The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1913-12-11
MEMORIAL
is IMPRESSIVE
II. G. PRESTON ELOQUENT IN AN.
NU.AL ADDRESS BEFORE
MITCHELL ELKS.

The universal brotherhood oil man,
as exemplified in the Benevolent and
Protective Order of Elks. was exalted
in the address of H. C. Preston be-
fore the Mitchell lodge in the annual
memorial services for the departed
brothers.
Since the founding of the Mitchell
lodge, six years ago, it has mournel
the death of nineteen of its members:
c. B. Barrett, p. j. Flcmmer, James
Mckinley, John Schmidt, Charles G..
Woods, Emil Becker, DR.. r. Fl. Good
rich, William Nash, w. e. Warner,
d. NJ. Tiffany. Christopher Footit, J..
ID. Koch, Charles w. johnson, James
Kimble. VIM. ID. Mcdonald. John II.
Harvey, w. w. Edwards, A. /. Steele
and James l.. Greeley.
Yesterdays ceremonies were OPEN
ed when 200 of the lodge members
marched in the lodge room in solemn
procession. with the opening in
charge of Exalted Ruler l.. j. Welch.
A mixed choir of thirty voices, under
Prof. Il. w. Hobson, sang ~ Heard
the Voice" ota eta3
Secretary Georgia.. Silsby read the
roll call of the departed brothers ac-
cording to the impressive ritual OF
the memorial services and Miss Nina
Hager sang, 1.-The Lord is My Light"
This was followed by Mr.. P%reston's
address. The male choir rendered
Crossing the Bar" and the services
were finished with the closing cere-
monies. ta
The large lodge room was filled
for the services.
Mr.. Preston said:
in the few years existence of this
Order of Elks in Mitchell, death has
entered and claimed nineteen of its
members-their names appear on
yonder tablet, and to more particui-
arly speak in their commemeration is
our purpose today. 1t is an establish
ed custom OF this order, that each
subordinate lodge shall assemble on
the first Sunday after the close of
each autumn monitor the first
Sunday in December of each year,
there to pay respect ia the brothers
swung open the Golden Gate. and
tooSa II oNSH III III 1ICdl IDc
You'd.
The principles of this order con-
template ~benevolence and protection.
1t is exclusively an American organi-
cation, and the fraternity is repre-
sented by more than 800, 900 souls
and nearly 1000 lodges, and rapidly
increasing.
"One great virtue of this order is
that it stands for the universal bro
!therhood of nan Its members are
among the various calls of life, in
which Zach seems moving on in anti
lcipation OF the unfolding profits and
pleasures of future years. The order
knows no creed; it is not sectarian;
but an organization OF men for the
better advancement of mankind.
with all of this, however, the
lives of some of the members of this
lodge have beer taken from us, and
} the hopes of the future, to which they
so tenaciously held. have faded away
in the darkness of death.
There are many things in the af-
fairs of life that we often forget. but
as Elks, sorrow for our dead is the
one from which WI refuse to be abso-
Ilutely divorced. Every other wound
we seek to heal, every other afflic-
ton we may tr yto forget, but this
one we cherish in the secrets of the
order. There is a remembrance OF
these deceased brothers to which We
turn, ever from the charms of the
living. For the present let us look
to the grave, there from it's peaceful
bosom springs non but fond regrets
and tender recollections as we look
upon the poor handful of earth
that lies moldering before us. And
right here in this connection is where
we, as brother Elks desire to offer
tribute, to a chaplet of flow
ers and strew the beauties of nature
above the graves of our deceased
brothers. However, here we gather
inspiration-here we take warning
by the bitterness of this, our contrite
affliction over u dead, and hance-
forth desire to be more faithful, and
affectionate, in the serious obliga-
lions we owe in the discharge of the
benevolent and protective duties 10
the living.
Life, all kinds of life, tends to
companionship. fraternal, as we'll as
otherwise; as Elks we dc not call
hot u MIiSlS thC nv liIlC VI III
moor-land glade dGags cut a mere
solitary existence, or where the cap
tive in some cell of bondage frets and
pines unnoticed; that to us is not
life-the Elks do not call that life
we do not pass each other as strang-
ers, we do not overlook the home
less and the poor, the orphan or the
orphans child. When the Creator
said in the Eden, 1T is not good for
man 10 be alone there was a deeper
signification in the words than then
could be exhausted by the family tie.
1t was the declaration of an essential
want, which the Creator, in his high
est wisdom has impressed upon II
mankind. However, with all our So
cial and f%raternal existence-with all
of it's incidental joys and pleasures
life is fifty characterized as a pilgrim
age through a vale of tears. In the
language of poetry, man has been
called a pendulum betwiXt a smile
and a tear.
Mankind realizes that almost ev-
erything in this world is characteriz-
ed by imperfections; the best people
have many faults: the clearest mind
only see through a glass darkly; the
purest heart is not without SPOT; in
all the intercourse of society. all our