The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1892-04-28
AN EPITAPH.

Jonathan Emerson Writes His Own and II
is a Jim Dandy.
Jonathan Emerson, formerly a resi-.
dent of Greenbush, this county, but
now OF Anoka, was always regarded by
his neighbors as decidedly eccentric
The Minneapolis Tribune tells of his
latest vagary:
Speaking of epitaphs, there is an old
gentleman living up near Anoka, Jona-
than Emerson by name, who has com
posed one for himself which is about
as odd a thing as was ever chiselled
into a tombstone. Not content with
merely composing it, the author has:
also picked out his own monument and
has superintendent the inscription. The
work is nearly done now and the mon
ument reposes in the shop of the Lake
wood Granite and Marble works out on
Hennepin boulevard near Thirty-sixth
street, where the finishing touches are
being put on.
The monument has the usual base
and a four-sided, white marble shaft.
five feet in height, each face being ~
inches in width. There is nothing at
all remarkable about it at first glance,
but a careful inspection shows that the
entire surface of the shaft is covered
with letters hardly more than a quar-
ter of an inch in height. That is the
epitaph. It covers the whole of the
four sides of the shaft ana contains
5000 letters or to put it in. more
familiar form, that epitaph is at least
a column in length.
AS one reads it he is struck by the
animadversion felt by the composer TO
three things of the following order:
free masonry, extravaganza and church
fairs. He seems to have been opposing
them with all his might in this life and
evidently proposes to leave a lasting
declaration of principles. After half a
dozen quotations from the bible, the
inscription on side No. l proceeds as
follows; the punctuation and capitaliza-
ton being reproduced here:
A minister that pretends to preach
Christ and him crucifed, that will ad-
join himself to the worlds societies and
calls everyone that belongeth to the
lodge his brother God will condemn
such minister; is it right to call a
wording, an infidel, a Jew, brother.
Jesus said: 1.-THE sacred things belong
to God" mot to man !. Almost all young
men are spoiled by property given
them. Parents should never deed lands
to their sons. If a neighbor Injuries
you by word or deed never take any
notice of it or do any revenge back
again. Children should be taught at
home to be quiet in church and respect
full to older people. There are none so
deaf as the ones who will not hear.
''The secret of the Lord is with them
that fear him. One Rev. Mr.. John
son was being initiated in West Va,
into the Royal Arch Masons, the rope
failed some way, he fell - #, it caused
his death. He was an M. e. preacher.
This happened Jan. a., d., 1890. This
news in newspapers all over the coun-
try. The Cronin murder in Chicago,
May A. d., 1889, ought to keep Chris
tians out Of lodges. The Christian is
good enough without joining a lodge.
ssFor there is nothing hid which shall
not be manifested neither was there
anything kept secret but that it should
come Abroad A part Of the secret
societies exclude Christ. Christ will
exclude them in Heaven. If you want
to learn the secrets of the lodges send
for books to the National Christian
Association, 221 w. Madison street,
Ghesgo Save the So1 boy yh the BE boy is
eyes, clear brain, healthy body, pure
principles now and great promises of
future usefulness; but in danger of in
temperance and Secret Lodges. In the
presence OF 100000 grog shops no boy
in our nation is SAFE Your boy now
may be saved. Will you do all you can
by voting against the liquor traffic?
Annually in our q. S. there is more
than lost 5000, 100000 for drinks, $780,
OO0, 900 for tobacco, T,O0O,OOO for fash
ion, A. ID. 1883. All these wastes are
offensive to God (Bible).
This is the entire inscription on the
first side. The epitaph runs on over
the other three sides in much the same
manner, but it is too long to give more
than extracts. Chapter 2 starts out
with the assertion that:
Secrecy has become SO Important
that a witness can stand in court and
refuse to testify against his brother in
the same lodge. The Judge let him go
off, they are not stopped. If they are
not stopped they will soon take your
property to. run their lodges. Many
wars are started by running secret
lodges nights. Our American rebel
lioncoul not have been if our govern
1ncnt had not allowed secret meetings.