El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1899-12-04
THEIR LODGE
OF SORROW
Annual Observance Of the
EIks In Memory Of
Their Dead
HELD AT CHOPIN HALL
The Services We're Beautiful And
Impressive = Perfect Arrange
mentS-Rdbbi Cohen'S Address

ments-Rdbbi Cohen'S Address
An audience which filed Chopin
hall last evening heard with delight
the beautiful and impressive program
which the Ell Paso Lodge of Elks car
ried out in the observance of their an
nusl Lodge of Sorrow.
The hall was decorated with rare
taste and such excellent arrangements
were made and carried out for the
comfort of the guests that q particular
ly strong word of praise is due the re-
ception committee having the matter
in charge.
Pitzer's orchestra rendered in par
ticu]arly effective manner the we'll
known funeral march of Chopin and
the Cavatina of Raft, while the vocal
music both of the quartette and duet
was we'll done.
This annual Lodge of Sorrow of the
Elks is held as a memorial of their
deceased brothers and ID perpetuste the
virtues and good qualities OF those who
have gone before. But while the SER
vice is in name service of sorrow, it
is not, as was SO happily explained by
the Hon. Leigh Clark in his address, an
evidence of regret but rather of hap
piness and rejoicing in the new life to
which the departed brothers have at
tanned. with this thought in view.
these services are doubly impressive,
and certainly among the most beauti-
full observances known.
The principal orators were Hon.
Leigh Clark and Rabbi Oscar j..
Cohen. Mr.. Clark explained at length
the theory OF this celebration of the
Elks. The program in full was as
follows:
Funeral March. Chopin
PitZer's orchestra
Opening ceremonies of the lodge
Quartette-"They are Gone".
sullivan
Messrs. Parker, Spear, Milne and
Rokahr.
Hon. Leigh Clark.
Sextette. ......... -; $4,000. Donizetti
Pitzer's orchestra.
Duett-"The Lord is My Light"...
.DnTuOy
Messrs. Parker and Milne.
Rabbi Oscar J. Cohen.
CaVatln8 RaH
Pitzer's orchestra.
Closing ceremonies of the LODGE.
The lodge and audience.
Benediction.
RABBI COHEN'S ADDRESS.
The following memorial address
was delivered before the Elks' Lodge
of Sorrow last night by Rev. Oscar J.
Cohen.
Swift footed time has brought US
once more to the solemn occasion
when, according to the beautiful and
sacred custom of this order, our
thong hts are turned from the living and
directed toward the dead. With
tOnchin0 and imnrasS{vo rifos this
hour Is consecrated to the remem-
brance of your departed brethren, and
throughout the length and breadth of
this land your lodges are calling the
muster roll of those who can no longer
answer to their names here below, who
have fallen out from the ranks of
pilgrims. but have joined the vast
army of the eternally beautifed. Not
only those recently lost, but ell WHO
like this brought to mind, and mace
to live again before US by the vivifying
power of memory. We feel they are
not dead, for they are near our hearts
In living presence. Yea. we
realize that their existence has not
been, and can never be, extin-
guished.
We cannot think of them as dead
Who walk with US no more;
Along the path Of life we tread,
They have but gone before.
The Fathers house is mansioned fair
Beyond our vision dim.
All souls are his; and, here or there,
Are living unto Him.
And still their silent ministry
Within our hearts has place,
As when on earth they walked with US
And met US face to face.
Ours are they by an ownership
Nor time nor death can free;
For God hath given love to:keep
Its own eternally.
Well has the poet here said that 1T is
their silent ministry" that "still has
place within our hearts" 1t is their
owing deeds and kindly acts that make
Them aoide in our memory. The use-
Jul service they rendered in their day
Keeps them alive in many hearts.
What is it that comes most prominent
y to mind when we think of the de-
par ted? Not SO much how they looked,
out what they said and did aud |
wrought. Their forms and features
nay loom dimly before the eye of the
oul, but what we wildly recall and |
ondly dwell upon, is their virtues, |
heir graces of disposition, their noble |
rniIs VI chdr acCer. External appear
nee Is but the outer shell that may |
indeed crumble away and vanish.
What has been accomplished is the |
,ernel and essence of life, and endures
o everlasting. The sweetest comfort |
We have in the thought of our lost
owed ones is the recollection of how
levoted they were to US. how pure in
life, how good and useful to all men.
We thank God that they lived; we
praise Him for having sent such treas
Tres to us and to the world. And
hough we have them no longer, there
8 JOY and consolation even in remem-
'ering them. Verify. we recognize
he truth of King Solomon's words: