Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 8.djvu/212

 204 PROFESSOR THOMAS CONDON. seeing him occupy seats of the highest honor the people could bestow, the bench of the supreme and circuit courts, and as a judge he has been absolutely impartial and upright; his pri- vate life irreproachable, and in public, above suspicion. 1 ' ' But a few days ago Judge Boise was the oldest lawyer in the State of Oregon. Now he has gone and I am the oldest and left to tread down the weary path of life alone, and I feel like one left alone without anyone to look up to in point of years and experience in the line of practice. When a man reaches the age that was attained by Judge Boise he has no occasion to regret to depart this earth, and there is no oc- casion to mourn his loss. It is just as natural for him to die as he lived. Everything the tree, the flower, the grass, thrive and fulfill their usefulness on earth and, after they have done their duty, wither and perish ; and the same is true of man- kind, and it is his duty to act and view as cheerfully as he can the end of this life which is inevitable. " 'His beloved family and friends need not grieve over his departure from such a long life of toil and high accomplish- ments, for they can look back upon his record with pride and full satisfaction. Spring is a most appropriate time for an old man to take his departure from this earth, when there are spring flowers, birds and everything to brighten and cheer him on to the end with their sweet fragrance and mirthful song, symbolic of a life of happiness, joy and prosperity. When the sun goes down and sheds its golden hues over the earth which is about to be clothed in darkness, so an old man like Judge Boise dies with all the glories of a setting sun. And when it is all over we can all join in saying : Well done, good and faithful servant. Best in peace.' : The work of Professor Condon represented the deepest de- votion through scholarship to the soul needs of his fellowman. Through his genius for discerning the thought and spirit of God in His works and his noble concern for the upbuilding of the higher life of the community, Thomas Condon ministered to two fundamental needs of the people of the Pacific North- west and was even a benefactor to the world at large. Wide and deep research among the rocks and strata of the Oregon region accumulated data that his constructive imagination