The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1914-12-08
COL. BRANTLEY'S FINE ADDRESS
Speaks of the Principles OF the Order.
Beauty and Duty of Helping a
Brother in Distress.

Brother klks:
Today throughout this broad land
wherever tere are lodges Of the Or
der of Elks, there are assembled al
/ this hour and around these affairs our
brothers with their friend and loved
cnes. Assembled for tie purpose Of
paying tribute to the memory of our
departed brothers; for the purpose OF
memorializing the dead and speaking
words of encouragement, cheer and
goodwill for the living; for the pur-
pose Of concentrating our hearts and
minds upon the great principles Of
G arity, justice, brotherly love and
fidelity in order that We might make
this life real-a befitting cornerstone
for the life eternal.
1T is, indeed, a beautiful custom Of
the Elks, and a custom which trust
will grow in Importance as our great
order grows of thus annually assem-
bling ourselves together at this SOL
emn hour sacred to Elkdom-llylng
and spending this hour, as it were, in
communion with departed friends and
brothers-away from the trials and
troubles that threaten us-away from
tie cares and anxieties that Cypress
4 us-away from the communicating in.
fluences of corrupt world, breath
ing in an atmosphere laden with the
perfume OF good deeds and God-fear-
| ing lives, gathering inspiration rom
| those ideals of the real and truly great
life and thus catching glimpse Of
the spirit world that teaches the i'm
mortality Of bae human soul.
When t-rs mariner has been for 3
time tossed by the waves and billoEs
Of rough and turbulent sea, he casts
| about to anchor that TIE may take his
bearings; he aScertsins his longitude
and latitude and thus fixes his posi-
ton upon tie boundless sea in order
that he may know to what port he 10
sailing or upon what shoals he may
be drifting. So it is with us when we
strive to live by the teachings and
principles Of our great order. We
should, upon these occasions. take
thought OF the morrow for each of US
is sailing or drifting, as it were, upon
the great ocean of life, let US oc-
casionally take our bearings, see what
latitude and longitude our life-boat oc-
cupies upon the sea of time, and as
certain to what port we may be sail
ing, or whittier we may be drifting.
We are living in a rapid age and
am constrained sometimes to believe
that we are living in too thoughtless
an age.
L, oughtless-in so far as the great
principles of our order te n:
ughtless--'when charity speaks
to us of mans humanity to man:
Thoug.tless--when justice calls to
the strong not to Cypress the weak:
ghtless-when brob-erly love
is forgotten in our mad rush for
wealth and ambition:
11oughtless-w.nen fidelity to thu
great teachings of immortality are
1
oyershodowed by things mortal.
Too often We find in the business
walks of life-in the rush and prog
ress of this hurried age-Uhat We or
get The weaker brother who has fall
len b. the wayside, whom misfortune
has overcome, and We do not slacken
our pace to speak kind word, give
to the necessities of his wants or ex-
tend helping hand and loving smile
that might lift him rom despair to
Eope, recovery and happiness again
When We fail to do these things my
brethren our life-boat is drifting near
the shoals of neglected charities and
we are then losing one of tine sweetest
gifts of God to mantle spirit Of
charity.
The Elk that is true to his order
and obligations never passes broth
er in misfortune or distress, but con-
tributes to mis- wants. A small con-
tribution may save a fallen brother
from ruin; a few words may bring
cheer and hope to a hopeless heart.
Who can estimate the value of
loving word and look? Who can guess
the power of warm hand clasp and
sympathetic smile? Who can tell to
what depths these may penetrate the
| human heart, or to wthat heights they
may lift human soul?
In this age Of progress and IN the
rush for wealth and power, We some
times forget the rights of others and
gain wealth by expressing the weaker