The Elks 11 O'Clock Toast

The 11 O'Clock Toast You have heard the tolling of eleven strokes; this is to remind us that with Elks the hour of 11 has a tender significance. Wherever Elks may roam, Whatever their lot in life may be; When this hour fall upon the dial of night, The Great Heart of Elkdom swells and throbs; It is the golden hour of recollection, The homecoming of those who wander, The mystic roll call of those who will come no more. Living or dead, an Elk is never forgotten; never forsaken. Morning and noon may pass them by, The light of day sink heedlessly in the west But 'ere the shadows of midnight will fall And the chimes of memory will be pealing forth the friendly message:

"To our absent Members!"

History & Significance

The 11 o'clock toast is a cherished tradition of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, marking a moment of solemn remembrance each night. When the clock strikes 11, Elks across the nation pause to remember their absent members, both those who are away and those who have passed on.

Each evening at the stroke of eleven, the Esquire announces "It is the hour of recollection!" and the highest-ranking officer or most senior member present delivers this moving tribute. This tradition binds together all Elks, whether in the grandest lodge or the smallest gathering, in a moment of shared remembrance and brotherhood.

The Eleven O'Clock Toast

of The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks

History & Significance

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