Norwich bulletin., 1920-06-14
WILLIMANTIC

WllIlmantlc Lodge, No 1911, B. P. O. E., held their annual Flag Day exercises at the town hall Sunday evening. a ca pacity audience enjoying the programme Members of the lodgs of Elks were seat ed at the front of the hall in seats that had been reserved for them. On the stage were seated Exalted Ruler J. B. Edgarton, Esteemed Loyal night Charles Hill, Esteemed Leading night James Me Clone, Esteemed Lecturing night Er- nest Melody, Chaplain Albert Piche Treasurer Raymond Parker, Inner Guard Albert Fournier, Esquire John Collins, and Robbert B. Higgins and Cornelius J. Danaher, speakers of the evening.
 The programme began with the play ing of The Star Spangled Banner by the orchestra. Introductory exercises were then held by Exalted Ruler J. B. Ed garton and officers of the lodge. Prayer was offered by Chaplain Albert Piche, this being followed by the song, Colum- bia, the Gem of the Ocean, by Mrs. Lena Fuller Robinson. Robert B. Higgins next spoke on the history of the Amer ican Flag tracing its origin from the landing of the Pilgrims at Plymouth in 1920 until the present time.
 An altar service was then performed by Esquire John Collins and officers
 each man in turn lifting an American flag and placing a wreath of first roses, 6eCOnu llIl6S, anu lIllTu NlOlelSt IndhllS Inc three colors of our flag. Each wreath had been built in form to make a bell when completed. A green spray placed l across the bell completed the picture of | Liberty bell. At the completion of the 1 making of the bell with f1owers.--. all $was l quiet while II strokes on a bell were | given and the Elks' toast to absent mem
 bers was given. Officers and members 1 then sang Aud Sang Syne which was l eol1o ,ola of l. 1 odies by the orchestra. Joseph Blott then sang two selections. Exalted Ruler Ed l garton then introduced Brother Cornelius l Danaher of Meriden as the speaker of | lhe evening and MT. Danaher spoke on American Patriotism. In brief his ad- l dress touched on these subjects: The two greatest things in the world today are the cross standing for Christianity. and | the American flag standing for civil and religious liberty. This country has beer
 in six years, 1776, War for Independence for liberty and freedom, right triumphed | 1872 again we fought for freedom ano
 won, 1S40 war with Mexico to protect the blood of Americans again we won l 1861 fought for the preservation of tho
 union and emancipation of race. righ
 won 1898, war with Spain for humanity right triumphed. 1917 war for civiliza
 ton and to teach that no one man any where can rule this world right triumph ed again. Never has our flag suffered { national defeat.
 Patriotism means more than love o
 country; it means love of nature love o
 our flag, constitution and the laws O
 this country. If any person in thi
 country who receives their living her
 doesn't love these things then let then
 get out. they don't belong here. The or
 der of Elks believe in four things. char
 ity, fidelity, brotherly love and benevo lence, and when an Elk fails to be.ieT
 in these four things he ceases to be al
 Elk. The service closed with the sing
 ing of America by all present.
 The committee of arrangements wer George A. Bartlett, James O. Bacon an John F. Collins
 Engine Company No. 1 was called ou
 Sunday for a chimney fire at the hom of Austin D. Boss of Windham road. Si; : gallons of chemical were used to extin . guish the blaze
 San Jose Council, No. 14, Knights 0 Columbus, held memorial services Sun
 day afternoon and decorated the grave of the S6 members now deceased. Mem bers met at the rooms in the Oper
 House block at 1.30 o'clock and, heade
 by platoon of police and the America
 band. the 300 members of the ord
 marched to St. Joseph's church wh T l short services were held Graves of dc 2 ceased priests were decorated a1i tn l line was again formed and marched [ [ So. Joseph's cemetery where flower 3 were placed on each grave. One larg bouquet was placed at the foot of tn 5 cross for deceased members buried i other cities and another bouquet wa } placed there for Sergeant Major Alber