Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1920-12-09
HARDING At ELKS
NATIONAL HQ,ME
Delivers Memorial Service Ora
tiOn-Speech Is Made as
Promise to BOyhOOd Friend
Now a Resident of the Home

Bedford, Va, Dec. 5..-President- elect
Harding to-day redeemed "a promise to
his boyhood friend, Henry NJ stowe, now
a blind resident of the F,lks national
homo here and practicci MS own pre-
c.pts OF "menory's re"ealmenta In fol-
lowsSips and friends .ps," which formed
the basis Of an address delivered to day
at tho annual memorial exercises at the
natlona! home Of the lodge of Eiks.
It was st the Invitation OF Mr.. stowe,
formerly business man of Marion, or TO-
that Senator Harding as Il candidate for
tho Rapuhlicar nomination for the pres
tdency agreed to deliver the memorial
'terVices Grafton n. the Elks' national
nome and when he was nominated lie
repeated his promise to be carried out
irrespective OF the result OF his cam
paign.
SO to-day he delivered the address de-
o!sring in the presence of the friend Of
his youth thar at Is not given to all men
TO inso.re great shafts OF granite or tab
let's OF bronze. but 1t 10 the privilege Of
every living being to plant an ever-boom-
Ing friendship in some fellow breast and
gather all the fruit It bears."
The GRAFTON was delivered in the open,
beneath the mild sun of an Indian SUM
iner day. from the portico OF the national
home. while 1900 tilks and f.en tis from
all parts Of Virginia gathered on the
lawn to take part In the exercises Of the
order In memory of IA brothers who had
died during the year Senator Harding
was introduced BY Grand Exalted Ruler
William NJ. Abbott Of san Francisco.
present were rast grand exalted rulers
and other prominent officials OF the order
of F,lks from all parts of the country.
Senator Harding reached Bedford this
morning Mt sever o'clock and left this
afternoon at five clock for Washing on,
where ne will remain for two days in
conference with senators and others be-
fore going to his home in Marion Tuesday
night. After a late breakfast the party
was taken on an aut omobie ride and
thence to the national home for luncheon.
The President-elect missed church, Mr..
stowe responding to his query as to the
location of a Baptist Church with the re-
gretful answer that there was none in
Bedford
The greatest gift in Gods master
bestowal upon man is memory" said
Senator Harding in opening his mem
orial GRAFTON. 1T Is the storehouse OF
everything in life worth while. X takes
all the impressions of human existence
and by some alchemy of love removes
the dross and makes the golden cross
of faith which is the rosary to every
human prayer.
"One cannot fancy n life fit to live
without the memory's revealments in
fellowships and friendships; withou,
love and attachments; without en-
couragements and endearments; with
out inspiration and the consciousness
of achievements"
Reclting the experiences of an in.
sane man who had his sanity restored
by n surgical operation at the expense
of his memory. the orator continued:
we are met in memory to-day: ir
grateful. fraternal memory, in behalf Of
those who have taken the fork of the roat
TO eternal peace. Ours is not n memora
of grief. Only happy memories are be
coming to the departed. only helped
memories are worth while to the living
If the departed brethren cou d know o
our memorial, If we could solve the grea
mystery of mysteries and know that the,
knew, we should still atune our memoria
above the murmurings of sorrow. F'o
them the book of life Is C osed. Sorrow
has had its becoming expressions, bu
normal, natural interest is in the living
Indeed we are met for the living, else thi
meeting would be In vain. We are met Il
remind ourselves that IS we I've, so sEul
conclusion to-day that in our cniy live
we are making memorials and :, ~ ~
;r!Ni,cee of every hurrun being 10 ieav
such Il memory as be woald Ike TO hav'
rccellc3.
| TIE hf.renco of ex2mp.o was Hits
tra.cd by the senator With two expeti
enrsa of his own, in wtios by '1c@ds o
cheer 20 men WHO had become the vic
tins II strong drink, re had had tn
satisfaction of turr ing their away from
tn. paths they we're following INTO suc
cesa;ul life. OF the disappointmeAts O
puhlic life. he said:
How often d" We criticize Aarshly
chsn we ought to bestow garland. ~
do t IN private life, and leave a wcunt
where praise would be more Se' r'nng
We do 1t Ia pubic life and Withhold fron
sacI ificins public men tae enc comren
satior that might atone"