Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1897-06-25
Croquet sets at Vallee Brothers.



Last Sunday was observed by Essex
Lodge as Memorial Day. About so OF
the brethren met at the lodge room at
the appointed hour and proceeded thence
to the cemetery to decorate the graves of
brothers gone before" This duty WAS
committed to the past grands, each being
furnished with two wreaths and bou-
quets. At the cemetery a circle was
formed to carry out the preliminary SER
vice, after which the brethren marched to
such graves as were to be decorated, ten
in all; at each grave the secretary gave
the name and date of the brother S death,
and as the respective past grands detailed
to decorate the graves performed their
office each delivered a sentiment BETTING
the occasion. As Bro. Dale's grave was
decorated it was recalled that the day
was the fifth anniversary of the shocking
accident by which he was so suddenly
launched into eternty.) The concluding
exercises were then proceeded with, and
at the close the brethren marched to the
Congregational Church for divine SER
vice After the customary exercises. the
pastor, Rev. c. o. Grieshaber, announced
as his text the words found in Hebrews
IL, 13. These all died in faith, not hav-
ing received the promises, but having
seen them afar off, and were persuaded OF
them, and embraced them, and confessed
that they were strangers and pilgrims
on the earth" 1t was an earnest and
helpful discourse, relevant to the occasion,
and deeply interested all present. The
speaker said in part: As civilization ad-
vances, and the edifces, institutions and
habitationS of men become more perma-
nent, the preachers voice needs often to
be lifted in warning. Life is not certain;
present conditions are not stable" and
to impress these lessons the preacher has
no better ally than the teachings of Odd
Fellowship. Both derive their sugges-
tions from the same source; both use the
same emblems, the coffin, the hour glass,
the scy:he, the patrarch's tent, the pill
grim's scrip, sandals and staff. The old
time membership of those whose memory
we would honor today testifies still of
the existence of ideals of Friendship, Love
and Truth. The lodge room teachings
strene thened those early ideals by keep
ing ever before them the ideal Friendship
of David and Jonathan; the ideal Love
of the Good Samaritan, and the ideal
source of Truth, the open Bible. The
longer one lives to learn the more does
he begin to realize the limitations placed
upon human friendship, love and knowl-
edge, but also the more does he view
these desirable ideals in the distance and
longs to embrace them and make them
his very own. AS old age comes on many
a man feels the desire that when he is on
earth no more his friends will still re-
member and love him. If there has been
that in his life which will cause them to
linger on his memory with grateful
thoughts his life has not been all profit
less. Although his works and labors OF
love may be all unknown to the great
world, even though upon the slab that
marks his last resting place is cut the
single word unknown he lives in some
ones grateful memory, and better is that
slab of pine than many massive monu-
ment of selishness.
The sermon was listened to with evil
dent interest, manifested by the close at
tention shown, and we hope that the
lessons the speaker so earnestly sought
to impress upon the order may by all
connected Herewith be taken deeply to
heart. The music by the choir of the
Church was very nice and appropriate,
and was much enjoyed.