Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1845-01-31

Lodge upon its merits. Silently, without dis
tncton, the "weekly benefit" is administered
to every invalid of our order, be he high or hum
bic rich or poor Nor does it bring with it any
sense of gaton--any feelings of humiliation.
1t is not gift, but right; not gratuity but a
return Of portion of that which lie has laid up
against this and similar emergencies; for our
Order, like the cloud in the heavens. gives back
from its bosom in gentle and refreshing show
ers, the sus'cnance it has drawn from lis mem
bers. Those who are blest with health and
prosperity, surrounded with kind relatives and
friends ready to minister 10 every want, may
deem an institution like ours unnecessary: but
the dearest friends NAV be taken from Us, and
the treasures of this world take o themselves
wings and fee away. Even the Odd Fellow is
not without a resource. Er M. lie sir"irhCd
upon bed of sickness, in strange land far
away from country and from friends, mountains
and seas rise and roll 'lwXt him and his home,
before him yawna an opening grave, arou ID him
is spread the mantle of despair while upon his
pale check and wasted form is seen the Impress
Of the arch destroyer, Death no cheering voice
Of wife or children, gladden. the strangers heart,
or breaks the dull passage to the tomb, no sis
ter's sympathetic heart throbs in kind unison
with brothers woe, no mothers silent tear
tells the sad tale OF parents grief, no fathers
pose,- but even there he vii! iud in his OK
tremIty a brother and friend to relieve his ne
cessily; and should that dread summons come
which sooner or later must come TO ALL We
make provision for his decent burial and gath
ering around his grave in solemn array. mlnglc
IN the last sad Offices winch are rendered to hui
manly.
Nor is this all, should he haze left behind
him objects of affection, " hith we're dcarer 10
hm Than life, and from which 10 part gave a
kecner paag to the bitterness Of dcath--thon,
too, the widow and lalher'css chdren,--insead
Of hejng thrown upon the uncertain charities Of
he world, are visited by MS in aiil c'ed, and
taught to lean upon The friendly arm ol our or
der tor confidence and support.
The subject OF education is one entitled To
rrcat consideration by our Order. 1t is true
that it has not yet attraction 10 which 1t is SO
justly entitled BY many it may not be known
that we have fund sacrcdly set apart for the
education OF the orphan chidren.of our dcceas-
ed broihers-a fund iuv.olab'c for any Other
purpose and consequently, so far, steadily on tho
ncrease-already la some Of the Southern
Lodges, schools have been established express
~ for the education ul-the children of deceased
Odd FeIows-and at a recent celebration il
BAltmorc tie pleasing spectacle was exhibited
OF some fifty or sixty orphan chlldren moving ii
the possession, who were being educated anC
supported by Lodges of that city. 1t is truly
one OF the most beautiful features of our whole
avstcm Of charity. When we visi, the sick
brother, administer TO his wants, smooth his dy
~ "u .''a '-''''''1 ~ nv
world ,ia, o,,r sl1,,rf',,, fr H., ., Iosn lri.,
,,i,h his r,,naios. h,t If bn h,. Int, ch,rIra,
,Ln ,,r,ir,r ,,.i,h ,,l,,, f,.ro.~vl ,Le ham,, n
l.,'b 40 ,ur,, ,,i..o t.e., bo;.,t
lion, 10, ,b, .o,,.., ,f 81 .,,,c .i,.
minds ,v.Ih r.,,,l s,,o,,.I.l,oN.,d hid ths,n e.,
r,r,b ia L,,or and distinction,
SncL is DAD Fell,.y.I,.,- .,,,.b ,l,orqb brief
To- and ir,rnrfnc,I,. sLo.chsI ,.e.,,n il rro-ouf
E,r ,bo moral a,,slior,t,op am, and nLvs,cal ~
/ liof M mankind. Dco c.,,bI,oi,op If these oh
/ iac,s if asn,re, to ibe bi,boat form of hum..
/ ionoy,Icuca T,irculratas ,ain.oranra. indus
fro. o,.d or,.r hive nr our country. and ona,l.
cnrr tn ,nr tb,ya aU il i,nuo.os mo
rs ne,,Lars. those high and iu.ooriaut dutie
which we owe 10 God and our fellow man
and seeks in eypaid INTO an ab.dlur braflerl
lave. and an all.cmbracinr charity, those In
stncts Of natural affection. which, however, the
nay be satisfied or perverted by the pursuits an
io-f'iars a. the world, are the la,v Dl our being
md ON which lis own foundations, are deep.
and firmly lad, It's mission Is a Arh and no.
among men, its trophies, unlike the red ones
war. are the smile OF the orphan, he tear Of gral
tude that glistens in the eye Of her who sttct
n desolaton, and the blessings Of thousand
whose hearts have been adhered by It's min
tratiun of comfort and OF hogc.
\ socio.y. tho nuraoscs nf which arc such =;
lave dnscr,lcl. /, fni,hi rc,s,n,b,y he sunni,
ID wand have been suffered to hold the ten,
Of IFS way IN reace. and vrhnu, interrupt,
8u, .i,I, has moi banu tla up.I for,uue Of OF
order R.I,,uI., l,.. lry.l.l.i.its outward al
.arvaucrs. her keen and p.Irshed shafts. Su,
melon and oreiudice-the brood of ignorance
nave souoht 10 alarm the crodulnus. buf we
MEANING. bv dark surmises. concerning lis hi,
den nuruoscs and mysterious doinus. But the
eh1rts have utterly failed to arrest its onwal
career. Wuh the courage of conscious rect
tude and the serene and tranquil flower Of trut
Odd Fellowship has moved steadily forward
the paths Of usefulness, overcoming all ubst
ces, subluing all opposition, reaching at ever
step of It's progress, from high TO still h,ght
achievements of good.
But there are still ,hose who would depoun,
= our order A. a secret association of such "
would innujre. can there he no concealme
= without fraud. no mystery without crime HI
mot evarv hu,nan h1som lis avn secret counse
, into which the earer eve Of curiosity is n
p suffered to uazol Are the sweet commune
and the sacre! confidence. Of friendship, of 10,
and of household GIih--aiI 50 many frauds al
Z ,mposit .ons upon the community Is there n
mystery everywhere. all around us, and abo
us. in The common air we breathe. IN the Ie