Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1901-02-12
TRIBUTE TO FATHER CAUTHORN.
Delivered by Professor j. B. Horner at the
Recent Masonic Reception.

Recent Masonic Reception.
Members of the order have
requested that we publish the
following beautiful tribute te
Father Cauthorn and the Ma.
sonic brotherhood, delivered by
Prof J. B. Horner upon the
occasion of the recent celebra-
ton of Mr.. Cauthorn's 5oth an.
niversary as Mason:
WoRsH1pFUL MASTER, VISIT.
ING FRIENDS AND BRETHREN:
We have met this evening as
neighbors, friends, and Masons,
for the purpose Of paying oul
hearty and heartfelt respects to
one of our number, and to cele-
brate an event somewhat extraor.
binary and of special interest to
our beloved brotherhood.
This event marks the close OF
a beautiful half-century member
ship in our order; and this mem.
bership is particularly priced as q
Masonic treasure by every broth
er. Probably Corvallis Lodge
enjoys the high honor of having
the only member who has grown
to bea semi-centenarian in the
order within the jurisdiction Of
Oregon; it is, therefore, given to
but a few to come into direct
touch with one whose long life
has been spent so largely under
the influence of the great lights
of Masonry. Hence, it is with
qualification and pardonable pride
that we point to the circumstance
which calls us together on this
occasion.
Fifty years ago, when America
was in the transitional period be-
tween the two great wars for the
enfranchisement of men-the rev.
o1ution and civil war-our dear
brother was found worthy by a
committee of three good men,
and the records show that he has
been found worthy ever since-a
very long period, indeed. Many
changes have taken placein these
decades. Inventions and discov-
cries have modified the views of
men and changed their pursuits;
the mighty have fallen; govern
ments have cru1nb1edto the earth,
and the worlds geography has
been made anew. In the moral
world, passions and prejudices
have warped the minds and rent
the hearts and shattered the dis
positions of men. Over and
across the lives of individuals
have swept the hot winds of de-
struction aHd death. But inscrib.
ed on the Masonic scroll we find
that the cardinal virtues OF. ou1
brothers. life have remained un.
changed; for the most immutable
thing on earth is the character o.
an upright man. He is today
what he was fifty years ago. only
taller and grander.. = The sun
bathed sky, the lovely land and
the boundless sea have been beau.
tiful, and the sun has come Out
like a king in his splendor; bu
there have been many storms il
that time. The winds have oft
en- blown fierce and hard, ane
the thunderbolt has torn away :
branch now and then; the food!
have swept forest and field; bu
the sturdy oak has uplifted itse1
amidst it all, and has stood four
score years and five. I wish i
might stand a hundred years
and there are many reasons TO
believing it may.
j A beautiful theme for contem
plation is a happy, contented
ripe old age-an old age tha
wears silver crown and is aglov
and agleam with sunshine. Gra,
hairs are honorable in the aged
They adorn the palace wher
dwells the mind, as strong ant
vigorous as in the years of youth
and give power and character t
the words of the patriarch. Wis
dom is honored by the utterance
of a charming old age. But
Brother Cauthorn, while you hav
lived the greater part of a cen
tury, you seem to us more lik
one in middle age. YOU hav
shown to us that age is not neces
sarily measured by years, an
that man Of forty may be a
I old as a septuagenarian. And b
your example you have prove
. to this lodge that it agrees we
! with a man to live out the prln
ciples of the order. Your hf
will, therefore, be a manuel fo
: many a brother. Hence, in tn
coming years weexpectyou to NEE
with us from time to time, an
give US your counsel, and hel
us in our onward journey. Bu
should you exchange worlds be
fore we, it will still be pleasar
! to speak of our mingling togethe1