American Republican and Baltimore daily clipper. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1844-1846, 1846-09-22

! cate the lnsulted laws! Odd Fellowship
| What scheme ofgood, what plan Of usefulness
born and nurtured on these shores for the last
thirty years, that has not been strengthened and
aided by the heart and hand Of our oTderl 1t
has aided in giving the Bible to the world--the
Gospel TO the poor; it has assisted to rebuild
cities destroyed by fire, and extended its help to
the sufferer by food.
These are the deeds of it's heayen-born gloI-
onS charity. And all this has been done amid
the opposition the bigot and the Productions Of
the ignorant. La the beautiful thought of
Coieridge, "With tears ii was planted; it was
rocked in the tompests-the goat, the ass and
the stag gnawcd it; the wild boar of the forest
has whetted his tusks on its barl-the deep
scars are still extant on its trunk, and the path
OF the lightning may be traced among its high
or branches-and even now, when its height
reaches to heaven, and the light thereof to all
the earth, the Whlrlwind of prejudice often at
tempts to force its stately top TO touch the
ground. 1t has been bent like a bow, but it has
alwayf sprung back like shaft, land spreads far
and near the rich foliage of its outrageous
branches,as shelter beneath which the wretch
ed and the sorrow. stricken may find repose.-
The past has been period ofactlvity and toll.
The future, with the numerous agencies de-
Veloped in the present, is before US as a more
extended theatre ofacton, and the parent of
mighty results. The shadows Of glory are al
ready darkening the horizon with their splen-
dor, but, it entirely depends upon the present
fashioning of the times whether those shadows
shall envelope in darkness the maturity of
money loving seishness, or noble and expan-
sive llberalitY moving in their light, work out
the problem of mans social destiny.
see in the diffusion of our principles of
I / /
| ilares in bringing about the reign of the affec-
tions and ofthought-I look down the vista Of
coming tme-l see the grim phantoms Of war
and wasting disappear from eafth-the last tear
of sorrow wiped away-the chain of the oppres-
sor broken, and the captive free-I see the tri-
umph of popular rights, and the reign of moral
freedom-l see the banners of Odd Fellowship
| glistening in the beams Of our country's stars,
while pure religion, national liberty, and uni
versal fraternity is proclaimed by every song of
peace and love which breaks up from the hill
| tops and vallies of regenerated and disenthral-
led world see the lofty form Of that future,
all spal king with the Jewels of Truth and of
! Love-l look until daz2ied with the view
overwhelmed with its immensely, am con-
strained to cry-"ViSiOnS Of glory, spare my
aching sight,
My brethren, would you realize these visions
u would you contribute to their periecton-see
to 1t, that you maintain your pure principles o.
mercy and good work! "Hang your banner
upon this outer wall"--in every position anC
!, under every vicissitude, make your appeals to
Heaven, and as sure as TRUTH is omnipotent
: you will preval-the blessings of those ready
f to perish will come upon you-the widows
prayer, and the orphans benediction will be
the invulnerable shield of your protection
against which the arrows Of maievolence and
, detraction will be hurled in vain. Go, my
J brother, to the wretched and sorrowing, bind
up the broken heart, give food to the hungry
= and clothing to the naked, and God, even our
: God, will sustain and bless you.
t We are strikingly reminded, as from this
scene of prosperity and Joy we look back, Of
} the Spartan band who first unfurled the ban
ners Of our Order upon this western shore-but
one survives-how rich and glowing must be
J the feelings Of that lone old man, as he looks
l abroad over this extensive country and secs the
= mystic sign and symbol, glItering among the
abodes OF sorrow, like stars upon the brow o.
= night! For more than quarter of century
/ he has watched over his children, and they
have delighted to call him "Sre." Soon, in
: the course Of nature, he will be removed from
j among US, and we shall look upon his face ne
t more. The poet and the orator have selected
the death scene of the Iheban Hero, as an ext
f ofsurpassing glory: ellis silver brow wreathot
, with the laurel of victory''-around the ban
= nered hosts, steel clad and victorous-the life
n blood slowly trickling from the death wounC
o of the venerated leader-the wall of lamenta
: ton resounding through the embatted ranks
: and dying in echoes along the vast tented fielc
: as the virtues of their chief rose wildly be-
: fore them-in the intensity of their grief they
: -"Epaminondas hadst thou but children
: to survive you''-the trembling lips of the dy
i ing warrior kissed his shield, the companion o
: his danger and his victory, and family muir
e "Thebans, | leave you to-Leuetrt
:, and .Mantinea," Far surprising in deep ant
}. touching incident, will be the death scene o
r the Father of the Order. There will be NJ
n steel clad and sorrowing warriors-no noise O
s battle and blood. The banner folds of chart,
IS will be unrolled over his death couch-hs dy
0 ing lips will not speak Of such victories as Leu
n etra and ManLinea, as the children of his love-
O but he will utter the name, and his failin!
vision will be cheered by the presence of tina
J, child of his hottest affections, whose mission
IS victory over sorrow, and around whose brow
IS are bound, as costly gems, the widows tea
e and the Orphans blessing. Odd Fellowship
s the immortal offspring of his hearts benevo
Is lenco, shall perpetuate his name and deed
Is through all coming time.
st Brethren Of PennsyIuania-The Hall yo
n dedicate to these great Princples-will stan
as monument of your munifcent phlanthro
n ply, long after the actors in this day pagan
S, have passed from time-other generations wi
l. stand in these courts-other voices W i'll mini:
e ter at these affairs, and mngle in our mysti
10 ceremonies. But, thank God. principles ar
IF, eternal. The same great duties will still
taught, in the same mystic language that W
l. now speak. We may pass away, but our 6
h Iolcshp 'oiA renlain-and the pleasant memorif
ID Of the departed will bind those distant days
0, the future in hallowed union with the preser
1t time. This dome will still be the shelter Of tn