The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1869-07-29
ANNUAL NEeeting OF the Grand
Eodies OF Odd Fellows at Column


Il L..
COLUMBUS, MISS, July 24th, 'GS.
Dear Clarion Having nothing better to
| do, will take the liberty of giving you a
line from this retired and usually quiet part
OF our State. The Annual meeting of the
Grand Lodge and Grand Encampment OF
| the independent Order of Odd Fellows which
Is being held in this place for the first time,
mas Drought many distinguished strangers
among US, and created quite lively appear
ance 10 our hitherto dull and almost desert
/ ed streets.
The Grand Encampment was opened on
Monday last by ID. n. Barrows, M. w. Grand
High Priest, presiding, in the absence of the
Chief Patriarch. This branch of the Order
was we'll represented, and is steadily in
creasing in members and good material.
On Thursday morning the Grand Lodge
was organized by Col Sam g. Cochran, of
Canton, Grand Master of the State. The
attendance was larger than it has been at
any time before since the close of the war.
A great many of the old Odd Fellows OF
twenty, thirty and forty.ye Years standing came
| up afresh. TO the work aud advancement of
| this benevolent and honorable Order. A
good report was made from all parts of the
| State by the representatives present show
ing better feeling and determination to
use every effort to revive and reanimate the
dormant Lodges throughout their jurisdic-
ton.
Ou w CuHCSOAl tile OTucE were somewhat
surprised. but unusually gratified By a visit
from the Hon. E. ID. Farnsworth, of y ash-
vile, Tenn, the Worthy Grand Sire of the
Grand Lodge of the Order i'm the United
| States. His arrival being announced. he
was received and welcomed with the usual
honors belonging to the Order. Though
our members are small in this State YOU
will perhaps be surprised to learn that there
are within fraction of four hundred thou
sand members in good standing in the Order
in, Init f0fo In a
ifornia, where Its membership is nearly fifty
thousand, it is, am informed, not consider
ed respectable not to be an Odd Fellow, and
it is often remarked that it is lar more desir-
able and honorable to be Grand Sire of this
Order, than to be President of the United
States. 1t Is a remarkable circumstance
long to be remembered and cherished that
during the recent civil war, the seats of all
the representatives of the Southern States
in the Grand Lodge of the United States
were kept in waiting for their return, and
that every letter and document for South
crn delegate was regularly placed upon his
proper desk. and every other recognition
that could possibly be made was made of the
interest felt i'm the Southern members whose
seats remained vacant. They were in no
way disturbed; no unkind illusions, | am
told were even made during the long alb
sence of their old occupants. but on the
contrary. when alluded to at all, it was with
feelings Ofthe warmest fraternal regard and
when the war was over no reconstruction
was required, but at the first meeting there
after of the Grand Lodge of the United
States. when several delegates were an
nounced in attendance from the Southern
States. the whole of that large assemblage
rose and with open arms advanced to well
come them. i cannot describe the scene as
told to me; i am informed by those who
witnessed it that not dry eye was seen at
the time in that large assemblage, and every
thing in the power of mortal man to do was
done to make our Southern friends forget
the past and feel themselves at home again.
Their old familiar seatsswere ready for them.
and every enquiry was made as to what
could be done to aid, assist and cheer their
Southern brothers. 1t may not be known
to YOU that contribution of about $4,000
was made by the Northern Lodges to assist
in resuscitation of dormant Lodges in the
South and as a still further recognition of
the kind and friendly feelings of our North
ern brethren. and of their anxiety to bury
forever all recollections of the most unhappy
strife lately existing. they did st their last
annual meeting unanimously elect the Hon.
E. ID: Farnsworth. of Nashville, to the high
est Office within the gift of the Order; thus
not only showing their kind feelings
towards their Southern brethren, but at the
same time paying the South most distin-
guished compliment by electing one of its
most worthy, highly esteemed, accomplished
and talented citizens to fill so exalted a
position in the Order. All this Is Odd Fell
lowship.
The visit of our distinguished Grand Sire
and his address at the Baptist Church on
Thursday night to the largest assembly of
ladies and gentlemen ever brought together
in Columbus, has awakened a new and live
ly feeling in our midst in behalf of this Be-
nevolent Institution. No enc who listened
to his most eloquent and appropriate re-
marks could ever go away without feeling
the liyeliest interest in the prosperity of the
Order, when he alluded in such touching
manner to the motto of our Order: I'VE
command you to Visit the Sick: TelieUe the dis
tressed: Burn the dead, and Educate the Or
phan." One old and venerable looking man,
not a member of the Order, who sat near the
speaker. and who, learn, was the principal
founder of the Orphans Home, could not
restrain the expressions of his feelings but
responded audibly, Amen. and Amen! and
here l would just remark that our State
Grand Lodge, at its last session, appropria~
ted $500 90 for the relief of the orphans of
deceased Odd Fellows who might be at the
Orphans Home,
The address of the Most Worthy Grand
Sire has awakened in this community new
feeling, and stirred up the fire which has so
long been slumbering in the breasts of old
Odd Fellows, and / am told there will be at
least fifty additions to the Lodge member
ship in this place within a few weeks. The
Grand Sire was particularly happy in his al
lusions to the influence which woman ex-
erted over man in works of benevOlence and
charity, and if any lady went away from
nation TO make her husband, brother or
sweetheart go right up and join the Order,
am very much mistaken in the manifesto
tions which witnessed.
The Order in California has become so nu-
merous aud so wealthy that they concluded
to extend an invitation to the Grand Lodge
of the United states to hold their next an
nual Convention, at San Francisco, to be
entertained at their expense. This prOpo-
sition, though considered quite novel at
first, was finally accepted, and the next ses-
sion will be held there in September.
The representatives are all to assemble at
OSAKA, and start from that place on the 10th
September, in special train, provided and
fitted up for their express accommodation.
1t will be most agreeable ard pleasant ex-
cursion, and any one would be gratified to
take the trip. The Grand Lodge and Grand
Encampment elected the Hon. r. b. Mayes,
of Yazoo City. Leonard X. Barber, Esq, of
Woodville, and Hon. ID. N. Barrows, late
Mayor of your city, to represent Mississippi,
and have no doubt they will all be at their
posts. No more worthy or honorable selec-
tons could have been made. They have all
long been known as faithful and esteemed
members of the Order. / hope and trust
that new life win animate the breasts of
all true Odd Fellows all over the State, and
that the Order will soon again be what it
was in DAYS past in Mississippi, and that its
principles, founded on eternal truth and jus
tice, will shine forth brighter and brighter
as they are better known aud understood.
The Hon. George Torrey, Of jefferson
county, that pure aud sterling man OF old
and better days, was elected Grand Master
for the ensuing year, and the next session
will be held in the city of VicksbuTg, in