The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1881-03-24

A Wen Deserved Testimonial.


ii In the Address of Grand Master William
: French, at the Annual Communication O
= the Grand Lodge, last month, he recon-
mended that the many valuable services d
Bro. Frederic Speed, be in some suitable
way acknowledged. The matter was referred
, to special Committee, which heartily con,
CURED In the suggestion, and an elegant
gold jewel was presented to Bro. Speed ON
the night of the second days session. Bro.
3 having been invited to approach the East,
Grand Master French addressed him sub.
stantially as follows:
Bro. SPEED-In accordance with nv SUP
gestions the Grand Lodge raised commit
tee to take into consideration the best man.
ner of expressing their grateful acknowIedg-
ment for the many " labors of love per
formed by you for the benefit of the Gran
IN Mississippi. BY request, and on behalf
OF the Committee, it becomes my pleasing
duty TO inform you of the result of their
labors, before which, however bear testi-
mony to the faithful and cheerful perform
ance by you of every duty assigned Won.
The Code OF Laws compiled by you, with
their full and complete indexes, cannot be
surpassed, and does infinite honor to YOUR
/ SCH tue IAASOnS OF mlSSlSSlpDI.
The Committee has placed in nv hands
| this Past Masters Jewel of pure gold. Upon
the clasp, in blue enameed letters. is the
word Mississippi;" upon the ribbon the
monogram, q. l., surmOunted by square |
upon the lower clasp in blue enamel, 1881. /
Suspended thereirom is the Jewel-a circle |
representing the vietor's wreath two cross
pens, resting upon the twenty-tour inch
gauge, the compasses, upon which is a star
IN the centre OF which is a diamond, and
In the centre the hour-glass. Upon the
reverse side is the inscription: +" A testi.
monial from the Grand Lodge of Missis-
sippi, A. F. & A. NJ, to Frederic Speed.
for EMINENT SERVICES. Feb'y 10th, 1881"
Let the purity of the metal of which this
Jewel is composed remind you of the purity
OF heart which God expects and commands
from his creatures. Let the square which
surmounts this group of emblems, ever be
your guide through life, to all men, but
especially Masons always using the COM |
passes to circumscribe your desires and pas {
sions and keep them within due bounds; |
while the twenty-four inch guage will al s
ways suggest to you by its ub-dIyisions the
time to be devoted to the service of God. {
your usual avocation and the sick and help {
less. The cross-pens are emblematic of the
clerical services you have performed for this I
Grand Lodge. Weld this emblem in the /
future as you have in the past, in defense of &
right, justice, and the Ancient Landmarks a
of our Order The circle-which is without $
beginning or ending-wll remind YOU of the n
existence of God; the hour>gass within the Il
circle, may be said to represent an individ- T.
ual brother, and must impress all of us with t
the fact that our sands are swiftly running, "
and our lives drawing to a close "Be We :
also ready" for that summons which must b
come sooner or later. Keep within the &
circle in which the Grand Master of the o
Universe has surrounded all his creatures !; n
let the star of hope light you onward and ii
upward: practice all those precepts outside e.
of the Lodge that have been inculcated in a
it, and oictory shall be your reward. al
Accept this Jewel in the name and on o.
behalf of the Grand Lodge of Mississippi Il
and the brethren of this Grand Jursdic> G.
ton, and permit me to express the hope Il
that you will wear it with pleasure to your Il
self, and honor to your brethren. W
To which Bro. Speed, in an eloquent aud If
feeling manner, responded as follows: il
Mosr WoRsHIPFUL SIR AND BRETHREN
There are times when the brain refuses to
respond to the promptings of the heart, and
when we find it difficult to command the Ian
guage in which to express the sentiments we W
desire to utter. Such is the embarrassing
situation in which l find myself upon the
preciate the very great honor which has been
conferred upon me by the Grand Lodge, in
making me- ia marked a degree, che re- e
,ipent of its favors, and not the least pleas Il
ng feature of the occasion is the very kind Il
words with which you have been pleased, o.
Most WOrshipful Sir, to address me. a,
Chaste and elegant, both in design and a
as the costly jewel is, it will -
ever have a value in my eyes far beyond u
.he intrinsic value of the gold and precious "
stones of which it is composed, for it will Il
speak to me the voice of approval of my Il
brethren of the Grand Lodge. To receive %
rom any of my fellow men the approving Il
voice, would be altogether grateful, but to II
receive from my brethren OF the Ancient u
Craft, with whom | have been so long asso. u
,iated, and who know me best, in terms of "
SO strong, the expression Of
heir appreciation, is an honor above all
price. e
trust, Most Worshipful Sir, that this Is
ewel, with its many symbols, to which you a
nave so eloquently referred, will prove con- 81
-inual inspiration to me to make myself I
more worthy of the esteem and affection of II
my brethren, and that when the sands of T
life shall have been exhausted, / may be :
enabled to transmit it to my children I'M N
,arnished, as an enduring memorial that d
although the warriors wreath may not have "
licked my brow, | at least was crowned in d
he hearts and affections of my feiiow-men, c.
and that when the angel writes the record Q
IF my life, it may record that squared my =
actions toward all mankind, and kept my :
passions circumscribed within the points Of t"
The compass. n
Your ever continuing kindness has i'm A
posed many obligations upon me, not the k
east of which will be the duty of showing n
by my future life and conduct that ap, n
preciate and am duly thankful for this re- !,
lewed manifestation of your brotherly love .
toward me.
The presentation received not only the T
approval, but the applause of the members i
If the Grand Lodge.