The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-12-06

cONh. lllillilillIllIIIlAllIlilllllIIlliAiN earthly peace and quiet. bright with domestic comfort and joy. but to the dark and narrow house appointed for all the sons of men, there to rest
 -"'Tin the sun grows cold.
 And the stars are old, And the leaves of the Judgment Book
 unfold"
 All that live must die. passing through nature to eternity. The rich and the poor. the humble and the great. alike must fall before this enemy of mankind. The statesman delving into the science of government and striving for the enforcement of law and justice. the soldier with drawn sword defending his country. the law yer pleading his clients cause. the physician battling with the germs of disease. the merchant in his store. the farmer in his field, and the clergy man preaching the Gospel unto the least of these, my brethren, all have an appointment with death which they are bound to keep. Death walks hand in hand with life. The one is the shadow of the other. Side by side with strong and vigorous health are the ever present companions, death. dissolution. decay. Life and death are interwoven in our being in the very hour of birth, and in all life we bear the seeds and certainty of death Men go and are forgotten. no matter what their station. Nations decay and races perish. All seem to pass away, but they do not in truth pass away. Each individual leaves his trace upon his time. The noblest thought in all the universe is that each man and woman, humble or high. pours his or her life into those supreme plans which live forever. The great lesson of this hour Is that the influence of a human life is immortal. and goes on through the ages. a force that is inGestructible as the everlasting hills. So, with the sure Knowledge that whether our work be small or great it Is stiIl more lasting than the stars. let us go forward with humility that we can do so little. yet with pride and thankfulness that we have been chosen to do our part as servants of the Supreme Ruler.
 We cannot approach the subject of death with aught but reverence. It is the great, inexplainable mystery. Sci- cnce has measured the moon and stars. rhythm of the music Of the waves of sound. wrested from Nature her choic- est and most closely guarded secrets. and enslaved her mighty forces. but frN tnFk fnvn he @eWfx~ sponse that carries either hope or con- viction- The young asking ''Whence?' and the old inquiring "Whither?" are alike unanswered The words of the Prophet and faith in them alone vouchsafe a reply. Thousands of years ago Job propounded the ques- tion "If a man die, shall he live again?~ and years afterward Paul the Apostle made answer "f Christ be not risen from the dead then Is our preach ing vain and your faith Is also vain" And it came to pass that on a Sun day morning. long ago, the third day after the crucihxion. two women on their way to the Saviour's tomb were wondering "who, should roll away the stone from the door of the sepulchre'' for them, but as they looked they saw that the stone was rolled away" When that stone was displaced it open ed an avenue upward for the hope of all mankind.
 To us these ceremonies are not per- functory or formal. They are intended to recall all that was pure, noble. and worthy of emulation in the lives of those brothers who have gone before. and to cast the mantle of charity and brctherly love over their imperfections. The hand of friendship once extended by an Elk Is not withdrawn when Death. the great King of Terrors, has done his work We say to him: "Oh, thou mighty King! Thou hast with cred away our fondest hopes and hast filled our hearts with sorrow, but thy domain extends only to the grave; be- yond it's portals thou darest not ad- vance. Thou canst not take from us the remembrance of our brothers nor cast one cloud upon the bright sun shine of their example"
 To comply with the tenets of our Order life's duties are many. are va ried, are weigthy. To meet them man. fully without shrinking or evasion, to discharge them faithfully and well. means compliance with the dogmas of true Elkdom. I4fe's trials, too, are weighty. Endured with patience, borne with fortitude. submitted to with resignation. they promote those prin- ciples upon which this Order is erect ed.
 My brothers. the achievements of sell fish ambition are transient: the gar lands they bring to weary brows soon fade; their laurels wither in an hour; their monuments quickly crumble in 10 uQSNs puN hne LneElOEl4AS lndI NruS fraternity builds defy the wrath of storm and withstand the might and blight of time. Fraternal serf-sacri- flee and devotion to duty are the most enduring attributes that adorn the soul. No man can win real success in this life, through pure and manly qualities but that the world is better for his living. There are, however. different kinds of success. There is the success that brings with it the uneasy mind, the success that is achiv- ed by greed and cunning. the success that makes honest men uneasy or in- dignant in it's presence. Then there is the other kind of success.-that which comes as the reward of keen of sa Oa rffv Of resolution 0nn-