The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1905-08-24
Elks Versus Censure.
Editor of the Ardmoreite.

fOllOI OI INC AIuHltItlN's
The recent utterance of n pastor in
Ardmore concerning the Benevolent
and Protective order of Elks displays
such vast lack of knowledge, is so
uncharitable in its conception and so
narrow in its entirety, that the public
may presume that the pastor iG inti.
mate with the order Of Elks.
| respect a minister as much as any
man. hold one that breaches the
word of God in the highest veneration,
but / can not concede 20 the PROPOSE
tion advanced by the pastor IN Ard.
more that the Elks in this city are i'm
omral and without the proper respect
for the Christian religion.
whether he errs from n lack OF
knowledge. from the heart or from
the head does not alter the facts. II Is
but charitable to say that the motive
that inspired the attack on this great
and good order was born of Ignorance.
lie states that the Christian religion
should not be criticised by anyone who
has not experienced It. His theory ~.
wholly inconsistent as he strikes a.
an order Ike knows nothing Of. Tn
Elks have n religion for the better
ment Of mankind. He seems to think
that an Elk can not be a Christian or
vice versa. Has he experienced the
Elk religion. | would proclaim this
that no man con be a good Elk with
out being a grander and better man.
What mankind breaches, all good Elks
practice Those nations that have pro
gressed the most in civilization are
the nations that have "A lofty and ele-
waited appreciation of women. Such an
appreciation tends TO develop the
grandest possible standard of man
hood. And let me ask the reverend /
gentleman what the Benevolent and
Protective order of Elks stand for and
I venture he could answer not. First
and foremost for the elevation OF wo-
manhood and the purity of homes.
Second. for the preservation of the
country and the freedom of the peo-
pie. Third, for the love of our breth- !
ern and their protection, lastly, for
the love of mankind in general.
The order of Elks may be paradox !
cal. It's members believe that the
more sunshine, the more happiness |
and the more pleasure that they can
give others and cause others TO enjoy |
the more will they have and viii they /
enjoy themselves In other words, the
better we make the world the better |
of will we be
one of the cardinal principles of the
order is that his left hand shall never /
know what his right hand does. He |
must never make known the name of
"A brother in distress whom he helps. |
He must practice charity without os-
tentation. He must give from the love
of giving and not to satisfy his own
vanity. He must even hold high the
wife, sister, daughter and other women
relatives of his brothers.
No man can be an Elk without look !
ing un the sunny side of life He
must believe that there Is more good
than evil I'm the world and he must
practice the belief and add to the
store of goods His acts are his pray
ers. lie can not be a Pharisee. He
must be honorable in his acts and hon
orable in his actions.
The faults of our brothers we write
upon the sand, their virtues upon tab
let's of love and memory. We may
not have as long prayers in words,
but deeds inspired by our teachings
are in complete harmony with the
tenets of the Christian religion. We
believe in doing good while the flesh
is yet quick If by making brighter
the path and more easy the travel the
pathway of our brothers We Elks
bring down the anathemas of preach
ers, what | ask, would ministers have
us do
Enrolled uron our books are such
excellent citizens as United States
Judge Townsend w. B. Johnson, A. c.
Cruce. d. Lacy, $. r. Bledsoe, w. A.
1yedbetter. Sidney Suggs c. NJ. Camp
bell and others equally as prominent.
Would they tolerate the order here
being immoral and vicious
Some of the most noted pastors IN
the country are members of the order.
Our beloved National chaplain, Rev.
Buckner of Pine Blum is the Episco-
pal minister.
The moral tone of the lodge could
not be improved upon. Drinking and
gambling are entirely prohibited.
Any citiren Of the town can feel
proud to be member of the Ardmore
1,l.,, - I.tyg l. SANDERS