Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-10-01
ODD FELLOWS.
Annual Commune alton of the b. w
Grand Lodge, i. o. d. F., Of the
United states, I'm the City of San
Francisco.


Grand Lodge, i. o. o. F.. of the
United states, I'm the City of San
Francisco.
From the Alta Californian. Sept 81.
Yesterday morning at o'clock the r. w.
Grand Lodge. /. o. Q. f., of the United States
assembled at odd Fellows, Hal. and were es;
corted thence by the r. W. Grand Lodge Of
California to Pacific Hall. on Bush street. The
| Gommnnicafion was opened with the following
address of welcome By J. B. Harmon, r. w.
Grand Master of California:
ADDRESS OF WELCOME.
Most Worthy Grand Sire, Officers and Repre-
| sentatiyes: AT last the long looked for hour has
| come. The Grand Lodge OF CALIFORNIA stands
| face to face with the Grand Lodge of the United
States which ought to DC IN name Snao u MI vi
Fellowship. For few days you have trod the
soil of this great State; you have gone with US,
through the Golden Gate into the Pacific; you
have stood there and had your souls hlled with
| thoughts TOO big for utterance. L could see, as
The e9snS exten Of Ss
| tinent; the grand future of America and her in
| situations; the omniscience, the Omnipresence
| and the omnipotence of God. When you sailed
| bv Yerba Buena, Alcatraz and Fort Point. out
| through that remarkable channel leading from
| the Bay of San Francisco into the ocean of
oceans Won seemed to feel that those mountains
| were there sundered by His almighty hand ex-
1 pressly to point out to the people who should
| inhabft this continent the gateway through
l which
The eartb and as the steamer turned and headed
for the bay again. 1t was PLAN tnat you all felt
! that he. is empire.
| BROTHERS am not mistaken. And with these
| high thouehts and these throbbing hearts, 1
know that Won have resolved, so tar as In you
| lies, to make Odd Fellowship here. and In all
the civilized world. great humanlzLng; moral tE
power l know that you have all, within the
| last three days, felt that you STOOD IN tne
presence of the shsdowy past and the mighty
future, and that in view OF your solemn IRE re-
our affairs. You have thanked God that he mas
brought you safely here permitted you to take
by the hand the brotherhood on this coast ana
see these wondrous things.
Brotherhood Nothing so deep in the human
heart; nothing so touching as the feeling CT
kinship with the whole human racecthe feeling
that, everywhere upon the face OF the earth,
man would weep if you were sad
Come, then, and take these chairs. occupy /
this hall. accept the h0spit lities of this city.
Whatever the GSand Lodge of California can do i
to make your stay pleasant Will be done. 1ou
come from the dear spots where we were born 1
from the graves of our fathers; from the little
mounds where our infant brothers and sisters
were early laid away to sleep. Between you and
us there is an unseen spiritual communion OF /
which We know better than you. Ever green be /
the memory of these days. May our common
Father give you that wisdom 10 council and that i
largeness of heart which shall exalt and per-
petuate odd Fellowship.
RESPONSE OF THE GRAND SIRE
The address of Mr.. Harmon was responded To-
States, by the R. W. Grand Sire Ed. d Fares /
worth, of Tennessee:
Grand Master Harmon and Members of the |
Grand Lodge of California The X. w. Grand L
Lodge of the United States, which you have in i
Quoted into this hall for the purpose of holding
the annual communica ion Of that body for the
year, directs me to return thanks to you for the
care you have taken to provide for the accom-
mo1atiOD for its session, at once suitable ana
splendid; and for the fraternal and hOspitable
zeal you have displayed in securing their con-
in ha
business which mas convened 1t.
The K. W. GraUd Lodge at its communication
in Baltimore last year accepted your generous
Invitation and fixed your city as the point for
its meeting on this day, fully knowing that It
came from the hearts of California Odd Fellows, |
and that nothing necessary IN the long and
PEELED to make, and nothing In the PROVISIONS
for their comfort as body or as individuals,
during the session. would be letS undone by
their warm and willing hands.
1t affords me pleasure to testify to your oihceIs
and to this body the qualification which the h. |
W. Grand Lodge experiences at the mqnltcent
and OVERLOOKING liberality which you have ex-
hibIted, and that they confidently anticipate |
that the session this day commenced under such |
hattering auspices will realize all that was ex-
pected. and fully recOmpense the labor that has
inaugurated II under these novel circumstances. l
need not, on behalf ofthe body to which
have the honor to speak, assure the Grand |
Lodge of California of the deep interest which |
il feels in this jurisdiction, and OF the PRIDE
with which 1t has watched. under It's lead, IN |
1
Steadily, from the day of organization of your |
Grand Body. has it increased, and 1t has now |
become one of the fairest IN the c2ronet OF |
Grand Lodges on this continent; without tG Ia ttil
preme Body, and always through brethren who |
were fit types of the true, earnest and faithful |
Odd Fellows of California.
