Memorial Address

mien spoke the acknowledgement of our human souls that tho will of Gotl is accomplished , " so mote it bo . " AVe left his mortal form in darkness , and coldness , and loneliness , and returned in sadness to the place of our assembly . But our hearts

remained with tho crumbling form , murmuring , "Earth to earth , ashes to ashes , dust to dust . " It was well ! For in that funeral march Ave saw that which is waiting for each of us , for whom first wo know not ; and this

terrible reflection flamed up before our souls—this is the end of earth ; to-morrow , that is , sooner or later , but certainly tomorrow , be it soon or late , this shall be done for us . Death is the end of all . But the heart will not bo subjugated by

this gloomy , this doleful sentence . It will not say farewell , brother , and forever , but grasping at the half-hidden , half-demonstrated truth , which forces itself upon the inner consciousness , it whispers

as to one who yet can hear the secret voice of tho soul—called by our ancient Grand Master the " voice of stillness "—farewell , brother , we shall meet again . Go on the way tho Master sends thee ; the higher degrees of life are beyond the door which is ever open but closely tiled . Go onas

, thy trust is in God , follow thy conductor and fear no evil , for the tree of life is beyond tho flaming sword . Go on to join the innumerable host , the grand Alasonic procession of all time , which ever presses towards the mystic

door ; to the veil which Mercy throws before the senses , and to the real life . The Masters of the great Alasonic secret have passed before . Their inarch is regal , for crowns and sceptures have they bornesacerdotalfor tho miti'e and the ephod

, they did wear , and the " Urim vae thummin" blazed along their line—holy , for the voice of prophecy lived upon their lips . Front the days of the pillars of Seth until now has been their solemn march . We

cannot hail them on their inevitable way , We cannot look within the marvellous veil Avhich shuts them in with its invisible folds . Wc cannot catch glimpse or whisper of the awful ministrations which welcome each or all from tho world of matter to the world of substance ; from the things Avhich perish to the things which are real . We can only note where they have passed , sporting on the sunny

uplands of pleasure , or camping with weeping sorrows in doleful vales—the high hill and low valleys of the mortal land , where they shared the mystic bread and wine of Melchizedok , rested by the Patriarch's tent , or slumbered by the rock

and ladder of Beth El . We see thorn pass between tho fire and cloud of Yemen ' s land , and tho glimpse of white , and blue , aud purple , and scarlet banners shows across the misty p lains . The lion , tho ox , tho man , and the eagle , fragments of their

cherubic heraldry , lio scattered in the dust of Nineveh ' s , and Egypt ' s unrecorded ages . By the fire and smoke of Sinai are their tents ; they bear the cap-stones of all temples , and the sound of their gavels , picks and trowels rise from the quarrying

grounds of all art , the secret vaults of all science , and the Avails and turrets of every fabric of philosophy and law . Then farewell , all ye brothers who have passed this way before us . Yet a little

ivhile of task and journey , and we too must heed the Warden ' s call of the sixth hour , lay aside our working tools , and MIOAV , if AVO be worthy to stand upon tho centre , to the assembly of the just .

In that Sublime Lodge whose length , and breadth , and height are equal ; whose joAvels are Love , and Avhose lights are Truth , in all their order , unchanging and eternal , AVO believe you stand . In that beatified land whore the inhabitants shall not say I

am sick , but tholight of tho sun of righteousness forever arises with healing onhis wings , Ave believe you dwell . This is the secret you bore in your mystic ark , still inscribed beneath the sacred arch of our sanctum sanctorum , within the square of Charity

and tho triangle of Truth . Masters , Wardens , and Brothers , what is the conclusion of tho whole matter 1 Has not our Ancient Grand Master made answer for all time ] Fear God and keep his Commandments , for this is the Avhole duty of man . —Freemasons' Monthly Magazine .

Freemasons are the associated friends of humanity ; their sacred union embraces in its philanthropy the amities of the gospel ; aud that charity in its kindest exercise and largest extent is her distinguishing characteristic .