The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-04-26

human genius, ami the depths Of mind have not yet
been sounded have its further cOnqucsts entered
into the imagination OF man. Through this great
telescope how grand and sublime the scene! How
altered and varied the map OF earth and It's con,
stantly recurring lessons; how has II accommodated
itself to the ambition and lusts Of kings, princes and
emperors how have nations and peoples, like chess
men, changed places the oncCstrong and potential,
the now feeble and declining; the once totCrng and
decrepit and humble now erect stalwart, and loom
broken into petty fragments now reunited consoli-
Dated and advanced upon the way oi greatness!
Has our own beloved land in fifty years Kept pace
with the most forward march of the world? From
twenty-One States the republic has expanded to
thlrty-eghti from less than ten millions to nearly
forty millions of population. What its present pres
tige and rank i'm the family OF nations, what its pre-
sent greatness In all the essential elements Of en-
pre, cOntrasted with its status fifty years ago How
have the Kingdoms Of the Old World-one or per-
haps, two exeepted-been outstrippcd 10y the infant
giant of the est; and, IN the. race, how hopeless
that those left behind should ever regain position.
how has the Orld been startled with the rapid sue
cessou OF great events OF every character! Religion
morals, philosophy, literature, how cherished aud
advanced, and dinused broadcast among the people;
how sedulously tostered by the civil power! steam
and it's developments; electricity and its appca-
tions; mechanism arts, science, commerce, navlga-
tion agriculture, and every conceivable utility how
have they been adapted to the comfort, welfare, and
happiness Of the race; how have they multiplied and
scattered their rich fruits upon the earhl Anl yet
there is a shadow which sheds its caden tingc upon
this picture In fifty years. with Its advance in all
these elements OF wealth, war has not ceased to
dc cine the race aud to desolate the earth Strife,
Individual and civil and International Is the rule
rather than the exception The sword and the can
non are stil the arbiters of honor and character,
and, the narodox OF darkness in the midst Of the
brightest light and of inhumanity in an age OF the
suOlimest civilization, offend the moral sense Of the
Christian and philanthrOpist.
1t has now been fifty years since on this continent
the institution known as the Independent order of
Odd Fellows was organized at the city of Baltimore
by Thomas Wildey and his four colaborers. 1t came
into being in the interest OF humanity and OFF,
long years of connict, had ultimately culmlnated
with great power, and had largely advanced the ma
terlal interests Of society In discussing the origin
fhn ron as,I
fancy OF anniversary and other orators have INDUCED
for the most part in the widest theories and specua-
vanced and antiquity has almost uniformly
been invoked in aid OF its claim for veneration
and homage, as If age supplied necessarily excellence
and intrinsic worth Ideas baseless as the vision
OF dream have been spun and woven
often to grafy the creative genius OF the scholar
to challenge admiration for his earning and research
Merit is ever selfreliant, and should be like virtue
itself-its own exemplar. In this category we pre-
sent our Order before the world to-day, stripped of
all borrowed pumage; for, as has been truthfully
said by fayorite poet OF the apparel of fair virgin
LONELINESS needs not the aid of ornament
But u.s. when unadorned, adorned the most
True it is that our principles date from remote an
inseparable from humanity itself. In this regard
odd Fellowship is contemporary with all ages OF the
world in other respects, 1t is ready in all humility
in the interest Of the broad spirit OF fraternity, to
take rank among the myriad benefactions Of the
present, in generous rivalry with each and all of
them, in promoting the enlightenment, refinement
| comfort, and happiness of man
OF the advancing civilization of the age; but before
| this view 1s presented, +! propose to occupy few
moments In considering the usual theory Of its origin
upon the idea Of antiquity.
The origin OF Odd Fellowship has been referred to
| the reign of Nero the Roman Emperor, and to the
Roman camp, A. ID. %; thence, 1t Is alleged, 1t was
| introduced into Spain, France, and England. To
locate the source of great moral organization in
the Roman camp, whose soldiery In the reign Of the
monster Nero was, for the most part, Of the lowest
order OF Pagans and slaves, addicted to debauchery
and RIGHTEOUSNESS, would be, even IL well supported
fact which it were better to conceal than promul-
gate but In view OF its utterly fabulous character,
| been dreamed OF. Philanthropy, or Fraternity, as
| instructive OF a common nature among men, may be
1t is true that in the philosophy of Greece and Rome
the theory is sublimely discussed and taught Plato
and Socrates and Cicero and Seneca, represent re-
spectye schools Of this philosophy-perhaps those
great minds had reached the highest moral eleva-
ton Of their day, and had attained TO the best de-
fined idea Of Nature and its Source; Of and his
relations to that source and to the divinity within
him; and from these truths were able to deduce the
each other. Yet this learning was purely moral ana
ihtee ctua; so abstract and theoretical, and having
In IT SO little of the practica that these philosophers
aud conduct the beautiful virtues which they taught
| NotW outstanding the pure moral of those schools
history furnishes only in the long future of this age
! when The orld had been illumed with light re.
| yealed from the true and only God, any evidence
| that the spirit of humanity had found a Odgment
| among the Roman people. The fall of Rome and its
conquest mingled together and confounded in that
empire EN- many races Of people the Pagan the Jew
| the stranger, and the barbarian, confronted eacl
other under essentially changed aspects A com
mon misfortune, the common desolation, the com.
mon poverty and want, awakened kindred sympa
thies, and hearts which had before responded
TO the stern reality of a common nature were dis
solved now into such faith, and constrained into
| the recognition of human brotherhood irresist
BILE as the law OF life and death. New forms OF gov
eminent were set up; new relations su.
| pervened; intermarTiages took place
| social intercourse, ties Of friendship, commerce
| trade, sense of mutual dependence, with its re-
cprocal obligations and every other cognate Gle
ment of civilization, sprung up by degrees. This
train of progress could not fail 10 soften the asper
| ties and 10 mollify essentially the antagonismS OF
| the conquered and the conquerors. OF all insttu
| tions among an advancing people, none exercise SC
large an influence for the better for the
| its ioIm of religion. In this state Of society the
popular mind could not fail to be intensely occupied
| in this direction. Here was the Pagan with his
various gods and the religion of the israelte and
the Christian. The conflict for supremacy was i'm.
minent unavoidable; and, in cOnsonance with the
| eternal order and fitness OF things, Paganism went
down forever. II tottered awhile upon its throne
then reeled and sunk beneath the power OF truth
ashing from the fires OF heaven out Of the throne o
the Eternal. The superstition OF heahenism was al
an end. The gods OF Rome and Greece and Egypt
expired and disappeared from the face of the earth
so that no vestge has been preserved Of their exist
encc except in the traditions OF the age and not of ts
theology, but OF its romance literature and poetry
The religion of the Pagan was the religion of man
his exclusive handiwork; IL was Of the
earth, carthy. The religion which beame(
on the world in its stead proclaimed
goodwill TO man" was inscribed in letters of living
fire upon its broad banner Turning away, therefore
from the reign OF Nero and the Roman camp, w,
| shall find in the onward march OF civilization Incl
dent to Christianity thread which, IL followed vii
| lead us along through its many centuries Of ordea
into the true origin OF the organizations of men TO
| practical bene1lccnce and fraternity.
Civilization, are told, ''Tcfcrs 10 certain stat
| of maukindswnch IS distinguished nom barbarism
an improved condition OF man." resulting from IN,
towards realizing the idea of hit;10nitLn The onnIi