The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1915-12-06

shackles from the oppressed
But why search the annals Of tn.
past FOR miracles Of faith? Out upor
the highways and byways of life WI
see 1t and know that 1t still lives t.
spur men onward and upward to noble
aeeds and higher aspirations. Behint
jthe dark prison wall where wretched
creatures wait and long for freedom
IN the WORKSHOP and in the factory
where men toll and women slave
DoWn IN the dank dungeons of the
earth where miners drudge for bread
IN the house Of sickness: In the
chamber OF death, faith Is the pillar
OF cloud by day and the pillar of fire
by night.
Pride and vanity may mock and de-
ride 1t. Human logic may assail and
reason may doubt, but when souls are
tried In life's crucible of sorrow, love
grasps for the straw Of hope and faith
sends glimmer Of light through the
gathering clouds OF gloom. Ingersoll,
the eloquent agnostic standing over
the lifeless form of his beloved broth
Ier, uttered these beautiful and sig.
n1ficent words:
Life is narrow vale between the
cold and barren peaks of two etern.
tiles. We strive in vain to look be-
You'd the heights. We cry aloud and
only answer is the echo of our wall
Ing cry. From the voiceless lips OF
the unreplying dead there comes no
word; but in the night of death, hope
sees star and listening, love can
hear the rustic of a wing"
EIkdom Remembers Dead.
Elkdom never forgets its dead.
Each year we set aside day and each
day an hour when our thoughts are of
them and theirs. At the mystic hour
OF eleven the story stops and the
sound of revelry is hushed while we
mold brief communion with the spirits
OF our departed brothers. In that
silent moment Of contemplation fan
tastlc argosies sail back from the un-
discovered shore laden with sweet
memories and fond recollections of
days that are gone beyond recall.
1t is beautiful sentiment that
brings to the bier of departed broth
ier concourse Of faithful friends
who there in the presence of death,
pay tardy tribue to his virtues ana fay
upon his, tomb the garlands of love
and devotions: but should rather
my friends would gather about me in
the hour of my sorrow and disap-
po1ntment, to give me comfort and
strength with these gentle words of
tribute SO often wasted upon insens-
ible clay. I should rather that while
the flood Of life yet pulsates through
my veins, the hand of love would pin
upon my breast one simple rose than
that the fragrance of the gardens be
wasted upon my cold and unrespon.
sive sepulchre.
what use for the rope II 1t be not
flung
Till the swimmers grasp to the rock
has chung?
nat worth is Eulogies' blandest
breath
!. hen whispered in ears that are
hushed with death?
No! No! If you have but word of
cheer.
Speak It while I am alive to hear"
Stern Reality Of Things.
Let us turn from the enigma of
death to the stern reality of things
that are. The grim drama Of life
proceeds upon the stage The charac-
tiers are real men and women and
children breathing the air we breath,
thinking the thoughts and sharing our
aspiration. Comedy. romance and
tragedy are alternating back and forth
In panoramic view. The scenery is
painted in natures myriad hues Men
are struggling for life and liberty and
happiness. Mothers with drawn and
haggard faces, are toiling and shaving
for babes that are smiling. Poverty
and crime and temptation hover like
vultures over al, their victims are
grooming and stumbling and .cursing.
Envy and hate, the arch Williams, ap-
pear and love and friendship flee be-
fore them. Then crmes pride and !
ambition whispering seductive words |
and brewing deep plots and foul con- !!
spiracies. Here upon this stage we
must play our parts as those who have !
gone played theirs. Man Is the dis |
cordant note in the harmony OF Gods i
universe. Selfish and restless he |
frets and asks himself, "Is life worth .
living?" God and nature and circum- |
stance conspire to make him happy |
He has been promised everlasting life; |
nature has showered him with her !
bountiful gifts; circumstance offers |
him equality of opportunity and free /
dom to exercise his talents ane viz
tues.
1t Is asserted In our Declaration of
that all men are en-.
lowed with certain inalienahle rights, /
among them, life, liberty and the pur-
suit Of happiness. Life and liberty !
may be defined. We know what they !
are. But hapiness-what a subtle, l.
elusive, indefinable and often unat
thing 1t is! Parliaments can I
not ordain or constitutions guarantee +
It. We have seen men seek it at the J.
mouth, prodigal of life and |
limb. and they have won honor: but /
not happiness. We have seen them
and hording money and they
nave won wealth; but not happiness. ,
We have seen them swaying multi
:udes with their eloquence and win
ming the applause of listening SEN
ltes and they have won fame, but not |
I