The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-08-24

/ sn1I1nnnA1
to leave unto us his body, Of which we
are about to dispose according TO our an
Client Knightly custom. But we are first
| OF al to hold Judgment on the knight
whose mortal remains now lie before US.
| It 10 midnight, and the grave is now
ready Our Brother has finished his earth
/ ~ probation. Let us look back upon his
! life and see how he has stood the test
| If any OF you, or any one who hears my
voice can accuse Of grave wrong this
knight now dead, let him stand forth and
| so declare.
| wallenstein: Venerable Grand Master.
I crave permission to speak. IT belongs
not unto man. but unto God, to Judge the
dead. He alone can, with justice, reward
and punish. He can alone look into the
soul, and know its most secret motives,
and at once see and know all. which from
! birth until death a man hath thought and
said and done. Therefore, Grand Master,
| II thou vert even thrice to call upon Us
to accuse our Brother, whose lips are now
| closed so that The can no longer answer
! for himself thou wouldst call in vain, for
we are all brethren in the bonds Of
| Knishthood and do reverence the dead.
| Mccall: 1t is my bounden duty again to
ask you, Brethren. We are free members
OF the Order of the Holy House OF the
Temple Of Solomon-speak II ye have
aught whereof TO accuse the Brother
whose body lieth here awaiting burial.
Since there is no answer, there can be no
| judgment. Does no man accuse the dead?
Here the knights on Bonded knees all
answer: God Is his Judge and ours!''
Mccall: Let the grave, then, be ready
to receive his body. Brethren who COM
mand in the West, hear and make answer.
When will God judge the dead?
| wallenstein: In His own food time
Mccall: Who will be the mans accuser3
Anderson: HIS conscience.
| AIcCall: Who his defender?
I wellenstein: No one.
Mccall: Who will give testimony against
him?
! Anderson: No one
Mccall: No one7
wallensteIn: God, Who VIII Judge.
knoweth all.
Mccall: Who then shall so uncon-
| demned?
Anderson: The mercy of God Is infinite,
as His justice Is. and He hath pity for
! the creatures He hath made imperfect,
/ frail and easily persuaded to go astray.
Mccall: THE Almighty God is tender
| love and plying compassion as well as
! Justice Therefore. my Brethren. let us
obey His laws. Prepare the body Of our
Brother for its last resting place
! At this stage, the body OF the deceased
knight was exposed to view, and found
tied with cords, with chaplet OF laurel
and vine leaves on his temples. and on the
heart a bunch OF violets and on the breast
a cross of gold sparkling with Jewels.
During this prepare ton most beautiful Sc
I lections OF music were rendered.
McCall: knights. serving in your re-
spective stations. give heed TO my COM
mands and make answer to my questions.
What sayeth unto us the chaplet of leaves
Of laurel and vine?
Fitch: That man lives for honor and
enjoyment.
Mccall: There are better things than
these TO live for in this world, and better
4 things await the good and the wise in a
better life, The laurel an dthe vine decay
and perish; honors fade like leaves; en-
ioyment bears little fruit except regrets.
Relieve the dead OF these vain distinctions
Mccall: What sayeth unto 10 the
sparkling cross?
Stuckey: That dignities and splendor
| are the great prizes Of life.
Mccall: How c0meth man into the
world?
! Pratt: Naked and poor.
Mccall: As we brought nothing Into the
world with US. II is certain that we can
f bos,s ind ell
the glo-ies OF our earthly state and lay
down all our dignities when we drop into
the grave Take from the dead the gilt
tering bauble for which he no longer cares.
MSCall: Why are his hands and feet
bound with cord?
Goldstandt: To show that in this life
man is the slave Of his habits and the
| bondnan OF circumstances.
Mccall: Death has ended that bondage
and freed our Brother from that servi-
tude. Remove the bonds.
- Mccall: Why do violets, 50 soon TO fade,
| lie upon his breast?
Fitch: They are a symbol OF purity and
affection: the Offering OF brotherly love to
one VINO deserved 10 De remembered and
whose death should make US sad and sor-
rowful.
Mccall: Do you know of truth that
our Brother in the coffin is dead and doth
not merely sleep?
Anderson: The flesh cleaveth not unto
i the bones. nor the skin unto the flesh
Verify our Brother is dead.
Then rang out three shary strokes on
| the iron Passion Cross By the iron ham
| mer. in the hands OF the Venerable Mas
! ter. Lead. Kindly Light By Buck, was
| then softly rendered by the quartet. Then
| followed the most touching features OF
| the service. Approa ching the insensate
body Of their FORMER companion and
brother, the leading officers In eloquent
language and feeling referred each 20 the
various lifeless senses and organs OF the
| clay before them The eyes which no
longer would view the shining nfe-giving
sunlight OF God: the cheek which never
again could feel ana enjoy the kiss OF
affection or the tender manifestations 81
love: the heart which had marked OF In