Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1918-02-21
ELKS OBSERVE THEIR
50TH ANNIVERSARY
Exalted Ruler ]. T. Stearns, in
Historical Address, Recounts
Achievements of the Order,
Which Was Organized in New
York City February Is, 1868.

| of the Benevolent and Protective Order of
Elks was fittingly celebrated at Burling-
ton Lodge, No. 916 B. p. o. =. rooms on
Bank street Saturday evening. There was
a good attendance and an appropriate pro-
gram was carried out Joseph T. Stearns
as exalted ruler called the meeting to order
and after the singing of the opening ode
by the lodge he related the history Of the
order and its achievements. He said 1t
was eminently fitting that "this lodge
should observe in some appropriate man.
ner this semi-annual centennial Of the
greatest fraternal organization In the
world. When we consider the cardinal
principles Of our order, charity. Justice.
brotherly love and fidelity, we can find a
striking significance in the fact that its
birthday falls almost midway between the
birthdays of our two American immortals.
Lincoln and Washington. Washington
was the very embodiment Of Justice and
fidelity. And who can think Of Lincoln
without thinking of charity and brotherly
love? Lincoln, who said with malice
toward none. with charity for all. Linn
coin, who almost literally fulfilled the In
junction Of the sermon on the mount. to
Love our enemies Mr.. Stearns then
dwelt on the founding Of the order. which
was organized in the city Of New York
February 16, 1868 as the outgrowth OF a
social club known as the jolly Corks. COM
posed principally Of members Of the theat-
trical profession. Its first regular organi-
cation was New York Lodge. No. 1. The
grand lodge Of the order was incorporated
March 10. 1871. and two days later the
power to form subordinate lodges was
given them. the New York lodge being No.
and Philadelphia No. Q. The third lodge
was incorporated April IS, 1876 in San
anI -. rt< tp,t1 M mn
character of the order and the way its
purposes and principles appealed to red
blooded Americans Mr.. Stearns read the
names Of the other lodges formed In their
order, which were Chicago. Cincinnati.
Sacramento. Baltimore Louisville. st.
Louis Boston, Pittsburg. Indianapolis.
Providence Washington, Denver. Cleve-
land. He then stated that to-day there
a are 14OO lodges and about 900, 900 members.
with subordinate lodges in Alaska, the
, Hawaiian Islands, the Philippines
and Porto Rico. The order, In addition
to assisting its own members. has been
liberal contributor to the relief OF
, suffering in national calamities and up
to 1915 had dispersed since its founding
. &c. 900 to such worthy causes. In 1913
alone 1t gave in benefits Of this kind
e516,176. Since it entered its 50th year
the order has always been pre- -eminently
patriotic as we'll as distinctly national
organization. and the past year. since
!, the declaration Of war on Germany, had
proven the test which was met on all
sides. The Elks' war relief fund was
created and met with great success and
after careful investigation by the COM
mission in charge they decided on $6O.oo(
for the equipment of the University OF
Virginia base hospital, 1000 for the Uni
versity of Oregon base hospital. and fol
the erection and construction Of a hos
pital at Boston for the treatment Of
wounded soldiers returning from the front
they will appropriate approximate,
S25OO00. The two base hospitals already
. have been equipped and accepted by thu
government. Mr.. Stearns then dwell
briefly on the food conservation question
. which has been gratifyingly met by thu
lodges, and said that on the honor rol
!, there are over 10000 Elks serving II
the military or naval service OF thu
n United States. Other war activities In
clude 100000 invested in Liberty bonds
| as money from subordinate lodge funds
besides other contributions.
Fred p. Mitchell then rendered his wa
song, 1--WE Are Going to Get the Kaiser.
j. which was most enthusiastically received
r His song already Is meeting with success
r In the West. where bands have taken
j. up. 1t is also arranged for orchestra.
q Fred w. Calden. a past exalted rule
Of Burlington Lodge. then gave brie
II history of the lodge The lodge wa
4 founded July %. 1904. when there wer
n 81 names put on the charter. There wer
,t but about AZ of them at the institution
a meeting and Mayor ]. II. jackson wa
| the first exalted ruler Of the lodge c.
>. lockwood and w. F. Ferguson were, a
- members OF Plattsburgh Lodge at tn
time, signers for the granting Of tn
;. charter. The others who applied beside
]. Holmes Jackson, for the charter wer
= E. P. Woodbury., NJ. d. Mcmahon. H. Ed
win Lewis. w. H. Ridley Walter H.
! Stanford and Warner 8. Cram. TIL
local lodge, Mr.. Calden stated, first me
over the Royal store where the Knight
- Of Columbus now occupy quarters. an
'" later moved to quarters over the Rey
20 nolds store. later moving to their preser
D rooms across the way on Bank stree
The lodge to-day has a membership q
N about $50 and every Christmas devote
81 quite a sum of money to charity. Las
n year they gave about $4S5.
II Lawrence BARLEY was called upon ia
II a talk on the principles of the ordel
II Mr.. BARLEY stated that he loved the orde
Of Elks because 1t was distinctly Amerl
le can and referred to its cardinal princl
ID pies of charity, justice. brotherly love an
70 fidelity. His response was warmly ar
Or plauded. The meeting was brought to
" close with the singing by the lodge
g 1.-THE Star Spangled Banner" At
u o'clock the Elks' toast was given b
to Past Exalted Ruler Frank Robinson.
FINANCIAL STATEMENT.
e