Died November 24, 1955
Officiating: Bishop Alexander Smith
Organist: Mrs. Helen Madsen
Soloist: Vaun Seeley
Duet: Gene Tueller and Irene Maxfield
Opening song by Male Chorus
Speaker: President James V. Thompson, President of the Richland Stake, Washington.
Brother Raph was always the same - no matter what happened. Whatever the circumstances were, he was always very stable, never flighty, always considered and weighed his words carefully before he spoke. And best of all, he lived the principles of the gospel as best he could. And certainly that was good.
I think, in order to show you how I feel about brother Clement, I'd like to tell you a little story.
There was a man who was a Secret Service operator. One of the more prominent men in the United States. He'd been a body guard to nearly all of our Presidents.
One day he climbed off a train in a remote town in Nevada, and as he got from the train, someone recognized him. And they said, "What are you doing out here?" And he said, "The Sheriff just passed away in this town, and I'm here to attend his funeral." He said, why should you, a man of your prominence be this far away to attend the funeral of a Sheriff in this remote Nevada town. And he said, I'll tell you why.
Some years ago, there was a desperate character in these parts, and I was sent out to apprehend him. And so I came, and I contacted the Sheriff as I arrived in this town. And the Sheriff said, yes he's holed up in a cabin up here, a short distance, but he's desperate, he's armed and he'll certainly shoot.
Our Secret Service man was a man with a family - had several children and a wife. The Sheriff says, now you stay here, I'll go get that man. The Secret Service man said, no, this is my job, I was sent out from Washington to get him, and so I'll get him. He said, no, I have no responsibilities, I have no family. He said, so you stay here, you back me up, and you put your men around the cabin, but I'll go get our friend. And that's exactly what happened.
Now, you see why I'm this far away to attend this funeral. A man that was a good enough friend that he'd offer his life to save mine, that's the kind of friend that I'd want to befriend. So I'm here for his funeral.
Robert South said, "One good friend is not to be weighed against the jewels of the earth."
And the author is unknown of this one: "A friend is a jewel, who's luster, the strong acid of poverty and misfortune cannot dim."
Another unknown one: "A friend is a jewel that shines brightest in the darkness."
"A friend is a diamond in the ring of acquaintance."
Edna Thornburg said this about a friend:
The most priceless gift I ever knew,
Is the gift of friends, the tried and the true.
It's like each, a precious gem,
A sparkling jewel in a diadem.
For I think of my friends as an endless chain,
The longer it grows, the more friends I gain.
Each friend is a link, each link a part
Of a golden chain that entwines my heart.
My every prayer begins and ends,
I thank thee, God, for the gift of friends.
I'd like to point out just a few of the things in my acquaintance with brother Clement, that I knew he did. Our bishop has said that he filled a number of missions.
When we first were organized here, and we had a district, it was known then as the Yakima District. Brother Clement was the Mission President of the Yakima District. We had the most active missionary group in the Northwestern States Mission. As long as he was president of that group, we always led the Northwestern States Mission in the number of converts, the number of missionaries we had out, the number of hours we spent in missionary work, and we led them in every department.
Something has been said about his work among the Indians. The Indians dearly loved brother Clement. He was a soft spoken man, and it seems those people are the ones who are able to form the closest friendship among the Indian people.
After brother Clement became a Patriarch, he found it was necessary to have considerable typing done. And so in order to be independent, and do his own work, brother Clement learned to type. I've had occasion to see his records. He's brought them to me for me to examine. I don't think there's a finer Patriarchal record in the church than the one brother Clement kept. An excellent record. His typing was perfect in it.
Just a short time ago, before brother Clement became ill, he decided he wanted to play the piano. I don't suppose many people knew that brother Clement was taking piano lessons. He certainly was. I don't think anything would have been impossible for Raphael Clement to do if he set his mind to do it, and he had the will to do it, he could have certainly done it.
I think all of us who have known brother Clement, feels that, right now, that we have lost a very staunch person in the Church of Jesus Christ. And it'll be many years before we'll ever have anyone that could take his place, and the love of the people, and in the fine blessings that he gave. I've known him to work all night - all night long, probably on grave-yard shift, and come over to the chapel in one of the bishop's offices, and give blessings practically all day long. As long as the people wanted him to, he was there to give blessings.
