Southern standard. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1851-1856, 1853-10-29

have assumed, the purposes Of our order were at
trst very much nsrepresented and misunderstood:
and even now, although we have Inscribed unon
our banner and chosen our motto, the relief of
the distressed, the visitation of the scl-the huri
of the dead, and the education of the orphan
some are in the habit of regarding them. as un-
meaning, and empty expresSions-as high sound
ing phrases designed catch the ear, and satisfy
the demands of the world without having any
substantial meaning, or practical application. 1t
IS true, In own highly favored community.
where want and distress are comparatively IN
known-where the outstretched hands, and NOV
ing lamentations of the orphan the prayerfu voice.
and supphcating appeal OF the widowed mother
are comparatively unheard-where the pestilence,
which with It's concomitaut train Of want and dis
tress has scourged our sister cities, is compare
lively stranger, we can point you to but few in
stances, IN which we have allevi ted distress, or
mlnlstered to want God gran. that this may ey-
er continue, and that no dark hour, may ever
come to call out, the active energies Of order
But there are many cases in which the desoatino
hand OF disease has laid low the man, upon whose
strong arm, and staiwart frame, an entire family
leaned for support. There are many lonely hearth
stones, and narrow gaTrets from which the cry Of
the orphan comes up, UNDECIDED and unheard-
There are many dreary abodes and cherries cell
lars which contain the widows grief and the wild
ows want. It's amid scenes Ike these that Odd
Fellowship finds its most illustrous field for action
it's only under circumstances ike these that the
character of the order can be most conspicuousIv
exemphfed The simple yet touching reply Of
Ion to CIemanthe is no inappropriate illustration
of our idea '''Iis little thing to give a cup OF
water, Yeti draught OF cool refreshment drained
! by tevered lips may give shock of pleasure to
the frame. more exquisite, than when nectarian
juice renews the life Of joy in happiest hours. Il
Is little thing to speak phrase of common COM
fort, which by daily has almost lost its sense,
yet on the ear of him, who thought to die I'M
mourned, twill fall like choicest music, fill the
glazing eye with gentle tears, relax the knottcd
hand to know the bond of fellowship again, and
shed on the departing soul, a sense more precious
than the bensons of friends about the honored
death-bed of the rich, to him who else were lone
", that another of the great family is near and
feels
1t is because such things exist and must con-
Time to do so, as long as man and communities
exist, that we predicate the necessity for the estab
Ilshment of our order We may have suggested
to US the very common remark-whatis Che rea-
son for all this secresy? If our object is to dc
good, what is the necessity for this mysterious and
secretive organization? We answer, that every
important movement, to be effective and satistac-
tory, must be well organized. Concentrated effort
and associated energy, may accomplish that, which
individual exertion would fail to effect. philan
thropic Howard might hunt out the abodes o
misery-he might ascend the rugged mountain
and visit the lonely vale, in search for subjects o
his charity and beniiccnce-he might do all Jha
it was possible for individual effort to achieve
and yet a systematic and well organized associa
, ton would work ont far greater results, exert
more widespread influence, and confer more per
manent and general advantages. The ancient
f may boast of having stood in their portico's anC
superb temples, and listened to the scholastic logic
OF Aristotle; to the soul stirring and passionat,
eloquence Of Demosthenes; to the almost inspired
wisdom Of Socrates, and that they were laugh
from the lips of Plato himself. They may boas
of their Caesar, whose mighty mind, and restles
energy, astonished the world in his life, and shoo
it at his death; and who now stands like som
tower, ''that has caught the radiance of the ag
which preceded him. and transmitted it with I'M
dimned lustre to the present time. There wer
isolated cases in which men would rise up ant
shed the light of their learning upon their countr
and their age. But for the permanent elevation
5 of mind-for the general dissemination of nobl
S conceptions, and enlarged ideas, give me the sim
t pie machinery of the press In word, | woul
G prefer an educated people to all the monuments
: greatness and of power that ever raised b
/ the mightiest nation of antiquity. So l woul
! prefer for permanent good, the Jealous co-opera
d ton of number Of men bound together by th
/ mystic bond of friendship, the golden chain
d fraternal love, and the mild dominion Of trutl
to the brilliant but contracted efforts of ndyidui
/, man. Associated action is the most potent en-
/ CINE in the civilization and determination of tn
s. human race.
Al It is associated action that has been driving tn
/ car of empire westward for three hundred year.
L converting the bowling wilderness into homes
s. plenty, and the hunting ground of the red mar
20 into busy marts for active commerce. 1t was al
l. ISOLATED action that on the 4th of July 'l776 III
} furled the banner upon which was inscribed
2 characters of living light security in the pursu
a of knowledge, happiness and religion, and whic
le enunciaed those immortal principles, for the go'
g eminent of man, which shook the slumbering MOI
Re arches of Europe, and aroused the expiring el
If ergies of liberty throughout the world. 1t WI
De associated action, that broke down the barrier
i and penetrated the heart of sem-civllized Chin
re and planted the banner of the cross in her idol
OF trous temples. Associated action, has ever bee
n the means by which great principles either socia
II physical or political have been propagated-tl
r. great lever by which, monstrous evils could be e
10 tracted and swept away. Am | going too IA
ne when [ pronounce our own order, as Of Il
re brightest examples of the operation of the syste
n TO which l have alluded? Verify believe, wi
n the exception of the sublime and ancient order
ld Masons, that Odd Fellowship institutio
~ is the happest production, to which the mind
y. man ever gave birth--that its foundations a
n broader and deeper-its superstructure more sol
en- and symmetrical-its adaptation to the wants
O. man and the spirit of the age satisfactol
i'd Although the orr in of the Order, can be trac
I'M back as far as the pamy days of Rome, and t
rs bloody reign of Nero, its actual commenceme
of in this country has been only forty seven yee