The Arkansas banner., 1849-06-05
ODD FELLow wsmIP.
BrA. J. H. DveAxNE.

,,ud. point, focus, to which the rays oi hnIted
 sFo,t mus; converge, before it accomplish any
 t;og But when oncr the electric chain of union
 .,,oyen around the hearts and minds of men, the
 ,sfest spark will thrill in the sympathetic spon-
 .,se,y through each and all. No laborious,
 ,,,blematical difficulty arises in the hearts of the
 s,sd Simultaneously, the chord is struck through
 tbs mass the path IS visible 10 ai the means and
 ,be cad are apparent to every eye, and for good
 sy;l wil they unitedly press on 70 tte work.
 There is much in resoirs--in inc grand thought
 sbd springs hghtning-ke into being, and coneeives
 n moment that which ages only can effect But
 t,x useless how abortive. will the thought become
 ,rtough the very spirit of truth be embodied ia 1t.
 .;ibonr corresponding, o-workng, unified action.
 The radiant diamond may be turned up in the
 seesses of the dark mine-,here il may be, as
 ,trip,jcaIy beautiful, truly rich: but until it is
 ltosgh forth 10 the sky and the sun of Heaven-tllt ,ts shArpers hand poshes 's surtace--t will not, :, cannot be. as dearly valued. In the dark mine, ,touyh discovered. it lies dormani-it has entered m, on is work oh its mansion of beauty; and it
 never can, til i is pIncked oItfft to the light of the broad day.
 Then, what result may be achieved by united
 sHori what a result in the improvement and
 rsgsrefaion of man! With warm grasp man may
 ,eiie the hand of man, and with firm, active per
 ..yerance. press on with him to the task ot good-
 doing The stream of time flows on, and
 carried impetuousiy through every eddy, or floating .l,geishly log like in an aimless course, hie the
 millions ot men 10 the dim vale where the last catar- ,ct is lost. Some there are-stout swimmers, with
 brave hearts and strong mbs who strike boldly out. and beat back the currents and the waves, and choose their course. These are they who must stretch out the hand cf sympathy and succor 10 ife waye-drven ones around them. They must plgck the sinking ones from the dark depths to
 which they descending, and guide the blind and
 l4rE from the sharp jagged rocks and the treacher chs quieksands
 SingIy they mag aid and save. The brother may stretch out his hand to the brother, and rescue him ere he perish. But in union ohlysca they be emi- neafIy eteeiuai. In one symmetrical, lonely, un- broken band, linked together by one golden chain O, love, mDst they Eoat down the fearful stream,
 with their bright torches lt and held aloft, 10 allure
 the distant wanderer to the ranks with their scouts of friendship and love the look out to bring the erriHg and the petshins within the broad circle of iter protection. Then, gradually but surely, one
 by one W the scattered nyriads fall into the bond oi anon. From sfar they will come that they nay net perish Man IS not wholly evil The bright spirit that came pure and spoless from the Teat ~G1l, may be furnished aud conded by the Worbi-tempests-the beautiful enamel of the soul may be destroyed or its lusue dimmed and spotted; bat its not in this world, that the last beauty is nared the entire ruin effected Around the heart, .eeped in the bitterness of sim still cling some
 remnants of the fair flowers, the bright shells that wrelhed il when il hoated on the sunny surface of rs opeuing life stream. And, perhaps ihe wiheTed flower may sometimes be disceTned thfo' the dark wi'et-the bright shell may yet glean when haply 'ae sun of sympathy shines through the gloomy wares
 Sympathy heart boon sympathy--is
 'ht master key the open sesame, to the myterles ot lbe soul Its depths may not be sounded by the
 ro~s of ridicue, Storned by the harsh batteries
 of authority. No! il must. can be. penetrated only fy he affinity of a fellow heart; il can only mfngle a congehla!, sympathetic love. And O. how sIrplei I hoW lovely, ho% iaciie, Is the melting union A I Sofl, little softly breathed, whispered word.
