Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1872-06-20

tation by the Grand Lodgeto Past Grand
Master George NJ. Hall, of an elegant
silver tea service. 1t was procured by
the Grand Lodge by Brinsmaid & Hill
dreth of Burlington.
Grand Secretary Henry Clark made
the following presentation address in be-
| half Of the Grand Lodge:
MR.. CLARK's ADDRESS.
Past GRIND Muster Hal:
1t is one of the pleasures consequent
upon the conscientious and faithful per-
Torrance of duties assigned to us in life,
| that those with whom we are associated
recognize our labors and appreciate the
/ service performed. 1t is my pleasing
duty at this hour in behalf of the Grand
/ Lodge of Vermont, to present to you
| their high esteem and appreciation of
your successful administration of the of
| fee of Grand Master. Your connection
with the Grand Lodge of Vermont com
menced during the days of those honor
| ed and beloved names Of HaSWell,
! Tucker and HOllenbeck, and it was your
fortune to possess their fullest conf
dence and approval. When the fell de-
stroyer so suddenly, transferred from
the scene of his labors, the lamented
| TuCker-WhOSe fame was not only ma
tional but was recognized through the
globe, another whose services had been
eminent to the craft-at home and
abroad-the friend of your early days
the cOnfidant of your manhood life, and
the associate in masonic labor for many
years-was called to the Oriental chair,
and fittingly were you called to sustain
your lifelong friend in the performance
of his high duties. On his retirement
with great unanimity, you were chosen
to WELD the gavel he had so hOnorabIy
laid down, and right manfully did you
perform the high and responsible duties,
committed to your care, with honor to-
yourself and the Grand Lodge of Yer
mont, and allow me to say to you that
among the brightest pages of the Masonic
history of our commonwealth, when
fully written and perused by the craft,
the golden period will he the admins
tration of Tucker, Englesby and Hall.
! On your retirement from the chair of
| Grand Master, the last connecting link
between the fathers of Masonry in Yer
mont, Tucker, Haswell, Wilson and
! Hollenbeck has been broken, and it is
fitting that this Grand Lodge, which has
been the witness of your labOrs and de-
rived the benefits and good influences
flowing therefrom, should tender you
this testimonial of recognition and es-
TEEN.
But it is fitting that this expression OF
regard should take place in your early
| home, on the banks of this beautiful
/ lake, the scene of your early friendships,
/ the home of warm affection, and to-day
l am reminded Of the happy hours of
/ the past. and that there are others who
were the companions of our JOY, he who
was your immediate predecessor. and I
would not forget another companion OF
! thns" early years, who never ceased to
] nav" oar love and respect and who
/ within the sacred preC;nct20f this Grand
/ Lodge. has called down. in thr perform
/ ance Of his sacred Office the h"Uediction
/ Of Heaven to rest upon ms. THAT aa"ly
] friendship has been Cem"nted by masonic
/ ti"s-w within this mystic circle-an God
/ giant that they may last while the SAINTS
/ Of fife cbb and flow. and at last we may
meet in The Grand Lodge above to r.
/ ceiye the benedction Of the G"and Mas
I ter of the universe.
In obedience to the unanimous desire
of the Grand Lodge of Vermont, / am
commissioned to extend TO yoH the fra
ternal regard of this Grand body. and
present you in recognition of your dis
tinguished services, this service of sill
yer. in token of remembrance. NY
brother, as yOu bear it to yOur home, to
those you love, ever remember It is the
true and earnest expression of fratarnal
hearts, and may it descend as an heir
loom, as the recognition Of vnur hreth-
fpt lol IN ho1 Of j,
loved institution, and may the richest
benedictiOns of Heaven rest upon YOU
and yours, is the earnest wish of those
who honor you with this testimonial of
regard.
Past Grand Master Hall feolingly re-
spondcd as follows:
Right Worshipf1 Brother o1d Brethren
Of the Grand Lodge Of Vermont:.
There are times when the emotions Of
the human heart can best be expressed
by an appropriate silence times like the
present when it would seem that words
would but feebly express the feelings
that actuate the heart, and were it not
from the fact that custom, which gov
ems so largely in the affairs Of men,
renders it expedicnt that some remarks
should be made for favors bestowed in
50 kindly a way. | would prefer to re-
main silent, yet not ungratefliL The his
tOrian Hume has somewhere said that
"a man cannot speak long of himself
without vanity" and | am admonished
by this trite saying of the great philoso- /
pher that brevity should constitute at
least one virtue, although it may be
negative one, in my response to your
kind and fraternal address. By an as
ISOLATION with the Grand Lodge of Yer
mont during the past twenty-five years,
and having held, through its favor, all I
Of the offices from that of the Junior
Grand Deacon up to and including that /
of its Most Worshipful Grand Master,
| am led to feel that | have home here I
in this its most sacred retreat, "a con-
tinuing city and an abiding place in the |
affections of those associates with me in
the important work of reform and virtue
so peculiarly the work of our venerable |
institution But when | look around
me upon all these faces of my brothers, /
so full in their expression of the love
and charity felt for humanity, ! am adj I
monished of the great change that time,
the great leveter, has made in our ranks. I
One quarter of a century ago when |
first became associated with this lodge, a /
mere boy as it were, the Grand Lodge /
was almost composed of those generated
and gray-haired sires of past genera
ton. alas, now so few among us. They
were the descendants of former gene
ration of heroes, who had but recently
come forth from the fiery prosecutions /
to which they had been subjected
through the years of intolerance and
superstition. Their banners had indeed
been trailed in the dust, but yet, like
good soldiers, they had not lost them,
and when | look around me to-day, alas !.
| see them no more One by one they
have passed away from among u.s. They
have nearly all gone to the Better Coun
try. as we trust. Like the tree in ma
ture, full with fruit, they bore their
blushing honors thick npon them. and
Lie It's leaxas they have fallen to enrich