Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1886-04-27

munihcent eystam o. relieving distress.
anu ut the sunset Of life has laid Ia rcat
20 respectable manner 20 many worthy
men, was never designed to an ephemernl
eNistencei but steadily advat cling hipher
auu stu higher ia banner will swIna
loose to the stars aIgi rise as beautiful AZ
a bird Of Paradise. -
lnefe Is nothing In the secret mysteries
Oh an association Of to-day 20 arouse the
| apprehension and superstition that en-.
Vlroned such in the past The genius of
NerVautes has disarmed the cavalier, and
sne ahatnemas OF the uninitiated fall with
leeDie force upon the public ear The
restless eye Of suspicion has ceased its
vain inquiry, and, oyerawed by the lust
revelations of the exterior, cares NOT 10
wander through the mysterious courts
Egypt By Isis was fettercd with false
mysticism, and the weird carpiyals of
Elusius bound the Greek in chains. mn
the curtain has rolled from their mys-
Nfies as the veil from the prophet Of
khorasson, aud the horrors OF distorted
ceremonies now stand uncovered before
the world. We Of 10 da, invoke no
terrors TO make victim. bnt
In our beautiful rites there are
lessons valuable and sublime.
Then, as yonder glorious orb moves IN its
silent circle, dispensing life aud ljuht,
making all nature sing with 10Y, SO lei us
move on IN silence aud in peace amid the
struggles end antagonisms OF life. Our
solemn OBLIGATIONS should be discharged
as becomes Odd Fellows.
We should be reminded that the in.
functions Of secrecy are not more i'm.
petative than the Offering OF sympathies
and charities to ourftllow men. We can
not observe the one aud neglect the other.
And paramountio all, If brother Is at
,racted by false lights and we see that
MS iootlng Is crumblng beneath him, we
should hasten 10 warn him Of the perlous
situation OF the man who Is entering upon
lie OF vice or crime ere the fatal charm
Is wound about him.
Like Damocles the sword should be
Kept unsheathed and suspended over our
heads by
THE FRArL TENURE OF A HAIR
10 remind us that we are mortal. In
view OF this, and our hope for
the realization that awaits all
gentle spirits, with what devotion should
we cling TO and yindicate the principles OF
our order. Here we are taught that
through faith, hope and charity, linked
with friendship, love and truth, we are to
guard against the seltlshness of the world
and to practice the divine lessons OF pru-
dence, temperance, honor andsbenevo-
lence, and thus will our natures be ele-
waited by constint aim to make Others
happier and nobler.
We should remember the lessons taught
us. We should show by practical illus
tI0tfnn 0ta mt .t.e 90. O ~,
high trust delivered to us, but are faith
full members OF that worthy institution by
binding up the broken hearted and giving
the oil of joy for mourning.
'watchinA by the couch OF pain
~ the light OF day shall wane,
Tlll the event & star is high
III the midnigat shadows ily,
silent, wakeful vigil eceping
Der the rus less sufferer sleeping"
Now in conclusion, to you of blasted
hopes and blighted affections, to whom Is
offered the cheerless hand oil indifference,
instead OF the warm grasp Of
friendship receiving its impulse
fresh from the fountain OF the
soul, to-day point YOU TO beacon light
upon the shore Of time, rejecting the
color OF coming years, and
Like a star
! Throug stormclouds seen by sailors,
Tells OF rest anu peaceful barbors nigh"
! would point you to
A GRAND OLD VESSEL,
which long ago was loosed from her
moorings and weighed anchor for har-
Dor Of peace, and which though beaten
and tossed has weathered the rude shock
of the tempest, and to-day glid,s securely
through the troubled waters, laden with a
cargo of noble spirits and bound for a
friendly port
"Where there are summer isles OF Eden lying,
In dark purple spheres OF sea-"
With Faith 1t the helm, Hope at the
Prov, and Charity the watchword echoed
from the rock and the wave, may we not
hope that In the cycles of time here may
be offered solution to the mystery that
will aid the world to usher in a universal
peace
"Ia our hearts inspired and cherished,
May the feeling yer bloom
Failing not when life has persisted,
Ltving 81 Ill beyond tha tomb