Show ORDER OF ELKS GREW CREW OUT OF l THOUGHTS OF CHAS CHASI VIVIAN Minstrel Men in Older Organization Known as Tony Corks I FORMED IN IX 1868 Order Was Vas at First for Theatrical Men But Grew Rapidly The Thc benevolent and Protective Order Order of Elks grew out of an older organization originated by Charles CharlesA A Vivian known on account of many members being minstrel men menas as the Jolly Corks It was os In- In incorporated In Incorporated In New York City under Its present name February 16 1868 Vivian was WIlS an English h sinK sing sinKer singer singer er and comedian of ot great talent who toured this country several years and was a n friend of our late Chaplain Rev T J Mackay who preached Vivians Vivian's funeral sermon In Leadville Coio Cow many years ears ago In this world laughter and tears are strangely akin and the origin of this order among stage folk and at the hands at of f a R man like Viv Viv- Viv VivIan Vivian ian with additions later from the gifted pen of ot Ingersoll largely ac- ac ac accounts counts for tor the melody the haunt haunt- hauntIng haunting ing sadness and sweetness of ot Its it ritual and the restrained and skill skill- skilled skilled skilled ed dramatic force of Its ceremonies ceremonies nies flies There Is an elusive spirit to which has never been suc- suc successfully suc successfully described and and Is la absolutely lutey unique among among all nil secret so- so societies so societies ORIGIN OP OF on ORDER DEn The order nt at at first for theatrical people only spread rapidly rapidly- among good fellows In contiguous proCessions professions Ion Journalists railway and steamship officials army and navy officers then then- among liberal and generous men everywhere till to- to today today to today day after arter little more than fifty years It Is one of oC the great fra fraternities Ira Ira- of ot the United States and the Unite States only olly for such Is Its passionate devotion to our flag that never an Elk altar has been raised outside Its sovereignty so In their younger l life the Eilts were not so nd ad settled d as DI In t years e c rs ot of ssu assured ed aLa sta- station sta station tion and and- standing To d drink to our absent broth broth- brothers brothers ers era was Introduced into the order by G 0 F McDonald who also In- In Int t In t Auld Lang Syne Sync Into the Elks Samuel E Is the au- au author author au author thor of the first poem The The Eleven en which he composed one hour after arter h became a mem mem- member member ber her of oC Indianapolis Lodge He was U in very feeble health and was num num- numbered num- num numbered the the- silent majority a afew afew few months later Inter NAME C OSE The Elks called themselves Elks because the Elk Is very ery fleet of oC foot and timorous of doing wrong avoiding all combat combat except In fight fight- fighting tight tight-Ing Ing for the female and protecting the young oung George W V V Thompson Is t the te e man who Is responsible for the name Elks Charles A Vivian Is the father of the session Charles A Vivian was the first Grand Exalted Ruler Charles A Vivian Ian the founder of Elks was burled buried In Leadville Cola Colo but later the remains were faken up and moved to Boston Mass by Boston Lodge No 10 A huge boulder weighing forty tons In the center of oC Elks Rest nest marks mark the last resting place of ot Charles A Vivian WHITE AND D PURPLE The Elks colors are white and royal purple a and d signify White Is a symbol of truth and the em- em emblem emblem em emblem blem of purity royal purple sig- sig sig signifies In the of colors the love of truth and the highest degree ree ot of o virtue The antlers of the Elk are solid and not hollow as are those of most other animals An Elk drops Its antlers after It ItIs it itis ItIs Is two years old and every year after until It Is eight years ears old The dropping takes place late In spring and lasts about two or three months While the new antlers are appearing they grow at the rate ot of almost almot an Inch per day The only one ot of the original fit fit- fit fifteen teen burl ls d In In-an In an uno in- un unmarked marked f foreign grave crave Is M f G O Ash who died of yellow fever at lIa- lIa Ha Havana vana Cuba about 1876 ORIGINAL J ELMS The original fifteen Elks are Charles A A Atan Vivian tan Richard Stirley William Carlton Corlton H II William Sheppard E B N Platt W IJ IL- IL Bowron H M G Ash John G Kent I J G Wilton F Langhorn J 1 II Bloom G F P Me Mc- Mc Donald Mc-Donald Dooald T I G Riggs The late Henry P ONeil ONell ot of o San Francisco Lodge w 1 was the originator of the tho amaranth and Ivy hY as an Elk Elks funeral emblem J 7 J Flanagan suggested In 1886 6 th idea of ot the Elks Elk's head as emblematic of the Order The Tho faults fault of our brothers ers we write upon the sands sand was un- un undoubtedly un undoubtedly Introduced Into the Or ler Boston Lodge No 10 and the poem was written by Samuel M Mad d de n DD 1686 1765 Madden was one ot of the the- greatest writers In Ire Ire- Ireland Ireland Ire Ireland land In time his The The faults faulls of our brother we write writa upon the sand The virtue upon the tablet tAblets of love and me memory memory- mor The original poem Is ts as follows Some write their wrongs wrong In mar mar- marble marble ble bie he more just juat Stooped down serene and wrote them thell In the dust Trod under foot the sport port of o ev- ev every v- v cry ery wind windSwept Swept from Crom the earth and blot- blot |