Page 201 - Cornelius Hedges Story

For This And Succeeding Generations Gardiner 188

Chapter 12
The Twilight Years 1901 - 1907

Early in 1901, rheumatism, which first afflicted Judge Hedges
in 1885, grew more acute and found it necessary to go to southern
California for two months of vacation to seek relief. He noted that
the rheumatic pains were still bothersome in the fall.541 Also on July
4, 1901, in commenting on a “sumptuous banquet” spread “under
the shade of Fruit trees of all kinds” after a Grand Lodge cornerstone
laying at Stevensville, he stated:

“The occasion will long be cherished in memory of those who
participated and even the Grand Secretary for the occasion
almost forgot the pains and disabilities of his rheumatism.”542

In 1901 and 1902, he began to indicate that his rheumatism no
longer allowed him free use of his limbs, and that the writing of
Fraternal Correspondence Reports, which were a source of pleasure
to him for over 30 years, was now a painful and wearisome job.543

And in 1902, the year he had an extended and almost fatal illness,
he gave indication that he was perhaps almost ready to lay down his
Working tools for his just rew­ ard. He wrote:

“It is usually a pleasure to write these reports, but we
confess the pleasure has been materially lessened thinking of
old associates in this work. We often envy them that this life of
limitation and disappointment is over. Yet there is pleasure in
living and watching the mighty strides of progress, not only in
Masonry, but in all the arts and sciences that minister to higher
civili­ zation.”544
Hedges condition was so acute in December of that year that his
close personal friend, Past Grand Master Charles H. Gould wrote
Toby: “A few days since, the press dispatches reported your dear
father ill nigh unto death. Daily, since then, I have scanned the
papers, each morning, with anxious eye and heaved a sigh of relief
as I found his name had not been added to the scroll of immortals…
Kindly tell him that I grieve that one whom I deem so true and noble
should be called to undergo such suffering.”545