Weekly Trinity journal., 1861-12-07
Extract from -. III. Parkcr's Euiogy ON
Pust Grand Sire Thomas Wiidcy.

"In the year 1880, Montgomery, the English
poet immortnliZed the Order of Odd Fellowship
by songs of surprising beauty and pocsy. tlity
years-a half ccnLury-ago, Thomas Nlidey
was made an Odd Fellow. How great has been
the change of all terrestrial things IN that period
Of time and yet in the sight OF Him whom we
all reverence, u thousand years are rs but one
day
Fifty years ago, had we looked in at an upper
chamber of an English tavern, in one of the mid
die counties Of the old country, we should have
beheld the cmhlems, the rcgalia. the furniture and
paraphcrnaia of an odd Fellows Lodge, very
much as we have seen it in later times. The chair
of its presiding officer is decorated with scarlet
and purple, emblematic of his power to rule and
govern his Lodge, The hall is crowded ; an ca
Ger interest of pleasure and delight is to be seen
on the face of every odd Fellow. The signal is
given the pipe aud the bowl is laid aside the
sound of song and revelry are hushcd. a young
and stalwart mana blacksmith, with brawny
arm and frank aud benevolent countcmnce-ad- :
vances to she smoking altar, aud with bended
knee and ouistrctched hands, enters into sol
cmn covenant to stand by his brother in the hour
of sickness and adversely, aud should Providence
deprive his family of its head, he was to see that
the widow and little ones came not TO poverty
and want lie rises to his feet. The new duties
which he has this night voluntarily assumed are
explained to him-he receives the mystic word
he is taught the mystic sign-his hand feels the
pressure of the mystic grip-the song of triumph
aud Joy rings aloud in that upper room, starting
the sleepers in the rooms below from their slum-
bers, for this night, according to ancient usage,
Thomas Wldcy is initiated into and made nc
quainted with the work and organization OF a
Lodge of Odd Fellows Music and revelry. song
and sentiment, and speech, with the rapid circu
lation of the flowing bowl, detain the brethren
until the small hours are rapidly waning, aud
a. IN oIpb hn in hp
midst of their orgies. One by one they drop out,
and the scenes Of that memorable night are for
ever closed.
/ Again Three years have passed since the
scenes we have Just related had been enacted
the Order of odd Fellows have increased tenfod
in numbers and power Among the multi tudeS
who had become initiated were many men OF
sound minds, and Of great Intelligence, who be
lieved that if some reform was made, the conviv-
ial character of the Order changed to sober use
fulness, much future good would be the result
The Grand Lodge met in solemn c0nvocution--
two parties were thcre--tae one coutcndcd for
ancient usage they said, "rcmove not the land.
marks which our fathers have set" Let us hand
down to posterty our Order in its primitive beau.
tv, with no stone removed from its place. The
new or progress party, wished to Danish from the
Lodge the pipe aud the bowl, and to make the in
stitnlion one purely Of intellectual advancement
for the dissemination of the principles Of friend
shin and benevoence. The strife waXed warm,
and a call from labor to refreshment increased
the turmoil and those who were OF the reform
or progress party finding themselves in n minor
itv, Withdrew, and called themselves the Inde-
pendent Order Of odd Fellows
To-day in the Now World, and in the Old, the
Independent Order numbers five millions of souls
while the Ancient Order has made little or nc
progress Thomas Wildey now Past Grand VIII
dey, is found as ever on the side OF right and il
n leading and active member Of the Independent
Order.
Change The scene Forty-Gve years ago, when
the autumuas ayes were falling from our beau
tifu American forests, when it was long week.
Journey from New York to Washington, solita
ry traveller weary and sore, who had been a
week on foot travelling from New Iork to Phla
delpbia in search Of employment, enters taverI
near the water side, upon the banks of the Della
ware in the city Of brotherly love. The travel
cr, footsorc aud weary with his long journey, de
srcs rest, and more than rest, the society of thos
who can sympathize with the stranger in
strange land. He asks If there are Odd Fellow
there-one is found, aud he is acquainted witt
one more. These three meet in social concours
in manner known only to Odd Fellows but N
Others can be found in the great State of Penn
sylvana. Philadelphia is not to be the futur
American Mecca OF Odd Fellowship.
OuI llNNtlcI pNHoco Oii ""N SS'i ""J5 i"sSi hhb
him quietly located and pursuing his vocation il
Baltimore, now the Monumental City, He ha
found an old English friend, a brother Odd Eel
low they talk over all the old scenes Of Father
land, and think they would be much happie
could they have their old associations in th
Lodge But then from time whence the memo
ry of man runnetb not to the contrary, it has Ia
ken five good aud true men to constitute Lodg
and there were only two of them. After mue
conversation they concluded to pnt notice il
the newspapers requesting all Odd Fellows ffon
the old country to meet at the tavern on the ZOt
of April, 1919.
With anxious hearts these two wonded thel
way to the public house on that memorable nlgn'
and there met three strangers, but brother Od'
Fellows, and thus originated The first Lodge OF
American soil Our traveller, Thomas "ldey'
unanimously chosen presiding officer, ana iron
that time all went joyous and merry as a mar
riage bell -,,
Change again the scene. Three years nave roil
ed away the little band OF I'VE mas increased u
hundreds other Lodges have been organized
the dissemination OF the principles ol Friendship
Love and Truth, are beginning to be appreciated
1t is necessary for the institution to have some
grand head. A Grand Lodge OF Maryland is or
ganized, and, with one consent, Thomas WlldeI
becomes its head and Grand Master-none mor'
faithful none more capable, none more true, thar
he who planted our standard III the New world