The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1867-04-27
Grand Celebration of the 18th ami
vcrsary OF Odd Fellowship In the
United States, and Great Thanks
giving.

United States, Yesterday was cele-
brated by the Odd Fellows of the
whole United States as the 46th ami
versary of the institution of Odd Fell
lowship in the United States Of Amer
ca, and especially as a day of Thanks.
giving, In view of the fact that the
order had remained intact through
out the late terrible war that deluged
our land IN blood a s i
The arrival Of he News Boy
brought several members of the order
from Henderson, and the morning
train from the, North brought many
of the brethren from Princeton and
other points on the line of the raj
road.
AT 81 O'Clock the members of the
fraternity In the city assembled at
their Lodge room and perfected their
arrangements. xfs4a4A -
The day was very beautiful, and
but. for the dust, which was somewhat
annoying, the weather would have
been all that could have been desired.
Alta few minutes after 10 O'Clock, the
procession was formed on First Street,
under the direction of the Grand.
Marshal, Bro. Roland Fisher, assisted
by FIVE assistants, Members ofsubordi-
nate Lodges took the head of the col
umn, those of the lower degrees hay-
ing precedence In regular order, rising
in rank to the zeal of the procession,
which was closed by the orator of the
sday, Rev. B. f. Rawlins, supported
on either hand by a brother Of the
| highest rank in the Order.
The procession was led by the
Crescent City Silver Band, who turned
out in full force, and made the most
delightful and spirited music. Be-
tween the members of the subordinate
Lodges and the large company of
Patriarchs. or Camp members, came
the Turner's Band. making good mu-
sic and adding to the interest of the
occasion. Immediately in their real
was our venerable Brother Hiram
Nelson, bearing the Sacred Scriptures.
The procession was the largest we
ever. saw in the city, numbering about
400, and with their gorgeous regalia,
many of them being extremely beauti-
fuland rich. and the various emblems
of the Order, the procession made a
grand and imposing display.
After traversing several streets, ac-.
cording to the. programme, they ar
rived at Trinity Church, on Third
Street. where a vast crowd of people
had congregated. The streets along
the line of march were crowded with
men, women and children, eager to
witness the attractive pageant. The
Order was seated in the middle
blocks of the truly magnificent
Church, after which the crowd was
admitted until there was room for no
more, and large numbers crowded the
doors and vestibule unable to obtain
- ENf
The exercises In the Church COM.
menced with a spirited piece of music
admirably executed by the Crescent
City Silver Band, after which was
sung a beautiful opening ode by the
7 church choir, in which the Brother
hood and the vast assembly joined.
A beautiful and highly appropriate
pfayer Vas offered up by the Rev. C.
! N Sfurs, sslienEzanother beautiful ode
was sung, after which the. Rev. B. F.
Rawlins was Introduced ana pfoceeeled
TO deliver a most learned, eloquent,
and highly edifying address which, we
regret, we have not room to publish.
entlH3aId ) 1IIH0HLAa ,by4
The speaker commenced with a
brief but comprehensive history of
the Order. He disclaimed all pre-,
tence for great, antiauity2fo for the Or
der. 1t was not founded by Adam,
enor had Moses and Aaron anything
to do with Odd Fellowship as it now
exists. except to believe and practice
our principles, Z which arelneither
created nor bern-but> eternal al.
though they were Odd Fellows, the
oldest and girandest Of their time. 1t
did not originate amid the Roman
seldiery in the days of Nero, nor ex-
list among the Cloths, the Huns, the
IS~candinavians, the Suevi, or the
| Moors. Seventeen hundred and