The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1878-05-15

framed by pride or conceir. Tradition Is
shaup"y-memories may be partial-histo-
/ y even Is often poetic mixed with fiction.
out good deeds are themselves the beaDfi-
fai record of the day and hour in which
they i've, and the honest reality of its acts
thoughts and promises. La everything
therefore which deeds indicate. be the?
good or bad, they are reliable Let rs IN en-
give freely OF our good actions, for # our
/ liIe cannot furnish an argument TO move the
world. We may not hope u win it to our
wishes BY our lips.
But while Ispeak thus Of dd-Fellowshfp,
/ l would not be understood as being so wed
+ ded TO sentiment as to assert thai il is always
+ the beautiful precepr, the mo a tene- or
i the ncble intents of an institution which
! draws nS within it's embrace; that is a b-au
! t'ful thought but i may be Il dream This Is
/ true that man frequently losses sight OF
these features; lie l. not always led TO our
doors by the gentle promptings OF love
humanity or duty. BIt ne is often brought
/ to us by mere worldly ideas. and in tividuaI
| FAVOR, taste or fashion. | hold never; hpl.sS
| that when once gathered wi hin the fold and
engaged in executing TIE motto of our or
der. tie accomplIsheS, at least by m 4ch4nical
action, much that is good for his fellow
man, and the refining influence OF A upnd
act is twice blessed for it .'bleSseth him thst
gives, and him that receives " And there
tore hold To this feeling. that the princi-
pie OF our order. Is but blessing which
life lends ;and its value consists not IN man.
1t, feeding m ans need, Let US br tn re >
resolve then 10 give our presence 70 the
Lodge meeting, at least To mJjnt in our
membership; encourage by what talents or
en"Tgy we may possess the propagation OF
its wishes. LeL uS not feel that We 90 TO the
Ledge Room to wear away a dun hour: but
realize that the life that goes in un4vailing
pursuits. goes to waste. Remember there
is trouble in all the land, aud W. must not
cherish an Indifference t. human pain. Re-
bYr
may need TO receive tom prov and am it
all the forms, groups and shades of thought
keep ever in mind the Orders motto. WIS
it the sick-relieve the distress -d-bury the
dead, and educate the orphan Then will
we see heart cling closer to heart. and the
pride of birth and wealth melt away in a
feeling Of common humanity. Thus O4d
Fellowship teaches u to watch the steps 81
the weak all through life and even at the
grave it does not leave until the last trib-
ute has been laid there. How different it
seeks to be from the world which permits
the coffin lid TO shut from Us not only the
dead, but thoughts OF the dead. What IA
meaning is intended to be conveyed by its
stern instruction to bury the dead. Be
spect for the dead is one of the mile
stones on the road OfciviiZItion; and it i
one of he saddest things in life that we so
soon forget Even those who have stood
by us in the days of our trouble, sometimes
fade from our memory ere the effects OF our
trouble is over. How much OF pathos Is
there in that trite expression Are W. 50
soon forgot" How considerable then that
our order should include in its Injunction
'We command you to bury the dead
There i our last opportunity 10 fulfill our
pledge of our fraternal love and care.
How does it remini us of that most GER
tain, but little regarded truth, that the
honors Of the world, the applause of man,
the care, of life, the distinctions of society,
-''all that beauty, all that wealth ere gave"
must meet at last on the common level in
that little narrow house. There the rich
and the poor. the proud and the humble,
the high and the lOwlv, sleep rogeth Z.
There the last act of the drama is over,
and the curtain falls furled on the actor
within.
There do find at least that ''life is but
a walking shadow"
There do we reaEiZe that
"We plan for our powers the divinest we
can,
We do with our powers the supremest we
may
And winning or losing, for labor or plan
The best that we garner is rest and
decay"