The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1869-02-27

;. father aud founder of Odd Fellowship in
| America" brought about the organization
of Washington Lodge No ], i. y. o. F., at
\ baltimore, Mary lasd. Prior to that time
several lodges of the Order we're started in
| other localities on the continent Shaks-
peare Grand Lodge having beeBfounded in
this city as early as the year 1906, and met
in building. located where the office of the
lCommercial Advertiser now stands but the
| lodges that existed previous to 1919 did not,
| for various reasons, prosper for any cOnsid-
erable length Of time, SO that &c may be con
! fdsntly stated that the good seed of Odd
! Fellowship was planted in American ground
! by &" Father Wildey, as above set forth
! The Order possessed IL local habitation
and a name" in the Old World for many
years anterior to the date Of its introduc
| ton upon the Western, hemisphere, but it
was regarded a century ago as a convivial
society (indeed, all societies In the good
| old times were conducted pretty much Un
a spirit level although it was likewise Il
benevolent Institution, operating however,
without any definite system as to aid or re
lief in cases of sickness and distress.
Odd Fellowship is entitled to the honor Of
having taken the leadin temperance reform
in this country, inasmuch as years before
the WashingtOnian movement was started,
this Order adopted regulations IorbiddIng
the use of stimulating beverages in lodge
rooms, and stignIatizing intemperance as a
disgrnceGul and ruinOus habit The ad
yanccd positian t!aus taken by the Order Of
Odd Fellows gave it a favorblc prestige,
aud rapidly did it increase in numbers,
responsibility, and intiuence. In 1880 the
Order had extended into six States and the
District of Columbia, comprising total
IN em bership of over 8 ,000. In 1910 there
were lodges in twenty one States and Ter
ritorie9, with an aggregate members ship Of
more tlIln i 600; and ia 1850 the organ
zatidn had augmented to l15 900 members,
in , $50 subordinate lodges The Order,
under the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge
of the United States now numbers about
10000 contributing members, comprised
in $500 lodges. and located in every State
and Territory in thesUnion, in the Canadian
dominion, in British Columbia, in Australia,
and the islands Of the Pacific Ocean. he
rapid ctowth of the Order throughout the
world s something remarkable, the various
branches of the fratcrna family of Odd
Fellows numbering in the aggregate at least
900, 0UU men. The total revenue of the
Order in the New World during the past
year approximared 3, 5000 70, and the dis
burseme nts IN the same time for relieving
the warts Of sick and needy brothers, bury
ing the dead, assisting the widow, and edu
$SOU,00O The resources of the Order are
immense, probably $5O,000,000; and many
fiRe buildings for lodge and cncampment
purposes are owned by the brotherhood
One incident tending to show the moral
influence of the Order Is that during our
lute civil war this Institution was the only
one which remained intact-Alasonry and
the churches of all denominations seeded
| from each Otber-and when the Grand
/ I \ Al, SAoA Dill
more, every State and Territory was repre-
scented. 1t is the only institution in the
country that has stood the test of time.
| People would have thought that in South
| Carolina all the ties that bound The people
| there to the United States were severed, but,
to their eternal honor be it said, they always
recognized the principal source of power,
and owned the authority of the Grand
! Lodge of the United States When In Bal
timore the Wildey monument was inaugu-
rated, it was grand spectacle to see the
men who-were SO lately seeking each 9TH
ers' lives, marching in the procession, and
all recognizing the one word " Brother.
This principle is really a power, and a
/ mighty power. A million of men had been
| in arms, and the fraternity survived. the
shock. ELL-l5 . aa
! Now, a word about the objects and op-
erations OF this organization Its motto is,
/ :. t.FFieIIdshiP, Love and Truth, and its min
listers are To visit the SICK relieve the dis
| treSsed, bury tho dead, and educate the or
| phan." That the Order practices these
| things is shown by the large amount ex
! pended in affOrding relief IN a single year
| and it should be borne in mind that this
| does not comprehend the innumerable acts
of benevolence aud bi biotherly kindness per-
! formed, which are treasured in the heart,
4 but do not effect the treasury of the society
! Every member of the aIiliation is entitled
| to benefits in time of illness and on his
decease his widow Gt he leaves one) re-
Eceives stipulated sum of money. She Is
subsequently, aided as circumstances may
REQUIRE, and her children are guarded with
| fatherly care. 1t is estimated that 10000
| orphans are under the immediate protection
! of the Order. e,
The actuating principles Of Odd Fellow
ship are based upon the firm foundation of
benevolencc and charity. The lessons in
culeated ia all the teachings of the Order
are in accordance with the belief in the
tfathertood of God and the universal broth
erhood of man. Odd Fellowship is not, as
some people imagine, at variance with the
christian religion On the contrary, 1t Is a
potent auxiliary thereof, for while IL fosters
the spirit Of federation, no man who is not
a believer in the Supreme Ruler of the
/ universe, and does not possess a good moral
character, can gain admission into the
lhallowed preciucts of this Order. Never
theless, the eocietv holds nc affinity with
systems of faith or sects, whether religious
or political, and therefore, men of every
creed and party meet and mingle in the
lodge room for mutual counsel and sOcia
converse.
A great deaIhas been said about the mys
'tterious secrets OF Odd Fellowship. ThesC
tsrrible secrets seem TO be only the mode o
initiation and the signs and tokens OF mu
tual- recognition. These are kept secre