I was visiting with brother Clement not too long ago in the home. Those who visited him from time to time, know how he lost weight, and how he was in very poor health. And we were visiting away and talking about some of the things that we have, and things that we need to be thankful for and so on, and he said to me - "There's one thing I know for sure. That the promises the Savior has made to me, he'll keep. The promises the Lord has made to me, I'm sure of those." So he said, "The things that I have, I don't want to change, I still want to hold them and keep them. Because certainly, those are the things we can tie to, and in my condition now, those are the very few things that I have, that I know will never change."
Now, when you have a testimony like that, of the divinity of the gospel, as unshakable as his testimony was, and led a life like he led, I'm sure that he's gone to his reward.
Byron E. DeBolt wrote this. He called it "Deep Rooted."
Have you ever seen a fellow mortal
weighted down with many cares,
Heard him sigh, when dread disaster
comes upon him unawares.
Have you seen him bared bravely
overcoming all his fears,
Seen him turn his face to heaven
gazing upward through his tears.
Seen his count'nance of sorrow change
and wear a victor's smile,
Seen him stand complete in triumph
o'er the bitterness of trial.
Wind has ne'er uprooted timber
grown deep beneath the sod,
Strife has never conquered mortals
who are rooted deep in God.
I pray that we may each of us, take from our acquaintance with brother Clement, the sterling worthwhile traits of character that he had, and place them high where we can see them, and each of us try our best to live to them, is my prayer, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Speaker: Leavitt Karren.
Pearl, and Grandpa and the children, and the immediate family and loved ones of brother Clement. At this time I want to express my sympathy and my love for your dear husband, and father and son, and brother.
Brethren and sisters, I do plead for your interest - especially your faith and prayers, that I might say a few things that will be uplifting, and be of a benefit to us, who are gathered here this day, on this occasion.
I suppose, if the truth was known, I was about as close to this family as anyone in the world, outside of their immediate loved ones. I've had occasion to go to the home, being called there on many occasions and sickness. And I've had occasion to go there and make friendly visits, especially in the last stage of his sickness, try to cheer him up and give him some strength, and to visit with him on views, not only in this life, but in the life hereafter.
Just the other day when I was there, while we were preparing him and fixing him, with Nancy, who has been so faithful in that home in his sickness, the remark was made about his mission, and his life, and his accomplishments here. And we went on talking and the remark was made about his work and his life in the hereafter. "Oh, he said, brother Karren, I'm going where there'll be a lot of work and a lot of things to be done, such as missionary work." That was his ambitions in this life, that will be his ambition there.
And I made the remark, that while those who were left - because he knew, for a fact, that he was going to be called in a few days - while those who are left will mourn and be sad and be lonely of your departing, yet there will be so many more who will be made happy. To rejoice of your passing away and coming into the next life, or the next existence. And I'm sure that is true. The Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, when he went into the spirit world, before his resurrection, went there to preach to the spirits in prison, who were once disobedient in the days of Noah. Why? That they might have the privilege of accepting the gospel of Jesus Christ, that they might have the privilege of being exalted through obedience to the teachings.
That will be brother Clement's call - Raphael's call. I like to call him Raphael because that was what he was known to me. I've heard him bear this testimony to many people on many occasions. The same one that Job bore - "For I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: and though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold."
Now he had that fervent testimony, and he had that ambition and that desire, and I'm sure that he has had, by this time, the privilege of beholding those in the other existence, and mingling with them.
I suppose my associations with him was just as straight as anyone else. We did missionary work together, as brother Thompson has mentioned. I was assistant to him in his presidency in this district. That district covered the territory from Goldendale on the southwest to Walla Walla, and Freewater on the southeast to Grand Coulee Dam on the north and east, and to Wenatchee on the north and west.
He would assign me to make visits in these various districts. And he would always have a message for me to carry to those people. His heart and soul was in this work.
And because he was called to the Indian mission, later, some people might have a question in their mind. Why are we concerned about the Indian. The Indians are one of the choice people of God. And Raphael knew that. So he spent his entire time in teaching the gospel to those people, enlightening their minds, and giving them something to live for.
