The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1922-12-04

| Continued from rage OHc')
Young manhood he lad identified himself
| with many Of the organizations OF the
city whose object was rehslous. mora
and civic progress, and hao won ms ""S
| to recognition as one OF the leaolhs
| ponents Of better and cleaner Guy a!!"
bv the purity Of his private and FnoHc
! life had set an example worm INC GNU
lation of US all.
| '.There will always remain in the
hearts of his many friends the mem ~
| Of a devout Christian and Of a true ana
generous friend"
| And upon the life and character OF
Robert Edward May. which was dellV-
| cred by w. Chipley Jones, the following
| AS a non-member of your splendid
| order I esteem it one OF the greatest
| privileges of my life to be invited to
come here upon this sacred and solemn
occa sion to pay tribue to one OF your
dead, who was one OF my very dear
| friends.
And I wish to thank you for the
privilege.
You have asked me to eulogize the
memory Of Robert Edward May. I &C
| cept the assignment with which you
| have honored me, not reluctantly, but
gladly. because from my viewpoint. it
| is meet and proper that we should re-
| fresh our memories of the virtues of
our friends who have undertaken the
| great adventure we pass along the
way from the cradle to the grave.
THE passing Of Robert Edward May
occurred, after a lingering illness Of
many months on Feb. Is. 1921, in the
! ffty-seCOnd year of his age.
He was victim of the great white
| plague, and through the weeks and
months which interviewed after he con-
tracted the maIady which took him away,
his fortitude was an index of his gentle,
his patient, his Iovable nature. Nor was
he without hope of the future which lies
beyond the grave, when his Master called
him to come and abide with Him.
He realized the inevitable and ac-
cepted it like a soldier. And, when the
final summons came, like a little child
falling asleep, he passed from life into
the mysteries of that bourn beyond the
sepulchre, whence no man. save one, has
returned.
And on March 2, 1921, all that was
mortal Of Robert Edward May was laid
to rest beside the mother who bore him,
whose memory he loved with a passion
ate affection, by his brethren of your
truly wonderful order, and according to
its subllmely solemn and exQuisitely
beautiful and impressive rltualstic serV-
ice for the dead.
II knew Ed May intimately and well
for more than 20 years, and l esteemed
his acquaintance and friendship beyond
my power Of expression to you.
Il repeat; his was gentle and lovable
nature, and it was benedictiOn to be
his friend.
True. Ed May had his weaknesses;
but those weaknesses were Weaknesses
Of Judgment, rather than of design. And
he, not his friends. was the sufferer from
their exercise. Aye, and as is true of
most men who have weaknesses to fight,
his virtues far outweighed his weak
nesSes.
Il never knew a more generous man
generous with his substance, and gen.
erous in his regard for the feelings and
the regulations of his feIlowmen.
ut was an Unborn principle with Ed
Nav to divide the last farthing that he
possessed with those less fortunate than
he. Nor would his generous nature per-
nit him to speak harshly. even Of those
who criticised him and were unfriendly
to him.
Indeed, I frequently discussed this
phase Of his nature with him. and he al
ways said that from his viewpoint, there
were no men in the world without some
good qualities; and that he preferred to
let his mind dwell upon the good in men,
rather than the bad.
And Robert Edward May was the
very soul Of honor; and though the pinch
of poverty overlook him after his health
had failed, and unknown to him, he had
become a charge upon the lar9ess Of
his friends and his brethren of the Elks,
his sterling integrity remained unm-
paired to the last moments of his life
Ills word was his bond and had he
been spared for little while longer, u
few minor obligations which worried him
greatly, Rs he tossed on HIS bed Of pain
under stress Of tho waiting disease which
took him away. would have boon liqut-
dated by him, to the last penny, They
have HiReo been lieuidated by his friends,
For many years. az a merchandise
| broker, Ed May was a competitor of
mine and throughout those years there
were no business secrets which 1 ever
| hesitated to diYuise to him, l knew that
l could trust him, because 1t wasn't in
| his nature to betray confidence of q
| friend,
Weak?
again, yes-iR seas inesseHtial par
| tieuiars.
but in the things ~hieA 30 to make