In breadth and liberality of sentiments, and |
in the wisdom of the counsel they afforded the |
delberation of that body, they have demeaned |
themselves as bright Odd Fellows. and given
van
viable and justly wide influence IN the Ma
tiOnal Legislature of the Order.
The K. w. Grand Lodge was DESTROYS of the 4
opportunity to testify their appreciation of your
efforts, by coming in your midst and are proud
of the honor you have extended in supplying
the means by which that object could be ac-
It is assured that mutual good to the general
interest of the fraternity and to the special in-
terest to the brethren of the Western jurisdic-
ton, will be the result of this visit; and will Il
faithfully address itself to the important sub
jects before it, with view OF making this as
surance doubly sure in return for your noble zeal
and liberality in the great cause we have at Il
heart.
Again thanking you Sir, and Brethren, l an
United States will now proceed to occupy this |
Hall. and open in due form its tOrty-htth An
nual communication.
OPENING PRAYER.
The r. W. Grand Chaplain. Rev. J. W. Vena- |
Bile. of Kentucky, then addressed the Throne OF |
Almighty and Eternal God, our Creator and |
Pre5erver: We appear before Thee at this time
as family Of brethren. gathered from all sec
tiOns of this great country, and united IN the
strong bonds OF Friendship, Love and Truth.
We adore Thee for all Thy mercies, and esPe-
cially for Thy , care over US during our recent
it that peril danger befell us while travel
ing from our distant homes across the con lnent,
to meet together on the Pacific shore, and hold |
sweet counsel for the interest of our widely eX~
tended brotherhood. We desire TO acknOv ledge
our unworthiness in Thy sight, and we feel that
without Thy divine help all our purposes are
Intellectual, and all our efforts vain Inspire
our hearts, we beseech Thee, with true sense
of our dependence upon Thee, at all times and
in all undertakings, and make us to labor earn
estly in our several stations for the promotion
| of thy glory, aud the good Of our fellow men.
Look with favor upon our benevolent order
and aid us in our mis-; TO suffering humanity
Bless the widow and the orphan; aid all who
| are in trouble or distress, and send them all
needful help.
Be with this assembly at this time; direct and
guide us in our deliberations, that no evil splTlt
| may influence our decisions, but the spirit of
| peace harmony and love may prevail among US
at all times.
| O Almighty Father, who art always more ready
| to hear than We to pray, and art wont to give
| more than either we desire or deserve; incline
| Thine ear unto US W no have DOW made our
| prayers and supplcatiOns unto Thee, and an
swer our petitions in the way that shall be most
| expedent for US, and when our labOIs of love are
ended upon earth may we enter into the The! rest
.
| Thy redeemed family, unite in assumptions OF
| praise to Thy Holy Name for ever and ever.
| Amen.
COMMITTEE on CREDENTIALS.
The following were announced by the N. ".
| Grand Master as the Committee on Credentials:
| Rep. Ellison of Massachusetts, p. G.. Sire; Rep.
| eileen, of Iowa; Rep. McAfee. # Ontario; Rep.
| Bailey. of PennsyII aniai Rep Mclean. Of lis
up G. Rep. David Meeker. eff California, was
| appointed guardian of the lower door Of the
hall.
| GOMMUSIC ATOMS RECEIVED.
! From a committee of the British Benevolent
| Association inviting the Grand Lodge 70 visit
| CaIif.rnil Theater on the evening of Wednes
| Tnv next it being n benefit Of said association.
| from the Chamber OF COUm cree, melting the
| Grand Lods SO to Z reception last esenirg at
And from the Executive Committee Of the
Grand Lodge of California, with invitations as
From the Board of Supervisors Of the city
| and county of San Francisco. to visit the public
| offices and institutions. WIS., ...
| From the Board of Fire Commissioners, TO
| witness the operations Of the deOartme 1t.
| From the MechanicS' Institute to visit the
From the Mercantile Library Association.
rendering the free use Of their rooms and IL
brary.
From the San Francisco Stock and EXCHANGE.
| Board to visit the board when in sesslOn-all OF
which were accepted, and the thanks OF the
Grand Lodge were returned for the same.
| After the allotment of seats the Gran1 Lodge
| took recess until P. N.
| AFTERNOON SESSION.
Upcn Resembling after the recess the re-
ports of the Grand Sire and Grand Secretary,
of which synopsis is given below. were pre-
| sented p. q, VIM. Miller, of California Lodge
\ n Assistant Manager.