The Celebration of the life of Harry W. Johnson

The Service of Celebration for the Life of Harry W. Johnson (January 6, 2003).
I. Introduction and Welcome by Pastor Arlo A. Johnson
On behalf our family, the descendants of Harry and Cecile Johnson, I want to welcome you to share in this Service to Celebrate of the Life Journey of Harry Johnson.
There are two significant components to the Life Journey of our father …first there is Dad’s physical life journey, and secondly there is Dad’s spiritual life journey.

II. First let us consider his physical life journey…
105 years ago today, Christian and Carrie Johnson welcomed the birth of their first baby, a boy, Harry Wesley Johnson! Yes, you did hear me right! 105 years ago on this very day, Harry Johnson was born in Dayton, Iowa, in the United States of America.

In 1905 Saskatchewan became a province in the Dominion of Canada, and it was in that year that the Chris Johnson family moved from Iowa to take up a homestead in the Parry district of Saskatchewan. In the same general time period the Oscar Lincoln family moved from Illinois to take up farming just over a mile west of the Johnson homestead.

My Mother wrote the following information about my father for the Dummer and Area History & Heritage Book published in 1982 .. “There were lots of children to play with in the “Johnson Corner.” Harry was the oldest and had to help his mother baby sit. He often “sat” Mildred while the other kids played. Harry, at a young age, became “flunky” for the cook car that followed the threshing outfits in those days. Since there were few threshing machines, threshing sometimes continued until snow-fall. Harry was promoted to “straw-boss,” then to “fireman,” and eventually he became the “engineer” (for the steam-engine powered threshing machine).

During the winter months, he took on the job of starting fires at the school for $10. a month. This meant that for most of the winter months, he attended school .. (then my Mother states .. “which was nice for me, as Harry would take care of my horse)!”

Mother continues .. “Harry and I started going out together in 1919. His car, a 1916 Model T was needing a paint job. He painted it grey, and it was called the “Grey Louse.” Harry moved to his own place seven miles north of Parry. His uncle Jim Johnson lived with him in his granary, as Jim had contracted to dig fence post holes for a community pasture. In March,1920 we became engaged. John Krantz built a house for us. We were married on November 10, 1920 at Milestone in the United Church Manse. Both our parents gave us a cow. His folks also gave us a dozen chicken hens. The car was put aside … no money for gas! The day following the wedding, the happy couple loaded their few belongings into a horse drawn wagon and they traveled several miles north to their newly constructed house on the homestead.” I might add, “This was certainly a far cry from today’s Hawaiian Honey Moon enjoyed by so many newly weds!”

Mom continues .. “That first winter Harry picked rock as there was very little snow.” (Again if I might add a personal note … Dad didn’t get all the rock picked off that homestead, because Eldon & I were still picking rock off that land in the very early 1940’s).

In 1926 Harry and Cecile moved to a farm a few miles south, just 3 ½ miles east of Dummer, where they would farm for the next 25 years of their lives. It was there that they raised a daughter and two sons.

Mother continues .. “In 1929 depression affected all of Canada. It struck the following winter as prices for farm products fell. Unemployment was high and money was tight. Wheat prices struck the bottom, the lowest in 300 years, a bushel of wheat sold for about 30 cents a bushel less 12 cents a bushel for freight to Fort William. Yearling steers were selling at Moose Jaw for $2.75 per cwt.

With the drought and no crops, the winds had a good sweep across the country, resulting in black blizzards so bad that it was unsafe for the children to go to school. The remaining greenery was taken care of by the millions of army worms that swept through the area.

At one point, Harry and Glen fixed up a vehicle and went around the country, buying up old chicken hens for about 25 cents each, and Karen and I plucked them (about 100 per day), and the men took them to Regina and sold them for 50 cents each. With the sale proceeds they would bring home groceries or other necessities. They also purchased badger, weasel, rabbit and skunk furs from local trappers, and sold them in Regina.” By 1939 the drought was coming to an end.

In 1951 Dad & Mom purchased a farm in the Pense area, where they would farm for the remaining period of their work years. In 1969 they retired from the farm and took up year-around residence in Regina, apart from the winters they spent at Seal Beach, in California.

