Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-04-27

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Magnificent Banquet nj Might.
Yesterday was grand gals day with
the members of the Independent Order
Odd Fellows, and the procession In This
city was what might have been expected
from the preparations beforehand, large
and imposing.
ARRIVAL OF VISITING BRETHREN.
Delegations from the different country
towns commenced arriving OF the morn
ing trains and we're received at the de-
pots by committees of reception, and es-
corted 10 Masonic Hall, the grand rendez-
youp. From ClAsksville, Murfreesboro,
Lebanon, Columbia, Franklin, Shelby
Vile, franklin, KY, and Bowling Green
the Lodges we're largely represented,
while there we're present represent atives
from a large number Of the Lodges
throughout Middle Tennessee. fuckers
silver band, Of ColumBia, accompanied
the delegation from thai city, and the ar
rival was very timely, as d was impossible
to procure the necessary amount oil music
here. This bard was placed in the cen
fer of the line, and discOursed elegant mu-
sic throughout the line Of march.
THE SCENE Upon TIE STREETS.
During the entire morning, the streets
we're crowded with strangers passing to
and fro, and such bnstling day has not
been seen for years. This continued un-
iii o'clock, the time designated for the
formation of the procession.
And here let us digress little, and
simply remind our readers that this cele-
braiion was not confnd alone to Nashville,
but was participated in by the one hun
dred lodges in this State, and by the
thOusa9ds Of lodges throughout this eoun-
try, with a membership of over three
hundred thousand souls The largest
number in any one State is 10 Pennsyl-
wants, where the order numbers 81 600
10 New York there are 10000, ia
Ohio the same number, in
California about 10000. The facs Of
their immense prepOnderance in Pennsyl.
vanis is probably owing almost solely to
the exertions Of one mantle late Grand
Secretary Ridgely, who was a most active
Odd Fellow, devoted heart and soul to the
principles of the Order, and who spared
neither time, money nor exertions TO ad-
vance il in every possible way. The pIopin-
guilty, too, of Wildey, the founder of Odd
Fellowship, who lived for many years in
Baltimore and was much in Philadelphia,
may have had something to do with it.
Mary land numbers some 1900 Odd Eel
lows. This observance of the semi CEN
tennial anniversary was ordered by the
Grand Lodge of the United States, the
supreme head Of the Order on this CONT
nent.
THE HISTORY OF THE oRDEE.
The inception Ct Odd Fellowship is
wrapped in obscurity. Itpro baby had its
beginning toward the end of the last CEN
fury, in London or Manchester, and was a
sort of mutual aid society, combining with
this object that of social amusement
Nothing was known of it in this country
until the spring of 1915, when a man named
Thomas Wildey, along with four others
named WEIGH, Hersey, Hopkins and Boyn-
ton formed lodge in Baltimore, on the
Goth of April, and called it the Washing
ton Lodge of Odd Fellows. From this
grain of mustard seed has grown the mighty
tree that shelters hundreds of thousands Of
widows and orphans. This little party
was the nucleus around which has gathered
| the vast body Of men now composing the
order in the United States and British
provinces. To use the language of dis
Iinguished member Of the order:
Moving forward from this noble stand
point, in half century it has enrolled in
its army over half million of votaries,
most of whom this day are at active la
Dor. To single lodge of five members il
has added thousands upon thousands, seat
tered over all the wide earth where civili-
cation prevails. and still its stately tread is
onward among the islands of the sea. This
mighty host have pursued a single idea
continuously, turning neither to the right
nor 10 the left, no matter how grave, ex-
citing or momentous the collateral Issues
always ignoring self, and consecrating its
massive energies and resources to the cause
of humanity, In this behalf accommodating
during fifty years millions upon millions Of
money. which, under careful supervision,
has been applied to the relief of the sick,
the burial Of the dead, and the educa,
ton and support of the orphan.
Great as has been this material
fruit Of our mission, greater still have
been its achievements in the moral field.
1t is our just prerOgatiye to claim that we
have reared an empire within the State,
Emporium IN imperiO,' which, vast as is the
| surface over which it extends, and varied
as is the character and nationality Of the
people among which il dvells, is 30 con.
sslidated and identified as to present an
unbroken unity among a brotherhood by
thousands and tens of thousands in every
quarter Of the earth and these divided
and aubdivided into hundreds and thous-
ands Of distinctive Lodges, each acting in
dependently within its sphere, yet in per-
feet harmony, all speaking a common
tongue, aCquiescing in common law
aad recognizing one central power as ita,
great healibfnl heart"
| ITS GOVERNMENT.
All objects the successful attainment of