Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1900-06-01
BURIAL OF P. BERAN.
EAGLES ARE SOMETHING MORE
THAN JOLLY GOOD FELLOWS.

Past worthy President vance Remarks on
that Occasion.
Tie funeral rites OF Peter Beran,
deceased member of the Fraternal Or
der OF Eagles, which took place at their
A.ric in Columbia Hall, on Friday,
the 18th ult., need no cncomium from
those who witnessed the many evi
dcncc, ul respect ior Il departed broth
or despite the stormy weather, to I'M
press it upon the memory.
Mr.. Beran was, until lie joined the
order, literally "a stranger amid ,iran-
gers" He was an alien by birth, and
the nearest and only relative he WAS
| known to have, was "A sister in Canada.
He possessed retiring disposition,
and it was not, therefore, till he had
joined the order tina: the good points
of his nature became generally known
to his companions. 1t was soon found
that he was the embodiment Of honor
and the possessor OF generous dispo-
sition. These at once ingratiated him
into the affections of an order founded
upon the promptings of fraternity.
When he became sick he was cared
for like Il natural brother. No effort
WAS spared to restore him to health,
AMI, when it became evident that
Death was near, to smooth his path
way to the grave. And when the sum-
mons came he was not alone, and "A
band of devoted brothers followed his
body to its last resting place.
The attendance of members aud 9th
ers both at the Aerie and the grave
was large, and the funeral procession,
headed by the band, was one of the
finest that ever crossed over the hill to
the city of the dead. The floral offer
ings were profuSe, for the time OF the
year, and no detail was forgotten or
neglected to make the demonstration
a true reflex of the principles of the
order: aid and protection in life and
tear to the memory of the departed.
The demonstration was an honor to
the living as we'll as token of respect
for the dead. 1t showed the existence
of that touch of human nature which
makes the world akin. 1t made evil
dent that there are well-springs of no.
bllity in the human heart which re-
quire only the impulse and direction
given by organization to make them
currents of JOY and happiness and to
call forth the glorious flush of con-
tentment that results from the con-
seriousness of well doing.
After the Aerie had been called to
order, Tuesday afternoon, by President
Israel, and the beautiful and impress
sive services of the order were in prog
ress, Past President Thomas Z. Vance
stepped forward and made the follow
ing appropriate remarks:
My BROTHERS:
1t has been deputed to me to say
few words to you us to our brother
who is no longer with us, and desire
to say before approaching the matter
which it is my duty to speak of, that
we are in no sense, as you well know,
a religious order. The vows we take
when we join the order prevent any
thing like religious or sectarian rivalry
or movement among us.
There are certain great truths, how.
ever, that all men, regardless of sect
or religious belief agree upon, and one
of these is the desire of all men to
solve the compound mystery OF life,
death and creation. All of us specu-
late and ponder upon this great ques-
ton which is beyond our solution. l
have been often struck with the fea-
ture OF gloom occurring frequently on
occasions and attending ceremonies Of
this kind. confess, my brothers,
that | have never been able to see
that this should be an occasion Tor
gloom. No matter what our religious
beliefs are, we all believe in the one
fundamental idea of an all-merciful
God and Father, and rather than to
accept the departure of brother from
amongst us as matter Of mourning,
] believe that his friends, in the belief
that an Almighty God is a merciful
God, that he is a Father to his child.
rem, should recognize that the one who
has left us has lifted the veil that we
are attempting to lift during all our
lives. Why should we mourn for him9
The expanse of Eternity is open to his
gaze. Those matters that have been
sealed books since the appearance OF
the first man on the face of the globe
and to all his descendants, are to him
an open page, that all may read. Since
the morning stars sang together man
has been attempting to solve the ques-
ton of his future; that question has
been solved by our brother here.
Should we mourn for him? He has
come into his Observation-Disclosures
he trcads with free and easy step the
golden pavements portrayed in St.
Johns apocalyptic vision, do not
know; but l do know this, and you
know this: That in this life he has
done his part and 10 man who can
face his Maker knowing that he has
done his part according to his human
nature, need face him in fear.
, Some of you knew him better than
, l did, and no one who knew him has
anything to say except that he was a
square, honest man. This is lesson
to us, and tell you that it is the fun
damental religion and it is in contra
diction with the beliefs of no religion.
The fundamental is, as expressed, Il
believe, by Pope)
Honor and shame from no condition rise,
, Act well your part-there all the honor lies
And repeat that any man, taking his
; way through this vale which at its
, best is one of mixed experiences, who
, can say when he folds the canopy of
his last couch about him that he has
, done we'll according to his nature,
; that he has tried to treat his fellow
man fairly, that he has tried to do his
duty as it may have appeared to him
at the time, will not face frOwning