The Kansas herald of freedom. [volume] (Wakarusa, Kan. Territory) 1854-1860, 1859-08-20

Tue attentlon Oh the OeneVoient, out OF the
mere political economist. 1t is doing
work for them which all the laws on the
statute book had failed 10 perform cor
recting evils that were only aggravated
ny legislation making labor provide in
the hour of sunshine for the storm; pro.
viding for the poor bank on which they
could draw in the hour of sickness and
adversely preserving the business man
and the laborer from those miseries Incl
dent to the fluctuations of business. 1t
places man in a position where it is for
his interest TO be virtuous.
In England the purely benevolent OBJ.
jects Of the institution are so we'll under
stood that even fanaticism cannot create a
bugbear out of its secrets and in the
same districts where members of Trades
Unions have been sentenced to transport
alton for life, in country where Orange
Lodges have been suppressed by law, and
where the ancient and honorable frater-
nifty of Free Masons has been regarded
with suspicion, the very Legislators of the
land have been found encouraging the
formation of Odd Fellows Lodges as the
best remedy for its worst social evils, and
ministers of religion by thousands advo-
eating them as useful auxiliaries in the
cause of true religion for such is its ten
dency wherever it has been established
for any length of time.
Let us now turn from the old world to
the new-to our own country, where the
institution Of Odd Fellowship has also
hold upon the affections of a large por-
ton Of the people, and where it is becom.
ing better and better understood in its
progressive character. Early in the be-
ginning of the present century, the Old,
or Union Order of Old Fellows was form
ed in the cities of New York and Balti-
more. The first Of these, of which nave
any very definite account, was Shakespeare
Lodge, organized in New York in 1906.
It was organized in the old Shakespeare
tavern, l55 Fulton street, by five brothers
from England, and was continued for six
years, when it suspended operations. It
was re-organized in 1918, aud continued
till 1922, when it went out of existence.
Some of our Connecticut brethren tell
us that there was Lodge in Hartford as
early as 1888; and Boston, New York,
Baltimore, and Charleston (South Carroll
nay, all claim that Lodges were first FORM
ed in their respective cities and 1 have
met brothers who have said that they
were initiated in New York as early as
1902. A New York paper called the
Columbian, published in New York in
1913, has the following notice: "Odd
Fellows, you are requested to meet at
your Lodge-room on Tuesday night, the
2Ist inst, without fail, at Past Noble
Grand Moore's, at o'clock precisely, for
the election of officers Stranger Odd
Fellows are invited to attend" We do
not know even the name of this Lodge,
but have no doubt that it was either of
the Union or the Independent Order of
Odd Fellows, this being about the time of
the formation of the Independent Order
in England. We might trace the exist
ence of many of these earlier Lodges in
the United States but it is unnecessary
for our purpose, and would require the
examination of more documents than we
can readily find in California. But, un-
questionably. the first Lodge formed in
the United States which had a. continued
existence, was, Washington lodge, No. l.
J at the City of Baltimore, in 1919. Thorn
J as Wildey, by public notice. invited the
cooperation Of all Odd Fellows who
might be in the city, to aid him in FORM
ing Lodge. This call was responded
: to, and on the 26th day of April. 1919
lforty years ago to-day, this nucleus Of
Odd Fellowship came into being; and its
| fashar "a yN,llo,, stil
lives, in green and hardy old age, to see
his children counted by hundreds of thou
sands, and scattered all over this vas
: Western World. No merely mortal mar
s of the present age has lived to see so grea
q results of his own labors. As long as tn,
a world recognizes the great principles o
$ Friendship, Love and Truth, so long vii
= the name of Thomas Widely be number
: ed with the great benefactors of his race
n But 20 return. Washington Lodge re
Q ceived two charters from the authoritie
in England, and they had the power of
/ Grand Lodge and granted charters to 9th
er Lodges but in February, 1891, sh
v granted her Grand lodge powers TO tn
I Past Grands, and they formed the Granc
g lodge of Maryland, and Thomas Wilde,
:. was elected Grand Master; and her
,. commences the relation of Grand ant
4 Subordinate LODGES new and progress
q sive form of government, and one bette
/ adapted to our own republican institution
;. than that adopted by our English breth
It rem. In 1922 the Grand Lodge of Mary
: land ascertained that self-institute
9 Lodges existed in New York, Pennsylva
g mia and Massachusetts,, and Grand Mas
S ter Wildey set out by stage-coach to Wis
q it those places, and to endeavor to brin
!. all into one fold. The result of his mis-
h sion brought the whole Order into on
b family, and the Grand Lodge of Marylan
d and of the United States Gas it was the
e called) issued charters for the Gran
!. Lodges of New York, Pennsylvania, an
J. Massachusetts,, and three bright links wer
a added to the chain of Odd Fellowship
In 1924 Maryland yielded up her RICH
q as Grand Lodge of the United States I
" the representatives from all the States
4 and thus was constituted the Grand Lodg
"A of the United States, which has ever sine
n been the Supreme Tribunal of Odd Fee
!. lowship in North and South America, il
Il Guiding the Islands of the Pacific Ocean
d In 1926 the Patriarchal Degree was r,
d ceived from England but its homo
% were, at that time, only conferred
At Grand Lodge. In 1927 the Order was e
rs tablished in the District of Columbia, an
lie met with great success. In 1928 the Fl
/; campment Of Pairiarchs was first inst
re tuted, by transferring the Patriarchal d
IS grees from Grand Lodges; thus makir
rs the Patriarchal Order attainable to q
70 worthy Odd Fellows The establishing
ID Of the Patriarchal Order gave fresh in
lie pulses to Odd Fellowship, and in mo
q. parts of the country it greatly increase
he in numbers and usefulness.
t. In 1881 New Jersey, Delaware al
ID Ohio, were added to the Order. Abo
this period many changes took place
in the government Of Odd Fellowship. [
n to this time il had been the usage to vo
ts sick benefits. without reference to q