The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1910-12-06
JUDGE rIERNey's ADDRESS
CONTINUED from Page TwO)

with thorns, try to assist them over |
the hard places, and smooth them !
out for them while they are yet In the |
struggle. In brief, to let more lib
eral charity, a more earnest SYM
pathy for the living. take the lace
of post-mortem flowers and tears.
But some say to us: Your ideals
are magnificent, your teaching Is al
most a religion In itself, but In prao-
tics you are q lot of merTy-makers
and laughter and song Is almost the
badge OF Elkdom. / agree with this
criticism In q measure. The truly
fraternal Elk IL an apostle Of sun
shine, a discipline Of human happi-
ness. He does not belong to the
class who cannot laugh, and frown
upon all who do, and ] have yet to
believe that the somber frowning
face always covers up the purest
soul, or that God feels best when his
children feel worst. The child is not
made less sanity because of the
mother who caresses 1t and joins in
its merry laughter and prattle; the
nation does not suffer because its ru-
Ter governs with love and mercy, but
God pity the child whose parents Icy
'rown has chilled It's love, and the
,ation whose rulers antocracy has
aused its people to hate.
My, friends, where there ls laugh
err there Is love, and while / appre-
,iate the poets warning that
Mirth can into folly glide, and folly
into sin"
vet our exemplar is he who mixes
reason with pleasure, and wisdom
with mirth. He who, mindful of his
duty to God and fellowmen, can with
his love and smiles add to the sum
of human happiness. He who as
have said, puts into practice the great
principles of our order, who tries to
establish confidence In human nature
and make the real motives of men
better understood, for what Is more
depressing upon and injurious to the
sum Of human happiness than to be
misunderstood.
Not understood We move along
asunder,
Our paths grow wider as the sea-
sons creep
Along the years. We marvel and we
wonder
Why life is life; and then we fall
asleep
Not understood.
mot understood! We gather false
impressions,
And hug them closer as the years
go by;
TIL virtues often seem to us trans
gresslons,
And thus men rise and fall and live
and die
Not understood.
Not understood How many breasts
are aching
For lack of sympathy. All day by
day
How many cherries lonely hearts
are breaking!
How many noble spirits pass away
Not understood
"Oh God, That men should see lit
tie clearer
Or Judge less harshly where they
cannot see:
Oh Cod That men should draw &
little nearer
To one another! They'd be near
er Thee
And understood"
. These, my friends. are the objects
these are the ideals of the grea
brotherhood of Elks. This, M
friends. is brotherly love. AnC
I what solace Is there so great as love
| sweet, smiling love? The love W,
bear our kindred, our companions
J our dear ones; the love that we hav,
for God and the confidence we hay,
In his love for US. From this love
J and out of this love, was born hope
I the hope of immortality.
{ Hope, angel of light and guIdlnI
J star Of our lives, ever reckoning Il
I on and cheering the stricken hear
; with assurance that love can neve
! die, and that eternity alone can mea!
ure loves farewell.
oh, what would life be withou
hope? How desolate. how aimles
our existence. And how truly ha
the poet said:
Cease every Joy to glimmer on m
mind,
! But leave, oh leave the light of hop
behind"
: And love Is the mother OF hop,
And what a beautiful example {
charity love and hope is exemplifle
In these exercises of today. AS II
names Of the deceased brothers wei
called and the sad toll OF the be
and quenched light gave back III
only answer, Dead" II seemed 9
II from all the brothers here, aye, an
from all assembled here, there arol
in chorus and In perfect unison, II
Jewish Kaddish, the Catholic 'Requ
escat In Pace" and the Protestal
abide With Ne" in one, grea
lgrand exultant orison to heaven. Ar
oh, how generous, how God-like WI
this appeal. No distinction OF elias
of creed or OF sect, but bound
common fellowship, united by bon,
OF affection and love, you lay upS
the altar OF the memory OF your d
ceased brothers your mutual gifts al
sacrifices.
Does II not all seem as IL It we
4 The answer to the poets prayer?
! "Oh God, that men should see lit
clearer,
Or Judge less harshly where tn
cannot see;
Oh God, that men should draw a
I tie nearer
4 To one another-theyd be near
Thee
And understood"
MAKE LIFE WORTH RIvIMG
Says Elder Cunningham