San Andreas independent., 1857-01-03
AN ADDRESS.

before the Lodge of Odd Fellows, at
Angels, December "a, 1856.
Ladies, Gentlemen, Patrons and Men,
bcrs Of the Independent Order Of odd
Fellocs:
The rise and fall of nations are sublime
subjects for moral contemplation The
mighty fabric of empire is composed of
mind as well as matter; and when, as In
many instances it has occurred, that the
revolutions of destiny are permitted by
Providence to encroach on nations, resolv-
ing them back into their original elements,
the component parts thereof still inherit
the principles of vitality.
Like those blocks of living marble dug
up from Grecian ruins, over which the
arid winds of centuries have sang the
mournful requium of departed greatness,
these time worn fragments of artistical
beauty and classic loveliness, may yet be
collected in some future day, to build a
nobler temple of dominion.
When the Almighty Architect of this
vast universe has threatened, in years long
gone by, to exterminate any nation, people
or principle from the face of the earth on
account of their ungratefulness or ingrati-
tude, none need expect to find one drop
of partial blood in the veins of any upon
whom the lifted thunder falls. Thus the
man of faith is not seen, like the incredu-
lous savant of modern time, raking in the
dust of Tyre and Sidon, searching their hol-
scendant of perished empire to mock the
promises and impeach the threatenings of
"Him who cannotlie." Thuslet the man
of benevolence and christian virtue learn
lesson from the past. Let him look back
Ger the wastes of ages; let him, to-day,
visit the land of ancient sages, statesmen,
orators, and philanthropists, and then let
him graduate up through centuries as
stepping stones; let him, amid the mellow
daylight of the nineteenth century, un-
derstand the nature of those principles
that have survived the wastes of ages and
the crush of empire; and peering out from
amidst the smouldering ruins, tottering
columns and crushing hopes of departed
greatness, the imperishable principles of
Fidelity, Love and Truth, have shone with
more brilliancy than ever before. These
eternal principles, wherever permitted to
govern men, have worked wonders in our
sin-stricken world. Truth has ever met
with the most virulent opposition; so with
her hand-maiden, Benevolence. Still the
world has been startled thousand times
by their woodworking power; thousands
have been converted in a day; superstitions,
consecrated by the petrefaction of ages,
have been annihilated; affairs and idols,
dedicated to unknown gods, have been for
ever silenced; the fercest malignity of
earth and hell has been walked UP to ar
rest and silence the demands of Truth. but
to no purpose.
These principles and virtues pride |
and glory of our beloved Order-have been
tried in the Greek Crucible, and pro-
nounced foolishness. The magistrates of
the law have cast them into the beasts of
Pagan Rome and into furnace heated
seven times hotter than it was wont to be,
but despite the Jew and the Gentle, they
bloomed like the roses of Eden; and thus,
despite the magistrate, they came forth
from the lions mouth and no rent was
seen in their majestic drapery-from the
furnace, and the smell of fire was not found
upon their robes. The storm beat them,
the tempest rocked them, the lightning
scathed them-but they made the storm
their chariot, rode upon the heaving bosom
ofthe tempest and spread over the world like
lightning So that to-day, these prlnci-
pies still have living existence, and
and sit, crowned with glory, upon the apex
of fame. The Statesman now came forth
with the shield of the law to protect them;
Poetry, with its muses., to sound their
praises Philosophy, with its intellect, to
exhibit their excellencies; Oratory, with
It's eloquence, to plead their cause; and
Odd Fellowship, with her mighty brother
hood, practical exponent of their sacred