The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1908-19??, 1914-12-25
ELOQUENT MEMORIAL
ADDRESS FOR ELKS'
Delivered by H. M. Fearn-
side at Recent Elks Mem
Orial Service.

Olldl OCl WIG.
At the lodge of Sorrow" held in
the lodge room of the Palatka Elks,
early in the present month, Mr.. Hen
ny M. Fearnside delivered the follow
ing eloquent address:
| Brother Exalted Ruler, Friends
and Members Of the Benevolent and
Protective Order of Elks:
From a numerical standpoint Pa
latka lodge has been exceedingly for
tunate in having only two names in
scribed on the tablets of love and
memory, and yet to express the deep
sorrow caused by the removal of
those who have made our tablet a
thing of existence would be to I'M
fold pages of eulogy.
We knew them in life-in flesh and
blood-and we glory in the thought
that their lives were inspirations for
the betterment of mankind.
Truly has it been said that today
is Elkdoms day of fancies. Today
the members of our order endeavor
to escape from earthly surroundings
and every day thought and wander
in the fields of fancy, adopting an
itinery of imagery along the prim-
rose paths that border on the shores
Of the sea of sentiment.
This is an order founded on senti-
ment-living on sentiment. 1t is
composed of practical men, meeting
intelligently and seriously the prob
lens of this busy life; but when their
sight grows tired from working in
the semi-darkness of the practical,
they like to open wide. the windows
and let in the glorious sunshine of
sentiment.
If this order did nothing more than
carry a little sentiment into the lives
of the 100000 active, busy Americans
who make up its membership it
would have justified it's existence.
And because this is an order char
IacteriZed by the finer sentiments, and
because brotherly love is one of the
fundamental principles, we meet to-
day to draw back the curtain and
show deep chisled on the tablets of
our love and memory the records of
our brothers virtues and good deeds.
1t is a powerful order in whose
name we assemble here, and yet less
than so years ago it had it humble
birth. Originating in an actors
boarding house, and designed very
largely for purposes of conviviality,
today it has its lodges throughout the
length and breadth of the land, and
has become a great charitable, fra
ternal and patriotic force.
How much better they bIilded than
they knew, these men that brought
our Order into being: If it be part of
the Divine plan of the Grand Exalt-
ed Ruler of the Universe that those
who have passed to the unknown
shore may look back thru the veil that
separates the mortal from the i'm
mortal, with what elation must they
view the growth in power and de-
velopment in strength of this broth
erhood of theirs; with what pardon
able pride must they learn of hun
dreds of thousands of dollars expend-
ed each year by this order in charit-
able work and gaze upon the Nation
al Home of Elkdom nesting among
the foothills of that hospitable and
hostoric State of Virginia, where our
footsore and weary brothers may
pass their final days amid pleasant
surroundings, enjoying every mate
rial comfort that brotherly love can
plan and provide
They were lowly actor folks, these
founders of our order. They were
not the mighty of the stage, but the
humble performers in variety; and
yet when Booth and Barrett and For
ret shall have been forgotten, the or
der that these men founded shall con-
tinue thru the ages, the pride of
those who wear its emblem, the cham
pion of virtue and the protector of
the home; the hope of those who suf-
fer and the comfort of those who
mourn, and most powerful bIlwa'k
of the manhood, fraternity and pa
triotism of our people.
The charming story of the "Blue
Bird" has developed for US the beau
tiful, the inspiring, the comforting
thought that our friends in the land
of memory are awake and happy
when our thoughts are with them.
Al all other times they are sleeping
the long, dreamless sleep from which
they are awakened only by our re-
membrance.
And so the Elks over there mJst
be always awake and happy for an
Elk is never forgotten. The broth
erly love that we are taught in Elk
dom does not end at the grave. When
the last word has been spoken, the
last prayer uttered; when we have
| Il Cd bn aclyn OF Of do
parted brother our offering of ANA
ranth and ivy, the unfading anna
ranth symbolizing the Immortality Of
the soul, and the clinging ivy en-
blematic of the fidelity of our devo-
ton, that is not to be the end of love
and memory and tender thoughts.
Each night when the hands of the
clock indicate the approach of the
last hour of the day the teachings
of our order and the promptings of
our hearts coll US to the most bea1ti-
full custom that is to be found in all
fraternal life.
Each night at eleven o'clock all
Elks abandon the pursuits of the
whatever they may be, and, floating
out on the sea of sentiment to the
Land of Memory, they spend mo-
ment with their absent brothers.
And once a year on this Sunday,
taking our friends with is, we make
more formal visit to our absent
ones in memory's realm, the Elks of
yesterday. We hear again the sound
of voice that is still and feel once
more the touch of a vanished hand.
Their names are called and one by
one in memory they answer to the
call We see again the features