The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1916-12-05

ouOWS OrcnebtTa OF seven pleCeh
played prelude. On their entrance
to the theatre, march was rendered
while seats we're taken.
The opening ceremonies were con
Quoted by Exalted Ruler Joseph w.
Hancock and his corps of officers. In
vocation was pronounced by Chaplain
David b. Tuttle.
The musical program OF the after
noon was exceptionally good. Mrs.
Harry M. Patterson sang beautifully,
Still, Still With Thee" by Constance,
while Mrs. ]. Fl. Wootton rendered
exquisitely, "The Day Is Ending" by
Bartlett, with a violin obligato by
Mrs. Daisy Pyle. Mrs. Della Chal-
lingsworth was acoompanist The
two vocalists sang duet, Twilight" !"
toward the end of the program. APP
propriate and pleasing music was
played by Shows orchestra through
out the services.
In his Grafton, Judge Lewis b.
Houck, a member of Mt. Vernon
lodge, certainly expressed the regard
for the departed brothers which all
members of the Elks feel, summing
up the hopes of all in his clause, "that
the virtues of the departed brothers
may be written on tablets of memory
and love in the hearts of all the
brothers."
Starting his grafton with the OBJ
ject of the lodge, namely, that the
members may be developed into in
tegral parts of the community and
that the organization is intended to
benefit all who may be initiated into
the ranks of the loyal body, he said
that the purpose of the organization
is to bring the members to each 9TH
er with the cords of charity, justice,
brotherly love and fidelity.
AS stated by Judge Houck, the
Benevolent, Protective Order Of Elks
was built up on great superstruc-
ture of love for the Exalted Ruler
above and that all who join the ranks
of the order must be God-fearing men.
Judge Houck referred to the men,
orial services for the departed breth-
ern as an hour for meditation on the
virtues, and not the faults, of the de-
parted members and said that those
who attend the services must not
think Of the departure of the breth-
rem from this life only as the way of
the dark grave, but rather as de-
parture from this life, full of trials,
tribulations, vexations and disap-
pointment, into land, over which
rules the high God, full of happiness
and pleasure.
During Judge Houck's grafton, the
audience was silent with admiration
for the wonderful way in which the
speaker sounded the sentiments of
all the members who were present at
the services.
He endeavored to Undue the souls
of his hearers with The thought that
we must try to live life ON earth
which will be benediction, not only
to this generation, but also to pos
terity; that we may help our pos
terity in the straight and narrow
path so that they may, at the end. |
enter that kingdom of glory to which |
the departed brothers have gone.
During the grafton, silence reigned |
through the house, showing that it
was not only a great distinction to
speak on such an occasion, as Judge |
Houck stated it, but it was also to
the enlightenment of the audience.
Sunday was Judge Houck's first ap-
pearance as an Elks' memorial ora
tor. 1t was regarded as distinctly ap-
and fitting that his initial
effort should be made in his own city
and before his own lodge and 1t was
with this idea in mind that the COM
mittee in charge OF securing a speak
or prevailed upon Judge Houck to
accept the invitation.
The programs of the afternoon had
plain white covers upon which were
embossed an elk's head surmounted
upon a clock, the hands of which
pointed to the eleventh hour.
Ralph G. Jenkins was chairman of
the memorial committee. Other mem
bers were Messrs. Daniel H. Odell,
Donald H. Harper and Charles L.
Mild The reception committee was
composed Of William M. Koons and
Park D. Worley, both past exalted
rulers. The Grafton committee in
cluded Stephen ]. Dorgan, chairman,
Joseph M. Conroy and John ]. Pfouts,
all past exalted rulers.