James Earle Fraser

Brotherly Love

One of the Cardinal Virtues of the Order of Elks. Heroic sculpture in gilded bronze.

Esteemed Lecturing Knight: Ever practice Brotherly Love.

Esteemed Lecturing Knight: I welcome you to this station which is dedicated to Brotherly Love. Upon our Altar it is symbolized by the Antlers of Protection.

The animal from which our Order derives its name is noted for gentleness and timidity. It is strong of limb, fleet of foot, quick and keen of perception. So should we be: quick to hear the cry of distress, timorous of doing wrong and fleet of foot to relieve the unfortunate, thus conforming to the Golden Rule which should govern all mankind.

In this rule, which is the foundation and groundwork of our Order, Brotherly Love finds its perfect expression; and it is best exemplified by practicing the teachings of our motto — “The faults of our Members we write upon the sand, their virtues upon the tablets of love and memory.”

It softens the stern realities of life and manifests itself in good fellowship, in sympathy, and in kindness of thought, word and deed. It has smiles and laughter for us in seasons of joy, and it sits with us in the shadow and weeps in the hour of bereavement. It teaches us to scatter flowers along life’s pathway and to speak words of kindness to the living as well as to cherish the memory of the dead.

As we therefore have opportunity, let us do good unto others, for we pass this way but once. We cannot retrace our steps nor call back the days that are gone; but the passing moment is ours long enough to grasp the hand in friendship, to lighten each other’s burdens, to bring rest to the weary, and to comfort those who mourn —this is Brotherly Love.