Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1922-12-06
MAYOR CONOvER
in T Inc ADDRESS
Delivered Annual Memorial Address
of Decorah Lodge, b. P,o>
Elks Sunday. ".
LARGE AUDIENCE !
WAS PRESENT
Address One of the Finest Delivered
in Years and Greatly I'm
pressed Large Audience.

LIE Ilt1lIiOIldl SCIN1CCS VI
Deocrah Lodge No. 443, B. p. o.
Elks was held last Sunday at the
lodge rooms and large crowd was
present. The services were opened
by Exalted Ruler H. B. Winter, an6
the roll of the departed brothers of
the past year was read by the sec
retary. A quartette composed Of
Mesdames John Mccall and H. F.
Barthell and Messrs. d. H Hill ana
B. H. Adams rendered several ap.
propriate songs.
The memorial address was deliver
ed by Mayor f. w. Conover and
those who had the privilege of hear
ing it pronounced it the finest ad-
dress of it's nature they ever heard,
and we are pleased to reproduce it
below:
Exalted Ruler, Brother Elks and
Friends:-
In one of his most profound moods
of thought, an old English poet
wrote: "The boast of hearaldy, the
pomp of power, all that Drawn, all
that wealth ere gave, await alike
the inevitable hour. The paths of
glory lead but to the grave"
Man that is born of woman cometn
forth like a flower, ascending gracu-
ally the steps of human achieve
nrents until he reaches the full PIN
acle and strength of manhood. Filled
with the pride of his own accomp-
lishments, flushing by receiving the
honors and plaudits of his admirers
sits impressed with his power ready
to challenge ally adversary. Their
from out the silent somewhere ne
hears call, and he falls ike autumn
leaves to enrich his mother earth
So it s ever has eeen' 50 i is' 50 II
We have gathered here this after
moon because it is memorial day II
Elkdom. BY memorial day we meai
the private and publicly expressed
acknowledgements of our love an'
respect for those of our brother:
who have lain down the cares ant
accoutrements of life and passet
on into that undiscovered countr!
from whose bourne no traveller re
turns.
We also come to offer condolenc'
and extend sympathy TO those WIZ
have last a friend or one of klnd
red relationship. We come to she'
a ray of light that may stimulat
some faltering or withering hope
moistening the dry and arid spots
some human soul with the dews o
human kindness. In this busy
busting old world Of ours when a
humanity seems struggling Tor pow
er. wealth and fame, we are 70
liable ito trample on our weake
brothers. We are too liable to mis-
the call or cry of falling humanlt!
We are too liable to pass unheade
the entreaties of pity of someon
upon whom the fates have h JWneN
So the great benevolent and protet
tive order of Elks has set aside I'M
day when the busy business and IN
gayety of the hour shall be s:oppe
and hushed and 100000 men, BIZ
theirs of the order of Elks step fort
with bowed heads, with hearts touci
ed with sympathy, giving over the
minds as a mighty unit to the ms
mory of their dead. What Is thel
higher and nobler in the range
human sentiment?
You have heard the names OF the'
departed brothers called and ea'
was answered by the same somp
silence that fills US all with aw
A reminder that all too soon loVlI
hands will be hanging wreaths Il
US. So in the holiness of the no
let us renew our pledge, write the
faults upon the sands and their vi
tues upon the tablets of love al
memory.
These men were toilers in Goo
vineyard, as you and are tOilel
These men lived and loved, as "
and I live and love. These men
ceived the plaudits of their admire
and the just and unjust critics
of others as you and / GO.
These men were of common cI'
as vou and | are of common cis
receiving their inspiration from Y
same breath of life, from the sar
God as YOU and | do. SO why n
hang our wreath for them all In 10
ing tribute to their memories.
True it may be said these m
were not of equal importance in the
field of action, when judged by 0
own individual ideals, and l wou
be false to my own manhood II
did not express my proround regi
and sorrow at the acts and lives
some of our brothers, but go
friends there are the unexplaln
exceptions and claim the right
Judgment by the rule and not I
exception. 1t is my firm beiie- a
conviction that there is not so mu
difference in the final oaisnee
human kind as we oft times suppo
That great American poet, Joqu
Miller. known as the poet of
Sierras' in one of his pensive hou
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