Baton Rouge tri-weekly gazette & comet. [volume] (Baton Rouge, La.) 1865-18??, 1865-10-07
BENEVOLENT SOCIETIES.

1
good by STEALTH" and in his dispsnsatisns
Of charity and benevolencs "not 10 let the
Ileft hand hand know what the right hand
| doeth.'
Those benevolent societies -such IA the
Masonic end Odd Fellows nculcate the
doctrines and principles Of sgsnnino chris
tisn philanthropy among their members
within their lodge rooms, and without any
| sain-glorious parade or Boosting, practic-
! ally illustrate before the world, the effects
Of such teachings
We have in our city two foarishing
lodges-st. James Masonic, and Do Soto
(odd Fsllows,) which have existed for
many years, each numbering some eighty
members or more. The immense amount
Of good enacted by each Of these lodges 40
= body, and BY their members individually
in II public as vol as mutual and iratarnal
sense, /. Of immortal record on high, and
would, II 10 wero proper TO blaZon IL forth,
FIJI volumes Of the dscpnpt interest 10 every
one whose heart beats In unison With the
better feelings q humanity. =.,-s. =.s
We have not thu references az hand by
which NC can fix the precise day Or month
whom st.. Jane. Masonic Lodge was organ
zsa 81 nane Tie psrticulsr brethren who
| assisted At It's birth. The year, however,
w#s 1874, aud the place, the sugar mill Of
JAMS McCA,er, dscessed, IN West Baton
Rouge, wbopcs the Lodge was transferred
10 this city. 8E.*
Application for Tho ehsrtnr Of do Soto
Lodge, |. o. q. r., wss tnsds on The 18th
Of March, 1915, by Hros. WILLIAM DrNHr,
n,rpnYon lsgrr, JA.. +. H,arsF, WILLIAM
MccosBk, u. A. GuNHSGuAH snt AneGe-
TUE KiNe. All Of thopc, save y. 4. Gus.
sIaaaaM, have passed. a@ay to "tbat bourne
from whence no travolor ycturnS." As
We were ono Of the sarlio4t initiates Of The
Lodge in 1876, we rscur with many pleas
nrable emotions, mot unmixed with sadneEs,
to tho rise, progress and changes which
have marked tie history and career up TO
The present time. But, we cannot stop 10
psrtcularize them NJ present.
To soften political and personal ssperi-
tics, and apctiorate the condition Of men
aud communities, whether in tiUs Of
peace or wnr TO Is yisit The sick relieve The
distressed, aud bury The Dead are some
Of tho deeds inculcated aud practiced BY
tho brethren Of the Masonic and Odd Fol
lovp' Lodges.
The great convention oi Odd Fellows in
session et Baltimore several days ago
whero every State In tho Union was repre-
sented save two, and that deficiency owing
TO unavoidable circumstances wns en-
bcmatical OF the cordial union between al
tho States nov no rapidly and happily ap-
proachiuR contamination under tho wise
guidance of President Johnson. Referring
in this connection TO the organization Of
Odd Follows, the Boston Post very justly
says that the noble purposes for W hioh this
grand insttution was established appealt to
the purest emotions of the human heart;
It's members are brethren in the hottest
sense Of tho word; their mission Ii that Of
the Saviour Of the world---to do good unto
mankind. Under such Influences men
minRle with minds free from the selfish
ness which produces war, contention, and
uncharitsbleness, and consult and act to
assuage misery, inculcate virtue, and TO
persuade each to love bis neighbor IN him
self. In this spirit We find citizens lately
In bitter enmity embracing each other rs
dear friends, and rejoicing in reeoncilia-
ton which binds them together in ties Of
lasting amity. No special conditions were
required 10 allow brother from the South
TO join brother from tho North, but VII
we're welcomed; the happy result is hHr
mony, love, nfdenee; and the browning
beauty, to behold the President Of the ma
ton received by fellow citizens Represent
ing every section of the country, with the
affection and respect duo an impartial
Magistrate aud = sympat hstie Bsnefaetor.
How grateful to every Christian aspiration
IL such a scene, aud how illustrative Of tho
power Of mutual kiukness aud elevated
motive. Hors ws see man raised above
his grosser nESare, aud pressed forward by
impulses which aanctify and purify human
deeds until they partakc Of those sublime
attributes which shine With celestial light.
Why may not the same apirit away every
sbesom renew sectional friendships severed
by years Of eumity, and render rs Que poo
Pic in heart and purpose, thus making our
onntry land OF peace for ourselves and
bops and redemption to those who aesk
Is shores This is Whit would give us
security for the fnture,n heal the wounds
ow ranking, ard make the American
people one in fact az well as theory.
The Masons have proposed similar
nian convocation, and an address to this
nd has been issued by Charles q. Winter
|nitb, Z. q. ~, aud I. q. II. r., Of Ken