Norwich bulletin., 1916-06-15


 For the first time the Elks held home on Main street, Wednesday ev- ening. The exercises were impress sively carried out before a good sig ed audience, including lodge mem- bers. and members of Sedgwick post, No. l. c. A. R. and other guests.
 John F. Hennon. of Jewett City, graduate of Georgetown university, gave the patriotic address of the ev- ening in a very eloquent manner.
 The programme follows:
 Star Spangled Banner, orchestra; introductory exercises. exalted ruler and officers; prayer. Chaplain Thomas R. craney; song, Columbia the Gem of the Ocean, Arthur Campbell; Flag Record, Laurence B. Millea; al- tar services. esquire and officers; song, AuId Lang Syne. officers and members; music, Maryland, orches- non; song. America. audience joining.
 The EIks Flag Day.
 The address delivered by MT. Hem non follows:
 On such an occasion as this, the thought, why are we here? naturally presents itself, and in answer thereto We realize that we, in these exercises are paying our tribute to the flag of our country, giving testimony of our love for and loyalty to the ideals, principles and aspirations of a people as shown forth by that glorious ban- ner of stars and stripes.
 Our country has set apart certain days to perpetuate the memory of the fHustrious men and events interwoYen with it's history; our July 4th; the birthdays of Washington and Lincoln, our Memorial Day, Thanksgiving Day, Flag Day, each and all for a definite purpose, viz: to remind us of the mo- tives, ideals and convictions animat- ing and guiding a people, and repre- scented by the illustrious men and deeds to whose memory such days have been solemnly dedicated. Today, Flag Day, one of the latest. i but by no means the least, we are gathered here under the auspices of an organization whose cardinal princi- l pies are fidelity, justice, charity and l brotherly love- in the home in the ! very temple erected and maintained I by the practice of those principles to pay our reverence, attest our Ioy- l atty and renew our allegiance, not te I a. material banner of cloth and color but to the ideals taught by its de- tails of hue and form, mutely inspir- ing and historic.
 Fellow citizens, behold it, ouI I beautiful heritage, 'tis the heirloom 1 from our forebears, handed down from | generation to generation still honore6 and sustained. Mark you it's details of shade and design and realize thai l in su doing you should be reminded I that it's thirteen stripes perpetuatg 1 the history of the original colonies who side by side in veal and woe, 1T peace and war, prospered, suffered hoped for, prayed for and achieved 1 the liberty, peace, prosperity and hap. represented in that field of blue. I 4L.-
 Again it's thirteen stripes remind LII in a particular manner of the partici patton of the colonies in that memor, able struggle, whose for them sue cessful ending may be rightly called the birth of this nation. They call tt mind the individual as we'll as com bined struggle and sacrifices of all even unto life itself, the memorable events, the ilIustrious men, the verl time: Lexington and Concord. Bunke Hill, Valley Forge, Trenton, Yorktown lj and then the actual formation of ou great and glorious republic.
 This republic is not an accident I is not a fortuitous concourse of emi grants. It is not the logical demon stration of an abstract theory of gov ernment. It is the development of
 life, an inward life of ideals, senti ments. ruling passions and virtues ! forms, customs, institutions, relation: a process as vital, spontaneous an inevitable as the growth of the chil Into the man.
 The soul of a people has made tn American nation. The soul of tn people of America today is the lines descendant of the people which mad America in the beginning. Just whe this soul came into being we kno7 not, but we do know that the exile of England. Ireland, Scotland, Ger
 many, France and Holland on tn shores of the then new world, becam one people into which the spirit (
 America entered and ernphatica1ly as serted itself on the glorious birthda of our republic when 1t was solennnl declared "that these united colonfe are and of right ought to be free an independent states.
 Undoubtedly there were great iij ferences between the P1u9tans, tr Caroliners of Virginia, the Catholic
 of Maryland, the liberal Hollander \ ana the others. still their inward n
 eemblance and sympathfes of spir caused a community of interes
 which resulted in blending as
 were intoson people.
 Most Of thes colonfsts were peop who in one way or another had SUI RI fered for their religious conviction
 They were religious by convenien,
 and conviction. Suffering for religfc
 deepensxits powers and intenaifles tl
 desire kfor liberty to practice 1t, therl
 fore It followed as e natural sequen,
 that those coionists with such unde
 lying principles. increasen and develol