Fare The Well Old Friend
Created | Updated Jan 28, 2002
Ladies and gentleman, this is not a rant, but instead a memorial. Recently this drab and weary world was made even more so with the passing of a dear friend. Arthur L. Calloway was laid to rest On Tueasday, May 29 2001. "Art," as he was more commonly known, was the ChapterDad of the Fontana Chapter of the Order of DeMolay. He was one of the few men in this pathetic world that gave a damn about the young men of this community. He wanted to see that all of the young men he took under his wing had every opportunity to succeed in life. He did everything from offer advise to providing odd jobs to those of us who needed money. He was generous with his time, praise, and friendship. He never treated his "boys," as we like to call ourselves, as anything other than equals. By doing this he instilled in all of his boys a since of self-worth that would allow all of us to become upright members of the community. He helped to keep us out of trouble by setting an example that any young man would be proud to emulate. At his services his family asked me to recite a poem on their behalf. I would like to take the opprtunity to share it with all of you.
THE BRIDGE BUILDER
An old man, going a lone highway,
Came,at the evening, cold and gray,
To a chasm, vast, and deep, and wide,
Through which was flowing a sullen tide.
The old man crossed in the twilight dim;
The sullen tide had no fears for him;
But he turned, when safe on the other side,
And built a bridge to span the tide.
"Old man," said a fellow pilgrim, near,
"You are waisting strength with building here;
Your journey will end with the ending day;
You never again must pass this way;
You have crossed the chasm, deep and wide--
Why build you the bridge at the eventide?"
The builder lifted his old grya head:
"Good friend, in the path I have come," he said,
"There followeth after me today
A youth, whose feet must pass this way.
This chasm, that has been naught to me,
To that fair-haired youth may a pitfal be.
He, too, must cross in the twilight dim;
Good friend, I am building the bridge for him."
Will Allen Dromgoole
So folks, join with me in bidding farewell to a dear old freind. And to Art from all of his boys, thank you for building a bridge for us. We will use it gratefully, and we hope that one day we will use your example to build a bridge for our own boys. All of your "Old Boys," would like to wish you a pleasant journey through the undiscovered country. Try to stay out of trouble.
THE BRIDGE BUILDER
An old man, going a lone highway,
Came,at the evening, cold and gray,
To a chasm, vast, and deep, and wide,
Through which was flowing a sullen tide.
The old man crossed in the twilight dim;
The sullen tide had no fears for him;
But he turned, when safe on the other side,
And built a bridge to span the tide.
"Old man," said a fellow pilgrim, near,
"You are waisting strength with building here;
Your journey will end with the ending day;
You never again must pass this way;
You have crossed the chasm, deep and wide--
Why build you the bridge at the eventide?"
The builder lifted his old grya head:
"Good friend, in the path I have come," he said,
"There followeth after me today
A youth, whose feet must pass this way.
This chasm, that has been naught to me,
To that fair-haired youth may a pitfal be.
He, too, must cross in the twilight dim;
Good friend, I am building the bridge for him."
Will Allen Dromgoole
So folks, join with me in bidding farewell to a dear old freind. And to Art from all of his boys, thank you for building a bridge for us. We will use it gratefully, and we hope that one day we will use your example to build a bridge for our own boys. All of your "Old Boys," would like to wish you a pleasant journey through the undiscovered country. Try to stay out of trouble.
