Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1869-04-26

| by no means uniform each Lodge for
| itself prescribes the amount payable,
/ subject not unfrequently to the State
/ general law, which fixes q minimum rate.
| This benefit ranges from thirty dollars
| to five hundred or more and Lodges
| impose q special tax upon each n embar
of twenty-five or fifty cents, or one dol
| lar, as funeral benefit in which case,
/ when the membership is large, as it
usually is in cities, the benefit is CORES
pondingly. This fund is paid to the
! widow, II any, if not, to the nearest kin
Of the deceased. The education of the
| orphaned children is also eDjoined, and
is faithfully carried cut. Although the
bylaws form contract between the
| Lodge and its members, the parties are
also subject in their relations to all the
laws Of the order, and, in the construc-
ton aud enforcement of this contract,
each must conform to ell the duties and
| iBjunctions prescribed by the laws at
lRrges each must seek redress for griev-
snce before the appointed tribunals OF the
order, according to the forms prescribed,
and these must be exhausted before the
courts will intervene, if at all; and
should jurisdiction be entertained Of suca
grievances by the courts, it is believed
that 1t would be exercised to cOnstrsin
the tribunals of the order to faithful
administration Of its laws.
MEMBERSHIP.
The general Qualification for member
ship is prescribed in the following words:
No person shall be emitted to adm issiOn
TO the order except free white males Of
good moral character, who have arrived
at the age OF twenly-Ons years, and VINO
believe ia = Supreme Bsing, the creator
and preserver Of the Universe" To this
general qualification there are two
special and important addiions-frst,
health of body and mind second, linz
itation Rs TO age. The Rropristy and
absolute necessity of these provis-
ions Will be apparent to every con-
siderats mind, az preventive Of the
great inequality and Injustice which
would otherwise result in the DIS
tributiOn OF benefits. Every applicant
for membership must therefore candid
ly disclose his sanitary condition, for,
il cOneealment should be prseticed, it
will not only vitiate the contract be-
tween him and the Lodge, but, what is
more serious and important to the initi-
ste, it will subject him to 9rraignmeat,
trisl and expulsion, and consequent dis
grace. Fidelity On the part of member
ship, not only to the laws and obliga-
tiOns OF the Order, bus to the laws of
God, to the laws Of the land, and to all
the duties Of citizenship, is strictly en-
joined good faith toward each other,
and fair dealing with their feIlow-men,
and firmly, yet fraterually enforced, and
love for truth and honor, as cardinal vir-
tues, is earnestly coHmended. This is
Old Fellowship.
ITS HISTORY.
The inception OF Oid-FeIlowship is
wrapped in obecurity. It probably had
its beginning toward ths end of the las.
century, in London or Manchester, and
was a sort OF mutual sid society, eona-
bintng With this object that Of social
amusement. Nothing was known OF it !
IN this country until the spring Of 1918, !
when q man named Thomas Wildey, |
along with four others named Welch, !
Hersey, Hopkins and B0ynto1 fOrmsd !
lodge Ia Baltimore, on the 20 sh OF April, |
and called it the Washington Lodge OF |
Odd Fellows. From this grain Of mus /
tsrd seed has grown the mighty tree that /
shelters hundreds Of thousands Of Wid- /
OWs and orphans. This little party wss |
the nucleus around which has gathered /
the vast body OF men now com posing the 4
Order in the United States aud British 1
provinces. To use the language Of 6 /
distinguished member Of the order:
Moving forward from this noble |
stand point, in half q century il has en-
rolled in its army over half million OF
vOtsries, most of whom this Gay are at
active labor. To sinEis lOdgs Of i've
mem6eTs it has added thogsands upon
thousands, scattered over all the wide
earth where civilization prevails and
still its stately tread is onward among
Ia IL - .
have pursusd q single idea continuously,
turning neither TO the right nor to the
left, no matter how grave, exciting or
mOmsntCus the collsteraI issues-always
ignoring self, ard cOnsecTatipg It's mas
sive energies and resources to the cause
Ot humanity. Ia this hehslf, sccumG-
lating during fifty years millions upon
millions OF IAou6Y, which, under careful
U lerVlsion, has been applied to the relief
Of the SICK the burial Of the dead, and
the eduestiOn snd support Of the orphan,
Great as has been this ga1Ierjgy
fruits OF our mission, greater still
nave been It's achievements in the
moral field. 1t is our just prerogative to
claim that We have reared an empire
within the State, Iglperi251 igl jn2eTjo,l
which, vast az ig the surface over which
It extends, and varied As is the character
and nstiOnslity Of the people, among
which it dwells, is so consolidated aud
Identified as to present an unbroken
unity among brotherhood by thousands
md tens Of thousands in every quarter Of
.he earth, and these divided and sub
tivided into hundreds and thousands Of
Instructive Lodges, each acting iode-
within its sphere, yeG in per-
cot haTpOny, all speaking a Common
ongue, acquieseing in q common lay.
Ind recognizing one central power as lis
great healthful hearth
THE CELEBRATION.
The programme, etc., OF the eelebra-
ion tomorrow will be found in another
)lace. Should sny changes be made,
he public will be notified ID the columns
y the APPEAL tomorrow morning.
Ia Conclusion, We do not know how
Te could better close this srticle than BY
he following piece Of real poetry, which
We find in the american Odd Felton,
Jr April. It was written for the ocea-
ion, by J. B. Wheeler, p. g., and is en-
titled
FIFTY YEARS
Fifty years, both blessed and blessing. .
Stands the Order in our laad
Twlg and tree and flowing branches
Planted by our Wlldey's hand.
Sailing safe-our land. her ocean
Our old ship is on the wave;
Ereighted with her gifts of mercy.
Free TO ind and quick TO save
Fifty years OF joys and sorrows,
Many fallen by the way;
Wildey, Hersey, Hopkins Boy ylston,
Now beneath the cassia lay.
Forget them not, The early pilgrims,
AffnrHH HNr.afua a. .ss.FT