Obituary.

Obituary .

BRO . D . M . WALKER . Bro . D . M . "Walker , P . Prov . Senior Grand Warden , of Gloucestershire , and tbe oldest Freemason in the province , was interred in the Hempstead Churchyardon Wednesday , 12 fcb instant .

, He was for many years the proprietor and publisher of the Gloucester Journal ( having succeeded in the proprietorship , Mr . Robert Eairkes , the founder of Sunday schools , ) and was styled the " father of the English Press . " The Freemasons of his Province paid respect to

his memory by attending the funeral in considerable numbers . The funeral cortege left the "Journal" Office shortly after eleven o'clock , and on reaching the Corn Exchange was joined by the Mayor and Corporation the City Sheriff and other civic authoritiesthe City

, Magistrates , the Charity Trustees , a body of the Ereamasons , and many of the principal citizens . The procession then proceed onward down the Southgate Street , in the following order : — The Bine Coat Boys . City Magistrates and Sheriffs .

Mayor , Sheriff , and Corporation . City Trustees . Ereemasons . Citizens .

Workmen of Deceased . Pour mourning Coaches , containing Belatives and Friends of the Deceased . Everywhere in the town there were indications of deep public sympathy and respect ; every shop in the principal streets was partiall y closed , and in some they were wholly so ; blinds were drawn downflags

, on the public buildings and at the merchants' offices at the docks were raised half-mast high , and the large number of people who had gathered iu the streets to witness the procession , testified hy their respectful and subdued demenour the high regard in which the deceased gentleman was held b y all classes of his

fellow-citizens . On reaching the southern limit of the city , the Corporation , Charity Trustees , and Magistrates , with the citizens and Blue Coat Boys , drew up on either side of the roadway , and waited uncovered , whilst the cortege passed . Having paid this

last testimony of esteem to Bro . Walker , they returned to the city . A large number of Freemasons retained their position in the procession , and attended the hody to the grave . Hempstead Church was reached shortly before twelve o ' clock , amid a shower of rain , which , however , fortunately , was not of long duration . The remains of the deceasedborne bprinters in his

, y employ , having been deposited in the church , where a large congregation assembled , the first part of the funeral service was proceeded with by the Rev . — Johnson , the curate in charge . The hody was then conveyed to the vault in the churchyard , where the remainder of the service was readand was

, lowered in its final position amid every indication of the deepest sorrow on the part of tha many person present . The coffin , which was of polished oak , bore an inscription to the effect that deceased died on the 7 th of July , at the age of 79

years . On the top of the coffin had been arranged various Masonic symbols in flowers , one of which was sent by Mrs . Price , of Tibherton Court , namely the csux ansata or cross , surmounted b y a circle composed of acacia leaves and lilies , the leaves being symbolical of hope in darkness , and the lily of life , the whole

being indicative of eternal life . The brother Freemasons of the deceased furnished a pentalpha of poppies and lilies , and a double triangle of the same flowers , all most tastefully arranged . The Brethren present wore a bouquet of acacia and ivhite-flower , which they dropped into the vault after the burial

service . The deceased's brethren , who thus paid him a last mark of their esteem , as one of the oldest members of the Provincial Grand Lodge , were out of costume , but wore , as distinctive of the Fraternity , white neckties and gloves , the latter to remindMasons that without a pure heart and clean hands " no one

can stand in the holy place . " Lord Sherborne , the head of the Craft in the Province of Gloucestershire , in a letter to his deputy , Bro . G . F . Newmarch , of Cirencester , expressed his " sorrow to hear of the death of Bro . Walker , " and speaks of him as " one of the last survivors of the old

Provincial Grand Lodge . " Bro . Newmarch says of Bro . Walker , that " he was a very old acquaintance of mine and of my lather before me . I should be pleased to see every respect paid to his memory . " The Royal Agricultural Show at Wolverhampton , and the midsummer holidays , kept a great number of Masons from being present at the funeral from Cheltenham and other places . The Deputy Provincial Grand Master of Herefordshire , Bro . H . R . Luckea ,

expressed his regret that a business engagement at Monmouth prevented his being at the funeral of Bro . Walker , " one for whom I had the greatest respect , " and suggested that as the brethren would attend the funeral out of clothing , they should do as was done at the burial of the Venerable Archdeacon Eriar , ' carry and drop into the grave a small sprig of acacia . The

acacia of Freemasonry is the ' Minosa Nilotica , ' of Linnaeus . Much of the Masonic history of the plant is incommunicable , but it is intended to remind us of the ' immortality of the soul / Bro . Walker ' s public services extended over nearly half a century . He was elected a member of the

Town Council on the 24 < th of . November , 1828 . In 1822 he served the office of Sheriff , in conjunction with John Cooke , Esq ., and again in 1824 , with William Mutlow , Esq .. In 1830 he was chosen Mayor . A similar honour was conferred upon him in 1839 and again in 18-1-7 ; and on the death of Mr .

, Willliam Washbourne , Bro . Walker was chosen to discharge the Mayoral duties till the expiration of the official term . The position of Alderman he may be said to have occupied continuously from 1 S 29 to 185 G , a period of twenty-eight years , seventeen of which were under the old and eleven under the new

Corporation . In May , 1857 , a very valuable testimonial was presented to Bro . Walker , at a public banquet , held at the then King ' s Head Hotel . It consisted of a large silver Cellini vase , two silver claret jugs , a silver inkstand , and a dressing case , the whole being valued at £ 378 . No better testimony could have been given of the esteem in which Bro . Walker services was held than that afforded by the