Jeffersonian Republican. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1840-1853, 1846-08-20
Address of Odd-FeIiowship.

T. u. N. CdnuSi 1OIk i1UtS, lew WCCSS
since delivered an address on Odd Fellowship,
by special invitation of Wldey Lodge, in the
Presbyterian Church a, Charleslown, Va
The Address was one we'll calculated to ins,il
into The minds Of The brotherhood The prosecu.
lion of their benevolent labors with renewed
sgor ard unwearied diligence We make the
following interesting extracts from The Address
as we fad i, published in the Virginia Free
Press:
"The Independen, Order of Odd Fellows is
an Ins,ulion established in this country a, Bal
'imore in 1919. Its design is practical de"ep0-
lence. The members of the fraternity ndivid-
ually pledge their honor that they will assis,
brother in distress. There i, no obligation ex-
clusiyely with one another, in preference TO
their fellow citizens generally, bus each cne is
perfectly a. liberty 10 deal in the manner and
with the persons best suited in his opinion 10
promote his commercial interests. Nor is there
the slighes. restriction imposed on his political
freedom. No party is recognized BY the Lodge.
No discussion is permitted under any cIcum-
stances, which involves politics in the Partizan
sense There never has been an Odd Fellow
Ticke, presented for support at the polls, and
it is impossible tha, there should be. Nor do
the obligations of Odd Fellowship wound the
most sensitive conscience Religion, in the Sec
tartan sense, is never permitted to enter our
Halls. do not mean to say that religious
man cannot be an Odd Fellow. On the con-
,rary, asser. lha. the religious man is better
able, than all others, to appreciate the prlncl-
Piles of the association.
Having thus briefly stated the negative char.
acteris,ics Of The Institution, will proceed to
exhibit its affirmative attributes.
To become an Odd Fellow, the following
qualifications are indispensable "A belief in
One Supreme Being, the Governor aud Pre-
server of the Universe...a fair moral character,
the legal age OF majority, and some known re-
pu'abs means Of support. Any one thus quail
fled can apply for membership. His petition
ia referred 10 committee whose duty is to as
certain whether these things be so, and report
lhereon. The candidate is balloied for, and it
the issue be favorable, he is initiated The
mode Of his initiation cannot be set forth in a
public address, because the injunction of secre-
cy has never been removed. This topic is not
prohibited, however, on account Of any mys,e-
ry lha, need fear the light. There have been
many pretended exposures OF these secrets pub
Iished of late years. Whether they be authen-
tic or fclicious, | have never cared TO ascertain
by actual perusal. If they be false, they will
Of course come TO naugh.; if they be true, no
delrment can ensue 10 the Order; for not sin
ele sentence in our ritual would dishonor the
tongue of a man, or offend The tongue Of wo-
man.
There are, in all, fourteen degrees in the Or
der. They are conferred by certain ce1emo-
MES, instructive and pleasing, impressive and
sublime The candidate pledges his honor
never TO disulge them. In no instance is an
oath required, nor is ,hero any penalty invoked
by, or prescribed against the uniailhiul conf
dent. Ii he prove recreani TO his pledge OF
honor, his own wan, Of principle will eventual
ly bring upon his head appropriate retrbu'on
Should such man avow bis social perjury in
print, he would strike no panic into the Order
No, single member Of The fraternity would
molesi his constitutional rights of speech, but
hs would be allowed to remain, where he had
placed himself, before the tribunal OF public
opinion, whose DEGREES can indict living 'o'-
ture harder TO be borne than any punishment at
the hands Of betrayed brotherhood. have
said iha, we were bound by pledge OF honor
to assist distressed brother, by distressed
brother we mean strictly member of our So
cieiy.
To enable ourselves promptly and efficiently
TO extend this aid, we each pay into the gen.
eral fuud weekly dues" making IN the aggfe'
gate abou, FIVE dollars ysar. Out OF this irea'
sury, allowance Of generally. four dollars Is
paid weekly 10 bro'her, 50 long as ne Is In
| capaci,aled TO narsue The orocsIon by which
, he ob,ai..d I,yelhood This sum is IN mos;