Gilpin observer., 1910-12-08

cradle to casket.
same goal, and certainly the journey
would be more comfortable for all If
each were kindly cons.d craze of the
welfare Of every one of h,s fellow
passergers-
Harmony and appreciat on would
oftener be the result II we'd only try
to understand each other. In many q
life there Is a silent tragedy we can
not see, or know, or underetand. Ger
tainly, every man in his heart prefers
happiness to sorrow. mir h to sad-
ness.
1--WE believe in the brotherhood OF
man. There q no quarrel between
this order and any church. A graft.
tying sign Of the times is the fact
that the CHURCHES are getting to-
gether.' Formerly denominational
missionaries pointed the poor benight.
ed heather to heaven and calmly
showed him some fifty routes by
which he might reach that heaven
The Laymen's Missionary Movement
has happily agreed to avoid con-
fusion by joining the forces of all
the churches to teach one doctrine
of salvation. with creeds ami
s,h.sn eliminated.
Abraham Lincoln The gentlest
memory of cur World not a men,
ber of any church-declared that II
one creed were adopted. he would
Join such a church. And that creed.
he said. ought 10 be this simple
dec!a -at'on,
Thou shalt I've the Lord thy Gcd
with all thy heart. and will all thy
soul. and with all thy mind. and with
all thy strength. And thou shalt love
thy neighbor as thyself.'
"Only the other day. Thos. A. Edi-
son, wizard of the material and sub
tie forms Of the world. said, The
only religion needed in this world is
the Golden Rule. II everyone pract.c-
ed 1t there would be no more trouble
or poverty or urhappiness. 1t is a
perfectly practical propo sition and
would not be hard for mcst Of us to
follow. II we got a little encourage
ment from our neiehto.s. The Golden
Rule g all that Is needed
"Men and women talk much of the
brotherhood of man. We are fond of
referring to the cause in the Amer
lean Constitution: All men are
created equal Eut what about the
practical application OF that prin-
ciple? Does the wel-:ed, well-housei.
well-paid man In position Of respon-
,sibility and influence really believe
that the day laborer. poorly paid, liv-
ing in comparative poverty. is just
as good as he? Does the man who is
riding on the crest OF the wave
think the swimme. who Ia struggling
against the wind and tide, is his
equal?
These. my brothers and friends.
are some Of the simple. homely truths
taught by this fraternity. The prin-
ciples that are fundamental in this
Order need no fne-spun argument
They did not originate wi h men OF
great intellect. they were not the
result Of fancy thinking. l believe 1t
Is q truth that the lest Thoughts come
not from the BRAN but from the
heart.
II do not claim that the Elk "a
the perfect man. ncr that all men
who practice the virtues Of charity.
justice and brotherIy love are mem.
bers Of this order. We al recognize
there are high-minied citizens who
have a tear for pity and a hand
open as day for melting charity
who. through cho'ce or re.udice have
never allied themselves with this
fraternity. These men are Elks in
sptr.t-Elks without the fold.
What do claim Is this. there Ia
no man. whatever his character. who
Is not better for being An Elk.
HE who has s.ood before the altar
and taken the so'emn and binding
obligation Of our order. is a better
man than he would have been other.
wise. He has an Ideal. which. though
he may never attain it. he holds high
as mans hope Of immortality.
THE Apostle Paul found the voice
and sentiment that led him N the
way Of right. His fellows were being
prosecuted, tortured. fed to the wild
beasts. In a moment Of weakness and
cowardlce. he fled by the unfreQuent-
ed way from Rome. The sacrifices
that were being made to cruel hate
and the history OF the world, alas!
shows that men have done more for