Then my being called to assist and help him as a Patriarch in the Stake. I didn't expect that. This is a greater call than I ever anticipated on, ever in my life. When I talked to him about it, he was happy and he rejoiced in my calling. He gave me some very needed instructions.
So our missionary work together and our living together as neighbors and brethren, and our associations were, according to my estimations, very deeply appreciated.
Another quotation I've often heard him make, which proved very definite in his life. He says, "I am not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation, to all those who will believe and obey."
A testimony of his service and of his work has been left to those who won't know him in reality. I would like to encourage his loved ones and the members of his family and his associates and friends, to emulate his life, because he did live a life of service, not only to God, but to his fellowmen, to everyone that he knew.
It will be lonesome, he'll be missed, but our loss will be a gain on a great advantage to those in the spirit world. And I pray that the Lord will bless Grandpa, and Nancy and his other sister, Louisa, and his brother Albert, that they will be comforted. And especially do I pray for the comforting influence of the spirit of God to be with the family. And we as their friends and neighbors should do everything in our power to comfort them and to aid them in their bereavements. I ask this in the name of the Lord, Jesus Christ, amen.
Speaker: Norman McAllister.
My brothers and sisters, especially the close family of our Patriarch, brother Raphael Clement. I wish to express my sincere gratitude for the high honor that's been paid to me this day. Not only for the honor of being asked to pay this last tribute to one of our Patriarch's, but for the honor of being able to stand with our Stake President and our other Patriarch to pay that tribute.
My relationship with brother Clement, while I have not been a life long friend, or a close friend of many years like these other brethren. The relationship that I've had with brother Clement, has been a very intimate relationship. I've had some wonderful experiences by being in the society and enjoying the company of brother Clement.
We read in the book of Revelations, where John recorded his heavenly vision. He said, as he looked he beheld that the books were opened, and another book was open, which was the Lamb's Book of Life. And he saw the dead, small and great, stand before God to be judged. And out of the things that were written in the books, they were judged.
Brothers and sisters, let's open, for a minute to the page headed, Raphael Clement, and see what would be written in the books about him. We read in the 20th chapter of Exodus, "Thou shalt have no other gods before me." We've spent 45 minutes of the afternoon listening to these two brethren explain to us the true affections of brother Clement. He had no other gods but Elohim and Jehovah. We read again, "Thou shalt honor thy father and thy mother, that thy days shall be long upon the land which the Lord, thy God giveth thee."
Ask Grandpa Clement, brothers and sisters, how faithfully his son and daughter-in-law fulfilled that commandment. They've given that man the happiest home that any man could ever have, for nearly 30 years.
We read in the book of Pearl of Great Price, where the Lord commandment his children saying, "And the sons of God shall not marry the daughters of men, and the daughters of God shall not marry the sons of men." When brother Clement got ready to choose a wife, he didn't choose his wife from among the daughters of men, but from among the daughters of God. And he took her to the house of God, whereunto by the power of the Holy Priesthood he was sealed to her for time and all eternity.
And again, the Lord commanded his servants to multiply and replenish the earth. I invite you, my brothers and sisters to try to find anyone who has tried harder to fill that commandment. In less than sixty years, we've heard here this afternoon, his posterity numbers nine living children and nineteen grandchildren.
But here's the beauty of it. Almost any man and woman can unite together and perform the biological function of bringing children into the world, but that's not the important part. Look at the Clement family, brothers and sisters. Look at the sons of Raphael and Pearl Clement. They're fine men. You don't find them in houses of ill repute, and you don't find them associating with the ungodly. But they're clean, wholesome men. And the daughters of this couple, were virtuous woman. And they've married - all of them, have married men of God. Except the youngest, (ae. 8) and of course we can anticipate the same from her.
Brothers and sisters, these are the things that matter in life. Some of us may or may not accumulate great wealth, and we may or may not gain in great social prestige. Those are not important things, brothers and sisters, the important things are that when we come to the end of this perfect day, that we might stand before God to be judged, and that these things will be written on our page of the Book of the Lamb of God.
Now I'd like to say something else at this time. And that's about sister Clement. And you sisters, I invite you to pay heed to these things, because these are important things. We've heard in truth the many good things that brother Clement has performed in his lifetime. But I know for sure that he could not have done them without the assistance and without the companionship of sister Clement.