Family was an extra-ordinary priority to Mom and Dad Johnson. Their marriage anniversary celebrations were always an opportunity to focus upon family relationships, rather than exclusively upon themselves and their marriage! They had many such Anniversary Celebrations ..Their 40th Anniversary Celebration was in Winnipeg, Manitoba in 1960 at Arlo & Glenna Johnson’s home. Their 50th Anniversary Celebration was in Regina’s Carmichael United Church at 15th & St. John Street. Their 60th & 65th Anniversary Celebrations were at the Regina Apostolic Church. Finally, their 70th Anniversary Celebration was at Southside Pentecostal Church in November of 1990. Dad was predeceased by his wife Cecile just six months after their 70th Wedding Anniversary, in April of 1991. Dad was also predeceased by his parents, by his brothers Merrill and Glen, sisters-in-law Karen Johnson and Maxine Lincoln, brothers-in-law Art Sherrer and Kenneth Lincoln and grandson Wesley Johnson.

Dad will be lovingly remembered by his brother Arnold and wife Pearl, sister Mildred, sister-in-law Doris, daughter Reatha Pritchard and husband Arnold, son Eldon and wife Luella, and son Arlo and wife Glenna. Dad’s living grandchildren, great grandchildren, and great-great grandchildren number 42, plus several nieces and nephews.

III. Scripture Reading & Prayer: Pastor Rick Parkyn, Regina Apostolic Church

The Spiritual Journey of Harry Johnson began in 1928 when Art and Viola Pritchard came from their nearby farm home at Moreland, Saskatchewan to conduct Gospel Church Services in the Parry School house. It was in one of those services that Dad and Mom came to understand that Christ had died for their sins, and that by praying to invite Christ into their lives, each of them could receive the gift of eternal life. It was there in that little prairie school house that Dad, followed by Mom, went forward to receive and confess Christ as personal Lord and Savior. As a result of that commitment they received the assurance of eternal life.

IV. Hymn: Blessed Assurance .. Page 4 in Hymnal

V. The decision that my parents made that evening over 70 years ago was to change their lives, and the lives of those born into their family forever! It was more than an emotional or religious experience! They, by believing in the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus for the forgiveness of their sins, entered into a relationship with the Lord that would become a life long sacrifice of their lives in love and service to Him! Hebrews 11:4 describes the life of Abel as follows, “By faith Abel was commended as a righteous man when God spoke well of his sacrifice. And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead.” I speak with confidence when I say that my father’s faith made him a righteous man in the sight of God and man. And though he died on Wednesday, January 1st, of him we can assuredly say, “he being dead, yet speaketh.” And he will do so as long as anyone remembers his life!
Could I take but one more moment to honor several individuals that though they are dead, continue to speak into the spiritual wellbeing of our family … among that company there are Art and Viola Pritchard, their son, Les Pritchard, and Glenna’s Mom and Dad Hillstead. It is with thankful hearts that we honor such today.

VI Hymn: Leaning on the Everlasting Arms .. Page 18 in Hymnal

I have so many childhood memories of church services that were conducted in our very own home, as well as in school houses and town halls. As significant as such events were, my most valued memories of growing up in Mom and Dad’s home actually centres around two character qualities demonstrated consistently in their lives. Those two character qualities were love and service! Their love for people meant that there was an absence of criticism in our family home. As many of you would know, my parents were not public speakers. Of course if Dad had to speak in public he spent most of his speaking time trying to clear his throat. And as for Mom, she was a very capable speaker but she did all her speaking at home! But they did have time to help people!

Our home seemed to be a centre where different people were always going and coming! From my memory I think of a number of different people that stayed in our home for different periods of time .. there was Clifford, Clara, and Annie Lincoln, Olaf and Oscar Orvik, Gordon Nelson, Stan, Ted and Dorothy Joyce. In addition, School Teachers, Mabel Tidlund, Miss Metcalfe, and Dawsey Smith had room & board at our home for different periods of time. As a result of their love and service to people, I grew up thinking that such love and service was normal, not exceptional! And I also grew up seeing many individuals receive Christ as their Savior because of the direct and indirect influence of my godly parents!
Allow me to share some of the words of a beautiful song by songwriter and singer Ray Boltz as he describes godly people and their eternal reward in heaven after death .. “I dreamed I went to heaven, And Dad you were there with me, We walked upon the streets of gold, Beside the crystal sea. We heard the angels singing, Then someone called your name, He said remember the time A missionary came to your church His pictures made you cry You didn’t have much money But you gave it anyway Jesus took the gift you gave And that’s why I’m in heaven today One by one they came Far as your eyes could see Each life somehow touched by your generosity Little things that you had done, Sacrifices you made They were unnoticed on this earth In heaven now proclaimed. Thank you for giving to the Lord I am a life that was changed
VII. A Tribute from the Grandchildren’s Point of View
VIII Solo: “It is Well with my Soul” Grady Johnson, a grandson
IX. Message from the Word of God .. by Arlo A. Johnson
I Timothy 4:8 NIV “For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life, and the life to come.”

