Weekly Trinity journal., 1859-04-30
ADDR E SIS,
CALVIN D. MCDONALD.

ADDRESS.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, AND BROTHERS -
You have required me to speak of Odd Fellow
ship: The honor OF having been thus appointc d
! hy the brothers OF North Star Lodge and Stella
Encampment was distinction unexpected, and
was, am persuaded, injudicously conferred My
vocation, in great degree, units me for public
speaking; my place is in the retirement Of home,
rather than before an intelligent and cxp"ctant
assembly like this; my unimportant thoughts are
not wont to end expression in the sonorous tones
of the orator, and am sorry that brother more
pleasing in address had not been appointed to
this important Office But, not ascending the high
places Of eloqnencc, an unpretendng citizen, in
unimprcssive sperch. may not be found wanting
in reverence for that blessed trinity Of principle,
sought TO be honorcd on this occasion: The stam-
mcring child who lifts his unschoOle1 hand in
earnest prayer, is n preacher of faith, eloquent
as the master Of oratory whose sounding senten-
ccs flow from the forum.
This is day Of extraordinary commcmorntion;
it is a season of celebrity throughout the land.
All over the western world wherever a family of
Odd Fellows are discovered, joyful convocatons
are made. and the sacred symbols of Friendship
Love and Truth are turned to the welcome light
Forty years ago, five persons met in Baltimore,
at the " Sign of the Seven Stars" and instituted
the first lodge of Odd Fellowship established
permanently in America; meeting in an obscure
tavern, they patriotically named their little soci
ETY. Washington Lodge, Number Onc.' 1t is
that FIRST successful establishment of the Order
the Western Continent which we celebrate to-day.
Previous organizations had been made, but in
their impcrfcctions had brief existence. until
Thomas Wildcy, an English blacksmith, and q
member of the Order in Europe, advertising in a
newspaper of Baltimore, requested all members
of the fraternity. wherever born and wherever
residing in the United States, TO meet at the
"Sign of the Seven Stars" on the 26th Of April.
1879. Five brethren respon1ed-0vp. only, Of
the millions pcopling this vast contin"n', aud that
night they built an altar TO Friendship, Love and
| Truth.
It would be improper TO tire you now with
particular history of the Order. or to speculate
in uncertainty on the time of its original insttn-
ton; have briefly explained why we celebrate
this day, and, in the little time apportioncd to
exercises here, fuller historical remark would he
ont Of place Let us contemplate the beautiful
and enduring structure reared in these two score
years, rather than study antiquity of The original
cdificc let us be content that the principle of onr
brotherhood have been from forever, whatever
may have been the age of their union under the
name of Odd Fellowship. When The morning
stars sang together, there was Friendship in
Heaven; from the creation of angels there was
of life in all the unpeoplcd universe, Truth had
existed coeval with Himself, and from the time
when wondering hosts came down 10 see the mar
velous creations of Eden, Friendship, Love and
Truth have walked among the habtations Of men,
now resting by the kingly palace, now lingering
in The tabernacles of the poor. Thus, with or
ganic principles ancient as the beginning of
intelligent existence, il is not material to estab-
lish great antiquity Of union A cbronicer has
said that the Order originated in the Roman
camp, during the reign of Nero, and that the
term "Fellow CiIizcn' was changed to Odd
Follow" because of their strange conduct, be-
cause they could recognize one another in the
dark and on account Of their fidelity and love OF
country; this, however, Is but uncertain tradition,
and gladly turn from the dim realms Of oral
story to the written testimony of later time. We
have better authority for assertion that the Order
existed in Spain in :he 6lh century, in the next
in Portugal, in the twelfth century In France
g., 7 L.. r n I,
Lodge of Honor was instituted, from which orig.
mated the Loyal Ancient, Union and Manchester
Orders; and from the last grew the Independent
OIder, Of which North Star Lodge is a unit We
are content that other fraternities, exalted in
purpose and benevolent in principle, should date
If they choose, from the beginning of ages we
enumeraie the landmarks of briefer existence
Men admire the ancient tree whose aspiring trunk
has lifted the moss OF many centuries to wonder
ful altitude; hut they Lore the humble chestnut
and larch which their fathers hands had planted;
we love them because they shaded us in childhood;
because, under their shadows our mothers listened
to the oft-told story of our fathers love; because
while we slept in infant innocence, their sturdy
arms wrcsted with the assaulting storm, and
when they begin 10 srcak and groan in the con
sumption of age, we implorc for them the axe
mans pity
"The little trees our mothers planted in the
garden,
Bound OF Onr first home, from whence the fra
grant peach -
Fell in its ripening gold, were dearer far
Than all this deep, dark forest, shutting out the
day"
] From the "Seven Stars" have gone out pow.