Complex sentence: The Elks originally borrowed a number of rituals, traditions and regalia from the Freemasons, however by the first decade of the twentieth century, much of this had been abandoned as the Elks sought to establish their own identity.
Split into simpler sentences: The Elks originally borrowed a number of rituals, traditions, and regalia from the Freemasons. However, by the first decade of the twentieth century, much of this had been abandoned as the Elks sought to establish their own identity.