The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-10-10

ne lowered up and over all and dwelt
alone in an atmosphere unknown to
the average man. Distinguished in
personal appearance, strong in individ-
uality, brilliant and forceful intel
lectually, yet warm and sympathetic
of heart, were the prominent charac-
terlstics Of this peculiar man, Whose
faults, we have written upon the sand
whose virtues we have engraven upon
tablets of love
"A distinguished minister once de-
clared every man susceptible of a dou-
bic biography, while another just as
truthfully remarked, Show me man
Will at vices, and will show you one
without virtues While these things
are true, it should be the aim of every
man to 50 live as to be entitled to a
good balance on the right side OF the
ledger. It requires tremendous force OF
character on the part of any one to 50
impress the world with his admirable
traits that those which are not so ad-
mirable are overlooked and unfelt by
his associates The greatest accomplish
ment in life on the part of any one Is
to s. conduct and direct his life that
his faults, which are so common among
men, may lie in the shadow created by
the brilliancy of his good deeds.
1T was this power, it was this indi-
viduality, though perfectly natural,
that made Brother Clemens appear to
many idiosyncratic. It is 50 common
for people to follow; to ape; to copy; to
believe as some one else believes and
talk what some one else has said; 10
act, as nearly as possible, just as some
other person acts, right or wrong, that
when such one as G. c. Clemens ap-
pears upon the stage of action, 1t IS
not to be 1-onoereu at that he is re-
garded as eccentric; as different from
the ordinary man. He was difIerent;
he lived different; he acted different ana
he died different. He was possessed with
the power of creative thought and
hence. a genius. 1t was this genius baat
made him great; that made him cour-
ageous; that rendered him one or the
kindest Of men. He did his own read
ing and thinking and praying; put. ne
did read, and think, and speak, and
pray. He did believe possibly not just
as YOU or I; but, he believed In the. i'm
mortality of the soul and IN the con-
tinuity of life; that Life which is ever
Lord of death, and love that can never
lose it's own.
I'm his memorial address delivered
before this lodge one year ago last De-
cember, among the many beaulllui
things he said and sentiments he utter
ed, appears the following:
q Cease your hopeless reasoning.
Throw IN the window of your soul and
look with your inner sense and know
that your dead still lives
mo atheist ever uttered that sentl-
ment. No disbeliever ever gave express
sion to such thought. AS regards ortno-
doxv II. religious affairs, he might nave
been termed agnostic, and yet at the
same time. a believer in the things es-
sentfal to life here and hereafter.
I'm politics. he was a non-eonforn1lsi'
in current, popular thought ana Gus
toms, he was an icoaoclasl' WINE III
err. respect known to his associates, ne
was radically independent AND unique
He was too generous to accumulate
wealth and too honest to be a success
full politician.
Although he suffered from impaired
hearing he was ne1er deaf to the cry
for help nor steeled his heaft aealilse
the pleadings of the needy.
seIe detested hypocrisy, hated poIap'
show and sham; but loved the beauu-
full. practiced simplicity and eherlsheo
the good things of life. lie was an
honest. loyal, faithful Elk anu e IN
seouently. his religion was humanity
He cast aside dogmas, ceremonies ana
display and carried aloft, the banner OF
the poor.
steal affliction, he was congenlal III
spirit and exceedingly compamonaoie
to. and greatly beloved by the menu
hers Of this order While he enjoyed
his associations at the club and parti-
cipated to the fullest extent In the
rnerriment on all occasions, he was ex-
ceedingly fond of his home, where ne
seemed to draw the SISet1CSN AlAsPAA a
ton which prompted him In every
kind act Of his life.
att is indeed sad that one so bril-
liant. that one so kind and gentle by
nature must pay the debt common to
all at such an age in life.
Permitted through many Difficult
ties to struggle on and up until he
reached the summit. just in time to
behold the setting sun; just in time to
fall from the zenith of his glory.
s'His familiar figure on the streets
of Topeka will be missed. The brill
liant sparks from his ever active brain
will fly no more. His conyivial com
partnership in the lodge room will be
forever absent, and the vacant chair
in the home will remain as a reminder
of the loving. tender husband who has
journeyed on, doubtless to a purer and
sweeter life than that on earth.
brothers and friends, let US con-
tinue to cherish in memory, the splen-
did characteristics of the dead, while
forgetting forever those things which
may be termed human weaknesses.
FIiIgaria's Bluff Effective.
Constantinople, Oct. 10.-Bulgaria' s
threat to order her troops to reoccupy
the post at Suzuki unless the Turkish
commissioners sign by October IA the
report resulting from the inquiry into