Introduction to Shakespeare Of The West Poems: Gaylen John Matheson
The poems with the greatest love, hope and comfort for the grieving are found in the Mother's Love Collection. Joel wrote consoling words to saintly widows who have lost their husbands from death and from every other cause.
He also writes to weeping mothers who have lost precious children.
Weeping Mother
A sweet mother once stood weeping O'er the grave of her dear child
For she left it sweetly sleeping On the prairie lone and wild.
She with mother's heart of gladness Hailed it as the gift of God,
And in sorrow, grief and sadness Laid it neath the prairie sod.
There were days of gloom and sorrow When she with her child did part
And she scarcely thought a morrow Could bring gladness to her heart.
But the seraph Faith anointed Sweetest messenger of love,
With her steadfast finger pointed To the worlds of light above.
There your darling now is nestled In your Heavenly Father's bow'r
There when through this life you've wrestled You will meet the blissful flow'r.
Loving Mother
On the bank of Platte River Near the Bluff fork's sandy wild.
There I saw a loving mother Weep o'er her dying child.
There the darling babe we buried Just as daylight disappeared.
Where the red man long has tarried And the wolf's shrill howl is heard.
Sleeping on his sandy pillow Where no friend his grave can strew
With sweet flowers or plant the willow Love's sweet token to renew.
There must wait till all that slumbers With the just are waked again,
Then he shall be with the number Free from sorrow, toil and pain.
Then his mother shall behold him Still more precious than before,
And with songs of joy enfold him In her arms to part no more.
The four purposes of this Zion's Co-op building are:
1. To co-op resources of interest to the saintly widows and weeping mothers of Zion.
2. To provide an inspiring place of gatherings for families near and far who may be interested in the 1000 songs of Zion and the Shakespeare of the West collections.
3. To provide handcart rescue missions on the Coal Creek for youth groups, in partnership with other historic museums and service groups.
4. To encourage music composers both young and old, to create music for the 1000 songs of Joel Hills Johnson, so that his inspired works may bless thousands like High On the Mountain Top has.
This building was fashioned after the early American architecture typical of the 1850's Deseret era. The bee hive represents Deseret which being interpreted, is the honey bee and all of the productive industry that comes from working together for the greater cause of Zion.