The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1869-01-07
ODD FELLOWSHIP.

address Of r. q. n. Erie , Lseeh' ~
the Pubyie Hast allasion Of Omesrs OF
Keonnk ana Puckeehstaek Logger
Monday evening, January = isss.
at aeems like dream" was . beautiful
remark recently made By one OF our iste us
.;nguished Generals, as he discoursed upon
The events connected with the war OF the re-
bell;on. 1.-THE firing upon Sampter,' the
call to arms, the bloody encounters which toi-
lowed the march to the sea, the flight OF the
rebefs from Richmond. the capture of their
armies, the peace which followed the return
home, &C., all these came up to the veteran
soldier like AZ If it was all dream, 80 rap
idly sometimes will the mind drink III and
embrace 10 a moment, as it were, whole years
in the life time Of an individual, as he re-
calls the scenes Of his labors, and tolls, and
watchings, and dangers, which he has passed
through. So, too, may The student Of history,
as he recalls to mind the great events which
transpired even before his birth, eontrasied
with the changes which he now beholds be.
fore him, exrlaim, " 1. seems like adream"
And q Odd Fellows, A. We stand around our
affairs tonight, in this commodous and nice
" furnished Hall, in the full noon,ide of our
glory and prosperity as we do
quarter Of million Of strong, determined
men, with an increase during the past year OF
more than forty thousand, with 1000 Lodges
and Eucampments scattered over all our vast
territory, stretching from the Atlantic to the
Pacific, and reaching even to the isles Of the
sea-sad look back fifty years at the tive
humble individuals who met IN little SIDE
room, n 9 little frame tavern in the city OF
Baltimore, and there land the foundation OF
onr present mighty structure, truly exclaim,
at seems like dream But passing from
this ecstatic state Of feeling, find | must
proceed TO the duty which your kind hospi-
tally has assigned me to perform. gu have
selected me to address you this evening upon
tho great principles which we gather here
from time TO tims to build up and cherish,
and should /, in the few moments allotted
me, follow somewhat rambling course, l in
woke your kind forbearance. and trust you
will exercise that charity which the circum-
stance demands. In looking around on this
pleasing occasion, am particularly gratified
to discover 30 many of the old familiar
faces who have met with US in this Hall for
yeArs past, and feel exceeding thankful to
the Most High that | discover so few have
departed to the other and better world. But
alas there are vacancies to which it is in
deed painful to revert. Death has not en-
tirely passed over our company without Sc
lecting from amongst us its victim, and there
are those absent to night whom we shall new
or again behold on earth. Shall We not
pause here for an instant, calling to our mem
DRY the remembrance OF those who have
passed from W, whose buoyant spirits in life
gave animation to our meetings, and to whom
we felt the word !" Brother was not mere
formal appellation, but the unerring impulses
of the heart? And here, when we have as.
sembled together, let us drop the tear of
mourning as We remember them. Peace
then, to the lamented Simpson, Graham
and others. May their remains rest in peace
in Heaven. How sad and mourniu is the
remembrance and whilst our hearts are an
mated with the hope that they have gained
admittance to the Celestial Lodge above, yet
we should be very grateful that we have been
spared amidst the Affections that have sur>
rounded US, to engage once more in the beau
tiful exercises of this night, to meet once
more in the same assembly. Whatever may
be the feelings Of other men, the Odd Fell
low cannot address his brother. and those
who are associated with him, without revert
ing to events like these.
The particular duties enioined upon US
nave lnstlllEu NIulu our neAItS tHn0tloDS
which must here be developed, and which
speak i'll language not to be doubted, the
feelings OF our inmost souls.
The memory Of those who have left ns re-
turns in most vivid recollection when we are
called are to night, to perform those
duties at which they formerly assisted, but
from which they are now absent, and de
sire that such as cannot comprehend the
meaning of our mysteries, who do not under
stand the objects of our association, would
come amongst us, and partaking of the same
spirit, discover that we rs body out Of the
great world alone, are impelled BY the sacred
ever may have been the original motives
which in0aced the formation Of the insiitu
ton of Odd Fellowship, they are now pecu
liarly developed IN scheme of the highes
philanthropy-sel devotion and sacrifice O
all personal feelings and incnations is thu
threshold, and he who cannot pass through
this incipient state, tried and equal to th,
task, seldom becomes worthy member 0
the ordar. When once admitted to partic
pate in the sphere ofits benevolence, he find
duties assigned which he should esteem it
privilege to enjoy-he becomes an humb
instrument of greater power, in succorin
the distressed and relieving the afflicted
All ! we ourselves do not often truly reallz
the happiness we confer, the blessings tha
follow our footsteps Surrounded as mos. {
us are by relatives and the kindest OF friends
we may never have felt the pangs ofneglec
or the misery OF lying unprotected and III
cared for but let us call to our recollectio
the image Of one who has been reared amid
oil that comfort and happiness could bestow
who, as his years have advanced, has bee
cast amongst strangers, and far away frol
the scenes Of his childhood and boyish year.
Sickness aftlics him, aud cold poverty LAY
her heavy hand npon him, and thus he lie
motioness and unprotected, pershing fror
very want-without one around him to pre-
sent even cup of cold water to his parche
and feserish lips, to whisper one word
kindness in his dying ears, and the poor b.
ing about to breathe his last on earth. tnrr
in his dying agony long anxious look {,
succor and it comes notr-and perhaps tt
last gasps which nature gives are vented
msanthropical blasphemies at the world
hard-heartedness. My brother, this picsu
is no fancy sketch such scenes are OF evel
day occurrence. and that too often in 0,
very midst. But suppose he bad been q
Odd Fellow how different the picture. II
brothers would have been near to have ASST
ted their support and their aid would NJ
have deserted him in his last hour, and the
rs he found himself although surrounded |
strangers yet by brothers, he who ell.
thought to have died unmourned would ha,
turned with eyes Of piteous but most gratef
requital, and the words of sympthy which /
then heard would have fallen as graf
fully on his ear and seemed more hallowed
his dying sense than the benson of deare
friends around the death bed Of II
rich-and the cup Of water extended in th
last hour Of mortal agony would have give
more exquisite pleasure to the dying fran
than nectarine juice drained in ife's happie
hours; renewing its brightes ioys-and b
remains, which else wonld have been ca
into the cold earth, with no mark to show b
resting place, and left to moulder perha,
amidst convicts and felons, are followed
the grave by those who mourn with sincerit,
because : good man has gone to his FIN,
home; Who inter with honor their associat,
and whose last resting place is distinct
marked that all may know the grave Of Ii
departed. Look at these two pictures, an
Uut uau vuskk "a r