Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-12-05
TRIBUTE TO THE DEAD
Washington Elks Hold Lodge
of Sorrow.
IMPRESSIVE SERVICE
ADDRESSES MADE BE PROMINENT
ORATORS.
Large Assemblage of Members and
visitors-Exercises Held at the
National Theater.

Washington Lodge, No. Is, B. P. o. E., of
this city, held impressive services last night
at the National Theater in memory of de-
ceased members. The custom prevails
wherever the order of Elks has an organiza-
ton of paying tribute annually to the
memory of those members who pass be-
yond the vale within year preceding the
services, and the members of the local
lodge, in common with their brethren else
where, attended to that duty by presenting
an appropriate program last evening.
The orators of the occasion were former
Senator George L. Wilmington of Mary
land and Rev. Timothy o'Rourke, protni-
nent Catholic divine of this city, and music
was furnished by the United States Marine
Band, under the direction of Lieut. William
H. Santelmann, a member of the order. The
opening number of the band was Bachts
Fidelity and the ode, Nearer, Ny God,
to Thee" was sung in GLORIOUS at the close
by members of the lodge and those in the
audience, all standing.
Silence upon the part of the audience
band proceeded without interruption to the
close. The memory Of eighty-one members
of the order in Washington, who died in
previous years and of five who died in the
past twelve months, was honOred The
last mentioned five were: Joseph Darr,
Samuel G. Kinsley, Charles c. Walter,
Hugo Ziemann and G. De w. Showalter.
The local members and visitors present at
the services numbered over 300 and in
Guided many men distinguished in public
life and social circles.
In the front row of the assemblage on the
stage were former Senator Wellington and
Rev. T. P. O'Rourke, the speakers of the
evening. and Rev. William H. Chapman,
who offered prayer and pronounced the BEN
ediction. The last two named are not MEM
bers of the order. The stage was draped
xIyif ha ~ a l.
can flag covered the speakers desk, an open
Bible resting thereon. A cross made up OF
electric lights-one light for each of the de-
ceased ElkS-waS placed at one side of the
platform. When the roll of departed men,
bers was read by Col. Richard A O'Brien,
the secretary, a light was eXtinguished for
each as it was called.
Charity His Theme.
Rev. Father O'Rourke's address was upon
Charity" and he addressed his remarks
particularly to the benevolence practiced by
the Order of Elks, paying beautiful trib-
ute to the organization and its work for the
betterment of mankind. He spoke of mans
creation by God with the destiny of happi-
ness as his goal, and he made poetic pic
ture of the fall from grace which brought
sin and suffering into the world. In the
midst of his discourse the priest turned to
the massive cross on the west end of the
stage, and, speaking with much feeling.
commended the fraternal spirit which
prompted the exercises in compensation
Of the departed members. He touched upon
the death of Christ which had made the
cross symbolic of religion.
'"This life Is but passing thing" he de-
clared. I'VE are here today and gone to-
morrow-not gone forever, but gone to that
land beyond the skies, where the just are
rewarded and the unjust are punished
There will come day when all men will be
called upon to pass before the cross and an
swer for their knowledge Of the Savior who
Iic life II that mankind
might be redeemed. man who In true
charity gives to his fellow man of his money
or other worldly possessions is called good.
and good he is But on the cross that sweet
est and purest Man, the Son of God, gave
up His hearts blood in bitter agony that
His universal brothers might know the
blessedness of eternal salvation"
Over Graves of Heroes.
Ex-senator Wellington in his talk, which
lasted nearly half an hour, spoke of Me-
mortal day as time when strong men,
beautiful women and innocent children
strew flowers in the springtime over the
graves of the heroes who gave their lives
to the service of their country" and COM
pared the ceremonies of the national COM
memoration of the dead to the Elks' me-
mortal service, when, midst the frosts of
winter. as the year is growing old, We
come together to render our tribute of re-
spect to our own dead" He lauded the
life of Charles A. Vivian. the English actor,
who in the winter of 1S67-1S68 formed the
Order Of Elks, and he declared that the
organization, being born as 1t was as the
outgrowth of the congenial association of
Vivian and his friends, had been left by
its founder "a sacred heritage to those who
came after him and a lasting monument
to his name"
what an Elk gives to his brother Elk"
the speaker declared in reverberating
tones, lis not charity. There is no charity
in the giving, for he who gives gives but
yUh ma in riDh md ncff &c, hr0 CHI vi
have. 1t is not like unto the handing Of
aims to the beggar; it is rather the shar-
Ing of what one has with his own brother"
He reviewed the career of the order and
told OF how Vivian got his inspiration for
its emblem as he stood on one of the streets
of New York and gazed upon a picture of
that superb animal standing while the
morn broke, ready to retreat or give bat
tie as might be best for his own protection
and the protection of those who were de-
pendent upon him.
In the beginning. he said, the order was
confined to the members Of the dramatic
profession, but it has reached out into
other fields, and now counts In it's members
men from many walks of life. There is"
he said in this, as in other countries, a
prejudice against the stage, which, 1 am
glad to say, Is disappearing, as people
realize that there is as much of benevo-
lence, as much of charity in that profess
sion as In any other. 1t, with the pulpit
and the press, are the forums to which the
American people look, and those three great
forces should unite to make the actors
work a conservator of the public good as 1t
should be.
"Elkdom stands for more than benevo-
lence. It stands for religion of the highest
kind-the religion which draws men of
every creed together in Gods church, where
for the time their UNCONVENTIONAL differ
ences are forgotten in a nobler aspiration
| for the good of their fellows
| Life. he declared, despite the pessimist, is
worth the living. The kiss of a mother,
though she may be old and shrunken, or
| of sweetheart or wife, and the tender
| caress of the little one who is beginning
a new life, all make 1t worth the living.
I And in public life, 1T is worth the living,
does, when one man finds himself arrayed
| against the world, when his friends desert
him. For death is not the end. 1t is but
| the portal to another and more beautiful
| day" ~ Is
| Program Of Exercises.
| The Introductory program consisted of the
overture and Wagners grand march,