The Norfolk weekly news-journal., 1906-12-07
HKSPAY HOMAGE % DEAD
NORFOLK LODGE NO. $50 HOLDS
ANNUAL SERVICES.
FOUR PASSED AWAY DURING YEAR

To the Memory Of Departed Brothers,
Norfolk Lodge No. $50 Paid Tribute
Sunday Afternoon -- Services Not
Largely Attended, but Impressive.
Elks of Norfolk lodge, No. G53, paid
tribute to their absent brothers In an
nunl memorial services held Mt the
lodge rooms Sunday afternoon. -Four
members of the local lodge died dur
ing the year; Otto T. Tnppert, Ralph
l.. Braasch, c. II. jenkins and Thomas
NJ, Ryan.
The services were not largely at
tended but they were impressive.
Upon the altar beautiful floral token
had been placed. Officers of the lodge
filled their stations and the regular
memorial service was given w. M,
Robertson, past exalted ruler, read
the eulogy. A quartet consisting of j.
II. Maynard, Sol G. Mayer, Herman Kie-
sau and Charles Gerecke sang during
the services.
Following was the eulogy:
The Address.
Exalted Ruler, Brothers and Friends:
This to my mind Is II solemn occasion,
meeting as we do here today to pay
our tribute of respect to the memory
of those OF our brothers who have
passed to the great beyond, to the I'M
discovered country, from whose bourn
no traveller returns
In these strenuous days In which we
live 1t Is proper and wise that we
pause for one day at least, not only to
do homage to the dead, but to cast a
retrospective glance over the past, to
think for few moments on the activ-
tiles of the times we are living In,
and see II in our own lives we are do
ing the things we ought to do, and are
living up to the full measure and stan
dard of our capabilities and advant-
ages.
The surroundings In this land with
all of its advantages furnishes the in
centive, especially for the young, to
place our standard high mentally, and
morally.
We are told that the world Is grow
ing worse than ever before, that dis
honesty and immortality is the rule In
the lives and actions of men, rather
than the exception, and more especial
~ Is this said of our America, the land
which boasts of its freedom and equal
ity. Do we believe this? There being
no accurate statistics at hand upon
this subject, so far as | know, 1t is
at best only conjecture or belief on the
part of the individual who expresses
an opinion upon the matter. There
is also much said In these days about
graft In business, In politics. and In
every walk In life, and about the in
sincerity generally of the people, some
of which is perhaps true, but upon the
whole taking into consideration the in
crease in population, in wealth and al
of our material advancement, and com
pairing the present times and peoples
with those of the past, 1t does not
seem possible, that the world is grow
ing worse but that 1t is growing bet
ter, that we are not retrograding but
progressing. There are those who
claim that this country of ours has
reached the zenith of its greatness, anC
It's glory, that like the countries peo
pied and governed by the ancients W,
will, in the near future totter to de
cay. While others take more Opt
mistic view of the situation and be
heve that we are yet but In our swad
ding clothes, and that while we o
today think America is great nation
that 1t will still grow and flourish, 81
that in the future we of this age ant
time will appear as mere pigmies L
those who will come after us. 1t doe
not matter so much to the individual
which of these views Is the correc
one: the question for each one of IL
to ask ourselves is, are we as ind
viduals bearing our part of the bun
den, are we helping to make the gov
eminent and society better, are w
exemplary citizens doing all that l
required of us as such? If we ar
then we are doing our duty as men,
not we ought to mend our ways an
commence the performance of all tn
duties required of good citizens. n
man has a right to be dishonest Il
business, in civic life, or in any othe
way, and the individual Is to a certai
extent responsible for the wrongs,
any, which may exist in our body pI
little. 1t is said that today there Is n
honor in business or in political life
That Is not true. The great body c
the people are honest, and demandin
and are getting the highest type c
manhood and character to fill the in
portant places both in civil and pC
litical life.
The first question asked about n
applicant for place today is, is h
honest, the next, is he capable and il
dustrious, these questions being al
swered in the Affirmative, the man VIII
aspireS to place or position, and meet
these requirements has a reasonabl
chance of success. II seems to me W
are given to treating these matters to
lightly as rule, believing as some d
that money, pull and graft rule in a
things, which is mistaken view as
have already said, | say these thing
because this organization in its el
tirety is composed of men who hay
more or less to do with the things pre-
eut and future of this country, and
seems to me IL should be our aim bot