She's not just an ordinary woman. She's an extraordinary woman. You don't raise this many children to be firm in the faith, and do it alone, neither one can stand alone. Man and woman constitute a unit before God. And this unit was united and strong.
If I might be permitted to delve into some of the personal things of the family, I'd like to tell some of the little things that I know about this family. Do you know that brother Clement would come home some nights from swing-shift, and wake his wife up just long enough to tell her that he loved her, and then let her go back to sleep. He just couldn't wait 'til the next morning, because he'd been thinking about how much he loved his wife, during the evening.
Now you brethren, consider these things. Try to bring love into your home. That's what's made this family what it is, is love and companionship. It didn't come by accident. These children weren't just better spirits that were given to the Clement family. You have to cultivate things like this.
A year ago, or about nine months ago, we lost one of our children in my family. And it was quite a shocking thing to us, it had been kind of a long, dragged out affair, with considerable suffering. And after we came back from Utah, from the burial, we were quite distressed, and we never had found peace in our mind. We were quite troubled.
And one day, shortly after we returned, we called to pay our respects to the Patriarch, who at that time was ill. At that time he knew that his time on earth was probably quite limited. And he talked to us for quite a long period of time, and he told us about the real things in life, the things that are important.
He told us where we should place our values. And he talked to us about the things of the eternal worlds. And when we left his home that day, before we got in the car out in front of the house, my wife said, "You know, I almost feel like going back in and asking brother Clement to give our love to our child when he sees her. Now, nobody had made me feel that close to the reality of life eternal. But he did.
I called at the home a little over a week ago, and sister Clement let me stay and sit up with brother Clement for a couple of evenings. And of course, we couldn't let him talk very much because he was quite ill at that time. He wanted to talk a good deal more than we could let him.
But there was an influence about the things that he said that made me want to go away and try harder to live the gospel. I've been trying real hard to repent ever since I spent those couple of nights with brother Clement.
He asked Grandpa and I if we would give him a blessing, I think it's the last blessing he had while he was in life. And I excused myself long enough to go in the kitchen and try to make my peace with God, before I performed this great thing. And then Grandpa and I united together to give this man a blessing. And that's the last time I saw him. He slept peacefully through the night, and the next time I heard, he had departed.
Well, brothers and sisters, I've been, for a week, trying real hard to think of things that I might say to console this family. Actually, this family doesn't need much consolation, these are sorrowful hours, and there will be sorrowful hours to come. There isn't anyone in this family that would have wanted to cling onto him any longer, and let him prolong the suffering and sorrow that he'd experienced.
I clipped a little piece from the Deseret News, and brought it along in case I might feel like reading it, and I think I shall. It's from one of the feature writers.
It says, "Once upon a time, according to the ancient legend, the earth people arose in rebellion against the dark angel, charging that he was unjust, cruel and untimely, often taking innocent, beautiful little children and passing by the useless and the wicked. Offended by these accusations, the dark angel decided to close the books and leave the earth.
"Not many years went by until a huge wail and cry went up from all mankind. Folks with incurable diseases shuddered in agony, as they were never to be relieved of this suffering. For millions of the aged, the years became too burdensome to bear. Then the people united in prayer, pleading for the dark angel to come back and render again his benign ministry."
Death is not such a dreadful thing that we should want to pray it away, it is merely a separation, a temporary parting of the spirit and the body. Nothing is destroyed or ceases to be. The body returns to the earth from whence it came, and the spirit to God, who gave it.
And the splendid thing about death, is that it sets man free. It removes that which is worn out and no longer needed. Life is always the master, death the servant.
In view of these blessings, why do so many of us spend a lifetime in dread of death. It is obvious that death is our friend. The blue sky would be tiresome if no cloud ever came to darken it, and stars to enhance its beauty. Never could we appreciate the blessings of health, if we never suffered the pains of the body or the torments of the mind.
So, to sister Clement and her family, who have lost a companion and helpmate, and father, let me say this; that was not a terrifying phantom that struck at your door, and took away your loved one. It was an angel of mercy coming like a gentle mother, when work is done, to rock a little boy to sleep.
