Bloomsburg democrat. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1867-1869, 1868-03-25
Character Of n True Odd Eel.
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Character Of n True Odd Fell
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In literal matter offact age, like the
present, institutions and individual nom
bers Of such bodies are scanned with close.
ness, Of scrutiny that places their preten
sions uponGa proper level. High profes
sions will not cover up moral delinquencies;
nor will the mere declarations Of adhesion
to the principles Of Benevolencc, Philan
thropy, and Brotherly hove, be accepted BY
the world as substitutes for the absence ol
oil practical action, in accordance with these
principles. ,l r'fi. 3 u,0M sri 81
4 We have never held any visionary opin.
ions regarding the influence Of our Order
we are not believers in the Utopian theories
sometimes promulgated by jealous, but mis-.
taken members Of the Order on this subject.
We do not anticipate any perfectibility Of
man, to be achieved by the agency Of Odd
Fellowship, for we know how deficient must
be every means employed by human ener-
gies. But while thus divesting Odd Fellow.
ship, of any indentiiication with transcen-
dental notions or ultraism, We claim for it a
world rcnovating mission, that places it
among the foremost of the Philanthropic
Institutions Of the age. The practical
character Of our Order entities it to this pre-
cminence. In its corporate capacity, the
great governing principle of charity, on
which it is based, is carried out with syste.
matte and well ordered action. On this fun
damental point Of our Order, we stand i'm.
pregnable against all the shafts Of our oppo-
nents. '' .'''
tits, indeed, spectacle to command ad-
miration, to see an association, comprising
over two hundred thousand members, scat
tered over every portion Of the vast, extend
ed continent, all guided by one handspring
Of action, and that the heayen-directed
principle Of CHARITY The amount Of hu-
man suffering that has been alleviated by
this consolidated effort, could it be known,
would astonish even ourselves, familiar as
We are with the practical operations Of the
Order. Co. existent with our main design
Of Charity, Fraternization. These to great
objects from the fundamental basis of our
organization and collectively as body we
have faithfully and efficiently performed the
duties enjoincd upon us in our affiliated
connection and have heretofore stood be.
fore the world invulnerable, on these leading
principles of Odd Fellowship.
Such is the character of our Order, and
its results, when viewed in in its itts aggregated
form. Our enemies and opponents now
yield to us all We have assumed on this
broad ground Of collective. usefulness and
high-toncd principle. But while conccding
this, they point with bitter sarcasm to the
unworthy acts Of individual members, and
sneer at the dissensions and differences
which are occasionally exhibited 10 our coun.
cils. 1t Is worse than folly to deny that
these charges have no foundation in truth.
We can not disguise facts as they exist
among us. We may lament the existence
of all these defects in our individual mem.
bers; We may deplore the want of unanimi-
ty in our councils: nay, we may palliate our
defections, by asserting that our Institutions
is but human invention-that its members
are now subjected to the common infrmities
Of humanity, and that Odd Fellowship, as
an institution, is not justly, chargeable with
defects, which are alike common to all hu-
man societies, either collectively or individ-
ually; and we shall, to certain extent, be
warranted in making such defense. And
yet when We return to the great fundamen.
tai principles, which should govern us as a
body, and can adequately realize that CHARI-
TY and the cultivation of THE FRATERNI-
ZINC SPIRIT, are the governing laws of Odd
Fellowship, we must place our hands upon
our mouths, and remain dumb before the
accusations to which we are justly exposed,
for we must feel the consciousness that
every individual member of the Order might
act up to the true character of an Odd Eel
low, as well in his private relations, as in his
affiliated position with the Order. What
would be the character Of such member
acting upon the principles enjoined by Odd
Fellows?
The leading traits Of such character may
be better described by negatives than by af-
lirmatives; for the vast extent of individual
duties and responsibilities devolving upon
faithful and worthy member Of our Order
cannot be definitely laid down. z p ,v,.. 4
We say then that the true Odd Fcllow is
not man who allows the natural sel6shness
Of his nature to predominate in evory move
ment he takes in the Order. He is not the
carpipg, irritable opponent of any act Of
generosity and benevolence left discretionary
in the powers of the members. He is not
the petty leader Of triaes in his lodge. He
is not governed by feelings Of personal ex-
element toward his brother members /; for
such feelings are incompatible with our pre-
tensions, aud might be assuaged by simple
regard for our characters as Odd Fellows.
He is not an ambitious and IN intriguing as
pirant for Office and honors, for charity and
brotherly regards are merged in these con.