The article is found here. I highlighted my favorite parts.
And I think I'd like this at my own funeral. Take note... it would make a great quartet... and a violin obbligato would be gorgeous...
It is originally titled, “What is This Thing that Men Call Death.” Latter-day Saint songwriter Janice Kapp Perry discovered the poem as her own niece was dying and trying to find comfort. Perry asked Hinckley if he would permit her to put the words to music. He approved her request three days before he died.
President Hinckley passed away Sunday January 27. Ms. Perry got the letter of approval in the mail the next day. Then that afternoon came a request from the Mormon Tabernacle choir director Craig Jessop to perform the song at Hinckley’s funeral.
Saturday at President Hinckley’s funeral service the very words of Hinckley’s poem gave others comfort upon his own passing.
“What Is This Thing That Men Call Death”
By President Gordon B. Hinckley
Music by Janice Kapp Perry
What is this thing that men call death,
This quiet passing in the night?
'Tis not the end, but genesis
Of better worlds and greater light.
O God, touch thou my aching heart,
And calm my troubled, haunting fears.
Let hope and faith, transcendent, pure,
Give strength and peace beyond my tears.
There is no death, but only change,
With recompense for vict'ry won.
The gift of Him who loved all men,
The Son of God, the Holy One.
...such a wonderful testimony. Thank you, President Hinckley!
5 comments:
It was touching....I can't wait to read the background. Thanks for the link.
Happy Super Tuesday!
That is so beautiful. Thanks for finding out about it.
On a different note, will you announce on your blog when Mel has her baby? I keep thinking about them, she's due pretty much any time, right?
Thanks!
gabrielle: we will definitely announce their baby. we have been waiting anxiously to hear.
joe and amy: hopefully your votes will count today in the heavily liberal north (just outside berkley right?)
Paul and I are proudly wearing "I voted today" stickers. Michael's questions about them brought about a nice sermon about the responsibilities we have living in our great country... followed by some "Go Mitt" rhetoric.
WVA's voting for Huckabee is so funny to me. I lived there for 2 years, and today I'm proud that I lived in KY longer than WVA so I don't have to claim WVA when people ask me where I grew up! Sheesh.
Yes, the poem is touching, as is the story behind it. I got a slightly different version of the story today... it seems that it was written a little earlier for a niece's funeral, and the letter of Pres. Hinckley's approval for it to be published was the letter she got just a day after his death.
I also was emailed a copy of it, which JKPerry is distribution freely for use by all. Let me know if you'd like me to email it to you.
Thanks for the background story, I would definitely love a copy emailed to me!
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