San Andreas independent., 1857-01-03
OKIGINAl DEFE(1VE

garies of ignorant men,-(for no sensibly
educated man would be willing to risk his
reputation by making such an everyday
demonstrated falsehood, has exerted no
influence in preventing the rapid spreading
of our glorious principles. Odd Fellow
ship dangerous to Republican Liberty
Who are they that compose this great Bro
therhood Traitors to La5erty9 No
Thank the God of Liberty, truer men do
not live on the earth. Some of the noblest
sons OF America minister at her affairs
Here, within the retreat of Odd Fellow
snip, are the sturdy sons of toll; here is
the mechanic from his shop,-the mer-
chant from his counter, the lawyer from
his desk, the sons Of Esculapius from their
drugs, the Minister from his pulpit
Officers OF State, Senators and Presidents.
here they come,-look at them-look at
them, and then tell me, is Odd Fellowship
dangerous to Republican Liberty? Oh,
never breathe SO foul slander again.
As great instrument in the hands of
Providence, doubtless our Order has done
as much to alleviate human suffering, edu-
cate the fatherless, Sustain the laws of
the land, guard the Constitution of the
United States, as any other Order extant.
They receive their authority fresh and
sparkling with Liberty from that
Most wondrous book,-bright candle of the
Lord
Star of Eternity The only Star
| By which the bark of man could navigate
The sea of life, and gain the coast of bliss
Securely. Only Star which rose on time,
! And on its dark and troubled pillows still
As generations drifting swiftly by,
Succeeded generation threw a ray,
OF Heavens own light, and to the hills of God,
The everlasting hills, pointed the sinners eye"
Under the light, benevolence and liber-
ty of the nineteenth century-the world
has graduated into a new area, never be-
fore attained within the knowledge of man.
Never before has the arts and sciences had
so wide ange,-exerted so powerful an
influence, and resulted in such high and
glorious consequences, as now; and permit
me to imperatiyely ask, what nation sus-
tains to-day more enviable position than
our beloved America? The histories of all
past nations are much alike, of each it may
be said, " it arose, fourished and fell" It
is true that in every ancient government
there has been constitutional weakness
a worm at the root, rottenness at the heart.
a virus in the circulation; and though
it fourished for while, yet this canker,
eating its way into its vitals, the putrid
carcass fell Of It's own weight And what
is this vital canker that has wrought this
uniform destruction 1t is the want of
virtue; want of conformity to the law of
God. National virtue is an indispensable
condition of national permanence; science,
genius and power are vain without it.
One OF the saddest and most serious mis-
takes of the world generally, in time past
has made, has been in reference to the
cultivation and refinement of female char
acter. In the absence of what was truth
In this important part of domestic happi-
ness, error became rampant; vice became
sanctlfied by custom and practices, habits
and associations so very convulsing to ev-
cry nerve of virtue, that mere reference
to them is almost counterbanded whose,
detormity would cause the cheek of dark
ness to blush, and startle with horror the
midnight of hell were INDUCED in and
lawfully practiced by what the world re-
garded as the nobility, of refined society,",
at that day.
Ladies, your presence, and your smiles.
gladden. and encourage our hearts Could.
we believe that you did not appreciate u.s..
that you did not sympathise with U.S.
we would have little to labor for or lore.
1t was to increase your happiness, as
Royal Knights, to defend your virtues,-
it was to bind up your broken hearts, to
be more worthy of your love,-that de-
cided our organization. / love the female
character, standing as it does, tower of
strength, in itself. Woman, in her purity,
the noblest work of God Woman, in
her vice, the darkest fend of He'll What
heart so cold and dead to every nobler i'm.
pulse of humanity as not to be moved by
woman's smiles, by woman's sympathy
by woman's zooe. And Should ever Odd
Fellowship become recreant to her noblest
trust, and the principles of Fidelity, Love
and Truth, be lost amid the ruins of mis-
fortune and error; those who might sur
vlve the wreckless wrecker's hand, might
ind, again, these virtues pure and uncon-
tamlnated within the eyer-confding bosom
OF uartuous aconaan.
Brethren, time fails me, the OCCASION
will not permit me, statisticallyto examine
the records of Odd Fellowship, however
pleasing to myself and perhaps somewhat
SO to you, we desist Odd Fellowship has
a history all covered with beauty; from
the polished sides of our beautiful edifce
the sun reflects thousand varied hues.-
Could to-day spread out before you, in
panoramic arrangement, the noble deeds
of our beloved Order oh, could you see
the thousand times ten thousand hearts