Pine Bluff daily graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1893-1942, 1913-10-07

| to decide on the course OF cOnQuct 10
resist temptation and to extend char
itv to the weaknesses or faults OF
my felowmen. When We come to
pass Judgment on our fellow crea-
| lures and undertake to determine
how much they have been influenced
by religious beliefs or fraternal
| teachings, we must consider not only
what they have done but also try to
realize what they have been tempted
to do and have not done AS Robert
Burns so beautifully puts it:
'Then gently scan your brother man.
Still gentler sister woman;
Though they may gang a kennin
wrong,
To step aside is human.
'sThen at the balance let's be mu,e,
| We never can adjust it;
What's done We partly may compute,
| But know not what's resisted"
but, " Ielulu " the SuUJcCt
"In March. 1882, having served Cen
tire Point Lodge as secretary and in
several minor capacities, l returned
to my boyhood home in this city and
soon afterward affiliated with Pine
Bluff Lodge No. So, of which | have
continued to be member. At that
time it's membership was small in
number but great in zeal and love for
Masonry. Among it's limited member
ship We're brethren whom nothing
could daunt or discourage and who
gave freely and without stint of their
time and labor to the task of build
ing up our lodge and promoting the
cause Of Masonry. The lamented John
NJ Clayton was Worshipful Master;
the brilliant and talented Marcus La
fayette Bell was a Past Master; our
much loved brothers, l. J. Moore, S.
W., John T. Marsh, J. W., A. Blum.
treas. Thos. w. Vining, secty., Newton
Boyd, S. D., T. r. Mitchell, J. D.. and
J. 7. ]. Havis. Tyler, all of whom,
except Brothers Moore and Mitchell
are now gone to their final reward.
when we look back at the array
of splendid names that filled the Of
ficial roster of Pine Bluff Lodge at
that time and realize that only two of
them now remain on earth, we must
be sadly and forcibly reminded of the
briefness and uncertainty Of human
life. Almost involuntarily we recall
the pathetic words of Arkansas most
gifted poet, soldier lawyer and states
man, and the worlds most illustrious
| Mason, Albert Pike:
ITO the past go more dead faces
| Every year;
And the loved leave vacant places
Everywhere their sad eyes meet US;
In the evenings dusk they greet us;
And to come to them entreat us.
Every year
But the truer life draws higher
Every year
And its morning star climbs higher
Every year;
Earth's hold on us grows slighter;
And the heavy burden lighter;
And the dawn immortal brighter,
Every year.
"One of these brethren, Brother
Marcus l.. Bell, was honored by the
Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of this
state in 1874. and again in 1875 by
being elected Grand Master, an office
which he filled with signal ability ant
honor to himself and Pine Bluff Lodge
and with profit and benefit to the
Grand Lodge and to the craft at large
Through the love and kindness OF
my brethren | was chosen to serve
Pine Bluff in several subordinate pc.
sitions and, finally, as Worshipful
Master. This gave me a right to a
seat in the Grand Lodge of the State,
and here again the brethren shut
their eyes to my imperfections and
advanced me through successive sta
tons until, at last. in 1905, the SUI
preme honor which can come to any
Mason was conferred upon me and ]
was elected to the office of Grand
Master. Language, or at least my
ability to command it, is far too poor
to express my feelings on being ex-
allied to this high station. To be
lchosen to preside over a body OF more
than sixteen thousand of the best men
in the state, organized solely to pro-
mote the best qualities of humanity
is an honor which can come to few
men in each generation, and he would
be dull. indeed, who would receive II
unmoved or fail to appreciate ita
value. But, l am fully sensible q