The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1911-12-08


der final account of the steward
ship of the lives given into their
keeping during their temporary stay
among us. We among whom those
lives were lived, can speak of them
only as We knew them, can measure
them only by an earthly standard.
The shifting sands record whatever
there may have been of shortcom-
ings, while those virtues that have
endeared and brought them close to
us in life's relationship, serving to
make the world brighter and better
for us all, will stand through all
time as enduring monuments to their
memory.
Brothers d. T. Macarthur and A.
j. Butzerin were among those with
whom it was not permitted me to
enjoy personal acquaintance. Both
were exemplary members of our or
der, both men of high standing and
of those among whom their lives
were spent.
Brother o. o. Grue had been
resident of our community long
enough to win the warm friendship
of all who knew him and to estab-
lish that esteem and regard for high
character, industry and love of home
and family which good citizenship
bestows upon only such as are
worthy.
EuIogy on John r. Thomas.
There is one name, new on our
memorial tablet today, that has
stood out prominently among those
on the roll of membership of this
lodge ever since it's institution, near
ly score of years ago. The broth
er who bore that name was one of
our charter members and was init
mately associated with every event
in which this lodge has been inter
ested. During the vicissitudes of it's
infancy, when a little band of less
than twenty-five struggled to keep
alive an interest and to maintain
an organization, he was one of the
strongest in supporting and guiding
it's faltering footsteps. His counsel
and aid were frequently sought and
always cheerfully given. When dark
clouds gathered on the horizon he
was among the first to volunteer as
sistance in, dispelling them. There
was never a time when he lost faith
for moment in the final result of
our undertaking or wavered in his
loyalty to our order. Quietly as was
his nature, and without ostentatiOn,
he assumed whatever duty that was
assigned to him and no doubt ever
existed among his brother members
but that that duty would be per-
formed faithfully and we'll
"There is little need for me to
call the name of him of whom /
speak and when / say that Brother
John r. Thomas was true to every
teaching and every principle of our
order l have but spoken the senti-
ment of every member of Mankato
lodge. And today, as our lodge
stands upon the threshold of the
twentieth anniversary of it's institu-
ton, enjoying a prosperity scarcely
dreamed of in it's infancy, the pages
of it's history record no name in
closer association with it's every
move forward nor one which is more
directly responsible for the attain
ment of present conditions than that
of Brother John R. Thomas
For eighteen years Brother Thorn
as was the trusted custodian of the
lodge funds. How faithful he was
to that trust and how constant his
attendance upon our meetings is at
tested by the records of the lodge.
ut seems almost superfluous to
recite here, among those who have
known him so well and in whose
midst the greater part of his life
was lived, those characteristics which
gave him prominence in the com
mercial and social activities of this
community. And when l say that
few of us, even those who knew
him most intimately, realized the
full value of the manhood he typi-
fed or his worth to the community
during his lifetime, ] do not mean
to be understood that we failed to
appreciate the high standard of citi-
zenship he set for us. But now that
the niche he filled SO long is vacant,
we frequently pause to recall some
kindly act or generous impulse that
escaped our notice at a time when
perhaps we were busily occupied in
solving the daily problems of life.
From his entrance into man.
hoods estate Brother Thomas ca
reer was one involving the highest
trust and calling for the most i'm
plicit confidence from his fellowmen.
Whenever one was needed to fill
some position required the highest
integrity and most rigid honesty, his
was the first among the names con-
sidered for that honor. So sound
and so substantial was the founda-
ton upon which his character was
built that no action of his ever
caused that confidence to be shaken
in the slightest degree. Brother
Thomas life exemplified fidelity in
it's highest meaning, it was life
of trust, life of honor. Kind
hearted, generous, thoughtful of
others, none bore him malice, none
thought of him save in kindness
and in love.
''In his home life Brother Thomas
was always the dutiful son and low
ing brother. His thoughts were con-
stantly for the comfort and pleasure
of those whom he loved and up to
the last it was his endeavor to
spare them worry and pain. Selfish
ness had no place in his composition
and his personal desires were con-
trolled by the wishes of those to
whom he was bound by the closest
ties of love and affection.
"As a citizen, as man, as an
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