VOLUME II. EDITORIAL OFFICE, ROCK ISLAND, ILL. DECEMBER, 1901. PUBLICATION OFFICE, LINCOLN, NEB. NUMBER 12. gi ERO OOS ED HODES EERE ESSE HEROES EERE epebeees THANKSGIVING DAY ww By MRS. C. E. ALLEN LARAARAROAAAARORARAT RAR AARHAAAARARAARARRARUARRARAAARARAS This issue of THE RoyaL NEIGHBOR will reach the hands of the member- ship at about the same time we are celebrating the glad Thanksgiving Day, although the date of the paper is December. November 21, 1621, Governor Brad- ford issued the first Thanksgiving proclamation, and designated Decem- ber 13, 1621, as the day. Not much cer- emony attended the act. The attention of the colonists was called to the abun- dant harvests, and to the supply of game with which they had been blessed, and he appointed four men to “go fowl- ing that they might, after a more spe- cial manner, rejoice together.” Since 1863, the last Thursday in November has annually been designated by the president of the United States as Thanksgiving Day. We have already read the Thanksgiv- ing proclamation of President Roose- velt, couched in manly, straightforward language, so characteristic of the man. Tendecrly he calls our attention to the loss we, as a Nation, have suffered in the death of President McKinley. “Yet,” he says, “in spite of this great disaster, it is nevertheless true, that no people on earth have such abundant cause for thanksgiving as we have.” Again he says, and it seems to me to be of special significance to us as fra- ternalists, “Let us remember that, as much has been given us, much will be expected from us, and that true hom- age comes from the heart as well as from the lips and shows itself in deeds. We can best prove our thankfulness to the Almighty by the way in which, on this earth, and at this time, each of us does his duty to his fellow men.” As members of fraternal societies we can return thanks for the progress made by these societies. Upward and onward the Banner of Protection has been lifted until it floats over millions of homes. As Royal Neighbors, we can return thanks that we are privileged to be auxiliary to the “noblest Roman of them all,” the Modern Woodmen of America, and we can especially rejoice that our own society has in so short a period of time, from so unpretentious a beginning, forged ahead until it oc- cupies a position in the front ranks of these institutions. May we realize the full measure of the opportunities and responsibilities that come to us as members of the Royal Neighbors of America, and from the depths of grateful hearts, ever be able to say with James Whitcomb Riley: Father, all bountiful, in mercy bear With this, our universal voice of prayer, The voice that needs must be Upraised in thanks to Thee Oh Father, from thy children everywhere. A multitudinous voice, wherein we fain Wouldst have Thee hear no lightest sob of pain— No murmur of distress, Nor moans of loneliness, Nor drip of tears, though soft as summer rain, And let us feel and know that, being Thine, We are inheritors of hearts divine And hands endowed with skill, And strength to work Thy will, And fashion to fulfillment Thy design. We thank Thee that our land is loved by Thee— The blessed home of thrift and industry— pepper are just as important as the sugar, the spices or the sweets. “My good friends, it matters not how much care we take of ourselves; after a while the machinery must give out. “In the first place I remark that ‘set thine house in order’ means for us to make our wills, give our last instruc- tions, have our lives insured. “‘Oh,’ but you answer, ‘I cannot afford to have my life insured. My ex- penses are so heavy now that it is all I can do to keep my head above the water.’ “Ah, my brother, that is such a courageous statement for you _ to make. If you are having such a hard APPARITION TO THE SHEPHERDS—By B. PLockHorst With ever open door of welcome to the poor— Thy shielding hand o’er all abidingly. Omaha, Neb, Be $e ye Preacher Favors Life Insurance Rev. Frank DeWitt Talmage, of Jeffer- son Park Presbyterian church, says the Chicago Inter-Ocean, preached on the subject, “New Year’s Preparation.” He took his text from Isaiah 38:1: “Thus said the Lord, Set thy house in order, for thou shalt die.” He said: “T am going to stay aboard this planet just as long as I can. I sup- pose that when the time comes for me to die I shall be ready to go, but life was never as bright to me as now. I am in love with the world and like nearly everybody. Of course, we have our annoyances and trials and troubles; but, after all, the salt and struggle to get along now, what will your poor, weak wife do when you, the strong man, her bread winner, have been put under the sod? Mark you this: For what most men drink and smoke up in one year you could get your life insured for $10,000 or $20,000, or even $30,000—enough to keep them in luxury all the rest of their lives; and furthermore, husbands and fa- thers, if you are not willing to econo- mize and do that much for your little ones, you are a mean, despicable, con- temptible, selfish sneak. “T tell you that when you are lying in your casket, if you have deliberately left them impoverished, on account of selfish generosity or dissipation, your children may cry at the funeral, but they will despise and curse your mem- OLY. ON PACIFIC COAST Supreme Manager Mrs. Mary Fay- Hawes SpeaKing for Our Society We had hoped to be able to publish an article from our Supreme Manager, Mrs. Mary Fay-Hawes, who accom- panied the Woodmen Head Officers in their tour of the Pacific coast. On her return home, however, the seri- ous illness of a near relative pre- vented furnishing same until another issue when we shall expect to give our readers her impressions of the work in our western jurisdiction. She did not go to the coast with the ex- pectation of delivering addresses for our society, but at each Woodman gathering there was a call for a Royal Neighbor address and right nobly she responded. She was greeted with great enthusiasm, attended banquets given by the Royal Neighbors, and the press accounts of the many meetings referred in very flattering terms to her addresses. Mrs. W. A. Northcott, wife of Head Consul Northcott, who is also a Royal Neighbor, was also called upon to re- spond to toasts and her Woodmen friends discovered that while she was loth to assume the role, they had in her one who could eloquently sound the praises of our society and charm her hearers with her pleasing manner as an impromptu speaker. That the effect of the meetings held will prove of great value to our so- ciety no one can question, Me ee A Tempting Feast Ottumwa, Ia.—I want to tell you and the readers of THE Roya NEIGH- BOR about our visit to Cedar Camp, at Highland Center, last week. Re- sponding to an invitation, thirty Neighbors of Woodbine Camp 1014 boarded the train at this place and reached Highland at 6 o’clock p. m., where we were met by the reception committee and escorted to their hall. We were soon invited to the banquet, which had been arranged in a large room beneath the camp room. The room was draped and decorated with autumn leaves and cedar, represent- ing the camp name, with huge bou- quets of flowers and autumn leaves on the tables, and the supper was grand, with every thing to make a tempting feast. After supper we repaired to the camp room, where our degree staff proceeded to confer the mys- teries of the degrees upon two candi- dates. The session of camp being over several hours were whiled away with music, recitations and social converse. About one o’clock we made our way to the depot to wait for the train to earry us back home, all having spent a most enjoyable evening and voting the Neighbors of Cedar Camp royal entertainers. I think I never attended a gathering of this kind where the Neighbors seemed to so thoroughly enjoy themselves as at this one. Wood- bine Camp 1014 is still progressing, adding new members occasionally. We have instituted a flower fund, to be maintained by birthday contribu- tions. I believe such funds may be productive of much good by supplying the sick rooms of our Neighbors with beautiful and fragant flowers. « Mrs. R, V. BROWN.