Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-01-17
A. T. & A. NJ.

NpOn tHc opening or tHe 1accHtU-VJtH
Aa,nuol Session of the Grand Lodge.
Brethren of the Grand Lodge:
The sad duty devolves upon rue to for
mally announce to you the death of our late
Grand Master, Brother j. G. Braden, who de.
parted this life in the city of San Antonio
Texas, December 9th last, at the early age OF
forty-two years.
Death to our brother had no terrors, save
the seyering Of those dearest, sweetest ties on
EARTH that bind us to our friends, our wives
and little ones.
Calmly no put his house in order for the
last great day Of life, the first great day of
death. Little be thought of himself, but bis
every thought and wish seemed to go out
with caressing tenderness for his wife and
little ones.
am glad to say that Bro Braden during
his last sickness was the recipient Of that
loving care of his Masonic brethren that has
80 long mado tho order memorable for its
deeds Of love and kindness. Our brethren
of San Antonio, with loving hands per-
formed the last sad offices due from the liv-
ing to the dead, and the widow and the
fatherless, though III a strange land, found
in tho fraternity true and affectionate friends
in the dark hour of their affection. Bro
r. Fl. Neal, Worshipful Master of Ancho,
Lodge, No. 424, of San Antonio, Texas, with
Bro. G. Z. Fisher, were with tho family OF
our Grand Master, during his last hours
rendering every attention that could alleviate
the sorrows Of those who stood by the bed.
side Of him who was soon to enter the
gloomy portals OF the world beyond. When
the spirit of our brother had taken its flight
and but his unconscious form remained
Masonic hands, actuated by the same
brotherly love, performed the last sad duties
due to our dead brother, and with kind
words and deeds did all that in their power
lay to tighten the grief of his widow aud lit
tie ones. The same good Offices to the dead
and widowed We're bestowed by the brethren
at Houston, Texas, st, Louis, Mo-, and at St
Paul.
Bro. Braden's remains were followed tc
their last resting place by large and i'm
posing cortege of our brethren, and as the
sun sank slowly below the horizon on Sun.
day, December 10th, we tenderly and sadly
placed all that was mortal Of our late Crane
Master, in the silent tomb.
Brethren, the character Of our Grand Mas
ter was such as merits our warmest common
dalton. His character was Of that rare type
that men delight to honor, and my brethren
the honors that we have paid, and on this
day pay, to the memory of our deceased
brother, are not mere offerings to the dead
OF mere consolation to the living, for honors
paid to the memory Of such man 60 be-
yoIld, and become incentives to those who
witnessing such scenes, cannot remain in
sensible to tho fact that mons lives live after
them in the memory Of their fellow men.
AS citizen, Bro. Braden was strictly moral
and of rare ability; as a soldier, our State
and country can testify of his worth, record
ed, as it Isl in the history Of hard fought
battles: as husband, devoted and affection
ate, and SOLICITORS always for the Happiness
and welfare of her who In early life he had
chosen to walk with him life's pathway hand
in hand.
And now, my brethren, you have again,
like the craft of old, assembled to receive in
structions for your work. You examine the
upon it, you look to the East, and the Grand
Master is not there, instantly there flashes
upon your mind the beautiful, aye, the grand
story upon which our noble order is founded
and in quick review pass before you the quar-
ries and the fellow crafts at work-the
mountains of Lebanon, with their tall and
stately cedars, solemn sentinels of that som,
bre land, and there is Joppa, where the tim
Der for the building OF the temple was
brought by the sea, there she sits on the high
hills, overlooking the waves, while far away
to the west shines the Mediterranean, blue
and lustrous, as siken tunic; and there toe
is Jerusalem, the city Of the children Of
God, and in the minds of us they are build
ing the second Temple, silently, stone by
stone, rises the magnificent fabric, the tenn
pie of nation, the poetry and religion of {
whole people, grand and lofty, as was foun<
expression in that one temple, built ant
dedicated to the one God.
But shadow falls across the brightness 0
the- scene. No plans are found upon tn
trestle board, and the workmeu, looking
each into the face of his brother, says Sou
Grand Master is dead" So come to you
my brethren, this day, and say, our Gran,
Master is dead.
Often, my brethren, have we heard it sail
in our several lodges by the Worshipful Mas
ter in the East, that Masons are builders, an,
that far more noble and glorious work
theirs than the hewing and squaring of stone
and timbers; that we are the builders Of
spiritual temple, that should endure in it
perfection long after all the works made
the hands of man have persisted from th
face of the earth, and long after the yer
earth itself, with all life upon it extinc
should roll through tho universe of God
bleak loneliness and solitude. Happy are "
my brethren, if we do but build this Tempt
with the skill of master builder, for even
did our deceased brother build his sLiritu,
temple. In the quarries of truth and know
edge he wrought faithfully, and the hig
purposes and lofty aims of his life were lii
The tall and stately cedars of Lebanon,
material out of which to build his spiritu
temple. Silently, without the rude sound
the axe or hammer, day by day, month /
month, year by year, the building of his spi
itual temple went on, until it became
mighty fabric Of pure thoughts and goo
deeds. Its foundation was laid deep in
love of our common humanity, and in a /
fined tenderness for his kindred and lit
ones; its jasper walls were rooted and dom,
with love for the infinite God, and with
was high altar, sacred to the worship
that God; and all about that spiritual temp
shone the ineffable light of the approvn
smile of the Great Master, touching al
identifying all.
The temple built by King Solomon b
passed away. The story of it's magnifcen
fingers and floats down the ranks Of de-
centuries, thing Of beauty. But the spir
ual temple built by our brother shall endu
as long as the hills of God shall stand.
My brethren, the lesson of our sad berea1
ment comes to us with an appealing cry,
noble thoughts, noble words, and noble deet
It comes with force and pathos to which
can give no expression, and 80 I leave Il
lesson to be treasured up in the hearts
each of you, with the kindly remembrance
our dead brother; for to him,
Twas but a step in the darkness
a kiss for those who weep,
a bush and drawing of curtains,
The closing the ewes to sleep
Oh! softly the hand Of the angel,
Shall sever each earthly bond,
Then Joy for the feet that are weary,