Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1868-12-17

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characterized by prudence, fore
| thought, justice, and equity
Leaving much good advice with
his desponding family, he sank
| calmly and sweetly to sleep, al
most without a struggle or a groan.
Thus is he gone from the walks Of
men. His once familiar voice,
now hushed in silence, will no
more be heard by mortal ears,
whispering good counsel in our
ears, and apprizing brother of
approaching danger, nor admins
tering comfort and consolation to
the distressed widow; but we hope
is now attuned in sweet concord
with the angelic choir, singing in
rhapsodies the eternal song of re-
demption and undying love. His
hand, now paralized in death, will
no more be extended to give the
brotherly, friendly ''grip," and to
Support a brothers falling for
tunes" nor to wipe the tear from
the helpless orphans eye; but we
hope that in that seraphic band it
is moving upon the strings of an
eternal harp, and that seraphs and
cherubims
Will lean on their harps to hear
A sweet chord that his shall bear.
For the comfort and consolation
of the bereaved widow and orphans,
in whose grief we can SO deeply
sympathize, we can say that in his
Masonic intercourse he has given
US the assurance that he ''put his
trust in God" If your path is
founded upon One so sure and stead
fast, you need ''fear no evil" Re
member the great love wherewith
He has loved us. Remember, that
He has given you the assurance
that He will be husband to tn
widow, and father to the father
less. Remember the divine prom
ise, 81 will temper the wind to
| the shorn lamb" The wise man
has said, 81 once was young but
now am old, yet have | not seen
the righteous fofsaken nor his seed
begging bread" Besides these
cheering and sustaining promises
divine, l would have you remem-
Der that you are garrisoned by a
mighty army of 25,OOO men, tried
and true; men "in whose integri-
ty YOU may with safety confde,'
the weapons of whose warfare are
not carnal, who stand pledged and
ready to aid and assist, 20 protect
and defend. And here, my dear
brethren, l call upon you to re-
new with me your sacred and SOL
emn VOWS. Let us never permit
the foot to halt, but forgetting all
selfish purposes, be ever ready to
serve a brother in distress, his wild
ow and his orphans. And when
our PRAYERS ascend to the throne
of the Most High, we should re-
member their welfare as well as
our own. Let the sighs Of gray
haired sorrow stir responsive chords
within our own breasts, and though
time and years should interpose,
we'll not forget to support the tot
tering steps Of age. Should ever
SANDER blow it's whitening, blight
ing breath upon these fair young
flowers, twill be ours to vindicate
and sustain. These, tender buds
are the objects Of our peculiar care,
knowing that by proper training
and culture, they will bring How
ers as sweet and fruit as delicious
as though the parent stem had not
been severed.
But we mourn him not as one
without hope. "For there is hope
of tree, if it be cut down; 1t
will sprout again, and the tender 7,
branches thereof will not wlther.
Though his body now sleeps be-
| meath the s'sod Of the valley yet
sethrough the merits Of ;, the =, Lion
of the tribe of Judah" }" it will rise
and become as incorruptible as the
soul. The thought of death with
out revelation is dark and gloomy,
but we are revived by the ever
green and everything sprig OF faith,
! to look forward with confidence
and composure to blessed immor-
tality in the resurrection morn.--
This soul-inspiring thought comes
to us in our darkest hour Of gloom,
"welcome as the rainbew Of prom
IfkT9|, tG., "a sstt..a4 4 81 l-sS.l.