Glasgow weekly times. (Glasgow, Mo.) 1848-1861, 1849-08-02

covenant anew for future faithful dis.
charge of the obligations they have as.
sumed. The duties arising from these
obligations. are various, and l do not
know that can better discharge the
task / have undertaken on the pre- sen t
occasion, than by taking a cursory
view Of the nature and object of our
social compact, and the consequent adj
vantages resulting TO US, as individuals,
and as society, by faithful compli.
ance with its acquisitions.
How beautifully does the motto of
our Order illustrate the whole duty of
an Odd Fellow FRIENDSHIP, Love AND
Truth.
When brother first enters our lodge
room, we extend TO him the hand of
friendship; band of sympathy uniles
our hearts with his. We do no, offer
to bestow upon him the cold, calcula-
ting, hypocriIical friendship which we
so often see manifested in our inter.
course with mankiod; toward him we
are inclined with trusting and abiding
confidence, not from the fact alone that
our obligations impose such duty upon
US, but that such feeling is the result
of union, by which all are prompted
to labour zealously for the extension of
the benevolent principles Of our Order.
| feel we'll assured that without such a
unity of purpose we can never pros.
per as a Lodge.
Such my brothers is the general OBJ.
ject and aim Of the institution! but
there are certain positive obligations
which we individually take upon our
selves, possessing peculiar characteris.
Tics, which are too frequently miscon.
strued. A positive violation or mega
tive omission is the consequence.
1t is not the purpose of the Order TO
uphold and protect brother in wrong,
bu. to sustain him in doing what is
right. 1t is frequently the case that
our motives are impugned in this res
pect by the enemies of the society.
When single brother has so far forgot
ten his duties as an Odd Fellow, as 10
have wandered from the path Of VIR-
TUE, HONOR and MORALITY.
how often do we see the finger of
scorn pointed at him, and he alone cho-
sen as a fit illustration? Under such cir
cumstances, all that we are required to
do is TO defend him If innocent, and if
guilty, ask that the veil of charity be
thrown around his acts, and immediate
ly set ourselves 10 work, through the
medium of the Order, TO reclaim the
erring brother. Ifthis cannot be done,
a duty which we owe to ourselves and
the institution to which we belong re.
quires that we should cut him off from
our fellowship. How great then is The
obligation resting upon each of US, in
dividually to uphold the the purity of
the Order. May we each learn to
guard well our conduct. and ever re-
member that if one brother proves un-
faithful, the whole body suffers, and
like an incubus he will hang upon i. and
retard its onward progress.
come now my brothers 10 speak on
subject which you all must feel is of
vital Importance to the Order: The
proper intercourse of brother with
brother. feel that this is a delicate
question, and consciousness of duty
imPels me to speak plainly upon il. You
will pardon me if speak Of faults of
which too many of us are guilty, and
from which your humble speaker by
no means claims to be entirely exempt.
Every individual is liable 10 err, there
are none that can claim an entire free.
dom from fault. ! can but pity the
vanity of him who supposes that he is
infallible.
We frequently see members of the
Order discussing among themselves,
and sometimes among persons no, mem.
bers of the Order. the little foibles and
faults which their brothers possess, and
do il too with a freedom which mani.
tests an entire absence offraternal feel
ings.
hold it 10 be the part and duty of
friend not only to refrain from all such
light expressions, in the absence of the
individual accused, but manfully 10 coun.
sci and advise him of his faults.