Black Ribbon Star

John Menzies Macfarlane was a farmer, surveyor, school teacher, postmaster, superintendent of schools, and justice of the peace. He was also an accomplished musician. While he lived in St. George, he befriended Reverend Lawrence Scanlon, sent from San Francisco to minister to St. George’s Catholic miners. In 1879 Scanlan lamented that he had no choir and no chapel in which to hold services. Macfarlane offered the use of the new St. George tabernacle. He organized a 30-member LDS choir and taught them (with two weeks practice) to sing mass in Latin for Scanlan and the Silver Reef miners. But Macfarlane’s most notable achievement is the Christmas carol he wrote ten years before that: Far, Far Away on Judea’s Plains: “Lord, with the angels we too would rejoice. Help us to sing with the heart and voice, Glory to God, Glory to God in the highest. Peace on earth, good will to men! Peace on earth, good will to men!