Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 7.pdf/279

Rh crying in the wilderness," and especially because to his wise and far-seeing statesmanship, patriotism and energetic, happily directed efforts, more than to those of any other individual, is due the fact that the soil of what is now the big, lusty young State to the north of us, once a part of Old Oregon, became American soil and not British. The State of Washington desires to acknowledge her debt of gratitude to him, and to add her tribute to his memory to-day.

Life, death, eternity! How vast, how deep, how solemn are these three words! Astronomy can not tell us where the bounds of this visible universe are. Theology can not determine the locality of that invisible universe from which no traveler returns. But we are told that somewhere, "in our Father's house," are many mansions. This we do know, that when a human being, endowed with the kingly qualities of a free moral agent, capable of using his powers for the uplifting and bettering of humanity, does so use those powers instead of wasting his life in selfish gratification or sloth, or in wrongdoing, his memory should be honored by those who follow after. Life is a glorious mystery, with a heaven beyond for attainment by just men made perfect. Jason Lee, from the battlements of heaven to-day, must look down with the never-ending satisfaction of duty well and faithfully performed on earth.

In one respect death levels all:

But not so with the splendid character that lives in the minds of fellow-mortals after useless clay has served its purpose and been laid away in the grave. Rather should it be said of these in the language of Lord Lytton: