is mouldering in its parent
dust.

Let the proud and the vain consider how soon the gaps are filled that
are made in society by those who die around them; and how soon time
heals the wounds that death inflicts upon the loving heart; and from
this let them learn humility, and that they are but drops in the great
ocean of humanity.

And when God sends his angel to us with the scroll of death, let us look
upon it as an act of mercy, to prevent many sins and many calamities of
a longer life; and lay down our heads softly and go to sleep, without
wrangling like froward children. For this at least man gets by death,
that his calamities are not immortal. To bear grief honorably and
temperately, and to die willingly and nobly, are the duties of a good
man and true Mason.

Ode.

Tune--Naomi. C. M.

When those we love are snatched away,
By Death's relentless hand,
Our hearts the mournful tribute pay,
That friendship must demand.

While pity prompts the rising sigh,
With awful power imprest;
May this dread truth, "I too must die,"
Sink deep in every breast.

Let this vain world allure no more;
Behold the opening tomb!
It bids us use the present hour;
Tomorrow death may come.

The voice of this instructive scene
May every heart obey;
Nor be the faithful warning vain
Which calls to watch and pray.

At its conclusion the Chaplain will read the following passages:

Lo, He goeth by me and I see Him not. He passeth on also, but I perceive
Him not. Behold He taketh away, who can hinder Him?

Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble. He
cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down; he fleeth also as a shadow,
and continueth not. Seeing his days are determined, the number of his
months are with Thee: Thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot
pass; turn from him that he may rest, till he shall accomplish, as an
hireling, his day. For there is hope of a tree if it be cut down, that
it will sprout again, and that the tender branch thereof will not cease.
Though the root thereof wax old in the earth, and the stock thereof die
in the ground, yet through the scent of water it will bud and bring
forth boughs like a plant. But man dieth and wasteth away; yea, man
giveth up the ghost, and where is he? As the waters fail from the sea,
and the flood decayeth and drieth up, so man lieth down, and riseth not;
till the heavens