New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-02-02
In NlemOfjam.

ne NOELH LOul1lauN CONTNQt, OF January
%, pays the following tribute to q young
man who died recently in Tensss:
The late Charles E. Steele was born in
Windsor. Vermont, in the year 1916 He
settled in this parish in the year 1869, was
elected clerk Of the Thirteenth District
Court in 1872, and departed this life on tho
nineteenth Of January, 1876.
Few men have died among us more es-
teemed and regretted. The closure of all
business houses and the large attendance Of
men and women of ali agee, sexes and races
at the funeral servicee, denoted clearly
enough the estimation in which he was
held among US. The body, in a beautiful
casket. was brought by the Masons from
his late residence to the Episcopal Church.
where the rector, Rev. Mr.. Dove, read the
beautiful services of that church to an audi
ence larger than the house would seat.
After the burial services had been said, the
minister gave an extempOraneOns address
OF much tenderness and beauty, in refer
ence to our deceased friend, alter which the
body was taken in charge by the Masons
and conveyed to the tomb where the sol
emn Masonic funeral rites were given over
tie remains of their deceased brother and
friend, Colonel l.. V. Reeves conducting
the services. And probably we should here
lay dow n the pen; but his friends will bear
with US ii we attempt slight sketch of his
character. based on an intimate association
with him during the last five years.
The main traits of his character, as we
read it, were truthfulnese, amiabillty be-
nevolence, frien tship. generosity. That is
a group of sterling qualities, and built upon
a pediment Of unsull'ed honor, quickened
by good talents and vitalized by knowledge,
produced the finished gentleman as we saw,
admired and loved him.. He was univer-
sally esteemed and held in high regard by
all classes Of our population, and it will be
long before bis manly form, handsome face
and pleasant voice shall be forgotten by
our people. The social ostracism of North
ern men by Southern society, of which we
see go much in the Northern press, never
touched him: on the contrary, we took him
to our bosom. gave him our confidence,
loved, honored and valued him, and he was
worthy of it all. He could not have been
more valned had be been to the manor
born. We never heard him utter an unkind
word of any body. He was full of kindness
and generous sentiments to the human
race. and gave literally to all benevolent
enterprises and to the support of the minis
tiers among u.s. He was an enthusiastic adj
mirer of the ancient order of Free and Ac
cepted MasOns, and occupied the rank or
degree of Knight Templar. We recall with
mournful pleasure the splendid appearance
he presented in the superb dress of Knight
Templar on the occasion of LAYING the cor
ner stone of the Masonic Hall. now in
course of construction here.
Mr.. Steele was q devoted Mason, loved
its ceremonies, usages and objects, and had
he lived few years longer would doubtless
have reached the highest rank among them.
In after years, when reminiscent thought
laps the sea of mem"ry. from it's ripping
wave will rise the noble form of Charles E.
Steele, as We saw him on that interesting
occasion. in the splendid regalia Of q
knight Templar. His heart was in that
work, and the members of the lodge have
an additional incentive to complete the
hall, to place in it memorial window to
the memory of Charles E. Steele. To his
brother Masons who performed the impress
sive funeral ceremonies at his tomb, this
regretted death is burdened with solemn
warning. Shall it pass UNDECIDED! Will
they forget it! Will it's lessons fade from
their memories in q few brief days! For.
bid it, conscience! To the mass of our
citizens who witnessed and shared these OBJ
sequies to our friend, whose sorrow at his
it to learn the frailty of human life; the
ceaseless current of the stream of time,
which will bear us, one by one to the portal
of the grave, and to our dread accountable
ty at the bar of God! Let US resolve to live
better lives-purer nObler; at war with all
SIN, waglng ceaseless contest with human
intrmities IN their diversified shapes; never
giving an inch to selfish indulgence; never
yielding line to temptation, until we bow
only to an imperial will, and that will
subOrdinated to the law of God. That is
the curriculum of every we'll ordered and
completed human life. If this is our as
piration, if this is our intention, if this is
the lesson we learned, not in vain did we
aid in the last solemn rites to our deceased
friend, as we laid his body in the tomb, to
await the morning of resurrection.
The sympathles Of our people will flow
out for the aged parents, octoeenarians
now, and we will invoke for them the bless
ing Of God, which can alone mitigate the
poignant sorrow of such a bereavement
Let them rest assured that in his last hours
their son was in the hands Of sympathizing
and loving friends; that they caught bis
last sigh; that guard of honor warded his
remains; that the rites of our holy religion,
according to the forms of the Protestant
Episcopal Church, were eOlemnly read over
him; that the Masonic body, in regalia, per-
formed their grand ceremonial over his re-
mains, ana. amid the universal sorrow of
our people, we laid him away in tho mys-
FERROUS silence of the tomb. Requiescat IN
pace.