La Junta tribune., 1907-12-07
TRIBUTE OF La UNTA [[kS
TO DEPARTED MEMBERS
Ii Juntl Theatre is the Scene Of the Annual
Lodge Of Sorrow
ALYA ADAMS DtLIyfRS AN ELOQUENT fULOGY
H. NJ Minor Of Rocky Ford Speaks Of Our Departed Brothers,
Large Attendance Of Members and Friends
Of the Order

| moral fabric is impaired with
God like traits go Ia the fate OF the
! brutes
| Belief i'll Immortality gave birth to
! all religions. 10 the bible. it has been
the Inspiration oi literature. of arts.
|, is a God planted instinct and is
| felt in the heart OF savage and civil
ized. il shapes the destiny OF philos-
| ophers and the fool alike. No sys-
! TEN OF morality could be maintained
without this belief Strike the faith
J from the heart oi man and moral
chaos would reign and the race would
DRIFT into aggregation and shame.
| God has told us in the mystery and
miracle of spring. in the ever re-
occurring resurrection OF flower and
grass. forests and orchards that we
are to live. again.
Victor Hugo was perhaps the
greatest analytical artist OF the hui
man emotions the world has ever
known Before his death he made
a study OF immortality and ordered
l.that his conclusions should not be
| published until some years after his
| death A few weeks ago the book
was issued His findings are ex-
pressed in his final statement. God
| is eternal. the soul is immortal
With Lincoln, Hugo believed,
There is no death. The stars go
To rise upon some fairer shore,
And bright in Heavens jeweled
They shine iorevermore."
Death is the master note in lit
craturc." Every church. temple. ca
thedral every tomb that king and
conqueror has built are tributes TO
death and monuments to mans belief
in Immortality. When we invcsti-
material evidence. We reverse the
instructions -givs,s- by the judges to
the witness when he is told to tell
what he knows. not what he be-
licves In this we must tell our be-
lief, none dare say he knows.
The greatest gift that could be be-
slowed upon mankind would be the
clear proof of future life. He who
finds that proof a greater benefactor
than he who adds billions to the
treasure and glory To the arms of a
nation The genius. philosopher or
preacher who can come upon this
stage and demonstrate with the GER
tainty Of a mathematical problem this
profound enigma will dwarf all past
heroes. He will surpass Columbus
who found a new world. or CopernI-
Gus who gave the laws that govern
the planets and suns of the universe.
Why cannot our brothers whose
memory we honor today. who have
but just passed through the gate that
swings but one way. turn and speak
to lis: why cannot the curtain be
raised for a moment that we might
know. 1t is not given to the living
to map and explore the spirit land.
We may dream and pray and cry
aloud but no answer comes. Those
who sail upon the river return no
more. No mortal eye. is ever to see
the glory of paradise No mortal
ear is ever to hear the melody of an
gel songs This future. we must take
upon trust Honest people. millions
OF them, believe that spirits have
touched them: have spoken to them.
that there are inspired mediums that
can and do link the living with the
dead quarrel with no mans hon
est faith: he may be deludcd: hal
luCluat1ou may DISCu nS uh. S"'' c"'
If il brings comfort and satisfaction
it is not my mission to take It from
him. Upon spiritual things l have
no basis OF argument but my own
experience. II this personal expcr-
icnce be true there is nothing super
natural in this life. not since Christ
ascended do / believe that natural
laws have been set aside. Spirit
souls may be conscious of the lives
of mortais but il is not given that
nortais should invade the realm OF
spirits or be conscious of their pres
encc here The spirit OF our depart
ed brothers may be around us now !:
they may hear us. be conscious OF
our ceremony. but they communicate
not My senses may not be attuncd
to spiritual things. but no uncxplain-
ed phenomena has ever come within
the range OF my observation Others
claim to have seen things that ! can,
not explain. but my ears have hcard
M mysterious rapping, my eyes have
never been frightened by ghosfly
forms: have never felt the fiuttcr-
mo of angel garments or been thrill
cd by instruments played by spirit
rai fingers: my hand has never clasp
ID the hand If the dead. If there
were some Marconi system OF soul
communication. that could carry
messages over the dark river. am
sure nv friends there would whisper
to me. Those are there who love
me As love them and surely were
the line unbroken they would teel
the pleading of my heart. and re-
sDond; but no signal flashes from
shaf near shore, no message comes;
no NO lisht house blazcs from the coasts
81 the dead; mystery and silence
broods over il. Only Lazarus has M