The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1868-05-13

| put III INTO concrete and substantive form. and
! given it their full Endorsement.
All history informs Us that, IN every age and in
! every nation. memorials for the dead have been
| raised. according to the habits and character OF
the people and the age in which they lived; bat
all designed as tribute OF respect, and in some
degree forming part OF the nations history.
Ihe pyramids of Egypt the monumental piles
| OF Europe, the tombs Of America and the mounds
OF our asorigines, all speak Of the dead to the
! living, and impress upon the mind Truths the
most sanitary, as well as mech of the past history
| of the world.
In our own sunny land it 10 regarded sacred
| duly to care for the resting places of tho dead
| and keep alive their memory. Each tomb aud
grave in the Cities of the Dead " that surround
/ US has become a Mecca TO some sorrOwipg house.
bold or friend, to which, with the fidelity of the
followers OF the Prophet, they annually 90, with
subdued and ssddened hearts, to spread upon
| them the fresh blown flowers and keep alive the
| thousand memories that sprng up in the mind
While performing this touching eeremOny-s eere-
! moDy that cannot be witnessed without awakening
| every noble feeling of our natufe, aud revivng IN
our own mind all the memories Of the past.
= The members of Mount Aorish I<9are, No. 90
i free and accepted Masons, in gratitude aud re-
! spect for the memory of tneir two late Past
| Masters, Walter NicOl aud John Booth, have
| erected this beautiful tomb, and dedicated IL 20
them, as the last resting place OF their remlns,
and the burial place OF their families, and long
as that marble slab shall remain 80 long will there
be monument to proclaim their worth, and the
! grateful feelings of their brethren.
10 tnOSe VINO knew waiter NicOl and John
Boo'h Intimately aud well. any eulOgum would
he unnecessary; their memory is embalmed in
| the hearts of their ore hren, aud can never be
efaced until the pulse OF life shall cease to beat
ard they too, shall have gone to /" that bourne
from whence none return" Bot there NAV be
those around me who did not know them, or only
Bnew them as citizens, mingng 10 the ordinary
intercourse OF life, and claiming only tbs passing
recognition. To such would speak.
1t was my privilege TO know them well and n-
timaiely; TO have their most unbounied confidence
and their firm friendship. Through many years of
close ofhcal intercourse this friendship was never
interrupted, this confidence never withheld; and
am grateful that am permitted here to-day, IN
the pTefence Of these assembled brethren and
trends, TO add my humble testimony to their
work
No two men ever formed more perfect par
ael in one respect, and yet were unlike in their
disposition and personal character. The one
calm and quiet in his manner, moved ON in the
discharge of his duties without showing ho ~ much
he felt, while the other, of more ardent tempera
nent and more impulsive character, gave a
stronger expression TO his feelings and opinions.
But both standing side by si6e in meeting the
great responsibilities Of life.
As citizens, obedieBt TO the laws and faithful to
the constituted authority, and usirg every means
TO promote the peace and good order of society;
as friends, firm and true, and as husbands aud
fathers, fulfilling those relations IN such manner
as to challenge our admiration and excite
emulation. Their homes were the centers of their
affections, ard to them they turned as to haven
! If rest from the cares and tolls of the day.
The friendship OF Walter Nisol and John Booth
was no summer friendship, which, like the butter
fes'that gather ard hutter around the opening
flowers OF spring, HE away and hide themselves
on the approach of the darkened cloud and the
falling Of the first rain drop, and never appear
again till the bright rays OF the sun proclaim the
tempest past
No ny brethren, the friendship of Walter
Nicol and John Booth was the storm cloud friend
ship that come to us in our hour of affection,
when the heart was bowed in sorrow, or when
| the changes OF fortune had reduced us to want
| and the future looked dark and fnreboding. IL
was in such hours that, with friendly grip, kindly
| smile and cheerful voice, they poured into our
| esr the words of consolation aud hope, or with
| open hand relieved our necessities, and bid
| cheer up and acquit ourselves like men uuder all
| the difficulties aud trials of ife Such was their
friendship, and such their noble acts through fe
But, my brethren, it is as Masous that they
claim our paramount regard. and we are here to-
| day TO show TO the brethren who have hOnored us
with their presence, and to the world, that the
memory of the good and true will always be
cherished, and live in the hearts of their brethren
AIdently devoted to the great principles OF
Masonry, they labOred earnestly for their man
ttIsDce, and urged their practice in our daily
duties, and in our constantly recurring contact
with our fellow-men. TO be 'g0od men and
true" was, with them, acardinal point. as it is
indeed the Polar star of all good Mdsons Ma.
sonTy has been often magned. and hard charges
have been made against il by those knO nothing
IL
MdsOns, as well bad men, everywhere. In
society. in the State ana even in the church there
are bsG men, but that should not cause a whole
sale condemnation of all because some are bad
but rather let US praise and sustain the good, and
repudiate the bad. And here let me say to the
uniformed, that no man can be good Mason
without being gOod man, grateful to his Crea-
tor, faithful to his country and fraterna to his fell
low man,
For many years, Brothers Nicol and Booth we're
the Masters of Mount Moriah Lodge, and had,
during their term OF Office, the entire conf.
dence and affection OF the members. Devoted to
the interest of the lodge, they labOred earnestly
for its welfare, and much of its present prosper
GUS condition may be traced to their judcious
management, and untiring efforts.
Bat, much as they loved their own Lodge, they
did not forget their duty to the fraternity through
out the State, and gave much of their time in
building up the order in Louisiana. The brethren
Of the Grand Lodge, by giving them several i'm
portant appointments, expressed their apprecia-
ton Of their services, and at last made Brother
Booth Grand Junior Warden, which Office he held
al the time OF his death, and the officers of the
Grand Lodge are now here uniting with Us in our
tribute of respect TO their memory.
Brethren, may we, when our sun shall have set
have so acted that our brethren may drop the
sympathetic tear over our remains, as we now do
over the remains Of those we now commit to the
tomb, and may our memory be cherished as we
cherish theirs.
"And heard a voice from heaven ssyiug unto
me write Blessed are the dead which die ia the
Lord from hence forth yea, saith the spirit, that
they may rest from their lsbors; and their works
do follow them.n
The closing ode was then sung to the tune Of
Old Hundred, and the tablets were placed in po-
sitiop, closing the remains from further view.
These tablets were inscribed with the names,
birtnplaces and dates of birth and DEATH WAL
| ter Nicol born in Wupplin Perthshire, Scotland,
died July 10th, 1861" and "Jno. Booth, born in
county Tyrone, Ireland, died Sept Is, 1866" this
| is the simple record which marks the resting
! place of two worthy men and Mssons. The tomb
! itself is mound shaped, sodded aud with white
maj bic front, surmounted by an urn, and inscribed
| with the name OF the lodge, the omblems OF the
| order and " Sacred to the memory Of Waller
| NicOl, JnO. BOOTH" Upon the other side, aud
facing in the opposite direction is a tomb, divided
into Compartments, and set apart for the uses OF
| the lodge.
The ceremonies concluded the procession again
| formed, and marching through Benville street a
short distance, halted at the residence OF Bro. Wm.
| Baker, of Orient Lodge. where refreshments for
| the inner man had been Hberally provided.
| Thence the brethren marched to Canal street and