The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-11-12
ELKS DEDICATE TABLETS
 IN MEMORY OF DEAD
Interesting and Impressive Exercises at Hartford Lodge, B. P. O E.

The Hartford Lodge of Elks unveil- cd Tuesday evening. two memorial tablets in honor of the deceased mem bers of the order. who number 132 sive. rA
 Trustee Patrick McGovern presented the tablets to the order. saying that they were erected in accordance with the law of the Grand lodge. He touch ed upon the brilliant record of Hart ford lodge. No. 19. which no one could question: and said that while at the national convention in Colorado. Trus- tee Samuel D. Chamberlain saw that which to him would prove most ap- priprfate for a memoria@ tablet and he made a sketch of it. and to him much was due for his untirfng efforts.
 District Deputy Grand Exalted Ruler George l. Allen of Middletown. said.
 We have met tonight for a purpose that has all the dignity and tender ness of funeral rites. yet not their sadness
 It is no new bereavement that calls us together. but such as have been softened by the hand of time. We do not meet to participate in solemn rites around the newly opened grave. but the resting places of those we have met to honor have long been festooned by the hand of nature. Above them her daily sunshine has smiled and her fears have wept-and as she has caused some vine 10 creep. some grass to nestle over them all. even the most humble. so we are about to dedicate to them a fitting memorial of our af- lection and Of their worth
 There is no one who at some point of life has not been touched by the divine fire. md who has not poss essed some quality that is worthy or re epect and emulation. It is also true that there Is no one so strong as not to possess some point of weakness The faults of our brothers we will write upon the sands but their virtues upon the tablets of love and memory. So we will ever find fresh bonds of brotherhood and union in the memory of those who have gone before
 It is eminently fitting that these me morial tablets should be erected at the place where we have been accustomed to- meet our brothers and where we shall continue to meet and where we may be reminded of our associations with them. They are. as 1t were. tab lets erected at the shrine of friendship and as from time to time we shall scan these names we will recall. not the gloomy. paths that are a. part of the walks of life. but the paths or sunshine that have been lined with the flowers of friendship.
 May these reminders of the friend ship of the past be to us an Incentive to utilize the friendship of the present and to cultivate that fitness Of brotherly love which Is one of the key
 
 Past Exalted Ruler George A. Key holds said that 1t was an interesting and impressive occasion. interesting to all and perhaps more impressive to those of the order who on a stormy sunday afternoon on the 11th of Feb ruary 1ss3. nearly twenty-seven years ago. met at Odd Fellows hall. for the purpose of organizing Hartford lodge. No. Ig. The tablets. he said bore the names of a number of those who spent rrf early history of the order in further ing it's interests. The wonderful sue cess and growth of the order is due in a great measure to the untiring efforts oe those charter members. The fact that the lodge has 132 names inscribed on the list of those who have passed away is explained by the growth Of the organizstion in the past twenty seven years The idea of a memorial tablet. he said. was but another evil dence that the members who have died have not been forgotten by those who live The founders of the order build ed better than they knew. the speaker said. for their lives have been instru- mental in promoting one of the most frnportant and influential organizations of the present time
 s.Tn Memoriam'' was rendered by the a,ra-tet followed by stirring address ferred to the deceased members of the order and believed that a knowledge of men was a great achievement in life, He read a poem. which he explained had been sent to him by a friend. and he thought that 1t fitted the present occasion.
 The tablets are the work of William G. Martin of Hartford One is on the south and the other on the north side of the building. Both are surmounted by the ell<'s head of the order and inc words. "Our Absent Brothers" The names of the deceased members are arre--ed in two columns. the names being in white on an Elk s purple background. Both are of the same color scheme and are beautiful specimens of the handiwork of the maker MT. Martin has been engaged in the production of the tablets for some time and when they were plsc ed if was rather a difficult task to prop erIy adjust the electric lights to bring out the desired illuminated effect The various color schemes are brought out through the use of minerals of pink.