The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1906-05-30
FRATERNITY'S EMBLEM.

There is something in, the observ-
ance of Memorial day at the present
time which goes far deeper than the
strewing of flowers. 1t is the proof
of the fellowship of man which is
everywhere apparent While the Gus
tom originated with the Grand Army
OF the Republic, and to it the credit
of annual remembrance of the dead
is due, the fiery and gallant comman-
der, when he ordered the first observ-
ance, builded better than he knew.
There is now probably no secret Or
der which does not decorate the
graves of its dead. In so doing these
noble institutions which have grown
to such a magnitude in this age and
especially in this country proclaim to
mankind that those who assemble at
their mystic affairs are partakers of
the friendship of ALL
And what does this friendship
mean? The man who pledges his
fealty at the altar of any of the secret
orders swears that he will be true to
the principles it teaches These prin-
ciples no matter what they offer, are
noble, pure, uplifting and inspiring.
They require that this hand shall ever
be extended to help a needy and suf-
fering brother; that the words of I'M
founded SANDER against those of his
fraternity shall never pass his lips;
that the recognition sign shall be a
guarantee OF his friendship to him
who gives it.
1t is something of which the orders
may we'll be proud that in the mil
lions of members there has been so
few who have proven unworthy of the
fraternal confidence that it is impos-
sible to recall the instances. 1t is
the greatest test of fidelity to honor
and principle that the world has ever
witnessed.
! For years the manifestations of the
brotherly love of the secret orders
were not made to the public They
laid the chaplet of flowers on the
/ casket of the departed brother and
soothed the sorrowing heart with the
mnistration of love and sympathy.
They ministered to the wants of the
needy and relieved the suffering of
their fellow members without osten-
tation or display. The deeds they did
were kept by the Recorder of the Uni
verse. but they were unknown to
man.
While the orders have not sacri-
feed one toto of the basic principle of
lodgedom. the lodge secret. they have
added to their rituals ceremonies
which have given the public a glimpse
into the noble purposes of the orders.
Not the least among these is the
sweetly solemn ceremony of strewing
the graves of departed brothers with
flowers. In this simple act of love and
friendship they tell the world that
there is more in the relationship be-
tween those who have taken the same
VOWS of fidelity than that of mere men.
They tell the world that within the
sacred walls of hall and castle and
tent and lodge and temple they ex-
emplify the ties of kinship which
since from beneath the hill of Jerusa-
lem were quarried the stone for the
temple whose magniticence attracted
a world, have bound men into one COM
mon brotherhood
1t has been the dreams of idealists
that the time might come in the his
tory of the world when the barriers
of enmity and strife and dissentions
should be obliterated and the fact that
a man is man would entitle him to
the fullest measure of confidence from
his fellows. That those who have
never yet met may yet do so and he
at once friends and brothers in whom
each may place implicit confidence.
This is exactly the mission which
the lodges are filling They place
upon their members the approval of
their test, and though he may wander
to the uttermost parts of the earth
yet will he find the hand of brother
hood extended.
The millennium of which men have
dreamed is being brought about by the
spread of fraternalism, and today the
world is told that the grave of no fell
low man shall go unmarked and I'M
remembered if he has been such in
life as to be worthy of place upon
the rolls of fraternity. No brother
fills an unmarked grave, and no men,
Der lies on sick bed in land of
strangers without the tenderest care
from his brothers. Yea truly it is a
perfect brotherhood, noble, true and
strong!