The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1911-08-02
1866 w Kerr, @ NJ shawkey
1Ss7-H y Whittekin, Geo d Armstrong.
lSSS-Ezra s Hoyt, r II Lanson.

1866 w Kerr, G NJ Shawkey
1ST-H y Whittekin, Geo Armstrong.
lSSS-Ezra Hoyt, H Il Lanson.
1886 w Kemble, O r Thompson
This brings up the history OF the lodge
sufficiently near for present purposes, many
have gone TO other states, many have cross.
cd the great divide but we honor their
memories.
''Seek no further their merits TO disclose
Or draw their frailties from their blessed
abode,
There they alike In trembling hope repose
The bosom Of their father aud their God"
IL would take too long 70 enumerate them
all. but Of the old guard only one remains,
William Hood, who for so years has been
an hOnored member of the order, and dur
ing all this time n devoted declple of the
principles Of Friendship, Love and Truth.
Let us turn back the wheels Of time, and
try TO see what he saw. Methiuks l sec
them now as In vision or n dream, l see
In memory's glass IA II were reflected the
past, we see their old familiar faces once
again, met In the old halls, and regard those
old lodge rooms as shrines, we hear their
familiar happy greetings once more, the
cheerful laugh, we cannot persuade our
selves that we shal! see them no more, The
delight to honor here to night, who was
often In their assemblages sees them ms
dead, whose dust he helped cover with
flowers, He saw them part from their low
ell ones and brethren, He has seen them
At their homes also at the public meetings,
on the streets, He saw them Ia their daily
walks, when their hair was black as the
ravens wing, and again when it was white
as snow, and when their bodies were laid
TO rest In this beautiful Allegheny Valley,
aud when the wives and weeping children
stood In the sunlight Of the bright summer
afternoons Of the past, placing those tokens
Of affection, flowers over those last resting
places, All this Is no dream 10 our honored
brother, but Is vivid reality. wrought
iudeliby on memory's tablets, scenes that
with him shall never fade away or be eff
faced, Truly he can say with the Psalmist
81 have been young and now am old and
many changes have passed before me-" Our
great American novelist Cooper wrote the
beautiful, fauciful tale, The last Of the Mo-
hegans, Bulwer wrote The Last Of the
Barons, How suggestive, here we have
with us the last of the old lodge, when our
Order was In Its comparative infancy over
half century ago, who through o long life
has sustained the banner Of Friendship,
Love and Truth, What noble record of
which any man might be proud, He
through all these long years has been q re-
spected, zealous aud worthy member Of our
noble Order, as 1t Is written can Isrealite
indeed In whom there is no guile" He
has seen the old lodge grow, out Of weak
ness made strong, Can say TO the world in
the language of the great poet Of our Order,
James Montgomery,
"where Friendship, Love and Truth
abound,
Among baud Of brothers,
The cup Of joy goes gaily round,
Each feels the jo-s Of others,
'Tis thus down life's thorny path,
All through the vale of sorrow,
The flower that hangs its head today,
Will gaily bloom tomorrow,
How grand In age, how wise In youth,
Is holy Friendship, Love and Truth"
A Tionesta minister on last Sunday eve.
ming preached on the beautiful text of the
Psalm, "Suroly goodness aud
mercy shall follow me all the days Of my
life," gave the beautiful thought, at is
said that those sailing on the sea before
crossing a certain line think Of those whom
they have left behind them, but after pass-
ing that line they think solmnly Of those
who have gone before, so 1: ia In the voyage
Of life, We look for the grand eternal re-
union" Your fame and merit as brother
is not coufned 10 narrow limits Of Tiouesta
Lodge, by them you are regarded as an ora
Gle and counselor, in short as . grand old
man, so present TO you in their name this
memento Of their love and esteem, knowing
that you will wear II over he ri that has
been, and always will be, true rs the need
to the pole TO the cardinal principles Of our
Order,