The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1903-05-15
A k0TeBLE BANQUET.
Large Umber attend Masonic Ban
qutL-Gn Evening of Eioquence
sNd Good Shsa,

House Thursday night was prolonged
until such late hour that IL was in-
possible for this paper TO make a. full
report OF il AS il desired and as the
occasion deserved.
ID all of its appointments il was
chAste and elegant affair, and though
largely attended the number would
have been much larger had hot the
heavy rains interfered..
After full justice had been given
the supper upon its heels followed
that which was still more eI jovable,
"a feast of reason and flow UI soul"
The WOrshipful Master, Mr.. Ed
win Davis, iii d most unique aud
taking manner, acted as POSTMASTER,
and as is the custom first called upon
Mr.. j. }. Williams, who had Just been
matriculated into the mysteries of the
ancient order.
The POSTMASTER then successiveIv
called upon Past Grand Master II. w.
Long, Deputy Grand Master +. J.
Titcomb, Postmaster E, p. Thagard,
f. c. Packham, of Spring Park, for
merly deputy grand lecturer Of
California. JUDI Young of Inverness,
T. &. Hall, of Belleview, DR.. Faskin,
of DunnellOn. and Bros. Chsce, Me-
fver, DIR. Lindsay and others, of the
Ocaia Lodge.
The WOrshipfnl Master was then
called upon and responded in very
happy manner.
The responses were exceedingly
feliritiOus, that Oc Messrs. Packham
and Titcomb's especially SD, and all
were heartily enjoyable.
We print Mr.. Davis and DR.. Lind
says, in the order in which they are
named, which will convey some idea
of the evenings enjoyment.
THE EFFECTS OF THE BANQUET.
(Edw. w. Davis)
do not propose TO speak tonight
of the next mornings effect so famil-
liar TO us all, the gloom encircled eve,
the Grabbed temper, the peevish dispo-
sitiOn, that makes man the assassin Of
joy and love; but of the effects Of n
banquet partaken of centuries and
centuries ago.
When man first resOrted TO the ban
quet Is means of welcoming The re-
turning wanderer or the visiting
stranger is buried together with other
mysteries in the archives of the past
but it is probable that at al early date
he learned that words of welcome
were often framed by lips that had
never learned to relax in the smile of
good fellowship and that the hand
clasp was OftimeS 10 more than the
involuntary contraction of the mus
cies; and So casting about for some in
disputable proof, some convincing
evidence, of his good will he thought
of the feast or banquet, Of sharing
his bread with his brother; and
whether in gilded halls amid dazzling
lights, enlivened with brilliant con.
versation and accompanied 10y the
strains of sweet music, or in the for
est cabin with no accompaniment
save the music of the night wind play
ing It's sad requiem on natures harp,
the meaning is the same.
If history is to be believed the first
man on this earth had but little to do
to sustain life; indOlent, unambitious,
naked and idle-the necessaries of
life at his hand and his without ex-
ertiOn. Day after day passed with
out event or change aud this cOntin-
ued until the present time had it not
been for a banquet partaken of by
three ih the garden of Eden. Behold
the change! Incidence gives way to
energy, idleness to industry, ambition
springs into existence, the human in
habitant cloths themselves, not per-
haps in the gaudy raiment with which
some of Adams defendants since that
time have seefi fit to array them.
selves, but still sufficient for their
needs.
The seed of ambition planted at
that banquet fell on good ground and
brought forth fruit abundsntly.
On that day man turned his back on
Incidence and idleness and his face to
the light and since that time has
struggled ever onward and upward,
retarded by wars and strife, by I'M
holy personal ambition, by greed of
gold, of power, of place but trium.
plant at last we stand not on the
pinnacle of our achievements, but on
the threshold of our true destiny; the
roar of cannon and clash of arms-his.
tory OF the past, the centuries to come
filled with the music Of the rustic of
the wings of the dove Of peace.
For my part ! am glad that Adam
fell by the wayside, glad the fruit was
eaten, glad he was elected from the
garden and that he took up the bur.
L., that mn nathan d.~;r- 70 hov,o