The Washington bee., 1907-12-07

"
deeds TO Morning Star Lodge viii sur
vive forever No more will We hear
their friendly voices in the lodge room
or amidst our scenes Of pleasure and
pride But ever viii they be with Is
III spirit giving rs the grasp Of friend
ship and brotherIy love. When the
bright luster OF ali active mind has been
dimmed BY age, We feel that nature has
claimed lis own after the zenith OF Ca
pacig has been reached; but We stand
IN awe II the midst OF death when rs
icy touch silences lips that have pleaded
50 recently il the eloquence Of strong
manhood, or when its withering breath
fells 10 the bier man who but yester-
day seemed busted In ceaseIess activity.
As friends, as brethren, as citizens, as
husbands and as men, and in every re-
lation OF life, their influence was ele-
yating and for good. As the wind that
sweeps over a bed Of violets and roses
bears on It's wings their fragrant per
fume, 50 does a pure life carry with
ii is fragrance Of noble deeds, exempIa-
y virtues and Christian graces. But
such a life IS no barrier to the fell de-
stroyer, and, yielding to It's power, our
brethren fell; then gave their name.
back to the lodge again, then slept IN
peace. o. peaceful be the repose for
those who sleep. For the beautiful flow
er, scorched by summers sun or blighteG
By aWumn's frost It withers and appar-
emily dies; but II does not die; Il only
falls to sleep IN the lap OF winter and
will bloom forth with a new and grandeT
glory when the springtinle cometh. So
it Is with our departed brethren; they
have only fallen To sleep on the bosom
OF our Saviour, there to await until
the Father awakes them 10 the Joys OF
an eternal life. With great satisfaction
we review their character, 50 strong in
its structure, 50 complete in its appoint
ments, so polished in us finish 1t seems /
TO me, brethren and friends, that the
example left by such men and the les
son taught by It Is OF higher value %
the Lodge and the world than all the
earthly prizes which ambition, wealth, |
place and power can win. These may
sway mankind for a time, but in the !
balance held by the hand OF the Great /
Judge on the last day will weigh but /
as q feather against integrity, virtue
and piety. It IS a pleasing faith that |
God has planted in the human heart; /
the germ of an unresting progress, and /
that IN His own time it will unfold a !
charity strong enough TO paralyze the
Of men for earthly honor.
For after all Our destiny IS decay. To /
know our end IS the lesson OF life. and /
life in its entire analysis IS but les
son. It's preface the Grade; its finale the
grave. Dust to dust, earth to earth,
ashes 10 ashes, Is the idiom OF earth
voiced by the shroud, the coffin, and the /
grave. To that Voice, dear ones, We
are listening tonight as it comes from
the graves of our departed brethren It
also comes from the grave OF mother,
father, sister, wife, and brother, our
sweethearts, and other loved /
ones. | wonder how many are there |
here tonight saying to themselves that
perhaps their names may soon be writ
ten in the journal of death. It IS not /
the all of life to live nor all OF death |
to die; but when we contemplate the
life Of a good Christian soldier, when
he IS so patient in sickness, so beautifully /
calm and triumphant in death, and not /
exclam, 0. let my life be like his; let |
my life end like his All what a sweet /
reward of a well-spent life, and how
in all Our sorrow We can pic
ture our beloved brethren be led by thy /
heavenly host while going home to die |
no more. In conclusion let me say We
hope to meet them there, for tonight they |
are waiting for us at the river They
are watching at the shore to once more
give lis the grip of friendship and bro
therly love.
SPECIAL. NOTICE.