Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1877-12-11
For the SPECTATOR.
Letter from Missouri.

SHELBINA, NO., Nov. 2Sth, 1877.
DEAR OLD SPECTAToR:-I have now
seen the four seasons of the year in this,
to many in Virginia, far Off land-Fall
twice; Spring, with its brightness !;
Summer, with its busy industry Fall
with its rich rewards for the toiling
husbandman and Winter, with its
SHOWS and winds; and I, therefore, feel
the better prepared to give fair and
candid opinion as to its merits and de-
merits. To do this may have to write
you several letters. I shall take this
mode of answering the numerous ques-
tons of my many friends in my native
State. If my communications prove
worthless and tiresome, throw them in
to the waste basket as so much rubbish.
This is the first winter day we have had.
1t is very cold and the ground is frozen
pretty hard. The Fall.has been very
wet and the roads dreadfully muddy.
and everybody is hoping that this
freeze may last until March. We have
had no snow as yet.
must here suspend the order of my
letter to announce the death of our old
friend, John Patterson, who left Angus
ia county in 1857, removed with bis fam
lily to Illinois, and thence, after two
years stay, came to Monroe county in
this State, five miles southeast of this
town. He died on last Sunday, after a
painful illness of several years, at his
home, and was buried by his Masonic
brethren at a neighboring church on
yesterday, with the usual Masonic hon
ors. performed the last, sad right at
the grave. I clip the following notice
of his death from our town paper:
The death of brother John Patterson
was announced to Shelbina Lodge A.
F. and A. NJ, on Monday evening.
On Tuesday morning the Fraternity
went to his late home and buried him
with Masonic honors. The Secretary
was directed to send to his bereaved
family copy of the following resolu-
tions, which were adopted at the meet
ing called for that purpose:
WHEREAS, After long period of in.
tense bodily suffering, It has pleased
the Supreme Architect of the Universe
to call from labor to reward our beloved
brother, John Patterson, and
WHEREAS. We desire to place on re-
cord some expression of our sym patty
with his bereaved family, and also OF
our appreciation of him as Mason and
a man, be it
Resolved, That in his death this Lodge
recognizes the loss of an old and true
member, the Fraternity devoted and
Jealous advocate of it's tenets and doc
trines, and this community, in which
he spent SO many active years, a good
citizen, and an honest and generous
friend and neighbor.
That we will cherish his memory in
our hearts, wear the usual badge OF
mourning for thirty days, and drape in
black the jewels and furniture of our
lodge. J. WIN. TowsoN,
SAM'L KENNERLY,
NEWTON ADAMS,
Committee.
Had he lived to the 18th of next Jan
uary he would have been sixty two
years old. He leaves wife and nine
living children. He lived respected by
all in his community, and died regretted
by all who knew him. He was made a
Mason in New Hope Lodge. in Augusta
county, Va, possibly more than thirty
years ago. This will be sad news to
many Of his friends and relatives in
your county. His funeral was attended
by large .conceurse of his neighbors,
thus attesting their high esteem for him
and their sympathy with his afflicted
family. The people here have warm
and tender hearts, and are as ever ready
to ''weep with those that weep" as to
"rejoice with those that do rejoice. u
Several years ago an ugly sore appeared
on the back of his right hand, which
continued, in spite of all treatment, to
spread until about year ago he had his
arm amputated above the elbow, in the
hope of Graduating the disease. But
vain hope. The disease made its ap-
pearance in the armpit and finally
caused his death. He was great suf-
ferer, and yet bore his affection with
remarkable fortitude.
Hush! What awful wall is that p
Missouri weeping for her favorite son,
and refusing to be comforted because
Marvin is dead. The great, the noble,
the gifted, the beloved and sainted Mar
vim is no more. People telk of little
else. Well may it be said, behold how
in st Louis, on day before yesterday,
very unexpectedly, in the 54th year of
his age. The Master came and called
for him.
Thus, in the harness and in the prime
of life and usefulness drop, first Dun
C~H' 1n0A q Nu dAoCys nuu CHCu, 0iloi Jul
dear Bishop Marvin. How unspeaka-
BILE are the providences of God and his
ways past finding out. Their work was
finished and the Master had need of
them in his Upper Kingdom.
"Out of the abundance of the heart
the mouth speaketh," and have been
led by my feelings away from my SUBJ
ject, which will resume in my next
My letters will be rambling, but hope
they may not prove uninteresting to all
your readers. I was led to write of the
death of John Patterson as news to his
many friends, and of our lamented
Bishop as a grief to everybody. My
heart is twice burdened and my mind
refuses to think of anything else.
S. KENNERLY.
1t cast gloom over an entire church
e. L Ia L L