The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1902-07-01

humanity. uhl lTicuusuip tubt puIs
to rout the hosts OF malice, and de-
stroys the hated tribes Of venom and
ill-will; with her beauteous sisters,
charity and benevolence, she marches
the ways Of life, bringing the flowers
OF goodwill and peace TO the suffering
and sorrowing, the Respondent discon-
solate. We read with high emotions
OF beautiful temple, builded upon the
queenly hills OF old
Jerusalem, q temple Of gorgeous mag
nificence, directed by divine command
for the worship OF omnipotence, Its
splendor and beauty entrance US, its
wonderful architecture, At this late
day, startle us, but we have . more
beautiful temple, erected by the tokens
Of Pythian fidelity and love, Its match
less beauty crowns the summit Of Pyth-
ianism; upon Its highest piRacle, waves
proudly to the breezes, q banner upon
whose ample folds are written In letters
of gold our glorious principles; within
its shining walls, bright sparkling
fountains peacefully murmer our songs
of brotherly love, within Its sacred
precincts, all well tried, true and trusted
knights may find the richest joy. Be-
fore the altar we gaze with enrsptured
vision upon Q picture, beautiful and
true, of our worthy exemplars, Damon
and Pythiss. With silent voices, our
minds return To Syracuse, and We be-
hold again re-enacted the greatest mel
odrama of friendship the world has
known; q friendship which rings
through the corridors Of time, like
the music OF peace. We look again
and see the face of Rathbone, the im-
mortal founder Of our Order, wreathed
in the chaplets Of brotherly love, he
whose name is forever written on the
hearts of humanity and upon the tablets
OF love and memory. We look again,
with eyes suffused with tears, and
see picture draped in black, Of
more pure and bold and just than ever
known on earth before, our own
gallant knight and noble brother,
William Mckinley, who was,
indeed, our noblest example Of sll that
is good, and pure and true IN Pythian-
ism, and, turning away, the bitter
memory Of his tragic death DER
whelms us. We find beautifully illus-
trated In his living, the highest graces
OF our order, and In the serenity Of bis
sublime death we are reminded OF the
calm with which the true knight may
one day pass the sentinel who dsres TO
challenge his entrance TO the Grand
Lodge above.
We behold In this villainous assassin,
malice, venom, hatred, anarchy, the
very children of darkness and she YER
table imps Of evil, we seek to rout and
destroy. We look toward his old home
at Canton, where long he dwelt In &C.
static Joy with the one whom he loved
better than his life, and this very hour
our brotherly sympathy extends its
hand filed with trophies OF purest love
70 his widow sitting In the shadows oi
her great sorrow.
No doubt some cloud has been dis
persed from her darkened life by the
sunshine of Pythian love, and 1t Ii both
right and proper, that, while We COM
memorate here today the lives oi
these, our departed brothers, We gar.
land the wreath Of our affection around
his precious memory.
AS we are awakened by these tendel
recollections to acts Of Pythian love and
duty, let us be thankful, let US rejoice
that over there upon the proud hill:
Overlooking the beautiful city ol
Springfield stands noble monument ol
Pythian charity. And while We ART
attracted by the magnificence Of the
bnilding, yet far more attractive are
the precious jewels within their pro
tecting walls, the wards of our benevo
lence. the objects of our love. The
wives OF the members Of our brother
hood, the mothers of our children viii
bless the happy thought that prompted
this superstructure. May the ligh'
from the little faces there, brighter
saddened hearts about TO pusf
the frail bark Of life out on tn,
silent sea of eternity and may they FIND
sweetest consolation In this, that theil
loved children will find peace JOY ant
plenty within the sacred precincts o
Pythisn Home, and with this though
I close, and let 1t cheer US as we, too
move quickly on toward that "bourn'
whence no traveller returns" let u
kneel with fervent hearts at our sacre'
altars and renew our sacred VOWS b
our beloved and noble order.