Annex (t S CORNj^ ~ ' ' UNIVERSITY *H LIBRARY S41 EULOGY TO THE MEMORY OF Brother William Rauchfuss BY GEORGE SCOTT, P.M. Cornell University Library The original of this book is in the Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924015055993 EULOGY TO THE MEMORY OF Brother William Rauchfuss Delivered Before Benevolent Lodge, No. 45, F. and A. M., at their Temporary Lodge Rooms, at Haledon, N. J., Friday Evening, December 5, 1902, BY GEORGE SCOTT, P. M. 57/ «^ six December 2, 1902. George Scott, P.M., Paterson, N. J. : Worshipful and Dear Brother: I am requested on behalf of the Worshipful Master to inform you it is the desire that you prepare and deliver some remarks on the death of Brother William Rauchfuss, late Organist of our Lodge, at the next Communication, December 5, 1902. Fraternally, Charles B. Sparkman, J. W. December 5. 1902. George Scott, P.M., Paterson, N. J. : Worshipful and Dear Brother: On motion, thanks of the Lodge are hereby tendered you for your able and appropriate Address on the death of the late Brother William Rauchfuss, Organist of the Lodge, delivered this evening, and the Lodge request the favor of publication of same. Yours cordially and fraternally, John S. Hartley, Secretary, Benevolent Lodge, No. 45, F. and A. M. Paterson, December 6, 1902. To the Worshipful Master, Wardens, and Brethren of Benevolent Lodge, No. 45, F. and A. M. : Brethren: In reply to request of the Lodge to publish Address on the late Brother William Rauchfuss, delivered od 5th inst., I would state in reply tha.t it was not prepared for publication; nevertheless I accede to your request. With kind regard to all, I remain, Yours courteously and fraternally, George Scott. IE u I o o \>. The livery of death arrests our notice. The grim tyrant hath deputed its fellest messenger. He has sped his arrow, alas! too sure. Our Organist is the victim! A solemn gloom hangs over our labors. The sacred symbols of our art, veiled in sable drapery, speak a language but too full of import. Our Organist is no more ! The genius of Masonry, clad in the habiliments of grief, mingles her tears with ours. The Angel of Pity bends a downward course, and lends an anxious ear to our heartfelt lamentations, for the manly form, which so lately filled his honored seat at the organ with so much dignity, is now confined to the ''dark and narrow house." Those lips, which but now imparted instruction and exhortation from this sacred place, are silenced forever in the cold embrace of Death! And that heart, whose every pulsation propelled a gift to honest poverty has ceased to beat. The vital spark which warmed it to love has forsaken its earthly vehicle and winged its way to God. Our Brother sleeps in dust! Who shall forbid our grief ? Rather, who will not join in sympathy, when a band of Brothers, by an unexpected, sudden stroke, are deprived at once of a much-loved friend, an enlightened Brother, an instructive, assiduous, and faithful Organist? We come not here to repine at the hand of a righteous Providence. We come not here to indulge in heartless forms, in thoughtless rites, in solemn mockery. We come not here to praise the dead, to immortalize mortality. But we have come to bow submissive to the will of Heaven. We have come to improve an afflictive dispensation, and endeavor to profit by a contemplation of his virtues, his examples, his devotedness to the cause of benevolence, whose sudden exit we now deplore. It belongs to the living to take monitions from the dead. It belongs to us to pause for a moment, and consider the solemn subject which has caused us to mourn — to trace those traits of character which rendered our departed Organist so worthy of our esteem, which made him so much beloved by all his associates, and his demise so much the cause of deep, unaffected grief. On Saturday, November 29, 1902, our highly valued Brother, William Rauchfdss, having resisted the inroads of disease with a manly fortitude, and at last having been exercised with excruciating pains, no longer able to combat dis. order, yielded with quiet submission to the mandate of his Creator, At the moment when the bright luminary of day was casting his brightest rays on a busy world, it was then our Organist, the bright luminary of our Lodge, who had so often cheered and instructed his Brethren, cast a last look on terrestrial things, closed his eyes on the affairs of time, and calmly sank on the bosom of eternity. And may we not indulge in the vision of faith, and behold him bursting from the confines of the tomb, arising by the influences of the Sun of Righteousness, and entering on the joys and the glories of a new and immortal day? Brethren, how infinitely important to us are the considerations suggested by these solemn events ! What is time compared to eternity? What is