Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1859-05-06
IcoMMUNiCATED.1

SUNBURY, Ohio, April rs, 1859.
Mr. EeETcR:-I this day witnessed the ded
~ication of the Odd Fellow, Hall, at Westerville
franklin Co, Ohio, and thinking that perhaps
some of your readers nigh; like to hear the
proceedings, / seI you some ,lotes I took on
the. occasion,
The procession formed in marching order al
the old Hall, about one-half mile south of the
village, and headed by an excellent band of
music marched to the new hall situated in the
village. The procession numbered about one
hundred and fifteen. Having reached the new
hall they proceeded 10 the exercises of dedica-
ton, which to m, one Of the uninitiated, seemed
to be we'll done, and was a solemn and imposing
scene. The Grand Master of the State was
present and presided over the exercises. Col.
Pinncy, the Marshal of the day, announced to
the assembly that Henry q. Cooke would de-
deliver an Grafton on the occasion at the NJ. E.
Church in the village, and requested the audi
ence to repair thither. Having reached the
church, Mr.. Cooke arose and delivered a well
arranged address. He answered the objections
raised against the order, and endeavored to
show the benefits resulting from it. He said:
Coordination was necessary for the promotion
of any object; and that no great amount of
good could be produced without an ~oreaniza-
ton of Its supporters" and pointed out the
christian church as q proof of his assertion;
that the disciples were directed to work togeth-
er for the promotion Of virtue, charity and ev-
cry good quality that slc,tld ornament a chris
tan. One object of the society was to bring
all classes of men together that were laboring
for the promotion Of good objects. 1t brought
sectarians together and gave them a common
object to strive for, it made their interests 1nu-
tual, and by so doing it eradicated from their
minds all jealousies. and |envious feelings thev
might entertain, and those that came to the
Lodge possessed of these feelings went away
friends and brethren laboring for one common
object, dear alike TO all. Odd fellowship does
not profess to take the place of the church, or
to be equal to it; but it claims to be one of the
Legitimate children of science and refinement.
1t is an auxiliary to the church and has q COM
mon object with it. The objection strenuously
urged by some against it on account of its Sc
crecy might be answered in this manner, that
it was not secret in any of its primary objects
but that they were publicly declared; that the
secrecy of the order was only signs and pass
words, which were necessary in order that they
might know each other, and to defend them
selves from Interruptions of their business by
intrusion of u~nprincipled men who would if
there was no way to detect them, CONT into
their lodges for the purpose of creating dissen
ton and trouble. The objection sometimes
raised, that unworthy men were taken into the
order might be answered by showing, that if
this was good ground for their condemnation
no society on earth, judged with that judg-
ment could stand; not even the christian church
would be able to survive SO severe a judgment.
They aimed to initiate none but good men; yet
unprincipled men would, with them, as with
other orders sometimes obtain membership
oddfellowship was introduced into the .. s.
In 1908, but did not long survive it's INTRODUCED
ton. In 1919 it was again introduced, an