The daily press. (Cincinnati [Ohio) 1859-1859, 1859-04-27
oddfellows, Celebratlon--The Process

Oddfellows' CelebratiOn--The Process
siOn--ExerCises at the Opera-House.
The fortieth anniversary of tho advent Of
oddfolowship into this country, was celebrated
in this city yesterday, in becoming manner.
A shower which occurred carly in the morning
made the streets somewhat disagroeable for
pedestrians; still the leaden -colored skies did
not prevent about fifteen hundred persons from
joining in the procession, which formed at
eleven o'clock, on Seventh street, the right
resting on Vine. In consequence of the
threatening appearance Of the heavens, how
ever, that part of the line of march which lay
east of Vine street was not taken by the pro-
cession, but it repaired directly to Pixies Opera
House, and reached that establishment about
half-past twelve.
In the mean time, the balcony and gallery of
this magnificent building had been filed with
the wives, sisters and sweethearts Of the mem
bers of the order, who had been provided with
tickets of admission by the Committee, and had
for nearly two hours patiently awaited the
coming of their husbands, brothers and lovers.
At length they arrived, and were welcomed by
the magnificent duet from Belisario, which
Menter's Cornet Band-athough we do not
much like the music of brass instruments
only-rendered in excellent style and with
good taste.
After the delivery of a prayer by the Rev.
Elder w. P. stratten, and the singing of an
ode, written for the occasion by w. W. Fos-
dick, Esq, Rev. James D. McCabe, of Balti-
more, was introduced to the assembly and en-
tertained them with an address, which occu-
pied about an hour in delivery, and was no
doubt quite interesting to the members of the
| order.
He spoke of the first lodge organized in this
country, remarking that although when the
sun went down on April 20, 1919, the associa-
ton numbered but five members, now they had
| over four thousand lodges and an aggregate
membership Of two hundred thousand. The
basis of the order, he said, was fraternity, and
its tendency was to unite the whole human
family into one universal brotherhood. 1t was
benevolent, and its business was to do good
deeds, dry the tears of the widow, educate the
orphans, visit the afflicted, and whenever il
could, by the sunshine of sympathy, to dispel
\ the clouds of sorrow and cast halo of light
and hope about the hearthstone of the dis
tressed.
| He then gave some statistics in regard to
the amount of money spent for charitable
| purposes, by the order, in the United States
during the year 1858, from which it appeared
l that on q nr cot 70 nf 2id0 boJ
been devoted to the burying the dead, assist
ing the afflicted, and feeding the hungry Of
the different lodges throughout the country
| Thus it would be seen, said the speaker that
| everywhere it was the same body, that it was
inspired by the same principle, that the same
great throbbing heart sent the life-currents
to its every part, and that wherever the order
was known, from the tumbling Niagara to
the heaving Gulf, from the stormy Atlantic
to the peaceful Pacific, from the pines OF
| Maine to the golden sands of California, the
intent, end and aim of the order were the
| same.
| After the gentleman, amid the applause of
his hearers, had taken his seat, an ode was
sung in German, benediction pronounced
and the throng dismissed, all evidently de-
| lighted with the manner in which the day had
| been passed.
In Newport and Covington, the different
lodges formed into procession at one o'clock
and marched through the different streets of
both cities. In the evening an grafton was
delivered at the hall in Covington by Rev.
Mr. Adams, of Lexington, KY, and at the
hall in Newport by Col. 7. L. Jones. Moth
ing occurred throughout the entire day to mar
the performances, and the celebration of yes
terday will be remembered, no doubt, by all
those who participated in it as a flower -peo-
pied oasis in the Sahara of life.