MAGLHFay
HENRY GREGG FAY 1831-1911
Junior Grand Warden, 1879
MEMORIAL
"Again the Angel of Death has beckoned and the boatman pale has felried aeross the dark anrl silent river another of our illustrious and beloved Brethren.
Right Wor. Brother Fay was born at Southboro, Mass., on April 25, 183l, son of Francis B. and Nancy B. Fay. He, with his parents, later came to Chelsea, Mass., to live; and when Chelsea became incorpolrted as a city his father was elected its flrst Mayor. Later, a brother was elected to that honorable position. Henry G. Fay was educated at the Chauncy Hall School, located at Boston. After graduating from this school, he entered upon an active mercantile life.
"He was initiated into the mysteries of Freemasonry April 20, 1859, in Star of Bethlehem Lodge, at Chelsea, Mass., crafted May 18, 1859, and raised June 15, 1859; received membership in said Ldge Aug. 17, 1859, and demitted to unite with Zetland Lodge, Boston, Nlay 19, 1868. He was elected Junior Warden of Zetland Lodge Dec. 15, 1868, and Dec. 21, 1869; Senior Warden Dec. 20, 1870; Wor. Master Dec. 13, 1871, and Dec. 1l, 1872. He was President of the First Wor. Masters' Association, 1874 and 1875. He was appointed District Deputy Grand Master of the First Masonic District, 1876, 1877, 1878. He served in the offlce of Juuior Grand Warden of the Grand Lodge, 1879, and as a member of Committee on Charity, 1873, 1874, 1875. He became an Honorary Member of Beth-Horon Lodge Oct. 8, 18?8; Joseph Webb Lodge March 5, 1884; the The Lodge of Eleusis May 20, 1897; Zetland Lodge Dec. 14, 1904, and of St. John's Commandery, K.T., of Philadelphia, Pa., March 25, 1870. He was a member of the Committee on Charters and By-Laws, 1893-1901, and of ihe Committee on Curiosities of the Craft, 1903-1909.
"He received the Royal Arch Degree Aplil 10, 1863, in the Royal Alch Chapter of the Shekinah, held at Chelsea, Mass. He was Master of First Veil, 1864; Scribe, 1865; King, 1866 and 1867. He was elected High Priest Dec. 12, 1866, but declined to serve. He joined St. Paul's Royal Arch Chapter, Boston, June 20, 1876, and was Tleasurer from 1885 to 1911. He received the Order of the Temple Dec. 26, 1864, in Boston Commandery, K.T., at Boston, Mass. He was Ill. Engineer and Architect, Massachusetts Consistory, 32°, 1877, 1878, 1879.
"For many years he installed the offieers of Zetland Lodge, also the officers of the The Lodge of Eleusis, into their respective stations ; and, until his declining health forbade it, he presented the Past lMaster's Jewel to the Past Masters of Joseph Webb Lodge, of Boston, from its institution. Here we have a record of more than half a century of active, Masonic life. His friends were legion, and those who differed with him were ever ready to testify to his honesty of purpose, antl his worth as a man. He was thouglrtful and considerate of others, and was ever ready to help, aid and assist his brother Masons, the widow and the fatherless, to the utmost of his ability. To his wife, his son and his daughter, who survive him, we extend our sincere and heartfelt sympathy.
"He died full of years and full of honors. He has passed out of this life, as a star pales and vanishes before the rising sun: as a sail fades out of sight beyond the distant horizon: as a little wave glides up on the srnds of the beach, there breaks aud slides back to become an indistinguishable portion of the fathomless ocean. Sic transit gloria mundi. And yet his days of four score years were fllled with deeds of kindness and he has left a memory fragrant with the hallowed perfume of kindly acts.
"How passing beautiful that sleep
That gently falls upon the silvered brow of years,
And shuts the weary eyelids, filled with tears,
And opens them, never more to weep."
James M. Gleason,
Henry J. Mills,
Edmund S. Young,
Committee.
