Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1903-06-25
M. w. A. MEMORIAL.
Graves in the Mexico Gem
eteTy Remembered
Last Sunday.

idsI Ouuudy. ok graves were
thus honored-the latest new
graves were those of Rhodes Clay
and r. s. Orear. The ceremony
as a whole was most impressive
and touching. Addresses lat diff
ferent graves were made by Mayor
r. E. Jones, Profs. j. n. Cross
and Erby Head and Mr.. A.
Hughes. The addresses of the
latter and of Prof. Head were es-
pecially noteworthy. Mr.. Hughes
address covered all the ground and
we give it here in full. 1t will in
terest every Modern Woodman in
the county:
A few hours since l returned
home from the greatest fraternal
insurance company the world
knows. And am more than ever
proud to align myself with that
great body, the Modern Woodmen
of America.
In the long vista of time, away
back in the beginning of our race,
Cain asked the question, Am l
my brothers. keeper9" That
question was answered by the del
egated society l have referred to in
the affirmative. Without a dis
senting voice the sum of fifty
thousand dollars was voted to the
relief of our food stricken Neigh
bors, and the loving hand of fra
ternal brotherhood held out to
them in this substantial and
Christ-like manner. This is prac-
tical Woodcraft. And to-day we
are met here to honor our silent
heroes; those who have fought the
Sbattle of life, and have been gath
cred to that bourn whence we who
stand here will soon approach,
how soon we know not. To do
their memories honor we have met.
To emulate their virtues; to for
get and forgive their imperfectiOns
and cas- the broad spirit of char
ity around their last resting place;
to remember them as our Neigh
bors; who lived as we now live,
and we who must give an account
as they have given of how and
where we shall spend eternity. Job
asked the question, If man die
shall he live again?" The question
is being asked by each of us, con
sciously or otherwise, every day
we live. What we call death will
come TO each of us as the cy cles OF
, time revolve; and next year, neigh
Dor, it may be you, it may be me,
whose grave you will look upon as
you observe this custom, which
was inaugurated at the Kansas
city Head camp, in 1899.
To the dead we cannot do other
than respect and homage; it is the
living to whom we can practice the
grand precepts of the Golden Rule
and do unto Others as we would
have them do unto us. Let us
strew the flowers of love aud com,
mendation to, not only to the
Neighbor whom we owe frater.
nifty, but all mankind as lies in
our power to do May we not for
| get that cold, inanimate clay has
no power to inhale the sweet
I fumes OF aromatic flowers; let as
} strew the lives and persons of
$ those we meet in the busy walks
: of life with the flowers of love, oI
Justice, of practical Christianity
: like him who went about Judea do.
v ing good, +" Strew the graves Of
g our silent dead with these beauti
= ful, God-given emblems Of love-
/ but allow me to suggest again thal
( lit is more important to speak Al
a encouraging word to the discour
{ aged, respondent Neighbor, Will,
D he vet lives.
Again / would suggest that WI
as Neighbors, as citizens, regard
3 the amenities we owe the living
e and in no sense disregard the obi
Q cations we owe our sacred dead 4,