Entered as second-class matter, LaFayette, Ind., under act of March 3, 1879. The Painter and Decorator OFFICIAL ORGAN OF The Brotherhood of Painters, Decorators Volume XXXVIII MAY, 1924 Number Five A -A Real Prayer LVA ADAMS was one of the great pioneers of the west. A successful business man, thrice governor of Colorado, and otherwise prominent, he nevertheless found time for literary pursuits and wrote with strength and beauty. After his death, which occurred last November, the following prayer was found among his papers, written in pencil on a bit of hotel stationery: Give me sleep by night and work by day. In young manhood let young children grow about my knee and in age let their children come to bless. Give peace and content and health to those we love. Give me wisdom to know the truth and the courage to do it. Give prosperity that will make us independent of the temptation to traffic for sustenance, but not an affluence that will breed arrogance. Let us realize the brotherhood of all, the fellowship that each owes to each so that as we try to travel toward Heaven we will neglect no duty to our neighbor and our country. As others have planted flowers for me give me the spirit to plant flowers for others. Tolerant, let us believe in others as we would have them believe in us. Keep us physically clean, our minds sane so we may see only Gods, not spectres, and be virtually true to immortal hope and salvation. Forgive us and save us. Forgive us our sins and in spite of them save us. We do not ask to be great or rich but ask that none be poor and all be free. "Send no more giants, God, but make the people great."-Labor. Memorial Day 1924 L TO OUR ABSENT BROTHERS ET us stop in respectful retrospection and view the good deeds and commendable achievements of our departed Brothers, whose last mortal remains rest beneath green mounds, but whose life work contributed in such a great degree to the present success of our splendid Brotherhood. We must think of them as being: "In the democracy of the dead all men are at least equal. There is neither rank nor station nor prerogative in the republic of the grave. At this fatal threshold the philosopher ceases to be wise, and the song of the poet is silent. The poor man is as rich as the richest, and the rich man is as poor as the pauper. The creditor loses his usury, and the debtor is acquitted of his obligation. There the proud man surrenders his dignities, the politician his honors, the worldling his pleasures; the invalid needs no physician, and the laborer rests from unrequited toil. "Here at last is nature's final decree in equity. The wrongs of time are redressed. Injustice is expiated, the irony of Fate is refuted; the unequal distribution of wealth, honor, capacity, pleasure and opportunity which makes life such a cruel and inexplicable tragedy ceases in the realm of death. The strongest there has no supremacy, and the weakest needs no defense. The mightiest captain succumbs to that invincible adversary, who disarms alike the victor and the vanquished." -JOHN J. INGALLS. Decoration day, which is May 30th, is the day when we should all bow our heads in silent prayer for those who were of and one of us, knowing that God in His infinite wisdom has provided for them a haven of rest in "that undiscovered country, from whose bourne no traveler returns," and that their souls are reposing in that "house, not made with hands-eternal in the Heavens." |