The daily morning journal and courier., 1894-09-20
MIR. AsHMUH's 0RATION'

Composed and Delivered by D. Ashmun'
 sas Howard Avenue. at Harmonic haii' S New Haven, August ss, 1894, at the y Twenty Fifty Anniversary of Moses Mem " deissohn Lodge-is6V-isea' .n,. When friends from friends are doomed
 to part, . Sad teardrops nil the eye. Yet gloomier, sadder. feels the heart . To say the word Good bye But sunshine, sorrow quick erases' And joy replaces pain
 When friends In welcomes sweet em-
 braces
 Respond: We meet again!
 Worthy Officers of the Grand Lodge
 and Sister Lodges: Officers and
 Brothers of Moses Mendelssohn Lodge:
 As look about me and see so many ladies and gentlemen In their festive attire assembled here, tables set for feast, sweet music in the air and beau- tiful palms and flowers all about me, the golden mirror with its bright shin ing lights before me, ask myself the question: What is all this about?
 The answer quickly comes back to me: This Is holy day, a day of re- joicing, day of thanksgiving and praise. It Is the twenty-fifth anniver- sary day of Moses Mendelssohn Lodge No. 16, K. S. B. To explain to you the importance of this, to us, great day, l fear, alas. Is beyond my power to do Twenty-Five years ago you, who wear the blue badge on your lapel as the signia of being a charter member, you stood then with us by the cradle Of newly born, a newly initiated lodge. You gave 1t the name Moses Mendels- sohn," a name of one for whose mem ory bow fin reverence: name which not only every Israelite is proud of, but a name which the enlightened world honofs and remembers in love and esteem.
 AS I glance from member to mem- Der am pleased to see so many of you present; yet shadow of sorrow passes my minds eye as I look for some who once belonged to our ranks, alas, are now absent Members who then stood with us. with joyous faces, to cele- brate the birth of Moses Mendelssohn Lodge, are no longer with us. l also notice that the finger of swift-fying time has left dts unmistakable mark upon you-upon me.
 Those,who entered our ranks then in the very spring-time of their man. hood are beginning to show the signs of the frosty autumn. Those who were then in the. vigor of manhood are now entering upon the winter season of their lives, with the snow-f1akes thickly gath ering upon their brow. And those who were then approaching the twilight hours of their existence have since left us. They have broken away from our brotherhood chain and joined the army of everlasting peace. whose en- campment ground is there where the bright twinkling stars are the senti- pels to watch over us and, to, light us on, our way as we rapidly journey to- wards them. ..,
 It <. appears to me right here not to be out of place to request you ladies and gentlemen to pay me kindly your strictest attention to a picture which I allow myself to bring to your rnind's eye. I see before me a golden ladder, whose lower end touches this very floor, and whose upper end, fastened with golden cords, reaches the very gates of heaven: I count nine- teen golden steps thereen. On every step I notice, the form and figure, once brother, silently descending thiS lad- der towards. us, and joining us this very eve on this, our twenty-fifth an- niversary festival. T
 If friends or relatives come to visit us, whom we have not seen for years, who have been absent for a long time and come from great distance, how over-joyed and glad we are to meet them again. With what fervent clasp of hand we, welcome them to our midst. (Music.) .es,. .<. ,,ys ssg
 Then rise, brothers, rise, sone ana all, and let the importance of this mo- ment inspire us with the most devout feelings of welcome to nineteen broth CTS who have been absent and who have united with us in spirit on this, our twenty-fifth anniversary, our sil- yer wedding day. Nineteen voices seem to sing,
 Nineteen brothers greeting bring, Nineteen voices seem to say,
 Hail! to your anniversary day. From above, the land of stars,
 From a heavenly sphere above, Golden portals stand ajar.)
 Nineteen brothers bring their love; Nineteen brothers in their shrouds
 Come to us from wonder clouds. Nineteen brothers wrapped in white
 Smile from these Menva lights Joyfully bring us their greeting
 To this happy, brotherly meeting.
 The password of said army, from whence these brothers come is. All men are brothers! Regardless of creed. Regardless of nationality. Regardless of color: The Odd Fellow; the Mason and the Kosher; the Jew, the Catholic and Protestant; the white and the black man. All! All have the same pass word. All! all enjoy the same privi- leges and rights. All! all are children of one and the same God. We on this earth should hasten to emulate this, their noble teachings.
 You may perhaps ask me right here: What has Moses Mendelssohn Lodge done to lay claim to any recognition? You scarcely ever hear its name men tioned.
 | will answer you thus:
 L- Q~.f. 1-