The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1869-04-28
. THE ODD-FELLOWS.
SEMI-CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION
THE PROCESSION IN PHILADELPHIA.

PHrLADELpH1A, April 26.-To-day the
Odd-Fellows celebrated the semi-centen-
NAL anniversary Of the establishment of
their Order in this country. The celebra-
ton was the grandest affair Of the kind
ever seen in this country. Delegations
were present from all sections Of the United
States, and the affair was one well calcu-
lated to impress the public at large with a
favorable idea of the widespread influence
Of the Order. The weather was fine, and
the whole city was decorated With flags,
and Broad street, whore the Lodges formed
in procession, was alive with spectators.
The route Of march was about four miles
in length. The streets were thronged with
citizens and strangers, and salute Of 100
guns was fred at Penn Square in honor of
the occasion.
THE EXERCISES, ADDRESSES, ETC.
| at about o'clock A. M. the exercises at
the Academy Of Music commenced, and
were very impressive. The vast building
was filled 10 ove1fiowipg. The music was
very fine. After an address Of welcome by
Past Grand Master Stokes, and responded
to by Grand Sire E. D. Farnsworth, James
L. Ridgely, Esq., of Baltimore, Grand
Secretary to the Grand Lodge Of the United
States, delivered an historical oration upon
the Order. he reviewed very minutely the
rise and progress Of the Order, it's difficult
ties and discouragements in its early days,
| both in Europe and America. He then
spoke of the origin of the Order in Balti.
more, and eulegized those who introduced
it there, particularly Thomas Wildey, John
WEIGH, John Duncan, John Cheatham, and
Richard Rushwood. After referring to the
house where they met to form the first
| Lodge in Baltimore, known as Washington
Lodge, ne gave long review Of the slow
growth and subsequent prosperity Of the
Order in Baltimore, and its final increase,
against many prejudices and obstacles, in
| all the States of the Union, Canada, SC.
Speaking Of Odd-Fellowship generally, Mr..
Ridgely remarked:
would impress upon my brethren ths
important truth that Odd Fellowship is not
a religious society. Let no mistakes be
made upon subject 30 momentous and
grave as this, involving as it does the
highest interests Of the soul. Our labors
concern this world the relations of man to
man in it; the education and training of
the heart to practical benefcence. Whilst
we regard our own scheme with special
favor, and we'll adapted to the end, we ere
not arrayed againet other and noble forms
of effort in the same direction nor is our
work and it's fruits vaunted before the pub
lie gaze yet the footprint of Odd-FelloW-
ship has so indelibly marked it's path during
fifty years that its god-like virtue can no
more be obscured than may truth itself be
stricken from the moral armament"
Mr.. Ridgely concluded by referring in
feeling terms to Messrs. John Boyd and
Augustus Mathiot, of Baltimore, the only
two surviving members of Washington
Lodge, and to Mr.. Benjamin Dafin, fer
merly of Pennsylvania, but nov, and for
several years, resident Of Baltimore.
HISTORY OF THE ORDER.
The first Odd Fellows Lodge in the United
States was organized in Baltimore on the
26th of April, 1919, by Thomas Wildey !;
| and although the Order had but feeble
existence for some years, it continued to
grow, and it gradually increased in popu-
larity and influence. The Order is bene-
fetal organization, and it carries out in the
fullest manner the injunction which forms
the motto on the seal of the Grand Lodge of
the United States, 4" We command you to
visit the sick, bury the dead, and educate
the orphan land during the half century
which has just expired, the sum Of S2O,-
l53,592 has been expended for these OBJ
jects. From this fund, relief was afforded
to 6S4 ,lS9 members and to 55,198 families
which the death Of husbands and fathers
placed under the care of the Order. Du-
ring the year 1868 the sum of 1851, 1,55621
was expended for the same objects, or near
ly one-twentieth Of the whole amount of
the entire half century. Since the foun-
dation of the Order in the United States
COG, 1927 members have been initiated, and
on the 30th Of June, 1868, there were 3, ,195
grand and subordinate Lodges in the United
States, and over 245, 900 members.
THE PARADE.
The procession moved at IL Nj. in twenty
grand divisions and with forty-two bands
of music. There were about 10000 Odd
Fellows in the line of procession 10000
reported to the committees here; but in
consequence Of the heat Of the day about
10000 of them did not take part in the pa
rade. .s-.r-l ........ .rr..~e -.
The sixteenth division embraced the sub
ordinate Lodges of the District of Columbia
and New York, and the division was mar
shaled by John c. shafer, of Washington.
The entire procession was headed by Grand
Marshal Thomas A. Rowley, Of the Grand
Lodge of Pennsylvania.
The appearance Of the procession was
very fine in Broad street, but in the mar
rover streets it was difficult to get view Of
it, except from some elevation. By the
regulations, only the collars of regalia we're
worn. These and the rich decorations Of
the Grand Lodges and Encampments, and
badges and banners, served somewhat to
relieve the sombre black. The men walked
eight abreast. The day was observed as q
holiday; the public schools were closed !;
csnnons were fired, and everybody was on
the street. @ E "1a.. aat&
The Enoampment members were in black
aprons and gloves, the Patrisrchs who have
attained the Royal Purple Degree wearing
purple collars only, trimmed with lace OF
fringe. Past Chief Patriarchs, purple col
lars. The Grand Representatives wore
collars of purple velvet, with roll Of
scarlet velvet, trimmed with white and
yellow meta, tathe collar united in front
with three links. zJ
The Lodges snda Encampments Of Mary
land formed the seventeenth and eighteenth
divisions Of the procession. sColonels s. S.
Mills. and Joshua Lynch, chief marshals !;
and Msjor Philip NJ. snowden, Colonel
Robert G. King, J. Peck Dukehart, and
John F. Rsinicker, assistant marshsls.
oBsEnvANcEs IN OTHER CITIES. ~ -
The anniversary Was well observed in
other cities. There Was considerable dis