The Rotary Balita no. 766 (March 10, 1955)

Lorry has gone home. He followed the trail to the Eternal Camping Ground and having reached his destination, now rests from his labors. Very few men deserve that rest more than he did. For fifty-five years he led a very active life. Lorry was a man of many interests and accomplishments. He was a churchman, an educator, a sportsman, a club man, a businessman, and a social worker. I like to think of him as a social worker and as one affiliated with the Rotary. the Philippine Band of Mercy, the Boy Scouts of the Philippines, the YMCA and other welfare agencies, I know him best as a Scouter. He was one of the pioneers of the Scouting Movement in this country. Even as the late Judge Manuel Camus and his associates were laying the foundation stones for the Philippine Council of the Boy Scouts of America to give the Movement stability and permanence locally, he was already serving as Assistant Scoutmaster of Troop 3 of the YMCA. Eventually, he became its Scoutmaster. A believer in training, he was one of the first Filipinos to complete the Scoutmaster's Training Course. Later, he conducted training courses himself on volunteer basis Like all real leaders, he believed in practicing what he was teaching. Accordingly, therefore, he took it unto himself to master the knowledge and skills he was teaching the boys in his Troop. That is why he wears the Eagle Scout Badge on his chest as he lies on his bier today. A man of Lorry's caliber cannot remain hidden Local Scout authorities took notice of his work and worth and he was appointed Commissioner later on. Then he became a member of the Executive Board of the Manila Council in 1938. Eleven years later, he became president of the Council, a post which he held for two years. I would like to mention in passing that during his presidential tenure, the Manila Council won the Lorillard Spencer Trophy for two consecutive years. As president of the Manila Council, he became an ex-officio member of the National Executive Board When his term as president expired, he was elected, and subsequently reelected, a regular member of that body. He was a very popular Scouter and was among those elected with plenty of votes to spare without solicitation on his part. For Scouters all over the country know and love Lorry. They know who he was and what he stood for. In the National Executive Board, he had been chairman and member of various committees. At the time of his death, he was chairman of our Committee on Field Service and a member of the Committees on Scouting Requirements, Insignia and Uniform; Awards for Distinguished Service; Activities and Civic Service; Provincial Council Aid Fund; Jamboree Evaluation; 1955 National Council Meeting; and the National Court of Honor since 1950, he had served as Deputy National Scout Commissioner. In his various Scouting capacities, he discharged his duties with distinction and honor. In his zealousness to be of utmost service to the Movement, he often had to set aside his own personal and business interests. He never hesitated to make trips to our Local Councils whenever he thought his presence was necessary. It was he who accompanied Colonel Wilson, the former Director of the Boy Scouts International Bureau, when the latter was with us several years ago to see local Scouting in action in various points of the Philippines. In a little over a week's time he and the former Director visited Zamboanga and Baguio, and the points in between. Colonel Wilson as deeply impressed by his work and had the highest praise for him. As Camp Chief of our last National Jamboree, the task of directing the preparations for that gigantic task fell on his shoulders. Long before the formal opening he was practically living in the Jamboree grounds already. He supervised the preparation of the site, the construction of the shelters, and attended to many other details. At night he and our professional staff would meet in the camp together and deep into the night, talk over the problems that cropped up from day to day. Much of the success of the Jamboree was due to the unselfish and dedicated labors of our deceased colleague. Lorry was one of our delegates to the 13th Biennial International Scout Conference which was held in Salzburg, Austria, in August, 1951. He observed at the 7th World Jamboree at Bad Ischl also. From there, he went to other European countries and came home via the United States so that he could observe Scouting in as many countries as possible. Lorry's services to the youth and Scouting were officially recognized. He was awarded all our medals for distinguished servce, including the much-coveted Silver Tamaraw which was presented to him 1948. And now this indefatigable Scouter, who had loved with all his heart the youth of our country, is gone. We shall miss his contagious enthusiasm, his cheery voice and smile, his practical wisdom, and his inspiring devotion to the Scouting cause. He is gone to return no more, but from his dedicated life we who remain can draw an inspiration so that we may carry on the unfinished task before us. His entire philosophy of life is summed n the following poem, which, incidentally, was a favorite of his: Service You may work for great riches and glory, You may toil for yourself through the day, You may write in your record and story The struggles you've met on the way; But in vain is the fame that you boast of, And wasted the years that you scan, Your strength you have not made the most of If you've rendered no service to man. If something of you isn't living Long after your spirit has fled, If your hand ceases toiling and giving The minute your body is dead You have quitted this world as debtor And failed in the infinite plan If you leave not one headway that's better You've rendered no service to man. You may work for the profits of labor And claim all its payment of gold But if you shall help not your neighbor Your toil is but selfish and cold; If it brings no delight to another, No rest to an overworked clan, The earth shall your memory smother For you've rendered no service to man For the things man are planning and doing Must be for the joys of us all, The sum of the goal we're pursuing Than when your poor being began, Unselfishly, world-wide must fall And if nobody's burden is lighter Than when your poor being began, You have dismally faded as a fighter, For you've rendered no service to man. And now, Lorry, in behalf of our colleagues in the Scouting Movement, I bid you goodbye. In dedicating more than thirty years of your life to the service of our youth you demonstrated your love for God. May He, the Master of all Scouts and Scouters, therefore, welcome you to our Eternal Camping Ground, and reward you accordingly. Farewell, dear comrade, and enjoy your rest.