Brothers and sisters, sometimes when death follows prolonged suffering, those who are left behind are considerably troubled by the necessity of such things. If the things that we've heard this day are true, and verily they are, it's sometimes hard to justify the need for the suffering that brother Clement had.
I'm reminded of a passage from Paul, when he wrote to the Hebrew saints, he said, "Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin, and ye have forgotten the exhortation that speaketh unto you as unto children. My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him. For whom the Lord loveth, he chasteneth and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. Furthermore, if you be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye not worthy to be called sons of God."
We know that brother Clement suffered a good deal, and when he finally passed away, his body was wasted and gone. There was very little left of his mortal flesh. Now these things are distressing, especially to the little ones, and especially to people who don't understand the ways of the Lord.
There will come a time, brothers and sisters, when all mankind will be called to stand before God, and responsibility will be given to those resurrected souls. The idea that we will sit and play heavenly music forever, is ridiculous. No one wants to be resurrected to such a wasteful life.
One man told me once, and I believe that it's good counsel. He said, "If we live faithfully, heaven will come just as natural to us as tomorrow morning."
The time will come when we will be resurrected, all of us. And we will stand before God, and we'll receive there our reward. Our reward, we will find, will be the responsibilities that will be given to us, and the additional opportunities that will be given us.
Some of us will stand before God, and we will have to acknowledge in our own minds that we have proven ourselves through our earth life that we can't very much weight and very much responsibility. When we sell rope for 700 lbs. test, it's after we have taken this rope and held 700 lbs. up on it, and we know that it will support it. I don't think anybody ever heard brother Clement rebel against his suffering. He endured it patiently, and he endured it without challenging the Lord under any conditions.
Now, brothers and sisters, I should not multiply words here this afternoon, I think enough has been said in tribute. We know the life of this good man, and we know the truth of the resurrection. And we know that the time will come, according to the sealing powers of the Holy Priesthood, when sister Pearl will be united with her husband again, and this family will live under the leadership and the presiding Priesthood authority of Raphael Clement.
And I pray that in the days and the months to come, that the Lord will comfort this family. That those who have stood by his bedside will have peace and consolation to their souls, and that the Lord will look after this family. And I pray it humbly in the name of the Lord, Jesus Christ, amen.
Closing song: "Peace I give unto you." Relief Society Chorus.
"Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you. Not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. Be of good cheer. I have overcome the world. Peace I leave with you. My peace I give unto you."
Closing prayer by Dan Smith.
Our kind, most gracious Heavenly Father. We come before thee this day, at the close of this service of brother Raphael Clement, with humility and humble hearts, and thankfulness for the wonderful association that we've had with this good family. We are indeed thankful, Heavenly Father, for his good wife and his family. And for the instruction and the consolation and the wonderful spirit that we have been able to receive through contact with these wonderful persons.
We're indeed thankful for having known this family. We're thankful for the companionship of them, and for the work they have done here on this earth. And we do ask thee, to buoy them up in this time of their loss of their loved one for a short time. Help to fill the gap that will always be there.
Help them to learn to live as he would have them live. Bless them, Heavenly Father, that they may all live in such a way that they will be able to come back into his presence when they leave this life.
We're indeed thankful for the wonderful flowers and the words of kindness and thoughts and expressions that have been put forth this day, in behalf of this good family and this good man.
And we would ask thee, Heavenly Father, to bless those of his loved ones, who have traveled afar to get here this day, that they may be comforted and that they may return home in safety.
We ask thee to bless this funeral procession this day, that it may go to the cemetery in peace, that no harm or accident or evil may befall it.
And we do thank thee, for all of the many blessings that we do have, this wonderful building that we have, to hold these services in, and for the spirit that has been here this day, and for the many blessings that we do enjoy.
We do ask thee to go with this good family and bless them that they will understand, which we are sure they do, that they will be with their father, their husband, and their brother in some future date.
We thank thee, Heavenly Father, for the many blessings that we do enjoy at this time. Be with us, and go with us while we further wait before thee, in the name of thy son, Jesus Christ, amen.
Pall Bearers from the Priesthood Group: Harold Shelly Davis, Harold Derricott, Lee Lund, Kenneth F. Erickson, Reuel Rawlins, Harold Petty.
Burial: Desert Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery, Kennewick, Benton County, Washington.
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