The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1902-10-14
WELCOME ADDRESS.
Silver Lake. August 2S. 1902.

SOciates, frlenus. by u scrtcS VI ch-
cumstances 1t becomes my duty to bid
you welcome TO this our first coming
together for many years. Friends all,
/ bid you welcome, Q hearty. happy
welcome.
There are those OF us who might have
more fittingly from this place greeted
you, yet for varied reasons, It has
seemed to be my duty, doing my best,
to but half fill the place. A most
gracious duty, so far as expressions Of
kindly greetings are concerned, an un-
desired duty II stop to compare my
fitness with that of those of you SO
much abler than myself. As 1t 10 l
seem to have no choice, but must sub
init to stand In this place Of eminence
as Q speaker, instead Of sitting happy
listener on the broader platform before
me.
Through my lips must fiow the gra-
cious words which bid you welcome 70
the joys of this suspicious day. which
brings us all together. surrounding the
beautiful, clear, pure. sparkling water
of this most beautiful spot, Silver Lake,
of Gods expansive acreage, ~ one
most happy company. Indeed, I bid
you welcome.
May this festal day be to one and all
of US a most joyous occasion; though the
burrows Of past years have plowed their
course about our brows; though the
silvered hairs tell Of times relentless
hand; though sorrows unlocked for,
unhoped for, have broken and ssddened
our hearts; though we may have
Iquafed the bitter cup OF misfortune;
though the death angel In his visits
may have plucked the spirit and JOY
from our life; still, let us this day en-
ter into that grand forgetfulness Of al
the pains and sadness, griefs and heart
aches that may have come 70 us With
advancing years, only remembering
those things Of Joy and glsdness- Let
our hearts, our souls, our minds return
| In Rladness to those days when We used
TO mingle together, free from pain, fre<
from sorrow, from any of the tolls and
lcares Of life. Remembering this,
That sunshine had heavenly glow.
Which faded with those good old days;
When Winter came with deeper snow,
And Autumn with \ deeper haze-
Let US be together today - . re
united family, without any distinction
:, ~ithout any aristocracy, save tha
arising from the silver tresses on oul
heads, which In time all inherit, ye
none are eager to gather or possess.
ri II we possess the spirit Of superiority
let US remember that leaves are ligh
and idle, and wavering, and changea
BILE and seemingly useless, they eveI
seem to dance, yet God has made then
part Of the great, strong, sturdy oak
In so doing He has given US lesson
teaching us OF the stout-heartednes
may be:.lithsomeness without; teaching
US that though the reverses, the strug
gles, the temptations, the bitterness O
life, struggle and almost strsngle us
they cannot shut out from our life tn
remembrance Of happy, happy days @
Iyouth-of young man and womanhood
when darkness and dreariness Of lif
had no habitation or abiding plac
with US. For
On that deep retiring shore.
Frequent pearls of beauty lie:
Where the passion waves of yore.
Flercely beat and mounted high,
sorrows. that are sorrows still,
Lose their bitter taste Of woe;
Nothing altogether III.
In the griefs OF long ago.
In the outside world there is often
difference made as between us, becaus
lof lot or position In life. One anon
r US may have been fortunate in his .,
foundations. Another, toiling as nobl.
perhaps more honorably, has fallen
victim to adverse circumstances. Or
there may be among US who has b
m come skilled and famous in the world
n whose name Is often seen In lars
pr headlines. Another, perhaps fully |
worthy, though without desire for d
toriety, turks In small plea among Il
supernumeraries-
But with US today there Is NO diffe
euce. We are together as OF one u
broken family as OF one common brot
4 erhood and sisterhood. Let not an
|. ching divide the one from the other 4
la every name written in our memorie
OF book is Illuminated, enblazoned In o.
remembrance and affection, with Il
purple and sunshine of our comm,
motherhood, hallowed past, hopeful
ture.
an There are tones that will haunt us. thou
cd lonely
Our hearts be DER mountain and sea-
le. There are looks. that will part from Us on
N When memory ceases to be.
There are hopes, which our burden can ligl
en-.
on Though toIlsome and steep be the way.
- And dreams that, like moonlight. can brig
. With n light that Is clearer than day.
.ol The gracious kindness of our comi
| together, so fills my grief burdened q
sorrow bruised so1,, with real JOY .
pleasure, that 1t almost makes me 4
All III get my almost half century Of yea
and blinds my eyes to our silver stres
at ed heads, and IL the more humans u
On when take . survey of our coming