The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-12-11

tractive features, upon which ! would
like to dwell. but | must hurry on, ior
feel that your kind attention VIII soon De
exhausted.
The Social Session handed down TO rs
by the Jolly Corks" Is one OF our Oldest
and brightest institutions. the most beau
tiful feature of which IS the Eleven
O'clock Toast" Al this mystic hour ihe
heart OF every Elk in Fhristendon y
brought into a magic circle ana hela loI
"a moment I'm sweet communion. Whl' We
stand and in silence drink ITO our Az
sent Brothers" whose faults we write
upon the sands and whose virtues we
enroll upon the eternal tablets or love ana
memory
Tho noblesi sentiment Of the order IL
exhibited In our floral emblem. Its dell
cate character symbolzes the uncertain
~ OF life and its name recalls our sweet
est memories. Forget me-not. arc
the parting words Of sweet heart and
lover. husband and wife, mother and son,
brother and brother IL Is the mower
OF love and tenderness typifying the
highest attributes Of the human heart.
The color Of the order IS the royal pur-
pie and in graves OF our departed broth
ers We cast the amaranth and IVY, en-
blems OF fidelity and immortality.
THE DEPARTED.
Tho tenure OF Office IN our suhormnale
lodges is for one year. and as each TX
allied Ruler leaves his chair he becomes
q
order. And each year when the burst
Ing buds Of Joyous spring are unfoldins
natures beautiful decorations, these re-
prcgcntatives meet In annual session 10
report the condition Of the Order, 10 en-
act laws and TO govern Its members ana
10 make merry around the banquet board.
To-day the seasons have changed, the
flowers have faded. and the green leaves
touched by the crystal frost. have ialeh
from the slender twg and lie In brown
a.. I.s f.r a fsfV q
All nature stands with uncovered brow
mourning their loss.
The great heart Of Elkdom this after
noon is in sympathy with nature. Many
OF our brothers whose love we nave cher-
ished IN the happy spring time and sum-
NOR OF life have been touched by the cola
hand Of the angel Of death and now rest
beneath the sod.
The beautiful memorial service to which
you have Just listened is feature That
distinguishes ours from all other Orders.
and cannot better illustrate its meaning
than by relating to YOU an incident that
happened during the mournful period
when our country was groanlng under
the lash OF "A civil war.
Near the close of the Valley Campaign
our beloved Stonewall Jackson was pass
inr with "A company OF virginia brave
sons along a dusty road one AFTERNOON,
when young soldier was seen 10 sttp
from thu ranks and linger for moment
nv an unkept grave near a deserted old
homestead, and then march on with MS
head bowed down as If bTooding over
some great sorrow. His kind-heaIted
commander. remembering mat Twice ne
fore during the campaign he had been
seen 10 do the same thing. rode up 10 MS
side and touching his shoulder. asked.
"Nho is II that Hes there undcr the
shade of the trees? Win trembling
Ups and faltering tongue the young SOL
der replied: Near the beginning or the
ffhaTg
only two Of usD and father and mother
and / had hardly enough money 70 Eet
his body home from the deld- we buried
him there General. I'm the corner OF the
yard and | would Ike 10 ask one FAVOR
of Won every time we pass ms way !
want TO be allowed TO halt moment an'
give him a tear. It IS all that l can do
This afternoon fifty thousand Elks IN
five hundred cities OF this Union nave
toned aside from the busy ranks Of in
dustry and paused 10 drop teaI III
memory of our brothers who nave idl-
ion nv our sides I'm the battle Of lie. We
have stood by their open graves ana
mourned their loss with tears. lhahk
Cod there is a realm OF immortality ne
,-ond the crave. where we may hope %
meet them once more. Let US nope tnat
when the summons came. their glazing
ewes read the mystic signal, Wllch oIlg
the saved onraptured soul may see. anu
that they beheld afar or tnat serene
land where the good sleep and the beau
tiful. " Let MS hope that they felt upon
their fevered brOWs the t'po-klssrd
zepbvrs from over the mountains Of the
Great Beyond. waited down from Heav-
en- on the breath of the eternal mornin-.
Let us hope that when their souls pass
ed upwards on the path OF the evening
car thev heard in the silence Of the
recedine world the sound Of harps ANA
singing and listened with celestial JOY
10 The great waves Of the tide or time;
breaking on the shores Of eternity. Ana
let us believe that they swung open ana
nassed through those massive. everlast-
Wing portals. "whose key Love keeps on
that side and on this side Death and
that when their redeemed souls. marching
TO the strains Of rapturous melody. pass
ed on through the pure grandeurs 81
Heaven M 10 the Great White Throne
the Exalted Ruler Of all gave them well