Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1876-08-05
ADDRESS.

Blooming Grove Grange. His flow
ers of oratory were fitting acccmpa-
niment to the beautiful garden flowers
with which the ladies of Blooming
Grove decked the tomb of the depart
ed brother:
PATRONS, BRoTHERs, SISTERS AND
FRIENDS You DO not, l hope, expect
from me an address for display. At
my time of life, and worn down as l
am by the frosts Of three score years,
and the tolls of laborious profession
which l have steadily followed for
thirty years, you can no longer
look for the spirit and bouyancy Of
youth. Spring is the season for flow
ers but 1, like others 1 see around
me, am in the autumn of life, and you
will, | hope, accept from me few re-
marks, as the fruits of my experience,
in lieu of the more snowy, but less
substantial blossoms of spring. | could
not have been tempted here on this
this occasion for the puerile purpose
of display. My visit. I trust, has
much graver motive and object. 1t is
the hope of making some suggestions
that may be seryiceable in the journey
of life that is before, especially, our
younger brethren; of calling into ac-
ton some dormant energy; of point
ing your exertions to some attainable
end of practical utility. In short, the
hope of contributing in some small
degree towards making you happier
in yourselves, more useful to your
country, and more Jealous in the beau
tiful order to which We belong.
1t needs not, however, the tongue
of eloquence or the pen of elocution
to proclaim the purpose for which we
have met on this occasion. The beau
tiful flowers | see around me-6t en-
blems to decorate the graves of those
we love-speak in language mute, but
Enthusiastically, that brother, mem
Der of our order has been summoned
by the great master of the universe
from time to eternity. and we have
met in compliance with our ritual, to
visit the grave of our departed broth
er, and there deposit our floral offer
ing, fit tribute of affection to departed
worth.
Would that it had fallen to the lot
of some brother more able than my
self to address you on this occasion
True l have been acquainted with
brother George Coleman for a num-
Der Of years. | knew him first as a
pupil in my school secondly, l knew
him as a warm friend thirdly, l knew
him as a Mason; and last, but not
least, l knew him as a Patron of Hus-
bandry. In all these varied capaci-
ties | knew but to love and esteem
him. But he is gone from our midst,
the golden bowl has been broken at
the fountain, and his spirit hath re-
turned to God who gave it. But
friends, he has left behind him a name
untarnished and character without
blemish, for truly was brother Cole
man one of the noblest works of God
an honest man. And cold and sell
fish indeed must be the heart of that
brother OF sister Patron who, on this
occasion, fails to sympathize with the
bereaved wife and orphaned daughter
of the one who when living, we all so
highly esteemed. But, my brethren
and sisters, the relations between man
and man cease not with life. The
dead leave behind them their memory
their example and the effects of theiI
actions; their influence still abides
with us; their names and characters
dwell in our thoughts and hearts We
live and commune with them, either
In their writings, their advice, or theil
examples; we enjoy the benefit Of
their labOrs; our institutions have
been founded by them; we are sur
rounded by the works of the dead
our knowledge, whether it be great Of
small, and our arts and sciences arr
the frnits of their toll our minds
have been formed by the instruction
of those, who like our brother, are to
day slumbering in their tombs. w
are most intimately connected will
the dead by thousand dependencies
Those whom we have loved in life ar
still objects of our deepest and holies
affections; their power over US re
mains they are with us in our soita
~ walks, and their voices speak to u
in the silence of midnight; their i'm
age is impressed upon our deares
recolleotions, and our most sacre
hopes they form an essential part O
our treasure laid up in that bette
world, for although sad experienc
teaches us that we are separated frOI
them, vet divine revelation assures u
that this separation shall be of shoT
duration, for we shall soon, yea, yer
soon, be united with them again. Gu
affections aud our hopes are not burie
in the dust to which we commit tn
poor remains of mortality, and weour
selves are of the belief that the blesse
In Heaven retain their remembrance
and their love for us. And shall W
not cherish our remembrance an
love for the dead while here on earth
This, my friends, is what has Gale
us together to-day. Creatures of I'M
tation and sympathy as We are, "
look around us for support and cOur
tenance even in our virtues We recu
for them most securely, to the exam
pies of the dead; there is degree {
insecurity and uncertainty about liz
ing worth the stamp has not yet bee
put upon it which precludes all chang
and seals it up as ajust object of adm
ration for future times. There is n
greater service which man of con
manding intellect can render his fe
low creatures than that of leaving bt
hind him, like that of our departe
brother, an unspotted reputation
4 ~