earth compared to Heaven? What is man compared to God? They are indeed as an atom to a world — as a point to a universe. How essential, then, to our real happiness, that we should so "number our days" as to estimate the value from the shortness of time, that in every deed we may "apply our hearts to wisdom"! How important that we should so consider the fleeting vanities of the world as not to be captivated by their false insinuations ; that we should found our hopes on something more permanent than earth affords; that we should be convinced of our frailty and nothingness, and even be able to place our implicit trust in Him who suffereth none to fail who rely on His grace and look to Him for support ! "Father of Spirits, who hath formed our souls Capacious of immortal happiness, Oh! send a beam of Heaven, dispel the gloom, Direct our upward view, and point our paths To Thee, in whom alone our souls can find That perfect bliss we seek in vain below." In reviewing the character of our deceased Brother, we shall not be astonished by a display of those peculiar and popular traits which alone an unreflecting world are prone to admire ; we shall not be led through a series of important literary dis- tinctions; we shall not behold him in political combats striving for promotion; we shall not pursue him through the tented field and mark his steps in blood, nor follow him in » march to military glory — for most of these are vain delusions, and such his honest soul despised. But we shall go with him through the peaceful walks of domestic life, and there be delighted with the affectionate, the kind and faithful husband, the tender father, the affable, indulgent, yet judicious master of his house- hold. We shall follow him in his intercourse with society, and mark his exemplary manners, admire his plain, unvarnished demeanor, his unostentatious deportment, his candor, his sincerity in conversation, and his steady adherence to propriety and honor. Though in his composition there was nothing to dazzle or allure, still there was much to love and to admire. He was plain, but not vulgar; he was humble, but not servile; he was candid, but not impertinent; he was prudent, but not par- simonious; generous, but not profuse ; always economical, but never mean; he was submissive, yet independent; he had learning without pedantry; he had religion without superstition. As a Mason, our Brother was not less to be admired; but to those who hear me, his excellences in this department a.re too well known and appreciated to require an elaborate detail; yet so important were his labors, tha}; silence woul4 be criminal, He was assiduous and persevering in the attainment of knowledge, and ever willing to impart that knowledge to each worthy applicant. He was remarkably punctual to every engagement, and cheerful in the performance of every incumbent duty. He was a great lover of order, system, and method, and from his plans and suggestions much improvement has resulted in the labors of the different Bodies with which he was connected. The biography of Brother Rauchfuss, though it exhibits no peculiarly splendid features by which to render him famous, may be summarized as follows: He was born at Jessen, Prussia, March 23, 1839; pursued his studies at the University of Bonn, and his musical training at the University of Berlin; came to the United States, December 19, 1855; followed his profession of mechanical engineer in New York; came to Paterson about 1865, and was employed in the locomotive shops as mechanical engineer and draughtsman. Later he gave this up to teach music, and had followed that up to the time of his death. He had been organist to the Church of our Holy Communion, St. Joseph's, and at the time of his death was organist to the Church of Our Lady of Lourdes at River- side. Besides being organist for several Lodges, he was a member of Ivanhoe Lodge, No. 88, F. and A. M.; Adelphic Chapter, No. 33, R. A. M.; Terry Council, No. 6, R. and S. M. ; Adoniram Lodge of Perfection, Adoniram Council of Princes of Jerusalem, and Adoniram Chapter of Rose Croix, Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite. He served as Secretary in Adelphic Chapter for twenty-eight years, four years in Terry Council, and four years in each of the Bodies of the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite. He is survived by his wife, one son, and three daughters. He was buried with Masonic honors, December 2, 1902, at Cedar Lawn Cemetery. Rev. Brother C. D. Shaw preached the Funeral Sermon. "Dear shade of our Brother, descend from above, And list to our song of affection and love, For deep in our hearts doth thy memory abide, Thy virtues and goodness our footsteps shall guide." HS siLR^r'™ 8 ^ 1 "^ E " , °Sy ,'o the memory of Brother William 3 1924"015"055™993 , ill