The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1896-06-16
THE ELKS' DECORATION
The Graves Of Deceased Members Of the
Order Strewn With Flowers.
TOUCHING TRIBUTES BY ABLE MEN.
n Mastery Address by Hon. w. j.
o'Brien. OF baltimore, and the
EuiOgy by Rev. DR. ri. u. wharton
Many Visiting Members of the
Order The Platform Breaks.

The first annual decoration day Of
Norfolk Lodge. No. IS, b. p. 0. E,lks,
TOOK place Sunday. and was grand sue
cess. The programme called the mesn-
bers of the home lodge and their visit
ing brothers from Baltimore, Richmond
petersburg, Newport News, and Ports
mouth, and Berkeley to assemble at the
lodge room In the Academy OF Music
building, at 2:30 o'clock, from which
point, at O'Clock, procession was
formed and headed by the Soldiers
Home Band. took up q line of march
under command OF Mr.. John p. Kevill as
chief marshal, and Mr.. William c.
Diem assistant. up Main to Church.
TO Charlotte, to Cumberland streets, to
the cemeteries.
Upon arriving at Elmwood Cemetery,
where the ceremonies took place
Il vast concourse of people were found
already on hand.
Mr. John w. Cherry. Exalted Ruler
OF Norfolk Lodge. called the meeting to
order, and turned the conduct of the
exercises over to Mr. j. w. Blick. chair
man OF the Decoration Committee
which were opened as follows: Prayer by
Kew. Mr.. Coupland. of St Luke's
Church. This was followed with dirge
played by the Soldiers Home Band
Hon. w. j. O'Brien, of Baltimore
N.
and nothing more eloquent has ever
been heard In Elmwood than the ad-
dress OF Mr.. O'Brien. He spoke as fol-
lows:
MIR. O'BR1EN'S ADDRESS.
My friends. we are here assembled this
afternoon, beneath the broad blue cano-
ry OF Gods heaven, beneath the count
less millions of twinkling stars those
silent sentinels of night which are for
the interim hidden from our gaze by
the resplendent glory OF the God of Day
Here, In this silent. beautiful City OF
the Dead, the final resting place of all
OF us when life's journey is ended, are
we gathered. to pay loves willing trib-
ute to the memory of our brothers who
nave gone before us into the shade of
the Valley of Death and who live now
but In the mystic realm of retrospectIon
ana IN the ever-ablding and consoling
nope OF spiritual renewal Of our love
and friendship in the Promised Land
beyond the grave.
When to the flowers so beautiful
The Father gave Il name:
Back came little blue-eyed one
tAll timidly 1t camel.
And, standing at its fathers feet.
And gazing in his face.
II said In low and trembling tones.
Dear COD, the name thou gavest me
Alas. | have forgot
hlndly the Father looked him down.
And said, Forget me Not"
The beautiful little flower is alike our
symbol and our inspiration on this occn
sioh' Tor we have come from the busy
hauhtS or men, have for the time left
our MONIES and our families and have
1ourneyed in pilgrimage to this silent
w hlte city In order that we might gar
iahd the little, narrow, earthly habita
Iions of our brothers with the richest
noWehs OF the early summer. The tiny
Httie iorBet-me-not. the glorious roses
of love. the amaranth of immortality
and the clinging ivy of devoted friend
ship.
When the windows had been thrown
open and the crisp morning air and
beautiful sunshine pervaded the room
with his departing breath. Goethe, the
sseat German poet, said: Bring me
howers, bring me flowers"
The great mind realized THAI his span
OF lie was rapidly drawing to close:
that MS physical existence was quickly
eDplhg away; and he longed to gaze
upon those beautiful fragrant gifts of
Nature that are too sweet. too pure and
100 beautiful to endure for long. that
spring from the lap OF Mother Earth.
i've their short day, and sink down
again upon her sympathetic bosom. their
mission of love and consecratioR ac-
complished.
SO do we wend our way to this lovely
sept to-day. laden with June's choicest
howers, that we may strew upon the
graves OF our brothers, those blooms
which are emblematical Of all that is
pure, all that is good, and all that Is
noble in nature
The earliest records Of which we have
any knowledge, those contained in the
mounds, monuments and INSCRIPTIONS
Of prehistoric times. impart to us the
fact, that even in those remote ages IL
was universal custom to honor Yhe
dead. Aye, and these very records are
OF themselves the best evidence of the
existence Of that custom, for, they are
In most instances, monuments which
mark the tomb or which were erected in
commemoration OF some king or hero
the paean of whose praises the world
sang loud in his day, and whose dust
has long since fertilized the plains by
the banks of the mystic Nile or the sa-
cred Ganges.
And throughout all ages, among all
races, and in all climes in one form or
another. the dead have always been
hopored.
The most glorious triumphs of mans
skill and genius in the fields of art and
architecture have been commemorative
of the noble deeds and high born quail
ties of some of those who have passed
into the shadow of death or have been
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