The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-12-04
|DOLEFUL STROKE
OF MUFFLED BELL
Sound Came as Name of De-
parted Elk Was Called at
Memorial Service.
CROWDS SIT IN DARKNESS
MIR. Smith, in Annual Address,
Tells OF Orders Benevo-
lent Record.
CROWDS SIT IN DARKNESS

oeHuper', rtuoi at once solemn and
impressive, and the sacred quiet of a
Sabbath afternoon. gave to the me-
! mortal exercises held at the Academy
OF Music yesterday by the local Elks
in honor of their dead, a note of sub
dued sorrow and abiding hope. From
the beautiful opening prayer by Dr..
Edward N. Calisch through the whole
program of solos. duets, quartets, ad-
| dresses and ceremonial, the spirit OF
reverence and faith was maintained,
imparting TO tho exercises q charm
and grace peculiarly fitting the &C.
| cason.
Practically every seat In the theatre
| was occupied when the program open
cd at 3:15 o'clock. Omccrs OF the order
occupied seats in the boxes and on
| the stage.
He'll Toltcd for Absent Ones.
Most impressive In It's solemnity was
the ceremony of commemoration per-
formed by the officers of the order.
These were stationed in various parts
of the house, In the boxes and in tho
galleries. a formal dialogue took
place between the exalted ruler John
u. Blilcy, seated on a raised dais on
the stage. and the major officers scat
tered in distant parts OF the theatre,
recalling the duties assigned TO each
officer according to the prcccpts and
ideals OF the order.
When the exalted ruler called upon
the secretary, T. r. a. Burke, to rcnd
/. the roll OF the departed members. the
lights were turned off and the house
plunged into darkness rendered all
the more uncanny and awcsome by
the dull red CLEAN of the safety lamps
over tho emergency exits. The secre-
tary paused for n dramatic minute af-
ter the reading of each name and from
| distance there sounded the doleful
single stroke of mufflcd bell. The toll
ing continued until the end OF the list
was reached. when at n word from the
exalted ruler the lights were again
switched on, routing the strain and
gloom in Hood of Joyous light
Address by II. NJ. smith. .Jr.
The principal address OF the day
was delivered by II. NJ. Smith, Jr.. on
the subject OF Our Honored Dead and
the Principles of Our Ordor" II re-
Elected thoroughly the spirit of com.
memoration and loyalty OF the oc-
casion and brought n note OF good
cheer 10 the brethren assembled to 40
honor TO their departed dead.
Among the few tencts for which
the Elks order stands, Mr. Smith told
his hearers. is the doctrine OF the i'm
mortality of the soul. No man can
hope TO affiliate himself with tho
order without manifesting an abiding
faith In the Almighty and in an exist.
ence after the life on this earth. Ma.
terialism. with Its mechanical view OF
life, with its dictr!ne OF consciousness
and soul existing only as long as, and
by reason Of the existence of the
physical body and brain, has no room
In the Elks' gospel
This considered. he said. ought TO
lend to the memorial exercises a note
of JOY and rejoicing. 1.-The brothers"
he said, who have departed this life
and TO whose memory honor Is this
day done, have entered into a field of
higher usefulness-into a nobler, high
or existence. where each of us will
sooner or later follow them. and where
VIC shall once more be united in the
bonds OF our common brotherhood"
Not Religious Order.
While the Elks stand as body
Tor the recognition of the Almighty
and for the loyalty, bencvolence and
charity commanded by Him TO all men
the order is not a religious one. I'm
like this order which you as Catho-
lie could not join, this one which you
as Protestant could not be conscientI-
ously enter because of your religious
convictions. and this one 70 whose
precepts you as Jew could not SUBJ
scribe. the Elks order places no re-
llgious restrictions and Welcomes into
its brotherhood Catholic, Protestant
and Jew alike. All of these religions
arc represented here to-day, and the
adherents of each of them are united
and faithful to the ideals Of the order
which binds them together"
III similar manner, said Mr.. Smith
the order recognizes no differences in
nationality and political faith In It's
membership are found men of all ma
tfonalities and political parties IT
believe that the Islks order more than
any other organization in this city" he
declared. lis helping to remove politi-
cal differences and promote harmony
in civic and public life"
It's Great Membership.
Mr.. Smith told of the founding of
the order shortly after the Civil War
and of its marvellous growth. To-day
1t has more than 1900 separate lodges,
with total membership of 400. 900.
Members OF the order arc found in
every State in the Union. from the
Canadian line on the North to the
Southern CULTS. and from the Atlantic
to the Golden Gate
Rounded originally as a purely So
ciai organization, it broadened it's
aims and ideals until to-day, while
maintaining strong social aspect, tho
order is distinctly fratcrnal and de-
voted to the preccpts of brotherhood,
beneHolence and charity. TOO much
credit" he said. cannot be given TO
the men who founded the order and to
those who composed It's early mem
ocrship for the broad. humane ideals