Obituary.

Obituary .

THE LATE BROTHER CHARLES SLOMA . N .

At the last meeting of tbe Southern Star Lodge , of ¦ wliich Bro . Bayfield is "W . M ,, a very graceful tribute was said to a departed brother by the Treasurer and Founder of the lodge . Bro . Henry Thompson , P . M ., who after some very kindly observation , congratulated

the brethren upon their re-assembling after the vacation and made the following observations upon the death of Bro . Charles Sloman who was an honorary member of the Lodge : — " Brethren , having hitherto touched only on

pleasant themes—having only looked at the bright side of the picture , I am afraid , without doing something like injustice to this brief review , I have undertaken of what has occurred since our last meeting , that I cannot pass over a subject Avhich is not so pleasing as

those that have gone before , and to which I haA e already reverted . In these Ave have reason to congratulate each other , not only for the earnest of what

we haA e done , but what we intend to do in the future , in furtherance of the great principles of our order , but there may be a shadow cast on this picture , and we as Masons ought not to be unmindful of it , as holding out to us a solemn warning for the future . Since we last met together in this lodge the hand of

death has smitten oneAA-hom by your kindness became one of our members , although he was not initiated in our lodge . He received at your hands the distinction of an " honorary member" in consideration of his abilities , his great poAvers for affording a pleasing

entertainment , his position as a Mason , and above all , his willingness at all times , in season and out of season to place his gratuitous services at the disposal of any one in the cause of benevolence or charity . I need hardly say , brethren , that I refer to the death of

our Bro . Charles Sloman , Avhose presence we shall ever miss from our festive board , and Avho will no more enliven our leisure moments Avith those

imprompted literary portraits he was so able and willing to draw of us . "Who can forget the many pleasant hours we have spent in his society ? who can forget the readiness with Avhich he photographed the happy sketches of every one who came within the range of

his witty lens ? who , when he saw it , could deny the fidelity of the portraitive , the reflex of the original , the second self of the individunl whom he painted with a master hand . Tet in all these great works in holding " As it 'twere the mirror Up to Nature " As he did , truthfully and honestl y , in no instance

whatever—and I say it fearlessl y did he ever suffer his wit to carry him beyond the bounds of prudence , or was he ever betrayed—even in the loftiest flight , of his personal fancies—to cause the slightest illfeeling , or have the remotest trace of a strng behind .

He loved the muses ; but he loved them only so far as he could use them to exalt our common natures to make us consider our Aveaknesses , and when the necessity should arise to respect those of others . Wo ill word or angry imputation ever escaped the lips ,

and perhaps few present have had more opportunity than I have of knowing what oar deceased Bro . Solomon was ,

" He had a hand , open as day To melting charity . " and I say it fearlessly that if ever there was an act of Benevolence to be performed—any good work to

be accomplished—he was always ready to do it Avithout cost and without price , thus proving that he always carried out the great princip le of Freemasonry even to those without the pale it , and to Avhom he owed no other tie than that of a desire to assist his

fellow-creatures in the hour of their misfortunes . When nature failed him , and advancing age induced him to appeal to his brother Masons iu the time of afflction , from the recollection of his many virtues it was at once responded to . The solace of an income

aud a home Avhich should cheer him in tbe declining hours of his life , and render them happy and comfortable were placed before him ; but , alas ! for the mutability of human affairs , the ready aid of his brother Masons came too late . He had scarcely come into

the enjoyment of it when his brain became weakened , reason was no longer able to assume her sway , and without further pursuing the melancholy subject , suffice it to say that our poor Bro . Sloman ended his days in a paupers home . From his end let us draw a moral , let it teach us to do all the good we can

" while it is yet day , " let us draw closer and closer those bonds of fraternity which link us together , so that during the short space which is allotted to our present existence Ave may wisely and usefully employ our time in the reciprocal intercourse of kindly and

friendly acts , and mutually promote the weliaro and happiness of each other . If we do this , Ave can then with complacency , without fear or trembling quit this sublumary abode and say that our work is well finished , and leave it with a firm hope of being

partakers of the honors freely dispensed in the Grand Lodge above Avhere the world's great Architect lives and reigns for ever .