The leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1895-1905, 1899-06-07
UNWILLING CEREMONIES.


Brookhaven Camp No. o, Woodmen
of the World, assisted by the Camps of
Bogue Chitto and Wessou, on Sunday
evening, May %, at the Smith family
cemetery, unveiled the monument
erected by the order of Woodmen, to
the memory of the late Isaac G. Smith.
The beautiful and impressive cere-
mony was witnessed by large con-
course of friends and relatives of the
deceased.
Prof. G. L. Teat was orator for the
occasion, Mrs. Jennie ID. Chrisman con.
Quoted the music, Miss Mary Hoskins
recited with eloquence and pathos the
beautiful poem, 'Oh, why should the
spirit of mortal be proudY"
In paying this tribute to the memory
of our deceased Sovereign we may
we'll say that every nation and every
cline have taken pride in honoring the
memory of their worthy dead. The
Hero, the Statesman, and Poet, have
had their praises sungin song and story;
have had erected to their memories
shafts of purest marble, extolling their
acts and deeds, and although our de-
ceased sovereign had his sphere in the
humber walks of life, yet to those who
knew him best, his example was as a
shining light, pointing ever upward
and onward to higher and nobler
manhood. When the storm of adver-
sity seemed to break over his head,
with that integrity so characteristic of
the man, without subterfuge or eva
sion, in a straightforward, manly way
he met the issue, and proved with an
unselfish devotion to duty that he had
grown to the full stature of citizen, a
gen tleman, and a Christian. Idolized
bv loving wife and devoted chill
dren, taken suddenly from their
mids in the very prime Of mature man.
hood words are inadequate to express
what n, ust have been their sorrow and
grief. illumined only by the reflection
that his works were pure, his ways
were right, and that the reward of the
faithful are his.
As churchman he ever stood in
the front rank of those who are devo-
ted 70 the teachings of the Savior. He
was NOT. we are happy to say, one of
that nnmber, who wrapping his man
tje abont him will say that can and
will stand alone, that will neither in
fiuence nor be influenced by my sur
hut knowing, as he did that |
ss;t ;s NOT ali of life to live, nor all of |
death to die, she sought by precept |
and axamnle to show much more is to
ha oained not alone in this life, but in |
the life to come, by acts of charity |
and Christian humility
than there is in sordid selfishness. or |
conduct of which MS Ieiiow man could |
be no sharer.
AS member of Brookhaven Camp |
No. 9, Woodmen of the World, he |
stood in the estimation of his asso-
ciates as type of true manhood,
as one, who, in every relation of |
life, was ready and willing to do
his part.
And now having come to the end of
life's lane, we pay this our last sad
tribute to the memory of our deceased
friend and sovereign, Isaac c. Smith.
With the broad canopy of heaven for
his sentinel, mother earth for his man.
tie, the sparkling dew drops for our
tears, we leave him till. the judgment
day with that great and allwise Being
who alone is able to create and to de-
stroy.
In leaving the dead, let us ever re-
member the living; that those depend
ent ones, who are so sadly be ereaved,
are now bound to us by one of the
strongest ties which man can know, by
reaching out with an invisible hand, to
the fraternal spirit of our noble order.
That touch will ever remind us of our
sacred duty, a duty which no true
Sovereign of Woodcraft can ever afford
to evade, that the widows and orpans
of our deceased Sovereign must be the
objects of our kindest care and con-
sideration.
And now having performed the last
duty we can in memory of our friend
and comrade, we depart, trusting that
when we shall be called into the
presence of the Great Judge who doeth
all things we'll. we may have happy
meeting with our departed brother in
that land of fairest promise.
S. p. OLIVER.