The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1917-01-27
Both TempIar and Blue Lodge Rituals
Performed at Funeral Of H. 7.
Belts Today
COMMANDERY ACTS
AS ESCORT OF HONOR
Blue Lodge Ritual al Grave al Which Past
Master E. Hamilton Acts as
Master

With Masonic honors and attended
by concourse Of friends seldom gath
cred at the Odd Fellows cemetery, The
last rites were performed over The
body Of Harry T. Bettis this afternoon
Following a short service conducted
at the home by Rev Byron T Hester
at which only the family and a few
intimate friends were present, the cas-
ket was borne t2 the Epworth Method
ist church where were present large
delegations of Masons Of the Blue
lodge and knights Templar and inter
mediate and affiliated ranks.
The public service was most impres
sive. 1t was conducted by Rev. Byron
Hester Of the First Christian church
of which the deceased was member
assisted by Rev. L. L. Cohen, who
read the scriptural passages and of
fered prayer.
Unto the Valley"
In his funeral grafton Mr.. Hester
said in part;
Tramp, tramp, tramp, the progress
of history goes marching on from day
to day, from year to year, from centu
ry to century, but always-from the
cradle to the grave. s0ur hearts like
muffled drums are beating funeral
marches to the grave.
at is appointed once for every man
to die. 1t was appointed once for Har-
ry Bettis to die. 1t is appointed once
for me to die. 1t is appointed once
for you to die. But the gay will
laugh when thou art gone; the weary
brood of care plod on. And each one
as before will chase his favorite phan-
tom.
For little while the pitcher is left
at the cistern. For a little while the
broom is left in the corner. For lit
tie while the book is left on the table
that we may come here to pay our
parting tribute to the dead; For some
we loved, the loveliest and the best
that from his vintage rolling Time
hath prest, have drunk their cups a
round or two before, and one by one
crept silently to rest and Of these
stands preeminent that perfect One,
who, in the shrouded blackness of
Gethsemane's garden, drank of his
cup of gall and bitterness. Harry Bet
tis drank Of his bitter cup; but may
now his cup be that Of happiness and
running over.
"You are sitting today in the shadow
of mans greatest sorrow You are
sitting today in the light of mans
greatest hope. the hope Of life pro
jected throughout all the endless
years. Your soul from sheol cries out
with Jobs despairing cry: If a man
die, shall he live again?' Shall the
dead bough put forth in the spring;
shall the dead thorn and bitter bud
blossom with the rose; shall all ma.
ture die and live again; and man, in
Gods image, his highest creation. die
and not live again
1T is through the death of plant life
that animal life subsists. 1t Is
through the death of living blood cor
puseles that today you are enabled
10 think. Life eyermore is fed by
death, in earth and sea and SKY. and
that a rose might breathe its breath
something must dier And that Harry
Belts might breathe the breath Of a
purer atmosphere in a realm where
there is no pain it was necessary for
this poor body to die. For if the soul
can fling the dust aside, and naked on
the sir of Heaven ride, were it not
shame were it not a shame for il in
this clay carcass crippled to abide
throughout all the days. throughout
all the years, throughout I'll eternity.
Thus we rise on stepping stones Of
our dead selves through the life Of
Him who went down into the grave.
and. like Samson, pushed asunder the
pillars Of the temple of death, trium.
phantly exclaiming. I am the resur-
rection and the life. He that believ-
eth on Ne, though he die. yet shall he