Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1911-12-04

brothers p1l&r1md8eS mere on earth are
ended And 1t is fitting and proper that
we express our sorrow, for sincere sor-
row Is the highest compliment the living
can pay the dead. But in our sorrow for
the dead we must not forget our duty to
the living. We should strew flowers in
the pathway Of our brothers in this world.
The Benevolent and Protective Order
of Elks is in some respects peculiar.
No person can become a member un-
less he is an American citizen. Wealth
or social position cannot afford it's pos
SCISSOR admission to the order Character
is the standard not wealth nor influ-
ence. The organization of Elks is found
ed on the principles of Charity, Justice
Brotherly Love and Fidelity. Charity is
the noblest of virtues. Like the gentle
rain from Heaven that falls upon the
place beneath, it is twice blessed; it
blesseth him that gives and him that
takes" Charity consists of more than
feeding the hungry and clothing the
naked. 1t consists Of speaking we'll of
our fellow men. The faults Of our
brothers we write upon the sand; their
virtues on the tablets of love and mem
DRY. If all would speak as kind of the
living, as in epitaphs they do Of the dead
SANDER and censorious gossip would soon
be strangers to this world.
Charity frequently consists of silence
If we cannot. or think we cannot, speak
we'll of brother, we had better not
speak of him at all. He may do some
things that we do not approve of but
we cannot fathom his motives or tell
what his environments are and we
should, at least, give him the benefit OF
the charity of our silence. Speech is
said to be silver, silence golden. We
should cover our brothers failings, if
any, with the mantle Of charity. Let
us Judge not lest we be judged. There
is a higher tribunal than any on this
earth before which we must all appear,
where each will be judged according to
his works and where many, many Of the
judgments of this world will be reversed.
Not long ago a brother, who was an
eminent physician in a neighboring
state, passed away. He had in life taken
an active part in public affairs and made
many enemies. One Of the daily papers
of his city that opposed him in life. said
Of him editorially after his death, in
substances: HE, as we came to know
him. possessed personality and we may
learn from it, even II there are blotches
that mar
When a personality passes from this
life it is always interesting to study the
shadings Of that life, He did not live
his best. He was man Of large ability,
and had he exercised it forcefully on
the side Of right living he would have be-
come a power for good in this commun-
ity. But with air his faults, he lived
much better than most Of US on one side,
he was generous to the poor all his life.
Let us dwell for a moment on this ex-
ample that he leaves for us. He loved
men. Up and down this city in the hum
BILE homes he left his marks Of kindness.
If he had ten dollars he lent five on
the urgent call He was kindly to every
body and loyal to his friends.
No man in need Of medical treatment
ever left his office without attention,
because the patient had no money, and
his benevolences in this line were not
mere affectation. they were 80 natural
that he forgot his act the next moment.
we love him for his big heartedness,
and drop the mantle Of charity on much
that we would blot out.
The world will be better when all Of
us are as kind and generous as was he
his relations with men.
Whatever may have been the faults, il
any, Of our departed brother, he lived up
to at least one of the principles Of Elk
sense. He relieved the poor and the
needy. he healed the sick and all without
seeking reward. and in a quiet way, not
caring or striving to attract the attention,
or win the applause Of the world. The
world is better by reason Of his having
lived in it.
He, like Abou Ben Adhem. loved his
fellowmen.
''Abou Ben Adhem (may his tribe in
crease;
Awoke one night from deep dream
Of peace;
And saw. within the moonlight in his
room,
Making 1t rich, and like lily in bloom,
An angel, writing in book Of gold;
peace had made Ben AdAem
bold,
And to the presence in the room he said:
What writest thou? The vision raised
its head,
And, with q look made of all sweet &C.
cord.
1.-THE names Of those who
love the Lord
And is mine one?" said Abou. NAY,
not Co."
Replied the angel Abou spake more low,
But cheerily still, and said: Il pray
thee, then,
Write me as one who loves his fellow
men,"
The angel wrote, and vanished. The
next night
It came again with the great awaken
ing light, ;
A showed the names whom love Of God
had blest,
And 10! Ben Adhem's name led all the ;
rest"
His name led all the rest because he |
owed his fel1owmen. Though not an |
elk in name he was one in reality. t