158 THE RETROSPECT OF THE YEAR. 



positions of honor and trust and was ever after deeply in- 

 terested in the masonic brotherhood. He was initiated 

 into the Essex Lodge of I. O. O. F. Dec. 4, 1843, and 

 when Fraternity Lodge was instituted in Nov., ] 846, he be- 

 came one of tlie charter members, and was a trustee for 

 more than twenty years. In all respects he was an up- 

 right man and good citizen, discreet and even-tempered. 

 He had the confidence and esteem of all who knew him 

 or had business relations with him. 



He had a great fondness for the study of natural history, 

 especially the flora, devoting much of his leisure to this 

 pursuit. He was elected a member of the Essex Institute 

 Mar. 12, 1856, frequently attended its field meetings, col- 

 lecting many plants during the forenoon rambles placing 

 them on the table at the afternoon session, frequently a 

 list of his findings accompanying the same. Some of these 

 have been printed in the earlier voknnes of the Proceedings 

 or Bulletin of the Institute. Advancing years did not 

 diminish his zeal in this study, but he was ever on the alert 

 to find some more plants on the first appearance of the 

 opening of the spring flowers and to record these facts iu 

 his floral calendar. 



Rev. Ariel Parish Chute died at Sharon, Mass., Dec. 

 18, 1887. He was born in Byfield, Mass., May 16, 1809, 

 the home of his ancestors for a century and a half, and 

 fitted for college at Dummer Academy located in the same 

 parish ; graduated at Bowdoin College in 1832, the The- 

 ological School at Andover in 1835, ordained over the 

 Congregational church in Oxford, Me., the following year ; 

 afterward he held a pastorate in Pownal, Me., Ware, Mass., 

 and supplied the pulpit in Lynnfield about six years. 

 In the intervals between these duties he was principal of 

 the Warren Academy in Woburn, the academy at Milton, 



