The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1901-12-09

practice of the golden rule, "To do unto
others as you would have others do
unto YOU" and secondly, the practice
of that great and noble virtue, Char
ity," on which principle our order now
stands and forever will stand
THE practice of true Charity" that
is charity without ostentation, is one
of the most commendable and most
satisfying works of life. 1t is the kind
of charity that we are taught and be-
cause of it's very nature and character,
those without the order have no knowl-
edge of its being done. And so some
have come to think that we are banded
together for social purposes alone, but
nothing could be more mistaken. To
be sure, social exercises are entered
into but not until the work for which
we were founded has been accom-
plished and our duty in that particular
has been fully carried out.
THE order of Elks, numbering as 1t
does over 100000 loyal American citi-
zens, is one of power and influence in
its field. 1t is distinctly American,
and wherever Old Glory floats and no
where else on the face of the earth,
you may find a lodge of Elks. Our
members are taken from various walks
of life and from different religious and
political beliefs, but above all, believ-
ing III the DIOluCIHOOU VI LlSlA anu bhS
fatherhood of God.
Since the observance of similar ex-
ercises a year ago. two of our members
have been stricken by the hand of
Death" And since the institution of
our lodge in 1892, 20 members have been
taken from our midst and have an
swered the last call. They have passed
away their mission on earth has
ceased and their labors have been fin
ished. We shall see their faces and
hear their voices no more, but their
good names and their noble qualities
still live in the memory of all who
knew them and will not soon be for
gotten and it is appropriate for US to
render a heartfelt and formal tribute
of respect to their memory
THE motto Of our order is THE
faults Of our brothers we write upon
the sand, their virtues on the tablets
of love and memory" a noble and
Christian thought which should find ap-
plicatiou in regard to the living as well
as the departed.
IL has often been said, that it is a
charitable sentiment, at least, that no
ore should speak i'll of the dead; that
their errors, faults and frailities, what
ever they may have been, should be
covered by the mantle OF oblivion, but
il does not follow from this that their
virtues, their endearing qualities, their
noble deeds. should remain unrecOrded
and suffered 10 pass without sppropri-
ate notice and action on the part OF
friends and survivors. These should be
appropriately recorded and trans
mitted, that the light which once shone
and Illuminated the pathway Of hun
6reds should not return to darkness. Ii
is the duty devOlving upon the living
to pe.petuate the memory OF those who
were good or great, who achieved dis
tinction in some department or sphere
Of life, who filed high positions with
credit TO themselves and benef1t to
their fellowman, and who by their
talents or genius have rendered Yalu-
sble service to mankind.
The character and personal history
Of sUch belong to Us and should de-
scend as q legacy to posterity, What
is a country without a biography Of its
distinguished men and its public bene-
factors? What 4 blank would there
have been in the history OF Greece and
Rome if there mad been no biograph-
ical sketches or special mention made
of their philosophers. poets, orators
statesmen and herOesl
1T would have been shadow with
out a substance: a skeleton Invested OF
those parts essential to FORM life and
beauty The character of any people
and the criterion Of its civilization
may be best judged by the intelligence,
honesty and purity of those who are
appointed at its head. 1t is our proud
boast in this land to rejoice in the
founders Of this great republic. While
the spirit of freedom pervades the
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