Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1868-04-28
Anniversary Celebration Of the hide
a. pendent Order Odd Fellows.
# TREpoRTED FOR THE aAzETTE.]

REPORTED FOR THE GAZETTE.
The 49th anniversary of the establishment of
this order was celebrated by the Odd Fellows
of this city yesterday, by an excursion to Lees
burg. The excursion party, consisting of Poto-
mac Lodge No 50, Sarepta Lodge No, ,46, and
Marley Encampment No. 6, Of Alexandria;
Mechanics Lodge No.. Is, Of Georgetown u.
G.. and delegations from Oriental, Columbia,
Central, and Metropolis Lodges Of Washington,
D. c., together with large number OF friends
of the order, including many ladies OF this city,
embarked on the cars at s, o clock a. M, and
arrived in Leesburg shortly before eleven, where
they were received at the depot by the Lodge
of that place, in brief and telicitous address
of welcome by D. G. M. George R. Head, of
Leesburg, who was responded to by Z. u. M.
Hugh Latham, of this city. The procession
then formed, and preceded by the Odd Fellows
of Leesburg, headed by Heads band, from
Washington, and Marshaled by George K.
Head, of Leesburg A. D. Warield, of Poto-
mac Lodge John A. Arnold, of Sarepta
Lodge; G. F.Webster, of Marley Encampment;
and j. r. Ball, ofMechanics' Lodge, marched
through some Of the principal streets of the
town. the sidewalks Of which were adorned
with the youth and beauty that, mingled
with those of soberer years, throngef them !;
and with words and looks wccomedthe visitors
The day was most propitious. The clouds
that for so long had poured their showers upon
the earth, were all dispelled, and the sun shonc
warmly and chceringly on the green verdure
now beginning to clothe the earth in vcrnal
beauty and freshness. The streets everywhere
were thronged, ard Ia fact agreeable to all who
have taken part in such PROFESSIONS the walk
ing was good. az. 4ErE~
Arrived at the NJ. L. Church, South, where
the Grafton was to be delivered, the members
of the order were seated in the body of the
church, which they filed, the galleries being
crowded to OVERLOOKING with ladies. Alter an
appropriate anthem by the choir, and prayer
by the pastor, Rev. David Shoaf, d. e. NJ.
Head introduced the orator of the day, DR.. r.
Finley Hunt, of Washington, D. O., who pro.
ceeded to deliver the address Of the day. lie
traced the history Of the order from its orsanl-
cation through the difficulties OF its early career,
and gave much interesting statistical and other
information concerning it from that time TO the
present. In 1919 the first Lodge was organized
in this country, and at the present date the
number of Odd Fellows is stated to be over
200, O00 A feeling tribute was paid to the
memory of the illustrious Thomas Wildey, the
founder of the first American Lodge The Or
der is still laboring under the depressing and
disorganizing effects Of the late war, but it
had passed successfully through that trial which
had sundered and destroyed so many other
orders The principles Of the order-to har'
monize mankind-to bring all into one unlver-
sal brotherhood-to visit the sick-to relieve
the distressed-to bury the dead to educate
the orphan-wcre calculated and unloIded as
practised by them everywhere, and these prln-
ciples are constantly enforced in every ccremo.
NAL and rite, as a most sacred and binding duty
The entire address was repleto with instruc'
ton and elegant in diction. At its conclusion
the choir sung another anthem, and I. L. NJ.
Stewart, Of Washington, made few pertinent
and pleasant remarks, at the conclusion OF
whick the Doxology was sung, and the assem-
blage was dismissed with the Benedlctlon by
the pastor. ... ....... .......-.- .-..
The procession then formed again, and march
ed through the principal streets of the town,
hating at the Lodge of the Leesburg members,
where a sumptuous entertainment was spread,
truly "Od Virginian' in style and variety,
where ali we're fed 10 safety, and abundance
was to spare. The Alcxandrians will long re-
member having been the guests of the Lees
burg Odd Fellows. After dinner the visitors
scattered over the city. viewing tho various
scenes of interest, or being the guests of their
friends and acquaintance, and spending III all
respects most agreeable afternoon. Towards
nightfa they were collected in groups by their
kind hosts, and furnished with suppers at their
houses. The good people Of Leesburg seemed
to have lost none of their old time hospitality,
but we're as generous and cordial as ever. IT,.
After night the band accompanying the ex-
cursionists scrcnaded number of the citizens
of Leesburg, and also the Offices oil the Mirror,
Washingtonian and Standard newspapers.
At ten o'clock the party assembled at the
depot, and amid the cheers Of the crowd and
the farewells of friends, the train moved off for
Alexandria, and so ended the day at Leesburg.
The excursion numbered in all about three
hundred, two thirds Of whom we're Odd Eel
lows, and filled number of cars. The pleasure
of the evening was marred to some extent by
the rude behavior of few men in the ladies
car, from Washington, who seemed entirely re-
gardless of the proprieties Of civilization, and
altogether ignorant Of what constitutes a gen.
tleman. .-'s. &. "a.
The rennrter is under obi gations to the editor