The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1900-12-04
IMPRESSIVE SERVICES HELD
In the Opera House-Eulogies on
DR.. Henry Chapple and
VIM. ]. Reifenrath.

n AN " c"oAAc ~ ~ ""o
by Past Exalted Ruler Cashmere
Prudhomme, assisted by the officers,
and in the presence of a number O1
people. This service was very i'm
pressive, being given in honor Of the
departed dead Of the order, DR.. Henry
Chapple and VIM. J. Reifenrath.
The motto of the order of Elks is
The faults of our brothers we write
upon the sands; their virtues upon the
tablets of love and memory and the
purpose of the memorial service was
in accordance with this motto.
The ritualistic work of the order
was carried out by the lodge, with re-
sponses by the officers, at the close of
which the members sang the opening
ode, to the air of "Auld Lang Syne.'
The ode is:
Great Ruler of the Universe
All seeing and benign
Look down upon and bleHs our work
And be alkglorv thine!
Oh, hear our prayers for our honored
dead
While bearing in our mind,
The memories craven on each heart
For Aud Lang Syne.
= Chaplain G. G. Stull then invoked
the divine blessing upon the services
and the people assembled.
The S o K M quartette sang Savior
Comfort Me-" after which Brother S..
G. Reynolds delivered al eulogy on
DR.. Henry Chapple, paying a glowing
tribute to the memory of the departed.
After another song, "Lead, Kindly
Light" by the quartette, Brother
w. M. Johnston spoke of VIM. j.
Reifenrath, and it was a touching
tribute he paid to the memory of the
deceased young man.
Following these remarks came the
memorial address by Rev. G.. G. Stull,
which was as follows: s.
"Exalted ruler, friends and breth-
rem: 1t is peculiarly fitting that
among men who have associated them
selves together for mutual improve
ment, there should be a custom, and I
may say law, that makes it incum-
bent for them also to come together
on this day and pay their tribute of
respect to our absent brothers. 1t
has been truly said that any worthy
brother who acts we'll his part in life,
is deserved of a tribute to his memory
and virtue when death removes him
from the companionship of his broth
ers to the house appointed for all the
living.
cit is we'll that we respect the re-
mains and venerate the memory of the
departed.
1T is we'll that the hottest, purest,
the most delicate and refined of our
affections should cluster about the
grave of the dead.
"Sacred be the spot where sleep
the depared. Precious be the very
dust that covers the remains of the
dead. Consecrated be the very grass
that grows and the flowers that bloom
over them. On us, however, not on
them, on the living, not on the dead,
comes the useful influences of these
natural sentiments.
"The memory of the dead produces
in US a sober hallowed spirit, favora-
BILE to thoughtful and sincere devotion.
"By it's influence the heart is mel
lowed, the temper subdued and the
whole character modified.
"There. is little in the order that
we represent at this time that would
warrant any in believing that we fear
death. To us death is robbed of it's
terror and only it's solemnity and ma
jesty remain.
1.-THE teachings and practice Of the
order make it possible for each so to
live that in the last hours the great
ness of the life may leeave it's halo
around the departing one and going
out from present Genes emit a frag-
rance that shall be lasting as time.
1T has been said that Unto all
men it is appointed mt to die, but
are not our conceptions Of the nature
and also the effects of death erroneous.
1.-The ancient poets who had not the
knowledge and the light of revela-
ton, represented death as a profound
sleep. Many circumstances combine
to perpetuate in us a state Of profound
repose-of sleep-that knows no
awakening. To the place where rest
the dead they gave the beautiful
name of cemetery, a name which
signifies the place of sleep.
MANY circumstances combine to
perpetuate in us, contrary 10 the con-
victions of reason and to teachings of
revelation, the c%onceptual idea of
poetry.
"We stand over the dying bed of the
sufferer, while the morning sun
climbs the heaven and descends to the !;
western ocean,, and through the long
hoursHof the night.
"We watch till life, like the fitting
light of an expiring taper, is gone out, |