John Menzies Macfarlane

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John Menzies Macfarlane (1833–1892) was a Scottish Latter-day Saint hymnwriter, choir director and civic leader.

Macfarlane was born in Stirling, Scotland. He came to Utah Territory in the early 1850s and settled in Cedar City. In 1852, Macfarlane married Ann Chatterley. He was the leader of the choir in Cedar City which he took to St. George. Erastus Snow urged Macfarlane to move to St. George and start a choir there which he did.

Besides leading the choir Macfarlane served as a district judge and worked as a surveyor and a builder.

Among Macfarlane's hymns are "Far, Far, Away on Judea's Plains" and the music to "Dearest Children, God is near you".

[edit] References

• Cornwall, J. Spencer Stories of Our Mormon Hymns (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1975) pp. 40–41