Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-12-07

OF Waterville, Who Delivered the Me-
mortal Address.
Augusta Lodge, No Se4, B. p. ..
Elks, observed its annual lodge of
sorrow at o'clock Sunday afternoon
at Eiks hall with good attendance and
very impressive program was car
ried out in memorium to the departed
brothers. The speaker was Hon. Will
liam r. Pattangail of WaterVille Lodge
and George II. Bangs, esteemed lead
ing knight of Augusta lodge, delivered
the Thanatopsis, Appropriate music
was rendered by the lodge quartet.
Mr.. Pattangall said in part:
We meet to honor our dead. The
thought that was uppermost in my
mind in writing what I have to read
to you today is this. What can we say
TO dc which they would regard, il they
were cognizant of our services, as pay
ing them the highest honer2 Should
we devote our talk and thought to
Them I doubt If that would please
them much Egotism must occupy
small place in their lives now.
Should we devote ourselves to dis
oussion of the werld theme of immor-
talitv. What is the use? OF that each
of us knows as much and as little as
the other. Mans knowledge stops at
the grave.
Every Elk has confessed a faith in
an Almighty God. Leave to Him the
solution of intimate problems. They
are His. This life is ours. He gave II
to US to make or to mar. If He gives
us another His infinite mercy and wis
dom and love will open the. way for
us to live it as it ought to be lived.
What would the men whose names
are on these tablets like US to talk
about today? The present I believe.
II were one of them and could send
a message to you, would say:
Think of yourselves.
Fraternities viewed as brothedhoods
and as organizations for the promotion
of the ideal of brotherhood are of in
estinable value Everything that Is
worth having in our civilization Is
based on brotherhood. There are but
two theories in life. One is the broth
erhood theory, the community theory.
the theory that we are to help each
other. The other is the competition
theory-that we are here to get the
best Of everything for ourselves.
Many men have consciously or I'M
consciously, adopted the latter theory.
Europe is acting on that theory today.
The world needs a constant teach
ing, daily preaching, an hourly ap-
peal for brotherhood. ndividualism,
strong. vital, compelling is necessary
in producing real cooperation, and
wise cooperation operates for the ben
eft of ethdniiiv crdlbh shrdl uuuu
eft of the individual.
Our order is devoted to the ideal OF
brotherhood. 1t is peculiarly fitted to do
a great work in this country in that d.
rection. We are distinctively an Ameri-
can order. We are particularly situated
to become the great American fraternity.
We are the only very large fraternity in
which American citizens of all religious
beliefs share membership.
To men like myself who possess little
of what is ordinarily called religion 1t is
difficult to conceive of religious prejudice.
But 1t exists. The order of Elks can DO
much toward preventing the growth of
. tina. particular disease.
Again, in our order while none but
American citizens can meet, men III
whose veins flows the blood of every
civilized race can mingle together. This
Is as it should be.
If we are not careful we will see classes
some day in this country-classes the de-
mareation between which will be as
plainly drawn as in any of the old coun-
tries of the Far East. In our order no
man stands higher because of wealth,
nor lower because of humble means.
II is in these things that can see the
great beauty and the great future posi-
bility for usefulness of the Order of Elks
Our creed it simple. plain and adequate.
Meeting ON a level footing we ask no Elk
as to his wealth, his social standing, his
pedigree, his race or his religion. We ask
him only that he shall be true to the
pledge which made him an Elk Our Or
der LIS based on friendship. grounded in
charity, supported by love. We are
brothers together.
We cannot realize our ideals. We can
only approach them. 1t may be that in
; that great Beyond where those have gone
in whose memory we meet today, those
: ideals can be, are being realized. II that
: Is SO, knowing our brothers as we knew
7 them here, we know that they are happy
: and at peace, and that the sweetest mes
' cage we can send 10 them is that we are
trying to lead the life OF true Elks, so
that when the time cories to us that has
;:ready come TO them we can greet them
Z en- the other shore with the same grip
Z and password we gave them here and
find ourselves in good standing with the
. Great Lodge OF Eternity. presided over
10y the Exalted Ruler of the Universe