The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-08-25

life and the beautiful alteration and seal
chivaIrous. ever-present effectiveness To-
MS bride OF the years.
After the close Of the Templar-pastcT's
splendid remarks the Guard Commandery
assumed charge and the grand officers In
attendance. assisted by members Of the
local comn1andery, died into the room and
with machine-like precision took their
places on either side Of the bier. with
Grand Commander Hays at the head and
Grsnd PFelate Watkins at the foot, ac-
cording to the ancient regulations. With
drawn swords, the east and west clicked
steel over the coffin, forming an arch
with their sabres, while the commander
read the impressive opening ceremony. re-
sponded to by the Eminent Prelate. Then
the swords were sheathed and the rest
of the liturgy was rendered by all the
knights together. Then the subordinate
officers retired to their positions at the
outside and the lid was removed from the
face Of the dead to allow the multitude
to take a farewell gaze at the face they
knew so wen. The Grand Commander and
the Grand Prelate retained their positions
respectively at the head and the foot of
long line OF all classes of society and
all degrees Of the social scale. the opulent
and the poor, those In authority and those
ostracised from the inner circle. all were
extended the same privilege and slowly
they all filed past. each stopping for
moment and with knit brows and strained
eyes, took the last look into that ashen
face which. in spite of its marks Of death.
stih seemed to kindly smile up to them
In sympathetic recognition. One little
boy was with his father in the line and
being too small in stature to see over
the edge Of the coffin, turned with such
a pitfful, appealing look into his fathers
face that the whole line halted as his
father bent over and lifted the little son
in his arms and held him so he, too. could
see those features which he knew so well,
for they had often smiled down upon him
and often laughingly encouraged him in
youthful ambitions, for Charlie Jones
never forgot the young or the aged. the
high or the low. After this, the casket
was quickly closed for the last time. The
spirit had already fed and the clay cared
not for the rest, since "some one had broke
ope' the Lords annointed Temple, and
stole thence the life o. the building"
Then the cortege resumed its formation
of march but was augmented In numbers
by many vehicles which had come up from
the city since the ceremonies. During the
house ceremonies the mixed quartet which
has so often assisted in Masonic lodges
of sorrow, rendered sweet and plaistive
music In order. they were, "Abide With
Me-" LEAD. Kindly Light" ''We'l Never
Say Goodbye in Heaven" and Nearer
My God to Thee" so dear and close to
every Master Mason's heart, and which
Brother Jones, in his rich baritone voice,
has so often led as the solemn ceremonies
of the second section of the third degree
were being exemplified.
At Fourth avenue the fire department
left the line of parade and returned to the
city. East on Oak street at Cleveland
avenue a line OF open cabs were waiting,
and at this point the entire command OF
knights Templar were taken in. including
the platoon of guard Of honor which had
been marching in company front eight
strong just behind the hearse. The pa
troll wagon was also in waiting to take
the police and detective force. Here the
several foot Masonic bodies and others
countermarched under direction of Sir
knight Fitch and returned to the city.
At the Maple Grove receiving vault the
Commandery lined directly In front of
the entrance at present swords, with
uncovered heads. Then Sanford's band
PLAYED soft and low Nearer My God to
Thee" The one lonely mourner. that Is,
relative mourner since all the host pres
ent were sorrowful mourners, was escort
ed to the entrance, which was literally
covered with a wilderness of lovely flow
ers, and in a few words Grand Com
mander Hays closed the duties and serv-
ices forever which it was possible for
Kansas Templars to render their deceas-
ed frater. He said simply that this vault
was not the last resting place Of their
brother. but only the temporary abode
until a later date. when another body OF
Masons who years ago knew him first
would settle his lifeless remains beneath
the clods Of the valley.
Rev. w. B. Slutz then pronounced the
benediction, and all was over. The worthy
dead had been worthily administered
unto and in fitting and magnificent man.
ner had been extended all the most ex-
allied and distinguished honors known in
the beautiful and exhaustive systems Of
world wide Masonry.
Following is the address Of DR.. and Sir
knight w. B. Slutz at the residence:
"There is nothing more difficult than to
heal a sorrow with words. Vain. indeed,
have been the attempts to solace those
bereft, with expressions Of cheer. Unbld-
den and bitter the tears flow on. The
heart refuses to be comforted and sorrow
fills the breast But when we pause and
reflect a moment and look beyond and
above ali that human sympathy can offer,
we find Infinite Love speaking in Ian
guage too deep for utterance. Here Is
comfort for every bereavement; a dis
penser OF peace to every soul; a friend to
the disconsolate. ] am glad that God
has so provided that "earth hath no sor-
row that Heaven can not heal" Hence,
the meditative mind will not cling alone
to the consolation OF friends, or to the
vain and empty words OF comfort, but in
the sad hour Of grief. will trust in the
living God. Our Father well knew the
heart was in need of comfort when rob-
bed of the object of its tenderest affec-
ton and would not be comforted by hui
man hands or human lips, and. in the
greatness of His wisdom He provides a
way whereby the troubled heart may find
peace. Unlike the ministratons Of hui
man hands, prompted by human skill.
comes this heaven-born. soul-comforting.
abiding presence and dispels the sadness
and gloom and bids the light OF hope
shine in. and whispers, Peace. be still