The daily Evansville journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1862-1863, 1862-09-22

ioSy nlore pehtClng the SUBJECT Col.
Topping was model man in every rela-
ton of life:
Melville Douglas Topping. =
TERRE HAUrE LODGE No. 19. II. a Nj
TERRE HAuTE, Sept. IA, A. d. 1862.
,s... A. L. 1862.
The Golden Bowl is again broken, and
Terre Haute Lodge, No. 10, is called
upon to mourn one of its best and most
esteemed members Like all the institu-
tons of earth, its parts decay or are
rlven by the hand of Death. Yesterday
the aged Mason fell by the slow and lin
gering process of disease; to-day, the
young, the robust, and the stalwart arm
is palsied by the giant power of war, and
the brother, who gave promise of long
years of usefulness, walks no more
amongst his fellows. Another link is
broken, another heart is cold, another
household is desolate, and the wall of the
widow and cry of the orphan is heard in
our midst God speaks to US all in the
voice of warning and from the depths of
the tomb.
Brother Melville Douglas Topping, Lit
Colonel of the Seventy-frst regiment of
Indiana volunteers, fell in the battle of
Richmond, KY, on Saturday, the Both of
August, 1867, at the early age of thirty
eight years
The members of this Lodge were the
brothers and friends of the deceased
He was known to them all Here in
this room, and at that altar, in lS49. our
lamented brother took upon himself the
vows, the duties, and the high response
bllitles of a Master Mason. On the very
eve of his departure for the Pacific
coast, and with the. noble sentiments
which belonged to his character. he dedi-
Gated himself to God, to Brotherly Love.
and Masonic Friendship, and went forth
as an exile from the home OF his child
hood, to seek, in honorable effort a place
and name in the new Empire lust add
ed to the Great Republic. The old mem
bers OF this Lodge, who yet survive, will
recollect the occasion of these ceremo-
MES, and the scenes that followed, when
young Topping and his companions bid
a long and fond adien.n1 to the hreth-
ings of this Lodge went with and after
them, for they were children of the Tenn
pie, made dear to every heart by Its
consecrated rites.
From the day of his connection with
Masonry until his death, Brother Top
ping was member of this Lodge, and
always, and under every variety of cir
cumstances, acted consistently with the
principles of the Order He was true
hearted, generous and kind. His manly
nature scorned deception, and shrank in
stinctively from every part of dishonor.
AS man and citizen he was frank and
Just, and no breath of suspicion everest
ed on his good name. He possessed the
modesty of real merit, beautifully and
harmoniously blended with the true man
illness of character. He never avoided
duty and never faltered in doing good
How strange it seems to us that one so
lately in vigorous health should now be
asleep in death Four weeks ago to-day,
he left Terre Huute at the head of his
regiment, and to-day, in this blessed
Sabbath of the Lord-we follow him to
the grave How mysterious it is that
the dark shadow of the tomb should rest
| upon all that remains of our dearly be-
loved Brother, Friend and Neighbor, but
a month ago so full of life and hope
1 Dub iAC 10 hOO iOSt UOb W CfbA VI.
! s'Say why should friendship grieve for those
| Who safe arrive ON Canaan's shore?
| Released from all their hurtfulfoes,
They not lost-but gone q fore /"
Brother Topping was born at Worth
ington, Ohio, June 23d, 1925, and was
at the time of his death, in the 38th yea
of his age. He came to Indiana, witt
his parents in 1910, and resided in Terr,
Haute from lS43 to lS49. He then re
moved to California, and remained thre
or four years; returned to Indiana, mar
ried in 1854, and has ever since resides
in this plaest est,urf5 Hiss ssdfPssfve dffPssffve MIN, and n
leaves a widow and two orphaned daugf
ters to mourn loss which earth cannc
sunplv. In all these relations he wa
without a fault, illustrating in each
them the most elevated characteristics
son. brother, husband, and father. ID
nerformed all these virtues with the
delitv which became gentleman and
christian. The aged parents, and 81
}. ters. wife and children have the assure
nrotection Of the God whom he VIC
Skinned. and to Him we commend Il
stricken one in their sore hour of b
e reavement.
1 OuT USC6dScQ OlObACtf Nv -
D. his death, was in the army of the Unit
III States. He enlisted sinder the late c.
n of the President, and was immediate
On elected Captain of his company.
- served in that capacity until the list Rt
iment of Indiana Volunteers was call
upon to march to the defense Of X,
lucky against the invasion of the re
forces, when he was appointed by
Governor, Lieutenant Colonel of the r
N. m iment 1t was designed that the Re
ob- .nent should be placed under the tenn
ssS asS ..ry care of another, and that, at the
1io, aination of this arrangement, Lieut.
un- mt Colonel Topping should become
OF colonel But this was not done, and
r. ,aarched to Kentucky in charge of
.aegiment, and It's commanding Off
- lis undisciplined troops were pres
onward to meet the enemy in conhic
uR, ,lichmond, Kentucky, where he lost
' ioN III tbr hand of hfc II