Mexico Missouri message., 1905-03-23
JUDGE EDWARDS.
Is HOnOred by His A. F. s
A. NJ. Brethren.

ceiying the Past High Priest jewel
from the Royal Arch Chapter of
A. F. and A. NJ. Tuesday night of
last week. We also present a
short history Of his life, and his
Masonic antecedents.
Judge s. NJ. Edwards was born
in Henry county, Va, and on be-
coming 2l years Of age was
made a Mason in lodge IL at Paul.
dingville, Mo. He was one of the
organizers of Hebron and Mexico,
both of this city. He was Wor-
shipful Master of Mexico lodge
many years. For % years he was
High Priest of Royal Arch Chap
ter in this city, and for 8 years
Emminent Commander of Crusade
Com mandry No. %.
While District Deputy Grand
Master he instituted lodges at
Youngs Greek, Laddonia, aud dedi-
Gated the Martinsburg lodge. Jas.
johnson, a maternal grandfather,
was made a Mason by Geo. Wash
ington during the Revolutionary
war, where he was a member OF
Gen. Washington's military
family"
In accepting the jewel presented
to him thru Past Grand High
Priest 7. b. Duncan, Judge Ed
wards said:
Companions: Sometimes there
comes a time in mems lives when
silence is more eloquent than
fine words. 1t has come to me to-
night, for language at my COM
mand can not express my feeling.
My heart alone can thank you fOl
this beautiful gift. In my Ma
sonic life many times | have been
honored with high positions by
my brethren and companions and
always beyond my deserts, but
this l regard as the very cap.stone,
for it surely rounds out and fiu'
ishes a long life of Masonic lab
our.
When l look at these young mer
: who now surround me, and who
in the future must bear the bur,
den and heat of the day." 1 natur.
ally turn to the past-to those Othel
! companions with whom in former
days | travelled the rough ant
rugged road" but this is only d
sad memory. Most all of them
have passed the fourth vail Of that
everlasting tabernacle aud entered
into the presence Of that grand
> council of eternity. A few of us
only remain as links to hold the
present to the distant and aim os
forgotten past. You can hardly
know how pleasing it is to us whel
we look at this prosperous and in
telligent chapter to realize ant
know that our work shall not g,
unrewarded. These will builC
better than we. My work ant
faithfulness is for your judgment
l have for more than so year
e wrought with you from the check
Z cred ground floor thru quarries, t.
e the sad and solemn scenes of Cal
= vary. l have stood with you il
the hour of mourning, beside tn,
: weeping widow and the helples!
r orphan. We have together drop
ped the sympathetic tear with tn
S spring Of Acacia in many a ney
e made grave. We have visited tn
l sick, comfOrted the afflicted an
: given aims to the poor, and a
II this because we are MasOns.
ALL HAIL TO FREE MASON RY.
$ AS a lion in strength, it ha
n braved persecution and Overcom
1t betrayal and to-day with the swift
ness of the Eagle it goes in secreC
,e aud silence on its mission of loy
aud charity to all cOmers of eartl
le God bless free Masonry, God ble'
t. its brotherly love, its sweet charit
le aud its everlasting truth. Next
III the Christian religion it does MOI
l to refine, elevate aud eunOble Il
er race than all beside.
My companions, this beautifu
gift is exceedingly precious to m,
not alone because it is the gift
as affectation aud the mark of estee
ht of GOOD men. but also, because