We have thought upon the physical and spiritual journey of our father and grandfather, now I want to leave a few thoughts from the Word of God upon which to meditate.
Our text compares the physical and spiritual qualities of life.
a) The physical aspects of life are described as being of “some value.” The word, “some” is a very limiting word. One dictionary describes “some” as “to a certain extent,” and “at least a small amount of.” We might apply it to our text as follows, “the physical has value, to a certain extent,” or “the physical has, at least a small amount of value.” I say all of this to point out that if we are putting all our invested interest and energies into the physical, we are not making a wise decision, in view of the limited value of the physical life.
b) The spiritual aspects of life are described as having “value for all things.” Then it proceeds to describe what is included in the “all things.”
i. “for the present life” .. the godliness exhibited in our family home was expressed by love and service to both God and man. Many years ago I read three statements summarizing the Love Chapter of 1 Corinthians 13 as follows .. V.1-3 Love Makes Life’s Gifts Profitable. V.4-7 Love Makes Life’s Relationships Beautiful (and I might add, “workable”). V.8-13 Love Makes Life’s Contributions Eternal.
Godliness in the present life expressed by love, makes life’s gifts profitable, and life’s relationships beautiful and workable, and life’s contributions eternal! Our world needs this kind of practical godliness expressed by love!
Ii. “and for the life to come.” Whether in word, or by a manner of life, many do not seem to believe in a life to come! Of course, if you believe that which is written in the Bible, you will believe in “the life to come.” As time continues there is more and more mounting evidence as to the truth of the Bible, as the Word of God. Geological research teams continue to discover evidences of the accuracy of the Scriptures. Most recent is the finding of the crypt of James the brother of Jesus. Did you know that about 600 years before Christ, the prophet Ezekiel spoke prophetically against the great sea-warring people of the City of Tyre. That which Ezekiel spoke is recorded in Ezekiel 26 and this is what he said about that city and its’ warring people .. Many nations would come against them .. they would break through their defense system .. they would scrape the rubble of the city into the sea .. it would become a place for the spreading of the nets of fishermen .. and it would never be rebuilt. Modern geologists have affirmed that everything spoken by Ezekiel 2600 years ago has, indeed come to pass! Now if such an insignificant matter has come to pass as predicted, don’t you think it would be wise to believe that which is written concerning life after death?
c) There are really two issues .. 1. Do you really believe in life after death? Surely in view of evidence presented, you must believe that the Bible is an accurate record of Divine Truth! Therefore that which the Bible states about life after death is also true! Jesus believed in life after death!
d) As one of the thieves was dying on the cross beside Jesus, he turned his remarks toward Jesus, and said, “Lord remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Jesus replied, “Today you will be with me in Paradise.” During the life ministry of Jesus he told a true story of A Rich Man, and a beggar named Lazarus. It is recorded in Luke 16:19-31. Contrary to what some state, this is not a parable, it is a record of actual people known to Jesus. In that story as told by Jesus, he takes back the curtains of time and allows us to take a look into eternity and life after death. Lazarus, upon dying was carried by the angels into a place of comfort. There are several things revealed in this story about life after death. Allow me to highlight some of the significant revelations given to us in this record. In life after death, we have conscious awareness .. Lazarus was at Abraham’s side! Lazarus could see, he could carry on a conversation, and he could enjoy the comforts in paradise that he had not known in his life upon earth! Paul, the Apostle spoke much of life after death .. Of believers he said, “To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.” D.L.Moody, a well known North American Evangelist and founder of Moody Bible Institute in Chicago spoke these words about death .. “One day you will hear or read that D.L. Moody has died, but don’t you believe it, for I will be more alive than ever before!” Today my Dad is more alive than ever before!
e) If you do believe in life after death, then you need to know how to prepare for that life after death? The importance of this question requires dependence upon an absolutely accurate authority .. and I know of no authority that measures up to this requirement, other than the Bible, the Word of God. What then does the Bible teach about preparation for life after death?
Exposit Romans 10:9-10
Hymn: The Old Rugged Cross .. page 28 in Hymnal
The Commital Service with Pastor Merv Switzer