The Coconino sun., 1921-12-16

T.
fittingly marked out by the words of
the royal seer in praise of divine
Providence. Our friend trusted in the
Lord, and did good and dwelt in the
land of his adoption, and was fed
with its choicest blessings.
Charles A. Brant knew this world as
few men ever did, and human nature
held few secrets from his penetrating
mind. His travels had taken him to
all parts Of four continents and his
keen observation served by reten-
tive memory made him q walking
compendium of worldwide informa-
ton. Hence the peerless host to the
throngs of visitors who these seven
teen years have focked to the sub
lime rim of this titan of chasms. The
artist, the writer, the philosopher, the
theologian, the thinker, the business
man, the cowboy, the child and the So
phisticated globe-trotter found in
Charles A. Brant a most congenial
and entertaining sympathizer. To ali
he threw wide open the gates of his
unsurpassed hospitality. For only
one kind of person did he ever show
contempt. He had grown to love and
worship as it were this sublime mani
festation of divine omnipotence. The
Canyon was the shrine of which he
was the high priest. For dogmatic
pronouncements he had little use and
deplored the bitterness of feeling of
ten engendered by intolerant doct-
rines. But to anyone failing to share
his worshipful admiration for the
grandeur of the Canyon he would un-
sparingly give the lash of his sting
ing reprobation. On the other hand,
he would readily warm up to the visi-
tor who joined in his religious con-
temptation of natures masterpiece.
No wonder that such man reckoned
his friends by the thousand among the
people who have come and visited the
Grand Canyon.
Many of those were treated to
another side Of the versatile mind of
the high priest. It was when after a
strenuous day of sightseeing the for
tunate tourist was admitted into the
inner circle of the cosy corner and
was allowed to listen to the tales of
that most skillful raconteur. The IA
tigue from q ride down the trail or
drive along the rim would easily
yield to the refreshing charm and en-
chantment radiating from the hosts
personality.
As he often remarked, Charles Brant
came to the Grand Canyon with a
mind imbued with the sophistries of
unbelievers. Ere long those foggy
tenets of groundless atheism ceased
to have any hold on him. This new
book of revelation spread out at his
feet engrossed his religious mind, and
he felt bound to proclaim repeatedly
his belief in the God whose almighty
power was so evidently displayed in
the splendor of the Canyon.
Another distinctive trait Of that
richly endowed nature was its untir-
ing kindness for the little ones and
the helpless creatures of God. He
has been known to rise from his bed
and throw open the gates that kept
the thirsty cattle from the forbidden
waters of the reserve. He could not
stand to see any living thing suffer
and would not hesitate to transgress
man-made regulations when no other
way could be found to bring the need
ed relief.
A heart so tender and so kind to
animals could not very well remain
deaf to the call of distress from hui
man beings. Hence when the world
conflict broke out and left trail of
crying misery in it's wake he spared
not his efforts nor his riches to go to
the relief of the widow and orphan.
His deeds along that line are known
only to Him who scrutinizes the hearts
of men. The acts of charity and kind
ness performed by our departed friend
were not to be recorded on the scrolls
Of worldly fame.
Now, dear friend, thou hast left US,
but the noble example Of thy life will
be enshrined in our hearts. We pray
that the God of love who makes the
love of our neighbor the touchstone OF
our love for Him may be lenient and
have thy soul in His keeping. May
He who was so kind to thee in this
valley of sorrow admit thee into the
company of His elect where, we, thy
sorrowful friends, hope to join thee
when our race is run and the hand Of
time bids us pass from the shadow OF
death to the splendors Of eternal light.
= B. lNvI Ar<a