Lorenzo's birthday.--A surprise.--His escort.--Enthusiastically
greeted.--Address.--He responds.--Singing "Grandfather's Clock."--A
hair picture presented.--Recitation by the children.--Autograph album
presented.--Tables loaded with luxuries.--Dinner.--Singing.--Lorenzo
makes a speech.--Parting Hymn.--Dismissal.
The following is a synopsis of the report of a surprise tendered to
brother Lorenzo, by the members of his family, on the third of April,
1879, in celebration of the sixty-fifth anniversary of his birth.
The family assembled at four p. m., at the old homestead, when four
of Lorenzo's daughters, to wit: Mesdames Roxcy Box, Sylvia West,
Ida Gibbs, and Clara McAllister, having been previously appointed,
escorted their father into the assembly. Upon entering the hall, he
was enthusiastically greeted with smiling faces, and many sweet voices
joining in the song,
WE ARE ALL HERE.
We are all, all here;
Father, mother, sister, brother,
All who hold each other dear;
Each chair is filled, we're all at home,
To-night let no cold stranger come.
It is not often thus around
Our old, familiar hearth we're found;
Bless then the meeting and the spot--
For once be every care forgot;
Let gentle peace assert her power,
And kind affection rule the hour;
We're all, all here--we're all, all here.
We are not all here!
Father, mother, sister, brother,
Some have gone who were most dear;
But we now gather 'round this hearth,
Though some have passed away from earth;
The voice that once with ours did ring,
Has gone to dwell where angels sing;
O, then, that wisdom may we know,
That yields a life of peace below;
And in the life that follows this,
May each repeat the words of bliss,
We're all, all here--we're all, all here.
We are not all here!
Father, mother, sister, brother,
Yet our thoughts will bring them near;
We pray that our whole earthly band,
Before God's throne at last may stand
Unbroken as the links of love,
In that bright home in heaven above.
The severed links, the golden chain,
Be there united once again;
With this sweet thought our hearts we'll cheer,
For then we'll say, we all are here;
We're all, all here--we're all, all here.
O. G. Snow, the eldest son, had been commissioned to lead in the
programme, and state the object of the meeting; being absent, Professor
E. A. Box, a son-in-law, gave the following address:
_President Lorenzo Snow_:
Respected Husband and Father.--We, your wives, children, grandchildren,
sons-in-law, and daughters-in-law, have convened on this occasion, in
honor of the sixty-fifth anniversary of your birth, having a sincere
desire to manifest our respect and gratitude to one whose kindness
and wise counsels, of which we, as well as many others, have been the
favored recipients.
May the returns of the day be many and happy ones, and may your cares
and sorrows never be occasioned by members of this extensive, and, we
trust, truly respected family; and, though the words of our Savior. "A
man's foes shall be they of his own household," may be verily true in
many cases, in yours may they prove to be strictly inapplicable.
The poet says:
If the stock of our bliss is in strangers' hands vested,
The fund, ill-secured, oft in bankruptcy ends;
But the heart issues bills that are never protested,
When drawn on the firm of wife, children and friends.
The day-spring of youth, still unclouded by sorrow,
Alone, on itself for enjoyment depends;
But dreary the twilight of age, when it borrows
No warmth from the smiles of wife, children and friends.
And we say:
May we onward and upward, all cherish and nourish
The virtues on which this rich blessing depends;
And may we with love and fond hearts ever cherish
The tie that now makes us wives, children and friends.
Wishing you many, very many happy returns, we remain, your loving and
obedient. Family.
Brother Lorenzo responded in a fatherly, affectionate speech, replete
with wise counsels and exhortations--referring to the order of the
Priesthood, and the blessings, both temporal and spiritual, to be
secured through obedience to its requirements; and closed by warmly
and feelingly expressing his thanks and appreciation of their united
expression, and blessed his happy audience.
After which, Mrs. Armeda S. Young and Miss Dora Snow sang
"Grandfather's Clock," all joining in the chorus. Then a committee of
eldest three daughters, Mesdames Abigail S. Rosenbaum, Eliza S. Dunford
and Rosetta S. Loveland, in a neat speech in behalf of the family,
presented their father a beautiful hair picture, consisting of a spray
in the centre, composed of his hair and that of his wives, which was
encircled with a choice wreath of hair of the children--a slip of
paper, with the name of each attached to his or her hair, and all set
in a rich frame, comprising a record of forty members of the family.
An autograph album was also presented, containing interesting and
appropriate sentiments.
After another song by the company, a recitation by the children
followed, then all repaired to the dining hall, and sat down to tables
loaded with luxuries, where floral decorations shed a sweet perfume on
all around.
The social table repast over, the remainder of the evening was
devoted to singing, speeches, readings, recitations, toasts, etc.,
until nine o'clock, when Brother Snow again addressed the company.
His heart seemed to overflow with joy and affection as he spoke of
the blessed privilege of renewing our relationship hereafter, and of
extending it in unlimited duration. He again blessed his family, and,
after a parting hymn was sung, dismissed the assembly--thus closing
a delightful scene, which will long live in sweet remembrance of all
present.