The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-12-07
TIE ELKS MOURN.
Lodge Of Sorrow Held Yes
terday in the Tabernacle
Mr.. Rowe's Address.

Jersey City Lodge, B. P. O. Elks, No. 211,
heid memorial services yesterday in the
tabernacle for two of their number,
Matthew Higgins and Edward Mcclure,
who died in the last year. The officers
OF the Lodge were seated on the platform,
which was decorated with palms. The
officers and members of the lodge sang
the opening memorial ode. The Rev. DR..
Cornelius Brett offered prayer. The Elks'
Quartette sang abide With Me-"
Exalted Ruler Norman L. Rowe made
the address of the afternoon. He said
Again we are confronted with the ever
recurring questions: Whence? Why
Whittier? The eternal why at this time
IS potentially present, as we stand in the
presence Of death. Why do we live?
what is the great purpose of our exist
ence? TO h end did our dead brothers
I'VE, move and do their work? Whether
ali human action is governed by settled.
lmmutable, inexorable law, or by the pro
vision and ordering of the Creator of the
Universe, the grand scheme goes unfal-
teringly on to the inevitable contamination.
and we fill the inches, accomplish orr
destiny, and join in the universal trend
to the end. sA1
IT IS useless to speculate on what
m ~ nave been. There are no ifs in life.
we are what we are and we cannon he
augnt else. Why we live can onIv he
paTtlally ascertained by our observations
~ inner consciousness and the grand
e 60 6oes INTO the great ocean made I'M
q an the other lives of those who hosIa
nved IN all the cycles of time. That fhe
s E aggregate is for the universal good
If + so ~ an question. So when our part
~ Sta y wrought out, death stops all
Work and influence. The end Isl comnleta
is oil 5, anu a last diminishing memory
= niao shaI remains. No matter how large
peen but for a moment troubled and All
y as quickly placid as before, 90
with IS efnlnently fitting to emphasize
.olh 81 the brothers who have 5enarfed
ond- the memory of them may briehten
| al' lnnnger IN our minds p~erchance a lit
= ionsef. During the brief term of olir
efisteice as a lodge by Divine viii two
81 our brothers ave been removed from
N IlIh US and have crossed the divide
wn.liier We VIII sooner or later follow
SaeiH. unlike most other Organizations
90 sa,,sbIls one we are commanded to as
o IS on the first Sunday in December
u eacn year as a lodge of sorrow. In re-
msniorance OF these who have been called
aWay. Whlle in life they chose to idenfi-
" themselves With this organization. and
m thus uniting is to promote the han
plness and welfare of their fellow men
b : b bnail deeds. just distinctions,
Watchfuiness over each other as fidelity
alone l can romot They are dead. They
apr at rest q They have sye crossed the
has in it a memory playing the part Of
an angel. A recollection full of tender
for5,ard rie9 tfId that lifts the life
and through lone and dark alleys. It
redsems life from despair. 1t flls life
WIN gracious encouragement. 1t nour-
lection.
And now We approach the end. In the
IuH nush OF mankind they passed away,
disease, deceptive but certain. seized upon
them. A few days OF hope and disappoint-
ment followed. The sands IN Times hour
glass ran slowly and surely away, the
IalIlng pulse throbbed weaker and fainter.
Farewell until in the great beyond we
htted for the transports of reunion shall
meet them, and unclothed from the frail-
les Of our humanity, under serene skies,
energies, in a new sphere live on while
the cycles of the eternal years measure
cur immortal destiny
Mss, Miss Viola Pratt-Gilette sang .one
Fhllp G Heck sang THE Holy City,
Mutton Roblee recited the GLOWING poem.
written by Mrs. M. E. Osborne:
We shall not grieve for those whose feet
Have pressed that undiscovered bourne;
lnney leave US now, again wen meet,
er partlngs brief we should not mourn.
our love, a brothers. love, will rise
over deaths sharp pain:
f0r dearer than this life we prize
The time when we shall meet again.
No one of US can faultless live.
with our own weakness still in view;
Let US not dare to judgment give,
In each all faults may live anew:
But charitably let us hide
The sins of those who. erring. fall:
Open our hearts, unbend our pride,
Sweet charity extend to all.
The great Exalted Ruler did
Repose a. trust in all mankind;
Our talents never should be hid
A way to use them we SHOULD find.
Fidelity to this grand hest
Teaches us first to self be true;
This lesson learned, it stands confessed,
All men will place firm faith in you.
Our brothers, in eternal sleep,
Have left the worlds cold cares be-
hind,
For those who pass we should not weep,
But bear them lovingly in mind;
For well we know that justice stern
To mortals weak will not be given;
To mercy's aid in hope we turn,
Her helping hand will gain us heaven.
Mr.. ]. Leslie Gossin read Immortal
ity.' George j.. O.Donnell san 1T Was
Not Thus to Be-" The Doxology was
sung and DR.. Brett pronounced the bene-