest among you
be the servant of all.“ I think that brother John exemplified that saying
wonderfully, with this wonderful part added to the saying of the savior, that he
had no aim or desire to become the greatest among man. His greatness and his goodness and purity of
character sprung from the innate worth and goodness of his soul, I believe.
I have seen him a placed in
extremely embarrassing conditions financially.
I have witnessed tasks placed upon him by those who had the right to
advise and counsel that very few men, if there was any man, that would have had
the courage to undertake and carry out as brother John M. Cannon did.
He never shirked the
duty. He never shrunk from any request
made of him by his superior officer.
When I heard of his departure,
I felt in my heart as though a burden had fallen upon my soul. What will we do for another like him? Where will we find another as diligent,
willing, capable, and worthy as he?
No man that I know of was
more worthy to go beyond then he. I do
not know of any of my acquaintance that had gone beyond, except my children and
close relatives, that I would be more pleased to meet on the other side than
brother John M. Cannon
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