Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1918-12-02
ANNUAL MEMORIAL
SERVICE HELD BY
OTTAWA ElKS' LODGE

charity, for that is not charity, 1t Is |
one of the crudest forms OF selfish
ness. In it is none of Gods love, or
the real spirit which actuates and
warns the soul Of man. Charity is
/ nothing if not unselfish. The moment
that seliishness slips in charity ceases
/ to exist. Charity, as known in Elk
dom. and as one of the underlying
principles upon which the order is
| founded means that quality of the
soul that inspires human being to
deeds of kindness and the alienation
Thought as to reward, return or recon-
pense.
We are gathered here today, upon
this particular day, in accordance with
the custom time hOnOred and beauti
ful, of the Benevolent Protective Order
Of Elks, to pay as best We may that
those of our membership who have,
during the preceding year disap-
peared from our midst, and, at the call
Of the grim reaper, death, passed over
into that bourne from whence no trav-
eler returns. These services today
are sometimes denCminated the serv-
ice Of sorrow And while it is true
that grief ana sorrow do sit en-
thrOned, is it not also true, my friends,
that, when viewed in the swcetening,
halloWing tender light Of those holy
. principles and beliefs upon which this
order is founded and rests, there is
5 much of misnomer in the phrase?
2 Cannot We, who have sincerely and
], fully absorbed and made Fart Of our
) selves those holy beautiful principles
and beliefs, say with the Psalmist o.
D cid, % death, where is thy sting. q
. grave, where is thy victory"
, The Benevolent Protective Order
of Elks with an that it means ana
A stands for, knows no creed or special
brand OF religion; neither nationality
+, or station in life. But it does teach
among other grand and holy teach
ings, the immortality Of the soul
And ii man be really and at heart
a member of this order he will find
it impossible for his mind, his heart
$ his soul to put away from him this
belief in immortality.
$50 repeat that, perhaps, while
d this ceremony is denominated 'sery
S ice OF sorrow there should be, there
e will be, to most Of u.s. the compensat
ing sweetness that comes with tht
o belief, the faith in the hereafter, i'm
a mortality and the presence of tn,
). Creator. Death leaves us sad, desc
late, yes! That is, it is 50 for thos,
i of rs who still remain here in tn,
q restih dle of eternity, denied furthe
association with our loved ones ant
- friends who have gone before. But i
this not little selfish of us after all
:. Are we not thinking of our own i'm
mediate states, to the exclusion of tn
JOY we should feel that they who hav
20 leFt us but for little span have shui
g fled of the wees and Sorrows o
earth and passed on into eternal life
. freed from sorrow and grief? a stat
Is wherein they but wait the coming o
those left behind
h. During the past year or there
r, abouts thirtysiX of the members O
this lodge have been called to tn
5. colors, have followed the old flag, IT,
n Stars and Stripes, the emblem de2re
IS Than all else to every Elk, into thi
great strife and struggle which ha
s tried the hearts and souls of men til
s. world over. Df this number one
II Emile Boissenin, has passed owe
Il yonder never to return Cut off in tn
II Hover and strength of his young man
s. hood, his life given up the service @
f. his country That we shat miss hit
g in every way, not only the member
e Of this lodge but the entire con
" munity as well, and that his departur
viii have left a place, vacant chan
that will not be filled. is but feebly e>
pressing what / would convey W
loved you, brother and we revere you
3 memory. And tnat memory will eve
be kept fresh and fadelesS by you
:. brothers of this lodge. The sunshin
- Of your life held place in the heart
~ Of your brother members that will nc
be ephemera or fleetng It will las
while we last.
, or our membership, four others c
= our brothers have during this yea
7 left us and been ferried across tina
> dark river beyond which We may ne
> pass during life. Two Of these Wer
- young men in the prime of lf,
- BroLher Carl f. Orsinger and Brothe
:" Wallace Sanders. The other TIVE
;" Brother W. f. Carr and Brother v
~ II. Stead, had reached the afternoo
Of life, but were still engaged, an
~ prominently and ably, in the accom-
u p.ishment Of their life works. All {
these | have known personally &c
d years; three Of them intimately.
II would that it were given to me t
D depict, as | knew them, the lives {
u, these brothers Of ours, but such
u pleasure, such a happiness, is denie
-e me in limited service of this mature
1t That their passing has left Il yer
e palpable void in this lodge, one thu
- will be felt and felt severely for man
years, is probably best known 10 tn
hare than enl hy. l.