The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1909-07-03
ELKS AT LOS ANGELES
BY FREDERIC J. HAsKIN.

q Manila lodge bore banner announc-
ing that il was at home although u,0o0
miles away. That is characteristic A
New Yorker is as much at home in
San Francisco club as he is in his own
lodge. There is always a secretary on
hand 10 welcome the visiting Elk and
assure him that the place is his.
The eleven o'clock toast is one Of the
most beautiful things about Elkdom. In
1865, at one Of the meetings of the New
York lodge, just as adjournment was in
order, George MCDOlald who had pre-
sided at the birth Of the organization,
suggested a toast to the absent ones
1t was drunk with q WILL and from that
day TO this, at the hour Of eleven at
night, all Elks spend few moments
thinking Of their brethren, whoever and
wherever they may be.
Another beautiful thing about the Elk
ritual is the lodge Of sorrow" On the
first Sunday Of eacn December every
lodge in the order holds meeting in
commemoration Of those whose lives
have been m arged into the great beyond.
No matter how many years may have
passed since death ended the career OF
fellow member Of a lodge his name is
called off and some appropriate word
spoken to keep his memory green. In
many orders II is only the names OF
those who have died within a scar that
are read off, but with the Elks every
death from the organization of the club
Is recalled at these annual lodges Of sor-
row.
The world has heard much about Hell
10, Bill" especially since William H. Taft
has been president. Hello. Bill" is not
a salutation that is ritualistic. but one
that follows the Elks wherever they go.
II IS the open sesame that leads 10 in
Innate friendship and good fellowship.
No one seems to know who is responsible
for originating the phrase.
The national home Of the Elks is To-
Gated in Virginia, GUst outside of Bed
ford City. It is an ideal spot, and 40
private home could be fitted up more
comfortably. There are some fifteen in
mates, and they receive the best of care.
as is shown by the fact that it costs
$1,000 year to maintain the place The
Elks look upon these inmates as their
guests and declare hat nothing is too
good for them. Alth )ugh the order has
$1,000 members, there are less than TWEEN
~ OF them that are so unable to fight
the battle Of life for themselves as to
give up and go to the home. However
not all Elks who are unable to get along
In the world go to this institution. They
are given their choice to STAY at home
and receive the helping hand there. or 90
70 Bedford City for the rest Of their days
Most of them stay at home, accepting
only such help as is necessary to supple
ment their own efforts at obtaining
livelihood.
1t is probable that there is no other ma
uon on earth where there are as many
orders ana as many members as in the
United States. There are more than sixty
secret orders of one kind and another
having upward of 5000 members Their
total membership is nearly 10000 900. and
they annually give benefits amounting to
nearly S6JWO,O00. It viii be seen from this
that the average benefit Is about S per
member Or all these organizations none
give more freely to the needs of their
unfortunate members than the Elks. and
none possess a better name for good fel-
lowship, fidelity and brOtherly love.
Copyright, 1909, by Frederick j. HaskinD
Tomorrow-Juvenlle Religious Societies