The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1896-07-04
pYrHrAN DECORATION DAY.

niOffto VI uCCotatbS thC Sio'So "
their departed brethren. From their
Castle Hall they marched in body 10
the cemetery, where considerable
gathering of ladies and gentlemen
were awaiting them. The ceremonies
were preceded by all address by Mr..
S. Il. Kennedy, after which each Pyth-
ian grave was decorated with a wreath
ard triangle laid at the mead and
| the foot respectively. On the triangle
we're the letters +. c. B., representing
Friendship, Charity, and Benevolence.
Over each grave the Chancellor Com
mander made a few remarks, which
were responded to by another men,
Der of the Lodge in some appropriate
senteuce. Others who have relative 8
buried in the Cemetery participated
by decorating their graves; and
altogether the entire ceremonies were
quite affecting. Mr. Kennedy spoke
as follows:
Death reigns supreme! Each mo-
ment at his call some soul immortal
speeds its flight across the trackless
realms of space, and stands before the
awful throne of the Great Judge, at
whose tribunal we all must stand in
judgment.
The world is full of death. Gods
wide and varied creation is but a
series of life aud death, and all through
Natures beautiful handiwork these
twin companions 60 hand in hand
adown the highway of time. See all
creation wears her garb of green.
How bright.a and sparkling appears old
mother earth, as she comes rejoicing in
the golden sun of summer, yielding
her honied fragrance in grateful
profusiop, and blushing as bride in
the full flush of beauty. Out from
her gentle bosom springs the tree, the
leaf, the flower. The clinging vine is
clad in yerdure now, while from his
quivering branch The sweet voiced
warbler is chanting bis song of praise
10 the Maker of the universe.
But all this pleasing picture of bud
ding life must die. We gaze with
rapture on the fair face of the world,
her birds. her foliage, her flowers; but
anon will come the rude blast OF
winter, when all her silvery sheen and
varied hnes will wither at his touch.
aud the Ice Kings frosty hand will be
laid upon her cold and lifeless bosom.
Nature in all her departments lives
and dies. The seasons come and go,
and with them all that combine to
make them what they are. And even
man must dic-ho for whom the mys-
ferries o: earth, air and sea were or
dained-even he must die.
Leaves have their time to fall
And flowers to wither in the North winds
breath,
But all-thou hast thy seasons no death!'
In keeping with their annual GUS
tom, Providence Lodge, knights of
Pythias, has met here again tor the
purpose of decorating the graves of
our departed dead. 1t is custom
that symbolizes our brotherly feeling
to our dead, custom that draws us
closer together, and even at the grave
weaves around our hearts that chain
of fraternal love, whose links are gold
en-, whose fetIers are light, whose hold
is lasting.
Here at the grave we lay aside the
bickeriug cares of life; here in the
silent city we walk down its lifeless
streets. and the heart becomes changed,
the storms of passion cease, the waves
of trouble settle down, some sweet and
soft nepenthe creeps over our being,
and by degrees we drink the cup of
peace, which instils into our bosoms
the quietude and serenity of the tomb,
whose dismal portal is but the gate
way of eternity.
Our noble order is founded upon a
story that has been the theme of mill
ions for ages, the story of Damon and
Pythias.
The tyrantDionysius had condemned
Damon 10 die and had given him but
few short hours to live. Pythias,
his friend, offered himself as a hostage
until Damon could see his family and
bid them farewell. Mounted on a
swift steed, Damon flies TO his home
and little ones. The last fond embrace
is given, the last kiss is impressed upon
the lips of his wife and children, and
he turns to hurry back, when he finds
that his faithful slave, TO cave his mas
ter's life, had slain his steed. In the
meantime the dread hour approaches
and Pythias is led out TO be executed
in his friends stead. Does he falter !?
No! Does he murmer? No! But
with his face radiant with smiles, he
exclaims: otis sweet to die for those
we love-" AT the last moment Damon
PUSHES through the crowd, ascends the
scaffold and Pythias is saved.
Here upon this rock have we found
ed our order, the rock of eternal
friendship. What though the tie of kind
red be wanting? The tie of friead-
ship remains. And here upon this
rock let us leave il; She rock whose
foundation is eternity, whose strength
is as enduring as the heaSeus.
Centuries have passed away, and
time has strewn his wreckage along
this bank aud shoal of human exis.
tence but out from the ruins OF
antiquity, out from its rise and fall, its
decay and oblivion, the adamantine
rock of brotherly love and friendship