The Falls City tribune., 1908-12-11


for better citizenship and the
universal brotherhood, which
begins in the small circles rep
resented by our fraternal
orders.
To be sure ours is a cheerful
religion, but it is not a require
ment of holy writ or of the best
christian precepts that one
should always be solemn or
straight faced to be good. The
Elks believe in the laugh and
the smile, and particularly in
the smile that don't come off.
Yes, it is a cheerful religion,
but it is a religion that believes
in taking care of its own and in
this country tonight there is not
an Elk in good standing who is
hungry, or ragged, or f%orsaken.
There are no Elks who are pub
lie charges and none of our alb
sent brothers sleep in the pot
terS field.
1t is a religion that gives to
the poor. Last year the public
charity of the Elks lodges OF
America was the magnificent
sum of four hundred thousand
dollars; and this my friends
from one of the small fraterni-
ties of America. This gener-
osity is public charity for last
year alone, if there was none
before or yet none to come
after, is another justification
for the existence of this order.
How beautiful it is to live in
the present and to live up to
the opportunities of the hour
and this thought as to the act
i've charities of the Elks is no
where more beautifully illustra-
ted than in the little poem,
"What Have we Done Today
Wa ehul1 do . n mncb in tho vaars IN came
Bat what have we done today
We shall give our gold in a princely sum,
But what did we give today
We shall lift the heart and dry the tear,
We shall plant a hope in the place of fear,
We shall speak the words of love aud cheer.
But what did we speak today?
We shall be so kind in the afterwhile,
But what have we been today?
We shall bring each lonely life a smile.
But what have we brought today!
We shall give to truth a grander birth,
And to steadfast faith a deeper worth,
We shall feed the hungering souls of earth,
But whom have we fed today?
We shall reap such joys in the by and by,
But what have We sown today!
We shall build us mansions in the sky,
But what have we built today.
IT'S sweet in idled dreams to bask,
But here and now do We do our task,
Yes, this is the thing our souls must ask,
What have we done today?
Charity is one of the great
virtues that makes of us all one
great family for the common
good and in no fraternal order
of America is this virtue EN-
phasized more than it is in the
Elk's lodge of America.
1t is an order that teaches
Brotherly Love, that spirit
which makes us less interested
in self and more interested in
others. 1t has been said many
times and in many ways that the
three greatest words OF language
are God. Home and Brother
and we want these ser
vices to emphasize the influence
and power OF this sacred trim
God the Father of us all,
and the giver of every good and
and perfect gift, it is proper
that these simple annual ser
vices should be held in this
house. Home, that sacred and
tender spot where clings strong
est of all earthly place, the HUI
man affections. Brotherhood
that great arm which reaches
out and includes us all, makes
us all akin, and strews with
roses the rough and thOrny
places of this old world.
In the great God may we put
our trust and our hopes. In our
homes may we develop the
lzol~ &c l;fa ,,J ~i4iuan