Lyrics:

1. That Easter morn, a grave that burst
Proclaimed to man that “Last and First”
Had ris’n again
And conquered pain.

2. This morn renews for us that day
When Jesus cast the bonds away,
Took living breath
And conquered death.

3. Thus we in gratitude recall
And give our love and pledge our all,
Shed grateful tear
And conquer fear.

Text: Marion D. Hanks, 1921-2011. (c) 1975 IRI
Music: Robert Cundick, b. 1926. (c) 1975 IRI

-History: (Source: Wikipedia)

Written By: Marion D. Hanks

Marion Duff Hanks (born 13 October 1921) is an emeritus general authority of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). He is the Olders living member of the First Quorom of the Seventy and Second oldest General Authority behind Eldred G Smith. He is a past member of the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports (for which he received its Distinguished Service Award) and the President’s Citizens Advisory Committee on Children and Youth.^[1] In 1988, Hanks was awarded the Silver Buffalo Award by theBoy Scouts of America (BSA). Hanks served for a time as a member of the National Council of the BSA. He also served as a member of the boards of Weber State University and Southern Utah University.^[2]

Hanks was born in Salt Lake City, Utah.^[3] As a young man he served in the Northern States Mission of the LDS Church, which was headquartered in Chicago. He was in the United States Navy during World War II. He received a J.D. from the University of Utah.^[4] Prior to his call as a general authority, he worked as an instructor in the Church Educational System.^[5]

Hanks served in the Presidency of the Seventy twice following the 1976 reconstitution of the First Quorum of the Seventy. Previously, he also served on the First Council of the Seventy from 1953 to 1968 and as an Assistant to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles from 1968 to 1976. During a three year period in the early 1960s, Hanks was the president of the LDS Church mission in England; among themissionaries in his mission were Jeffrey R. Holland and Quentin L. Cook, who both later became apostles of the church.^[6]

In the mid-1970s Hanks served for a time as managing director of the church’s Melchizedek Priesthood MIA. From 1982 to 1985, he was the president of the Salt Lake Temple. For a time Hanks served as a member of the Church Board of Education.^[7] In October 1992, Hanks was given general authority emeritus status.^[3]

Hanks wrote the words to “That Easter Morn”, which is hymn #198 in the LDS Church’s 1985 hymnal.

Hanks and his wife, the former Maxine Christensen, are the parents of five children.

Music By: Robert Cundick

Robert Milton Cundick Sr. (born 1926) is a Latter-day Saint composer. He was also for many years one of the organists of the Mormon Tabernacle and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.

Cundick grew up in Sandy, Utah. By age 12, he had become the organist in his congregation. Cundick received a degree in music from BYU in 1957.^[1] Cundick was a Tabernacle Organist from 1964–1991, and for a time he was also a professor at Brigham Young University. Since his retirement as Tabernacle Organist, Cundick has sought to publicize serious works of Utah and Mormon composers.^[2] In 2004 he won the Life Time achievement Pearl Award.

The current edition of the English LDS hymnal has two hymns with music by Cundick: hymn number 198 “That Easter Morn” (words by Marion D. Hanks) and hymn number 279 “Thy Holy Word” (words by Marvin K. Gardner). Cundick has written many vocal works, such as the cantata The Song of Nephi, as well as The Redeemer,^[3] an oratorio with the text selected by Brigham Young University professor Ralph Woodward.^[4] Cundick also provided music for the 2004 film Woman, The Pioneer, and he composed the music for The Brothers, a musical play based on the life of Karl G. Maeser, with text by Keith Engar.^[5] Most recently, Cundick composed the music to an oratorio with text by David A. Bednar, performed in the fall of 2009 by the BYU-Idaho choirs and orchestras.^[6]

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