The Norfolk weekly news-journal., 1906-06-15
WAS A MEMORIAL SUNDAY
A DAY FOR DEAD IN
NORFOLK LODGES.
WE'RE IMPRESSIVE SERVICES
Odd Fellows and Ben Hurs Paid Tri.
butes to Memories Of Those Who
Have Left the Lodge Ranks on
Earth-Baccalau Sermon.

T1dNC GNIN blS EOuHC OH
Earth-BaccaIau laureate Sermon.
Yesterday was Memorial Sunday |
among the Odd Fellows and the Ben
Hur lodges of Norfolk, and large con.
gregations paid tribute to the memory
of the dead
At 2:30 the odd Fellows went to the |
cemetery in procession and after dec
Grating the graves of seven dead mem.
bers, gathered under the shade of the
trees and sang Nearer, My God, to
Thee" Rev. j. f. Poucher delivered
the memorial address, followed by a
duet sung by Mr.. and Mrs. H. l..
Doughty.
The eight dead members are: G. A.
Lukart, II. l.. Spaulding, Herman Feg-
erly, Mrs. Sturgeon, Mrs. Frank Beels,
Mrs. Hurlbert, Mrs. Marquardt. Mr..
Poucher said in part:
Brother Odd Fellows and Daugh-
ters of Rebekah: The flight of time,
the passing seasons have brought us
again to this day of commemoration,
with all its memories and associations.
With hundreds of people throughout
our state we engage today in the most
beautiful yet simplest of human cere-
monies, the decoration of the graves
of our beloved dead. If it were in our
power to reach some high vantage
ground whence with far-reaching vi
sion, we might view this state from
border to border we would witness
scenes similar to this in which we are
gathered, upon a hundred hillsides and
a hundred valleys where rest the holy
dead in their silent sleep. The flow
ers upon their graves will fade before
tomorrow's sun and the leaves will
wither but the thoughts and purposes
that are inspired this hour will live in
the hearts of all who are here this af-
ternoon, who will find not only inspi-
ration but comfort in the memory of
this sleeping army.
Standing here today in this ceme
terry, beautiful for situation, and hal
lowed by so many memories and asso-
Citations what thoughts crowd in on
our mind. | never stand upon this
hillside and look out upon the scene
spread before me but l think of the
time when a little company of friends
who have been blind to my faults and
mindful of my own good purposes will
gather in similar place to lay in the
clay the mortal remains of spirit
that loved his fellow men.
How fitting that we strew flowers
upon their graves. Flowers are the
natural tributes of sorrow, emblems
of affection, testimonials of remem-
brance. We deck with them the affairs
of our religion; we garland with them
the bride of our choice; we encircle
with them the cradle of our latest
born; we garnish with them the sane
tuaries of home-why should we not
scatter them upon the graves of the
loved and lost, and invest even the
cold sepulchre with the faithful sym
bols of hope and immortality
They teach us of the frailty Of man.
How quickly the flowers fade and
wither away And our life on earth
the Bible tells us is like the life of a
flower. Man "cometh forth as flow
er and is cut down"-"As the flower of
the grass he withereth away"-none
of us knows how long his life will be
spared; but we know that at best it
cannot be very long, and that some
day we must all die. How earnest
then and faithful we should strive to
be, using our opportunities while we
have them, and turning every day to
good account.
These buried Odd Fellows teach us
another lesson:
A lesson of friendship. The friend
ship of an Odd Fellow is proved in the
hour of distress. AS gold is tried in
the hot fire of the furnace so friend
ship is tested by adversely. Judge
Tuley of Chicago had an opportunity
to accumulate great wealth If he hat
-, so desired in his long administration
on the bench. He died with a small
! estate and yet it was said of him thai
, he left a Million of Friends" Oul
wealth is not in lands and gold but IL
> the hearts of friends.
D A lesson of love: Odd Fellowship
a is not limited to simple gifts or con
v tributions of money, although these
: are right and are included in the term!
Y of love- But true love extends to al
the wants of the brotherhood of man
}, Is brother led astray by the errinl
G propensities of his nature? The tru,
Odd Fellow gently reminds him of hi
S wrong, whispers in his ear words o
caution, and seeks to aid and assis
g him to a better life. Love bends owe
). the poor fallen brother and with he
broad mantle hides from the condemn
ing gaze of the world the self inflicte,
shame and degradation and at tn
I. first dawn of returning reason lift
O him up to better life. Odd Fellow
ship enters the home saddened b.
# death and pours into the heart be
reaved the balm of consolation.