 coming from tle depths of the heart--a look shining 4 oat through the clear windows Of the soul-wiil 'oach the dead mute chord ol the decaying spirit. I #dl bring an echo and an answer from the silent N aad shrouded SOul
 Far along, through the dark journey of life
 acro's the dubious path of crime. follows the world Saaderer, mothers voce--ihe glance of q sisters gre They come to hm in the strife and in the
 rs,ef m the glare of the monday, and in the still
 b'ars Of the night The man of blood, as he raises
 hs band against the life of hls fellow hears like far nf music, The prayer Of his happy childhood; sees,
 lAe distant sun beam, the look of the early loved N ba' he shuts his ears, myhap, 10 the accents, he 4 c'oses hs eyes to the bright glance of memory and 4 They come to him again in his doomed cell There Il was none near 10 touch again the silver chord of d memory, 10 wipe the tear that was starting, and 'i'ch The haif-breathed sigh of repentance, and 8 ''sy checked
 7 The heart seeks companionship-it must lean on
 anolter heart--and for good or evil it will unite \ "l'h that other. There IS fraternity in crime-it must be eonpied-it cannot live alone. Alone and 'ompanoniess, crime may not exist; it is Cain, 4 i-sFaiuas and desoiate, and t dies. But he who & walks the bloody way, seeks for a comrade, with Il hm plans and executes, with him divides, and Il 'ElI's over the spoils. To be alone-to murder 4 Hasy, and then, solitary and desoiae 10 enjoy the Al 'nnr won gold, would appal the darkest william No' some mast shars--there must be companionship ' The peru or he pfize-thefe must be support,
 snaihg--there must be sympathy. The child's
 s'ifes' and purity depart not wholly from the man.
 Hey are st there, hidden, choaked up, smothered,
 ta the s'ries and hareds, and woes and curses. of 8 He aafS heart oi man; but Lot gone, wholly ire
 '-'abiy departed. II babbes up oozes forth, that X "ah'aih chtid-honeSs in mans soul among all the ''sonons weeds; and it softens the fierce wicked T', Moandi', m the most corrupt heart thought 3 ~ oN hou's long passed comes, then a memory of k '''h ahd sunny Innocence, and tear steals down I 70 not so; the laugh of fierce bad comrade II ''e' ms ear, and curse, too, for his comrades
 aoneni of child memory Is not now. He hears the
 Aash ana the curse, and brushes the starting tear kl 'Nay and laughs loo, and curses There was H "nPathy in that laugh and curse, but not sympathy M Nh The i'te bubhng fountain of child holiness; il Na' The crime sympathy with the weeds and rank
 as o he bad heart Of The man, and it strengthened
 a''e To spring up again when the little fountain
 W" oozing, and choke it, and drive it back again,
 .'F0, deep. into the depths of the heart. o, If the
 h''y lear of the holy eye of virtue had but fallen
 .a ta' lhlle stream when it started, how would il
 ''- gnshed tor'hI bright, and powerful, and resist S4 ~N Ba' thank the mercifnl God new spirit Is
 '@'k" Abroad, through many lards, with soul
 f,'iag, uniting, translasing power. flies the angel " o'plhertuod. Over the nountSst- barriers, with mhntie, dneliIe chord of union. speeds the warm
 nd 10 uue the hostile nations-it brings the heart .4 hf crowned king and the heart of he rude peas W 7. heAr 'o each otheT--they beat toselher--they
 me PHlse-they are trSnsiused. IL windeth
 ehalh around he heart of the bad and good, and 8 bai l' no longer bad, and the good s better. IL
 'a aehhng, eadnfing sympathy--this spiri, of
 ,''' I}' motto is Friendship and Truth and Love.
 't' hanr, men call II Odd Fellowship.
 'H feilowship Far and near, through the wide
 f''' 's course is onward. Christian and Turk.
 " and Gentle all who breathe The blessed air and W e i"r immortality; a who look upon ihe blue
 ", 'id believe m the God who made II, are linked f 70, m'Z}hy ties ot heart sympathy with the true . fri oh He loves his feIlow-man he is the