The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-02-20
Well Known Preacher an Hon
orary Life Member.
s'The Ring" Attempts to Use 1t
to His Discredit.
his FRANK STATEMENT
Given His Membership Because
of Public Address.
Was Also Presented With Gold
Headed Cane.

~ as AlSO Z EGtsbuJ J6u " AtAA UVAN
Headed Cane.
In an effort to regain lost ground,
the Shawnee county ring is resort
ing to attacks on the Law and order
leaders. They are starting on Dr..
William Copeland Evans, pastor of the
First Methodist church. by digging into
his California residence, and are trying
To make it appear that he was pretty
much of a good fellow while living
there. As evidence they state that he
was a member of the Elks at Stockton
Dr. Evans comes out frankly and
states that he is a member of the Elk
lodge at stockton. but not in the com
monty accepted term of the word.
While i'm charge of the Central Metho-
dist church in that city ne was invited
by the noted antlered organization. the
finest of its kind in the world, to make
the annual memorial service address.
He did so and the effort so pleased the
lodge that they presented MIN WITH d
splendid g0ld-headed cane, and about
q week afterwards made MIN an non
orary life member The certihcate OF
membership was engraved on solid
silver card and reads as tOlloWsi
February g. 1899
This is to certify that
Brother w. c. Evans. D. D..
is an honorary life member
Stockton, California. Lodge n. 218,
B. p. O. ElNs.
No. ia.
w. NJ. MALLORY, F. R.
HENRY d. HANSEN, Secretary.
w C. EVANS.
signature of member.0
81 am not member of the ElkS'
said DR.. Evans "in the ordinary sense
of membership at all accepted
honorary life membership In the stock
ton lodge when rendered to me in
RECOGNITION Of the public address which
I had made for them at their annual
memorial service. The stockton lodge
is composed of the very best citizens Of
that city. Numbers of them were
members of my own church, and 1 con-
sidered it a high honor to be asked by
more than 200 representative citizens
to accept honorary life membership at
their hands. / would not think OF in
sulting men of recognized standing by
rejecting such an offer / am a pupllc
man and such recognition Of public
service comes in some form to all pub
lie men,
Dr. Evans went to Stockton, Cal, on
October "a. and the next night a re-
ception was rendered him. At the re-
ception a member of the Elks asked
DR.. Evans if his church could be used
for the Elks Memorial service which
was to come shortly. He answered in
the affirmative, and during the exer-
cises sat on the platform with the Of
ficers of the order. The man selected
to deliver the eulogy spoke only a few
minutes, and DR.. Evans was asked to
say something, which he did i'm
prOmptu.
The next year. in 1898, DR.. Evans
was asked to deliver the annual me-
mortal address before the lodge, which
he did at the Yosemite theater. His
eulOgy attracted attention everywhere.
Tt was printed in number of the ma
tlona papers of the Elks. The news
papers made a great deal of comment
about it. He spoke principally on
Immortality" The memorial ser
vices were held on Sunday night
On January p, 1899, DR.. Evans was
presented with an elegant gold headed
cane by the stockton lodge with this
inscription: "B. p. O. Elks to w C.
1897
on February Z. just few days
later. the lodge presented to DR.. Evans
a life membership. The certificate
was engraved on a solid silver card. a
very handsome piece of work.
A great friendship sprung up be-
tween DR.. Evans and the Elks of
Stockton. on several occasions they
attended his church in a body in fact
they did this quite frequently. He
f'Att+- l1SEl|fE Il SPECIAL DlOck or seats
for them, and they would come to the
number of a hundred or more at a
time AT the dedication of their new
home he was asked to speak and said:
II know YOU VIII have good social
times. There is nothing wrong with
the social part of nfe-it is a neces-
sary adjunct You viii have fun-but
let me tell YOU. as long as I have anv
afilllatlon with this lodge=It Must Be
Clean Fun" His sentiments were
cheered to the echo. On several oc-
casions, and these were the only on
which DR.. Evans attended the lodge.
ne went there uDOn their request to
speak to them. And he did so and
talked straight from the shoulder
preached to them just as he preached
from the pulpit
Or Evans attracted much attention
g california. He was a moving figure
Ha public life and did much for the
cause OF better conditions I'm civic af-
1alrs- He was member of the Com
mereial club and took part in its de-
hberations at all times.
The Ring" has lost much more
ground by attacking DR.. Evans. be-
cause ne was made an honorary mem
Der of the Elk lodge Nothing is
gained by such tactics DR.. Evans be.
lIeVes in expressing his ideas, in fur
therlng his evangelical work in every
way He is a powerful factor and the
Ring knows it,