The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-06-25

4
utensils, their fields neglected and grown
up, often without seed to plant-they adj
: dressed themselves to the duties of pro-
! viding for their families without a muir
! mur. Frequently an OK or an old war
! horse, was their only resource. All were
poor alike But the soil was generous,
the climate was mild, and they were
used to hardshlps They made their
struggle, and today you know that it
was successful.
| OF the provision in part made for them
| | Will recount the efforts put forth by
| bi@-heartcd philanthropist who came
to their aid. There is Il legend of st.
| Brindan. that as he journey North ne
| saw Il man sitting Oh an iceberg, and
| was Mortified to find it was Judas lSca-
riot. Judas told him at Christmas time
! an angel descended into the burning lake,
| touched his arm, and told him for an
| hour to cool himself upon AN iceberg in
! the Arctic sea. And when he inquired
| the cause of his mercy, the angel replied
once he was a leper. and i'll the streets
of Jappa he had given him a cloak to
| shelter from the weather. And for this
one good deed this act of mercy was
shown him.
| Let us accept the legcnd for the moral
! il teaches. The good deeds done i'll this
life, however seemingly insignificant,
have their reward. \ cup of water to
| the wounded upon the battlefield. a
brush to shield the glazing eyes of
soldier from the sun, slight consideration
shown TO prisoners when taken amidst
the hot conflict of the battle, always
bring the sweetest memories and lead TO
closest Friendships after the war is over.
And now let us talk about Il man of
peace. How many kind deeds gather to
is pleasing duty to me to place spriS
of myrtle in loving memory upon his
grave Figuratively, j. II. Mills was a
rough ASHER, taken from the quarry,
and though for Il season lost amidst the
rubbish of the temple, i'll the end he be-
came the keystone of the arch that
spans this noble Masonic orphan char
ity. His life was an eXempliticatlon of
what speculative Masonry was designed
to be-good works For it has been tru-
ly said, kind hearts are more than
coronets, and simple faith than Norman
blood
The deceased was of large mould,
rough exterior. strong will and big heart,
and ever faithful in the pursuit of the
right rs understood by him. The cry of
distress ever found in him il sympathetic
heart. and the poor and distressed a
friend and benefactor. In AN age OF
grasping monopoly and mamnon wor-
ship it is pleasing to contemplate Il char
acter so unseliiSh, so self-abnegating,
and so true and philanthropic as that
Of Mr.. Mills. My attention was first
,Li In
the war; Proclainning the doctrines OF
salvation to those who seldom. if ever,
entered IA church. he, instead of settling
in the midst of comfortable surroundings,
fixed his abode and little printing press
among the slums of our capital, ANA
there by precept, example aud daily con
tact. brought many who were i'll dark
ness to embrace the light of a higher
life. Yet he was too aboumding in good
works too broad in his charities to con-
tinue for long to occupy SO circumscribed
Il field.
According to her population North
Carolina during the war had equipped
and sent to the front more lnen than any
other State. Her soldiers were true,
steadfast and brave and more of them
went down amidst the mrelenting car
nival of death than those of any other
State. The great majority of her sold
iers were small farmers with limited
means. and their property, if not de-
stroyed during the war. was insufficient
for the support of their families. The
death of the father was frequently fol-
lowed by that of the mother. and thus
many children in their tender years We're
left tlonbly orphaned \ protracted war
nt Ia InnI
the finer sensihilitieS of our nature
Therefore many Of these orphans found
shelter. but not homes. in the abodes
of poverty, and even negro novels. where
they were mere drudges, without affec
tion. Badly clad, poorly fed. they soon
bore upon their persons marks of cruel
treatment. Here was Il broad field for
the work Of charity. The eyes of the
Northern Phi!anthropist towards whose
doors the devastation of war had never
approached. had naturally learned TO
,Gok upon TIE "colOred man and brother
as the ou.caSt and downtrodden, ana
their sympathies went out to him.
From whence. then. was relief to come?
Even many of the hitherto more prosper
ouS OF our people were without mOn2y
and of crippled resources. But deliver
er was raised rp III our midst. NJ.
Mills. he sides being Il Christian. was Il
Master Mason and charity in its broad
est and most genuine sense is the Cor
inthian Iili;.r" Of the order. ST Johns
College was uhCcclpled and here was
Mr. Mills opportunity: He went be-
fore the Grand Lodge and in the name
of blessed charity requested its use for
the WORK he was about TO undertake. |
The appeal was strong one to true Ma |
sons, and though there was opposition,
and soma douhting Ihomases, all oppo-
Sition was brushed aside. and refusing
even the suggestion of Il salary. with Il |
few hundred dollars. he, with the assist |
ance OF members of the Blue Lodges. |
commenced gathering these little waits |,
together.
1t was Il curious and pathetic sight 20
see this rough man. simply clad. with lit |
tie groups of orphaned boys and girls. |
sacks of tiuor, hams Of meat. a few po !
tatoes. and cast.otf garments plodding
their way toward Oxford The people. |,
ever responsive to deeds of charity. soon |
recognized in him one of Gods noblemen. |
and aided and sustained him. No part |
OF the State responded more generously |