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The memorial services of Madison Lodge No. 26, K. of P., at the Memorial Opera House yesterday afternoon were largely attended.  Indeed it was a great out-pouring of knights and ladies to do reverence to those who had "gone before".

After music by the City band W.A. Berno, chancellor commander, opened the services and delivered his charge to those present.  Prayer by the prelate, Wm. Ackerman, followed, after which the quartette rendered a selection.

Rev. D.W. Smith, D.D., of St. Luke's Lutheran church, then delivered a short but impressive address, in which he showed the benefits of remembering the dead, even to the living;  that kind recollections of those who were, but are not only makes life pleasanter, but will make heaven more enjoyable.

The prelate then read a selection from the Book of Laws after which S.M. Douglass made a ten minutes address upon "Friendship, Charity and Benevolence" and gave a short history of the foundation of the order and its principles.  Mr. Douglass' address was a great effort and was heard with close attention when he said that the order asks nothing from antiquity to teach the world their lessons of charity and that, according to the belief of the K. of P.'s, the true heroes are not gory ones, but those who cherish friendship, have charity for the sins of others and benevolence for the unfortunate. 

Supreme Representative John C. Burns followed, reading the remembrances of deceased brothers.  Although Madison lodge was organized May 20, 1870, there have only been 16 deaths of members within the pale.  Bro. Burns read the remembrances in the order of their death, as follows:  Chas. Holmes, Valentine Hein, W.A. Emminger, Benj. Crooks, John A. Keiser, Col. J.S. Cross, Curtis Bollman, Charles Raum, Jacob Bissman, Adam Matthes, C.V. McBride, Jas. H. Emminger, Christian Lersch, John B. Netscher.  Those who died abroad are Harry Yeager, buried at Akron, and J. Frank Smith, who died at Carthage, Mo.

Mr. Burns' paper was a gem from a literary point and created much favorable comment.

After the services White Cross Division and Madison Lodge and visiting brothers formed in line and marched to the cemetery, where the graves of the deceased Knights were decorated.  There were a number of visitors present from Bellville, Lexington, Ashland and Galion.

In the evening  the members of the order assembled at their lodge rooms and marched in a body to St. Luke's church, where Rev. Dr. Smith delivered a sermon of rare ability and special interest to the Knights of Pythias.  The church was crowded and the occasion was one of enjoyment both to the Knights and all others present.

Thursday, November 04, 2010