The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1915-06-05
GRANGE MEMORIAL SERVICE
Tribute to Deceased Members of the
Organization.

Tribute to Deceased Members of the
Organization.
At the Memorial service of Ben
nington grange Wednesday evening
the following written by Mrs, B. j.
Brooks was read by Mrs. Walter
Niles
at is significant that we choose
this season of the year in which to
honor the memory of those who have
passed beyond the limitations of our
understanding We have Just awak-
ened from natures sleep when the
spirit of death seemed to brood over
all, to find the earth teeming with
life, giving the lie TO death. Like a
child laughing and shouting in exu'
berance of joy. the world rejoices in
its abundance of life. There is. no
death Over the face of nature
change is written large, but God Is
the God of living things and from the
tomb comes the reassurng words
"He is risen. We turn from the
open grave with feeling that all is
lost and cry out in bitterness of soul
asking the age old question-Why.
Why must the history of the ages
record one long funeral procession?
Why must each day witness the
agony of breaking hearts and ruined
hopes? And being out OF harmony in
the symphony of life. we continue
our fretful complaints, while nature
calmly moves forward in her appoint
ed course concerning herself, not so
much in the welfare of individuals
as in the work of evolving more.
and ever more, perfect race.
"To live, to labor, adding to the
worlds store of experience. and. as
best We may, aiding nature in her
creative work, by subduing earths
forces, and helping to develop perfect
conditions for mans existence, then
to pass on and make room for gener-
ations yet to come. is the life of NOR.
tai man, while the soul goes back TO
the source from whence ii came,
strengthened. and with larger under
standing of God and his infinite wis
dom.
Il know not where His islands raise
their fronded palms in air.
Il only know cannot drift beyond
HE lova and para -
What we call death is as natural
as any other function of human ex-
istence. And. When thoughts of the
last bitter hour come like blight
over thy spirit Go forth into
the open sky and list to natures
teachings Earth that nourish-
ed thee shall claim thy growth to be
resolved to earth again APP
proach thy grave like one who wraps
the drapery of his couch about him
and lies down to pleasant dreams
Since this Grange was organized,
eight years ago, many times have we
draped our charter in mourning.
Many of our brothers and sisters
have passed that bourne from which
no traveller returns 1t seems but
yesterday that we looked into the
faces OF some of them, and was en-
couraged by their hearty handshake,
their words of cheer and their faith
full service. They have wrought in
earth's crucible OF toll and have
gone, while we are left to continue
the fight.
1--WE miss them--the interchange
of thought the warm human sym
pathy. But in spirit they are with
|us. A part of their life's work has
gone to make this Grange what it is
and in some measure our lives have
been moulded by their influence
They are not dead. From this organi
zation and from the community in
which they lived, their influence
shall widen and widen until the
whole world shall be different be
cause they have lived Such is the
life of man. And as we hold this
service, in memory of our departed
brothers and sisters let it not be
with selfish, hopeless grief, but with
humble resignation to the law of ma
! ture and of natures God, and as q
tribute to their memory, let us re
| solve to take up the work where they
have laid it down, and forgetting al
petty aims and sordid strivings con
secrate our lives to the work ol
overthrowing error and darkness
and establishing the reign of righte
| BUSINESS and truth"