Gilpin observer., 1920-12-09
IMPRESSIVE CEREMONIES MARK
ELKs' LODGE OF SORROW

Sunday evening at their hall,
Central City lodge of Elks recall
ed in solemn ceremony the loving
memory of their honored dead
with appropriate exercises. The
deep snowfall prevented many
from attending. The services,
both the special and. ritualistic
features, were characteristic of
the solemnity of the occasion. The
singing was especially good, and
the Grafton of the evening, deliv-
cred by Judge w. C. Matthews,
was well thought out and was an
effort well beyond the average of
most public speakers. He said in
part:
"Who is my neighbor? This
question two thousand years ago,
prompted the story of the man.
who travelling from Jerusalem to
Jericho, fell among thieves, who
stripped him, beat him and left
him half dead; it chanced that a
Priest came and seeing him pass
ed by on the other side, and a
Levite passing, came and looked
on the man, and passed by on the
other side; then came a Samari-
tan, who, seeing the man had COM
passion on him, bound up his
wounds, pouring in wine and oil.
and putting him upon his beast.
took him to an inn, cared for him;
in the morning paid the bill, dir
ccted the host to give him all fur
ther care, the cost of which he
would pay on his return later.
(Which of these three was
neighbor to the man who fell
among thieves? He that showed
him mercy! Then the command
that has rung down the years, GO
thou and do likewise
"This story with it's questions
and answers aptly describes the
objects, aims and purposes of ev-
cry fraternal order there is, viz.
to show mercy to those in want
and suffering just because their
condition demands compassion
and mercy.
"The order of Elks is American; !;
it has no room within it's ranks
for hyphenated Americans; un-
reserved citizenship is insisted
on; 4 believe in the Constitution
of the United States of America
is not an empty declaration; fidel-
ity in this order is measure of
membership; the national Flag
drapes our altars, and floats above
our homes; it is an emblem of
charity, and the insignia of full
citizenship.
old Glory. The red, white and
blue. The star spangled banner.
Your Flag, our Flag, my Flag.
The Flag that never yet has
known national defeat
Then to be an Elk a man must
believe in God. He must have
that Christian faith, that has
done so much for the welfare of
the human race the past two
thousand years; that has built
hospitals, endowed schools, and
in innumerable ways benefited ma
tions and individuals; and as Elks
we have the open Bible, our Book
of Law The book that teaches
us the easiest way of living, the
noblest way of suffering, and the
most comfortable way of dying;
Gods power in Natures ample
box we find,
But the less volume doth ex-
press His mind
"Elkdom, devoted to service,
supported on the one hand by cit
izenship, and on the other by faith
in God, opens up field of endeav-
or worthy of a mans best powers.
In every Elks' hall there is err
ected and maintained a Memorial
Tablet, which bears at least, the
names of those Absent Brothers
who have entered upon the Great
Adventure of that other life; this
to me, makes our meeting places
sacred, being constant reminder
of those absent from the body.
and too often the only tangible
memorial erected to their memory.
This first Sunday in December
in each year is dedicated to our
dead; it is their day; we meet in
solemn session in memory of them.
without show or ostentation; our
service is elaborate only in it's sim
Ioa