The Columbian fountain., 1846-06-24

o. der and we think we do TO some ex-
tent, at least.
But let us notice his assertion that we
".dopted one of his editorials" This we
deny, as plainly as we do the charge Of lit
erary theft. When we do adopt the wri-
tpps of others, we shall take care that they
express our own sentiments; but we are
very clear Of the sin of adopting the one
referred to. And, indeed, if he ever ex-
poets to write for us, he must demean him
self little better than he has done either
In penning his piece on the universal law,
or his vile slander on plagiarism. We
never did adopt the article in question.
We never will. We could not-we would
not for all Baltimore and Washington in
the bargain. Nay, verify, the world could
not buy us to speak of Odd Fellowship as
the editor of the Iris did. We shall say
more of this presently.
Our good brother Of the Iris also dis
covers awith wonderful sagacity," that
which we think no one else would ever
have discovered " by looking at the arti-
Gle as it appeared in the Fountain, that we,
with Ga wicked and wilful design, distort-
ed one or two Of his sentences" or "ap-
piled The sentiments to sectarian ends"
Then we presume that he calls Christianity
sect, while Odd Fellowship is the only
broad system Of universal brotherhood.
Well, this shows his profound ignorance
Of this whole subject. Now, if this brother
will declare openly, as he intimates by i'm
plication, that he holds no fealty to Chris
tianity, then he claiming our words to be
his, and we using them as we did, might
have been accused of distorting for then
surely he discards the sentiment that the
"human family are beginning to behold in
the sublime principles of fraternal associa-
ton as promulgated and carried out by the
Gospel of Christ, the grand agent for the
accomplishment of this great and desirable
result, the soveaeign remedy for healing all
the social diseases with which the world is
inflicted, and the only sure means of bind
ing all nations under one law" But we
deny that we used the sentiments as his.
The words were his, and we gave the Gus
tornary credit; but the sentiments were
ours and we glory in them, and will stand
by them. He placed Odd Fellowship
where we can never consent to plabe 1t or
any thing else---at the foundation of all
good--representng It as the very fulfil
ment Of the word Of inspiration--the
prophecy of holy writ in producing peace
on earth and good will to men. And, while
the senior editor Of the Fountain is him.
self an Odd Fellow, and the junior editor
not at all unfavorable to it in its proper
plaes, neither Of Us can ever consent either
to say ourselves, or tamely sit by and hear
others say, that Odd Fellowship, or any
other institution, is good, Independent of
Christianity. On the contrary, we declare
that whatever is good in the Order, Chris
tan influence has introduced it; and it is
needful that the same holy principles
should be brought more fully to bear to
correct some things connected with the Or
der which are not quite as they should be.
We come then to notice the important
principle involved In tlis discussion and
desire to be clearly understood. We love
Odd Fellowship, and, it may not be I'M
modest in such connection as this to say,
have done, and are still doing as much for
the promotion of its best interests, as even
the Iris. We love its members, too. But
we are not quite SO far folded in the en-
braces of this human system, as to have
forgotten our obligations to the higher, and
nobler, and dearer interests Of the cause OF
God, our Saviour. We can never join with
the Odd Fellows Mirror to call every lnstl-
tuition, sectional, while it arrogantly lays
claim to that exclusiveness which we love
not. and which seems to Goo great an ex-
tent to be breathed out from both the arti-
cles, we are now examining from that jour
nal. We never can consent TO call Odd
Fellowship, "ths only soocrs'gn remedy
for the healing of all the social diseases
with which the world is infected" much
less as t'ths only sure means for binding all
nations in one law" thus throwing aside
every other institution that does not chime
ia with the Order--as being repulsive to
truth and happiness. There is, as we have
observed, one law to do this, but that law
is the law of love, as preached by Jesus
Christ--and is not peculiar to any human
institution, nor could man in his sinful
state, even have invented sucha law. The
Iris may blaze out with its Motto "Our
field is the world"-even that is borrowed
from Christ himself; and it becomes all the
members of an institution, indebted IN eve
nv iota of its goodness to Christianity, to