John M. Rennie, W. M. At a special communication of Central City Lodge, No. 305 of A. F. and A. M., held December the 20th, 1885, the following preamble and resolutions were unanimously adopted. Scarcely two weeks have elapsed since the membership of this lodge were under the sable cloud of sorrow at the loss by ceath of one of its members, and again has death entered claiming this time as the victim the Master of the Work.
This sad event repeats to our minds, that memorable period in the early history of the order, which caused such consternation on the part of the Craft, because "there were no designs found upon the Trestle Board." The untimely death of one entrusted with the work, has prevented its completion. "A Virgin now weeps over a broken column"
Some five years since, Bro John M. Rennie was cordially welcomed to membership with us, bearing with him credentials of the highest order from a lodge working under the jurierine land the Grand Lodge of zeal in good work, of his cultured intellect speedily won or him the respect of the membership, and he was put to task, which developed him to be workman of whom none ever felt ashamed. He was honored by an election to the station of Junior Warden, thence that of Senior Warden the duties of which, having been so faithfully discharged prompted the lodge to honor him with an election on the 24th of June 1885, to the Oriental chair, from whence he so ably and diligently dispensed Masonic Light, and inculcate the principles of morality, as to gain the love and esteem of all, up to the hour of 6 o'clock on the evening of the 19th of December instant, when the Supreme Grand Master sent his Tyler death and summoned his spirit from labor to eternal refreshment in the Celestial Lodge above.
Many members of this lodge preceded him in the honors of the Oriental chair, the lives of all of whom have been spared to complete the work assigned them; but he only, who had but scarcely placed his designs upon the trestle board, was called by the grim tyrant death to that "undiscovered country from whose bourne no traveler returns." Be it therefore
Resolved, That the intimate relations long held by him with the members of our fraternity render it proper that we should place upon record our appreciation of his many merits and as a member, as brother, as a man and as W. M. of this lodge deserves; and in his death this lodge mourns loss of one of her brightest ornaments. As a man he was faithful to his trusts, true to his friends, upright and honorable in all of his dealings, courteous and kind to all; as a Mason be exemplified in practice that noble virtue so deeply inculcated by our precepts, which is that charity "which covereth a multitude of sins."
Resolved, That we tender to his alflicted widow and his orphan children our sincere condolence and earnest sympathy in this their sad hour of affliction.
Resolved, That we wear the usual badge of mourning for the space a of thirty days, and that our lodge room be draped in the habilaments of mourning until the festival of St. John the Baptist, and that a page be set apart in our records sacred to his memory, and that a copy of these resolutions be sent to bis family, and be published in THE SELMA TIMES.
   SAMUEL JOSEPH,
   GEO. R. BOYD,
   ALBERT HERZFELD,
   J. H. ROBESON,
   FRANCIS L. PETTUS,
          Committee.