The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-03-08
THE LADIES. III. l. GORDON.


Sovereign Master. Ladies and Sir Knights.
If there is one thing that makes me |
prouder than another, it is TO have my |
name associated with the ladies, and II
there Is one pleasure l enjoy more tnan /
another. it is to be permitted to associate
with the ladies. l feel honored. therefore, |
at being called upon 70 respond 10 TINS 1
toast. Yet 1 feel keen and hUmiliatlng /
sense of my inability and unfitness TO /
properly do so, for to speak OF true |
| woman is TO speak of all that Is high and |
pure and noble in this life. Her influence |
| for good is felt and known and acknowl- |
| edged wherever the light OF intelligence !
shines and the barriers Of darkness and |
| superstition have been broken down BY
| nature she is the true representative or all
| the ennobling and elevating influences
that surround mankind; and with a subtle
aud magic power she dominates and rules
| the morals of men, and ever pointing up
| ward, leads humanity TO a higher plane,
ard adds a charm and lustre to this
| life that makes lt worth the
| living. From the cradle to
the grave, mans existence is in
| spired by her power, and all that Is up
| right and noble in his character can De
traced to the influences upon his life OF
the devoted love and affection OF his
mother, his sister, MS sweetheart, his
wife. Show me a man who Is bright
and shining moral light IN community,
! and will show you man whose life has
been dominated by the sweet and divine
| influences Of the love or and Tor true
woman.
Let the rays Of the lamp Of human ex-
| perience penetrate the lnnermose recesses
| OF society, and the fact IS revealed that not
! only in the formation OF mans character,
! but also in all his achievements which
| have added an impetus 10 the wheels OF
civilization during the past century, the
women played an important part But
for the prayers and presence OF the women
of America, the black cloud OF human
| slavery never would have lifted from our
fair land, and today, instead
| OF one great, indissoluble Union
of states, one government, one flag, we
would have in America a Qlsmem beFed
| and bleeding union, the heritage of a sue
cessful rebellion, a living testimony OF &
backward stride in the march OF civlliza-
ton. And so it is, in all victories OF right
over wrong, of light over darkness, or
virtue over vice-woman has been cen
trail figure and played an important part;
The last 70 leave the cross OF our crucIhed
Savior and the first TO the sepulcher; the
first TO learn of his resurrection and the
first 20 bear the tidings to MS disciples and
10 the world, were Mary Magdalene and
the other Nary-two women possessing
the same natural inclination for good that
is so prominent in the women Of today.
SCaQGlQZ as 90 mere
ed by the representatives OF the grandest,
the most valiant. the most magEanimous
order of knighthood the world has ever
known-an order that Is bound
to give aims to the poor and
weary pilgrim, feed the hungry,
clothe the naked and bind up the wounds
of the afflicted, an order that Yields its
sword in defense of innocent maidens, des-
tituue widows, helpless orphans and the
Christian religion: an order that binds Its
members in mystic tie OF brotherly love
and sympathy SO strong that hundred
members of one commandry dld bare their
breasts to the surgeons knife IN an earn
est, though futile, attempt to save the HE
of a suffering Notwithstanding, say, IN
the midst of the representatives OF this
, | order | would be false TO its principles
and false to myself as a member or that
order did I not bow in reverence before
: the majesty Of the ladies, and acknowledge
them the guardian angels or man 5 happi-
ness.
And now. to the ladies who have honored
rs with their presence here this evening:
We bid YOU thrice welcome to our oanqu et
board. Your presence is an inspiration 10
US TO be faithful to the principles upon
which our order is founded. AS you see
us tonight YOU would ever see Us, were
J Won nerynitted TO look in upon the more
secret workings of our order. The threSn-
old of the asylum" can never be crossed
by YOU: vet, we trust that the lives or the
sir knights of Mount Oliyet commanders
) will ever be such as to encourage ana
? strengthen YOU in the belief that It Is an
order established Tor good. IL may be
{ true that there have been occasions In your
life when. worn and weary from the lonely
l tourney home from the meeting or the
commandery. at an hour, the laueness OF
which would tend to excite your susplc'
ions. the sir knight whose Joys and whose
misfortunes you share, has had dllHcuity
2 in finding the place where the Key TO the
Q door should lit, ami, perhaps, has sunken
r into MS chair from sheer exhaustion
1 upon his entrance into the room
/ il NAV be true, | say, that some scene
Of this kind may have caused you 10 looh
with suspicion upon his Oft repeated STATE
& ment that he had been to the lodge; yet
: assure Won that all the exhaustion and all
[ the nervous excitement shown IN MS Ell
5 forts III obtaining entrance 10 the mouse
: Were causad by his anxiety TO hurry nome
{ that he might enjoy your society.
5 There may also be those OF you VINO oc
, cupv the position of mother-ln-ia" 70 sous
: of the members OF our com nan ~
I there be ssch. and your life Is not one ina
I - flIe3 18th the sweet aroma or perfect
:. harmony and accord with your surround
l ings. | desire 20 say to you inst tnete \
> vet hope. Some one IN America iiA! se'
. follow the example set By an enterpFls i
I woman of Austria who has es1aDLsneo II
J | Vienna home for mothers-in-law Wner'
she can accommodate five hundred wnose
L sous-inlaw have made their lives SD mlser
able that they are unable longer 10 snar'
the comforts OF life with them.
And it is said that, although the enter
prise has lust been started, more sppilca
fions have been received than her nam
moth establish ment can accommodate
And to any OF you whose affections have
been won BY some member OF our com
nan6erv. let me say that we sincerely
/ hona that yor, will obtain firm hold uPoI
e him. and lead him from the lonely lie OF e
{ bachelor. lest be may become hopelessl
= grounded in his ways. living ike one o
:. our Sir Knights who Is ABOUT 70 take NJ
i depsrture from Us and may turn his oaci
y upon the felicities of married life
/ We rejoice IN having the opportunity O
8 having the ladies with Us tonight ana :"
q sincerely trust that the future Will oFlnJ
q 70 us the members OF Mo1nt OIVet com
mandery, many occasions wren we may u
e thus able TO entertain them
z And in conclusion let me express IN
e hone. which | know viii find an echo j
:: the heart of every Sir Knight present her
@ tonight that your lives may De nlIeo Wit
q sunshine and your pathway strewn WIZ
l. roses ard that when the sacred ties taa
bind you 70 the loved ones il this hie shai
q be sundered, that they VIII onLy
= sundered to be rewovel II that petite
l. country. where the silver chord Is neve
5 Ioosed, nor the golden bowl broken
e Tsmplar Masonry aud NJ O!ivet Con
I uaandery-J. P. ALLEN.
2 Sovereign yas.e- Ladies AID Sir Knights
:, Cowper says:
q -.,s -;x ehe sad complaint. ard siuos. true.
d Whfse er we write. vs tr1ag forth no-aL1g Few
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