The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-12-03
THE LODGE OF
SORROW HELD
By BY THE HE ELKS
Of Wheeling Lodge No. 2S Yesterday
Afternoon, at the Opera
House.
AUDIENCE SEVERAL HUNDRED
Was in observation-disclosures by
Mayor Rice, Of Canton, and
Rev. J. G. Robb.

Yesterday afternoon an audience OF
several hundred men and women. rem
resertatlve OF the business and socla,
life OF the city, assembled in the Opera
House TO participate in the annual
Lodge of Sorrow held by Wheeling
Lodge No. IS, B. r. O. E. Exalted
Ruler Charles C. Schmidt presided and
seated on the stage were-the other off,
GERS OF the lodge; the choir OF S..
Luke's P. E. church: the speakers OF
the afternoon. ex-Mayor James Allen
Rice, OF Canton. Ohio. and Rev. J. G.
Robb, and Rev. Jacob Birmingham.
After the overture by the Opera
House orchestra, the services were
opened by Exalted Ruler Schmidt. after
which St. Luke's choir sang 1.-THE Ra-
dlant Morn Has Passed Away" Fol-
lowing was the responsive service BY
the officers of the lodge The singing
Of the orders beautiful opening ode
was participated In by the audience.
After prayer by Rev. Jacob Brtttlng-
ham, and an instrumental selection b.
Messrs. Hose and Yahn. OF the orches-
ira, ex-Mayor James Allen Rice, Of
Canton, Ohio, was introduced and de-
livered the memorial address:
The Memorial Address.
Mr.. Rice said:
Ny Good Brother Elks. and Ladies'
l.
day in the month OF December, 1900, In
1865, at New York City. a small number
Of men banded themselves together and
formed what is now known as the Be-
nevolent and Protective Order OF Elks.
The corner-stones on which this fra
ternal structure is reared are Fidelity,
Charity, Justice and Brotherly Love.
It's motto Is The faults of our broth
ers we should write upon the sands;
their virtues upon the tablets OF love
and memory"
It now enjoys membership OF about
$4,000, comprising more than 600 sepa-
rate and distinct lodges. It Is repre-
sented in every state In the Union, and
as no city may have more than one
lodge. In as many cities as 1t has lodges.
On the first Sunday in December OF
each year all the lodges OF the order
hold what Is known as the annual lodge
of sorrow.
You. ladies and gentlemen. who honor
Wheeling Lodge No. 2s with your pres
ence here to-day. are witnesses to the
memorial exercises conducted by Its
lodge OF sorrow.
The honored task OF here pronounc-
ing the general eulogy to Elkdom Is By
this lodge assigned to me. I therefore
address myself on the subject Of our or
der. more especially to those OF you
who are not members OF the same.
Our membership Is confined to male
citizens past twenty-oEe years Of age.
While It Is true man Is admitted to
membership with view to benetitiag
the order. 1t Is equally true that the
order, In so admitting him. seeks to Us
greatly benefit him.
While gentle woman Is not admitted
to membership with US. we do ever
court her most tender sympathies and
good influences. To her generous be-
stowal OF both we acknowledge our In
debtedness for much OF the success and
popularity Of our order.
In partial return for this we delight.
from time to time, to hold In her honor
what We term the ladies' social session.
We DO much more. however. We in
SNltdAe duu IuspIe lKl every DiptHeE ~
higher regard for and greater apprecia-
ton OF her innumerable graces and
priceless virtues.
Not an Elk Is there but that is bouui
by the strongest OF fraternal obliCa-
tons 20 defend and maintain the chas-
tity and virtues Of the wife. mother.
sister. or daughter Of brother as fear
lesslr and honorably MS he would those
OF hts own cherished home To woman
and wnmanhood we blight our gratitude
and pledge our manhood.
Fraternal and Social.
The Benevolent and Protective orde:
OF Eiks is essentially q traternai and
social order. It affords to Its members
no fixed or prescribed benefits OF
financial character. It lives and moves
on the higher principle that true
friendship and charitable fellowship.
among the living affords the safest
guarantee of protection against evil
and provision against want. to the
dear ones We leave on earth when we
answer the call to come into n higher
and better life.
Elkdom teaches man to know and
measure man by his better sentiments