The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1900-09-01

Woodmen OF the World on Thursday
evening last:
Fellow Soyereigns: have been hon.
ored with an invitation to address you
tonight and have chosen for my SUBJ
ject the past. present and future Of
the Lake Providence Camp of the
Woodmen of the World, an order
which, standing as it does for the
highest virtues on earth-protection,
charity and fraternity, has established
camp in every important town in the
United States. and has extended its in
/ fiuence there.
Since its organization, the Lake
Providence of the Woodmen of the
World has been eminently successful.
Very few members have been suspend
ed on account of non-payment of dues.
There has been little sickness among
us and death has not yet entered our
ranks.
! As general thing. tho perhaps we
can lay claim to great wealth. our
members have been fairly prosperous.
and claims on the charity fund have
been few Among US there has been
very little dissention, and tho ques-
tons have been fairly met. necesitaling
at times individual and conflicting
opinions, may say that the results of
our deliberations have been always
conducive to the best interests of the
Camp.
There have been no personal be-
tween our sovereigns, and gentleman
ly conduct has characterized all the
members in their relations, both with
each other and others.
Our officers have performed their
duties faithfully. and especial mention
is due our efficient Consul Command
er, who is detained by the sickness of
bis wife in far off town. and cannot
now be among US; and to our compe-
tent and popular clerk, Mr.. O. P.
Hamilton, who has been most pains
taking in his endeavors to couscien-
tiously discharge the duties incumb bent
upon him as such officer. Tonight
the Auditing Committee rendered their
report. They have found the books
clean and well kept. with no errors or
omissions.
With this brief retrospective glance,
let US consider the true purpose of our
order.
Society, the law that binds man to
men. is the foremost law of creation.
IT men could not come together-if all
were forced to go about with only the
solitude of lonelyness for their COM
pany. life would hold but little at
traction for us here, and death indeed
would be welcome relief.
Each leans upon the other; each
shares with each the burden of society:
each adds his little to make the perfect
whole-and it ia WE'LL
1t is on this principle that the Wood
men of the World was founded. Each
of us contributes towards the necessi-
ties of our brother. 1t may be that we
have never seen him. Perhaps it will
never be that we shall know them, vet
thousands of miles away we are erect.
ing monuments to our unknown SOW
origins, and our fingers are entwining
wreathers of clematis to the sacred |
of the dead.
There under the willows we are
placing at the heads of our dead the |
of our love-monuments |
eloquent with the truth that life is born
TO die; that our lives, like the flowers.
bloom and fade. and bloom and fade
again.
Every pleasure is tinged with the
shadow OF some great sorrow, and a
tear glistens above the smile on every
lip.
Il came at morn-'twas Spring, 1 smiled.
The field with green were clad;
walked abroad at noon-and 10
Twas SUMMER was glad;
sat me down; twas Autumn eve,
And with sadness wepu.
laid me down at night. and then
Twas winter and wept."
So 1t goes; we die and often leave}
behind us the little helpless ones, their
'ole dependence perhaps, the toll of
heir mother. These welcome with
lager arms the timely aid of the one,
wo or three thousand given them by
he Woodmen of the World.
The order never refuses to pay its
onest obligations, and 1t is careful
ot to assume more than it can meet.
70 conservative have the officers of the
rider been that through a mistaken
lea that the. locality Of our camp was
naealthy. we have been prohibited
rom taking any new MEMBERS; and
ven now we are restricted to $500 on
nch members. The plan is good :
ne. but in our case it was hardly fair,
nd we hope that the Sovereign off,
ers will see tit to fully re-instate to
8. 900.
The order is protective one. Per-
APPS some one of us here tonight will
9 some day homeless. friendless and
cary in a far off country. Per-
nance the last cent will have just
one for bread, and hunger and cold
lreaten to extingulsh the f1ickeringt
lark OF life as the chill gust blows
le suffering candle. The last bitter :
Up seems drained to the dregs, bu.
lddenlY there is brighter CLEAN in
e eye. A glad hope animates the 7
ther.o HOPELESS expression and the
,vereign remembers that there are ;
lends who will help him unto the t
'ath. and he arises and goes to them.
Like q voice from the skies comes
e words. ITO the rescued" Friends &
reich out their arms-a soul is {
we'd.
Mama" said Willie. when he no.
led that bis mother did not have any :
on her plate, II can not bear to see
"a do without pie, take Elsie's,"
willie was very unseltish indeed, yet
is IS the kind of upselt;shness often es
and in men. They are all very q,
Hing to ask some one else to do the v
iping, but they cannot afford to de- br
themselves in order that it NAV be an
mplished. L,
a crowd stood around the grave of a ST
WY buried citizen. Eulegies on the RI
sod I w