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Article FUNERAL ORATION ← Page 2 of 4 →
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Funeral Oration
sal of a warrior ' s atchievements ? No . In admiring the vjytues that have rendered his death , like Josiah ' s , lamented in Judea and Jerusalem , let us , as Christians and Masons , be stimulated , not to offer idle adulation to his manes , but to imitate , in the practice of every virtue , so bright a pattern . Nothing excites more powerfully to virtuous deeds , than the examples of those whom they have rendered conspicuous . Man generally
desires what he finds applauded in others . And , either because virtue appears more noble when he hears it praised , or less difficult when he sees it practised , he is stimulated thereto—as the labour is not without reward , and remissness would be without excuse . The examples ofthe dead are no less powerful than those ofthe Jiving . We look upon the virtues ofthe former with a greater degree
of veneration , as we view those of the latter with a greater degree of envy ; perhaps , because , death having crowned them , we -are willing to believe that posterity praises without flattery , as it praises without interest—or rather ( for why should the real reason be concealed in this temple of truth . ) because our pride will not suffer us to acknowledge them .
To convene the people when some illustrious popular character has terminated his career , and to improve the opportunity of exciting them to patriotic virtues , is an ancient custom , frequent instances of which occur iti sacred and profane history . The heart of man , however obdurate , when operated upon by grief , or the idea of a future state , is prepared to receive such favourable impressions ; as . the stifF
and close-grained stone becomes pliant and ductile wheli heated by the fire of the furnace . ¦ Thus we read that the corpse of Cresar , having been brought into the forum of the then metropolis ofthe world , Anthony , holding up that Dictator ' s garment , addiossed the Roman people : — " You well know , " said he , " this mantle . I remember the first time Ceesar put it on . It was on the clay he overcame the Nervii . If you have tears to shed , prepare to shed them now . "
• With as much propriety , can I rise to-day , and addressing you , say : —• You well know these Badges . They are the Insignia of MASONRY —of a society , which , for its antiquity and utility acknowledges no equal among the institutions of the sons of man . Behold the white . pron that was girded on him , the loss of whom we bemoan , on the day he became A MASON j he has left it to you unsullied . He has left it to you , decorated with those marks of dignity to which merit alone gives title .
If you have tears to shed , prepare to shed them now . He is no more . No longer shall he , like the eastern sun , illuminate our Lodges ; no longer shall he plan or direct our works . You well know , fellow-citizens , that Sword , emblematical of Sit-, pre me Executive Authority . I remember the first time it was delivered to him . It was on the day we shook off the British domination and bet atne a People . ¦ Jf you have tears to shed , prepare to shed them now . . a q *
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Funeral Oration
sal of a warrior ' s atchievements ? No . In admiring the vjytues that have rendered his death , like Josiah ' s , lamented in Judea and Jerusalem , let us , as Christians and Masons , be stimulated , not to offer idle adulation to his manes , but to imitate , in the practice of every virtue , so bright a pattern . Nothing excites more powerfully to virtuous deeds , than the examples of those whom they have rendered conspicuous . Man generally
desires what he finds applauded in others . And , either because virtue appears more noble when he hears it praised , or less difficult when he sees it practised , he is stimulated thereto—as the labour is not without reward , and remissness would be without excuse . The examples ofthe dead are no less powerful than those ofthe Jiving . We look upon the virtues ofthe former with a greater degree
of veneration , as we view those of the latter with a greater degree of envy ; perhaps , because , death having crowned them , we -are willing to believe that posterity praises without flattery , as it praises without interest—or rather ( for why should the real reason be concealed in this temple of truth . ) because our pride will not suffer us to acknowledge them .
To convene the people when some illustrious popular character has terminated his career , and to improve the opportunity of exciting them to patriotic virtues , is an ancient custom , frequent instances of which occur iti sacred and profane history . The heart of man , however obdurate , when operated upon by grief , or the idea of a future state , is prepared to receive such favourable impressions ; as . the stifF
and close-grained stone becomes pliant and ductile wheli heated by the fire of the furnace . ¦ Thus we read that the corpse of Cresar , having been brought into the forum of the then metropolis ofthe world , Anthony , holding up that Dictator ' s garment , addiossed the Roman people : — " You well know , " said he , " this mantle . I remember the first time Ceesar put it on . It was on the clay he overcame the Nervii . If you have tears to shed , prepare to shed them now . "
• With as much propriety , can I rise to-day , and addressing you , say : —• You well know these Badges . They are the Insignia of MASONRY —of a society , which , for its antiquity and utility acknowledges no equal among the institutions of the sons of man . Behold the white . pron that was girded on him , the loss of whom we bemoan , on the day he became A MASON j he has left it to you unsullied . He has left it to you , decorated with those marks of dignity to which merit alone gives title .
If you have tears to shed , prepare to shed them now . He is no more . No longer shall he , like the eastern sun , illuminate our Lodges ; no longer shall he plan or direct our works . You well know , fellow-citizens , that Sword , emblematical of Sit-, pre me Executive Authority . I remember the first time it was delivered to him . It was on the day we shook off the British domination and bet atne a People . ¦ Jf you have tears to shed , prepare to shed them now . . a q *