The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1903-12-17

was there in our meetingp How !
much has it increased our earthly I
store?"
There is beautiful story in all
the gospels of woman who put
ointment on the feet of her Mas
ter so that the whole house was
filled with the beautiful perfume.
Judas, you remember, objected to
this on utilitarian grounds. He
thought it was better to have sold
the ointment and have given the
proceeds to the poor; ct least, so
he said. We know also that the
other disciples were indignant
On the grounds of political econo-
my they were right. Yes, the
ointment was wasted, If anything
is wasted which connot be meas
ured, weighed, tabulated and put
into statistical tables. But if
that is good which feeds the mind |
and heart, which strengthens the
soul, which pours a healing balm |
o'er the pains of life, il affection is
useful, then the ointment was not |
wasted but put to its highest pos
sible use. So it is with the les
sons taught by this memorial SER
vice. We cannot measure or
weigh the good, the profit which
we gain from the observance of
this beautiful custom; but we do
know that we have tried to express
by these services the heart throbs
of our Order--to have given a
visible expression of the divine
sentiment which is the foundation
stone of the Benevolent and Pro-
tective Order Of Elks-Charity-
Love-Fellowship, for they are syn
onymous.
1t has been custom among all
people from che very earliest per-
iods of which myth, tradition or
history furnish an account, 60 as
semble on stated occasions, to
commemorate in various ways,
past events, and thus pay tribute
to the memory Of departed ones.
In India the ancient Brahmins
assemble their families once every
year to celebrate before their
household gods the feast of the
dead, when the cloth was spread
and food prepared for the dead
members of the family as though
they were living. The Greeks,
as we know, were wont to have
funeral erations pronounced for
their dead; the tombs were dec
grated with flowers, and in that
hallowed spot on certain days of
the year obligations and libations
were offered in memory of the de-
ceased. Indeed, it was on the oc-
casion Of one of these famous fu-
neral orations, delivered over
2300 years ago, that Thucydides
uttered these words which apply
with equal force to-day as then.
He said, in referring to a eulogy
for the dead, at is difficult to say
neither too little nor too much;
, and even moderation is not apt to
give the impression of truthful
ness. The friend of the dead who
knows the facts is likely to think
the words Of the speaker fall
short of his knowledge and his
Wishes
The Romans, too, had the pub
| lie funeral with an oration in the
: Forum. Thus it was we remem-
3 ber that Marc Anthony delivered
his GRAFTON over Caesar.
The hardy Northmen commem-
GRATED with song and words the
entrance Of departed friends into
the sacred precincts of Valhalla.
Every people in one form or
another have held their memorial
services.
While our observance Of this
custom is one of sorrow it is not
one of unsoftened grief. In the
memory of the brothers who arc
"but gone before" we consecrate
ourselves anew in these dying
days Of the year to the principles
of our order, and our friendship
to each other. The Master saith:
"There is a treasure hid in the
field of Life" We, my brothers,
have found treasure in the field
Of life when we promote tho noble
principles Of our order and carry
than into our dai1u lifa ond :.4o