Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1900-12-13
MEMORIAL Resolutions.

To the worshipful master, wardens anc
brethren OF Rising Sun lodge, No. 7, r.
81 A. Mi
Thoughtlessly we often use the express
sion "Tne good die young.n Now and
then good old man Is summoned hence
and we are reminded that death is no re-
| specter OF persons.
Ii is often said that death is the great
enemy OF the human race but under GER
tain circumstances this is not true.
When the young, vigorous, ambitious
and hopeful are stricken down we stand
shocked as IL before some unfinished
painting or statue, where ~ the working
tools" have fallen from the nerveless grasp
OF some great artist, like him OF whose
untimely death we are reminded by athe
broken column" But when the task is
finished, when LIES work is done, and
well done, and We are simply awaiting
the inevitabl end, death is oftentimes a
friend. 80 death came TO our venerable
brother, James p. Cleveland, who was
born In Bethel, VT, March goth, 1903, and
who died at his home in Randolph, VT,
Sept. 14th, 1900. He quietly, peacefully
fell asleep and slept "the sleep that knows
no waking here Oh earth"
He retained bis memory and mental
powers in a remarkable degree 20 the very
last He seemed like SONS venerable
patriarch who had come down from a
former age.
When he was born Washington had
been dead but three years. He was %
years old when Jefferson and Adams died.
He had been a Mason and member OF
Rising Sun lodge two years when the An.
ti-Masonic Morgan excitement broke out.
he sat In this lodge on the occasion when
rising and ambitious young politician,
who was then a member OF the lodge and
who later became prominent In national
politics, made motion to surrender the
lodge charter: and he was one of the hon.
orable number who, preferring principle
to policy, rejected the proposition with
indignation and scorn and promptly voted
the motion down. Those were "the times
that tried mems souls"
Rising Sun lodge was one OF the few
lodges in the state of Vermont which did
not surrender its charter; and the grand
old man and brother " hose memory we
now revere was one(and he was the last
one) OF the faithful few who met "On the
high hill or in low dale" and kept alive
the Masonic fire on our altar through the
wild tempest OF fanaticism which swept |
over our land like moral pestilance dur |
ing the years OF 1925 10 1875. Honor to |
their memory Peace to their ashes
Our venerable brother first saw Masonic |
light In Rising Sun lodge in 1924 and |
remained a member of this lodge from |
that time 10 the DAY OF his death, more /
than rs years. He was exalted to the |
degree of the Royal Arch in Whitney /
Chapter, received the Cryptic degrees ia |
Haswell Council and was created Knight 4
remplar in Vermont "Encampment" las 4
the Commsndery was then calledD sill, We
believe, in the same year. At the time OF
his death he was said to he the oldest
knight Tenn plar in the world.
He never lost his interest in any OF
these bodies. When more than 80 years
old he held Office in both Chapter and
Council and performed his duties with
grace and ability. He lived and
died, honored and beloved, as he so well
to be, By all his brethren.
He was buried with Masonic donors, by
Rising Son lodge, Mount Zion Com
of knights Templar as escort, at
Randolph, VT, on September IL, 1900.
About IFS Mssonic brothers joined in the
procession, among them being the NJ. w.
Grand Master and several other grand
lodge officers.
RESOLVED That, in the long and
faithful life OF our brother, In bis unfeign-
ID piety to his God and his infiexible
idtlity to his trust, we recognize an
Example worthy our imitation.
REsoLvED:-That,w while we mourn and
ieplore his loss, we emulate his example
md the designs which he laid down on
he trestle- board OF his life.
Resolved That as a token of respect
or his memory, the altar OF Rising Sun
odge be draped in mourning for a
uitable period.
REsoLvED:-That Rising Star lodge
hereby tenders to his family fraternal
and coincidence.
REsoLvRD:-Thata copy OF this memo.
ial and these resolutions he spread upon,
nj made part OF, the records of Rising
Iun lodge; that a copy bearing the lodge
cal be forwarded to the family OF the
deceased, and that copies be furnished to
he press for publication.
Fraternally submitted,
DR.. Il. j. FISH,
MARX j. SARGENT,
Committee.