Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1901-01-25
Mr.. Flournoy's Address at Elks
Memorial Services at Paducah.


Memorial Services at Paducah.
/ know of no ceremonies more
appealing, or rit nal more solemn,
no commemoration more pathetic
than this annual Lodge of Sorrow
that the Elks hold for their dead.
As the year is closing, we gather
amid its frightening shadows to
mourn for those who have passed
with il from the present to the past
from time 10 eternity. The hat OF
death is memorable. There is no
appeal from that dread law which
dooms men to decay. Coming
whence we know not, and going
whittier we know not, one by one
the shadows devour us and we go
into the silence and darkness; and
strive as we may, no answer has
over come from the grave, no mat
ter how loudly we may question:;
nor has any light ever greeted the
straining eyes, that endeavor in
vain to pierce the thick darkness,
that robes death with terror and
despair. And yet we are not as
them that sorrow without hope.
We know the answer to the ques-
ton that humanity has insistently
asked the ages, eff man die shall
he live again9 All the course of
nature answers yes. In the eter-
nal succession of seed time and
harvest is read the destiny Ofman.
If the bare grain outcast bruised
and downtrodden shall live again
when summer comes, certainly the
spirit of man does not perish with
the change we know as death.
There is a dawn behind the dark.
ness that hints of undying day.
Against the cloud the bow of
promise stretches, that foretells
the passing of storms and troub-
les, and prophesies -serener skies
and purer airs. Not only in nat.
ure, but by the word of prophets,
and the harp of angels, God him
self has spoken to men, and con-
firmed the faith that hoped for i'm
mortality. | have come
to speak to you of brother upon
whom night fell ere his noon had
assembled. AT the early age of u
years our brother, w. p. Barnhill,
Jr., passed from us. Before life
had fairly begun brother Barnhill
was called hence by the inscruta-
BILE DEGREES of the Exalted Grand
Ruler OF the Universe. He was
born in Savannah, Tenn, some ~
years ago. For several years he
has lived in Paducah, and has long
been q member OF our order, and
we can most truthfully say in our
memorial of him, that in his life
among us, he lived up to the high
maxims of a true Elk, And when
that is said much of panegyric is
exhausted. He was a bright,
CHEEKY, pleasant companion, and
his place in our Lodge must ever
remain vacant. To the stricken
father and mother, the warmest
sympathy of our Lodge goes forth,
for we share common loss, and
common sorrow. Brother Barn
hill has indeed gone from among
us, and yet as Elks we must all
cherish the hope that somewhere,
and sometime we shall meet him
again, for we trust and believe he
has but been called to some other
station in that Lodge not made
with hands, eternal in the heavens
and that he is doing his appointed
work under the most Exalted
Grand Ruler, we all acknowledge.
There is legend of ancient Egypt
that somewhere on the confines of
the Libyan desert, the priests of a
forgotten faith had carved huge
stone image. With a skill that
had persisted, they had so fashion
ed that silent stone, that when the
first level beams of the rising sun
struck those dumb lips, the great
statue of Memnon spoke, and all
the desert became vocal with sill
very song, in praise Of the sun god.
In some such fashion did men of
old seek TO inculcate the great les
son that death is but the prelude
to life. And now as we meet to
celebrate with our songs and flow
ers, this sad occasion, and to give
some faltering utterance TO our
feelings, we know the truth that
is but vaguely limited in this leg,