Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1869-01-09

uNChl hlNA.Ac We AAAM jug "~f NNfN
hv l. 2 solemn anl persuasive teach
ing, Nc ars guided by Arr sNee'
Influence aud mihislra1lon aro We
tended when sicl,; anl by her we'll
spring oi charity, endless and sn-
preme, are We made bvllcr and won
10 tolerate lhe weaknesses OF broth
ers, aud strengthened 10 enconrage
and assist lhem when falling OF
FALLEN.
Nor wonld we have one single
brother Ia suppose that We claim
for Odd Fellowship, more than Ii
Justly due 1" H. Odd Fellowship is
not christianity, though It may and
does praeliyc part %. 'ho divine law
neither Is Il Religion in that high
sense that seeks not only 20 elevate
ani purify man ON ear,y, but prom,
ises an endless life uf joy beyond
thc grave, l}ul Il is both oil those
In part II II both Of these in all
those cnnrhling aud purifying inhn'
euccs which may be used in timo
only, II seeks not TO go beyond
the bounds Ol limo, nor promises
any reward or guidance which may
be given in eternity, Yet believing
in an All,Wisc, bonoficcnt and mcr'
eiinl Creator aud Prcservor of all
things, IL seeks 10 cultivate in its
those virtues which He
commended to man as the best
means OF attaining to n peaceful
and happy life on earth, leaving to
each ono To pursue his faith in any
way most conducive TO his own
comfort aqd most convincing 10 his
own intellect. 1t rclicucs distress
rcmoucs misior,unes among its own
and reaches out into The
world frequently 10 do the same
kind offices toward all men. 1t
nourishes in its meetings the prin-
ciples Of Friendship, Love and
Truth; il waits by the couch of the
sick brother till recovered, or he
dies; it bears the departed one to
his last bed, and commanding his
spirit to God, our Father, il leaves
him in His keeping who has called
him until the resurrection cry, and
us we return sadly homeward how
deeply is every one impressed with
the cvanescence Of life. and how
hopeless would we be but for the
teaching that He is not dead, but
thy brother shall rise
again Not with us fingers the
doubt expressed by one
whose genius burst upon the world
like Il bright and flashing star, for
Il fow days, then passed away; but
not so his words. When we gaze
upon the last sad scene Of life
when we look upon the human
form divested Of its comeliness and
fair proportions when we view
that form and face reduced by the
of death, we may ex-
claim with him, who has long since
passed away and become that of
which he wrote:
"Look on its broken arch, it's ruined WALL
It's clanite desol late anu portals foul;
Yes, ,h was once ambitions airy hall,
The dome OF thought the palace OF the soul;
Behold, through each lack lustre, eyeles' iiolo
The gay recess of W siUm and OF wit,
And passions host that broOkod centrOl;
@.
People this lonely tower, this tenement rcfit'
"Yet If, az holiest men have deemed, there DO
A land OF souls beyOnd that subtle shore,
To shame the ductr.no ol tie Saddutee
And sUphists, nit.,iIy vain % dub'uus lore;
How sweet itwe.e N tUncelt 10 aiOge
with those who made cur ulortai labor light;
To hear each voicc We iet cl % near 10 more;
fehJd each NJ. shty shade revealed to sight,
The Hactran, shinan sase anu all who tunght tho
right.
Not with us dwells the doubt cou-
ched in the lines just quoted, but
believing that as our God lives so
shall we also live, we go forward in
our work of bencvoleuce and chari-
ty, and leave the result of our min
for His perfect judgemnt
But beyond the mere pecuniary aid
and the watch care we bestow on
our brothers, there is another duty
seemingly Of more difficult perfor-
1t is that duty that requir-
es us to be tender hsarted and for
giving to and with each other, and
where one shows some weakness as
to his moral strength, to seek him
and renew that fratcrnal assistance,
without which ho may falter further
and stumble into disgrace and ruin.
What more endcaring epixhet does
our language, or any language, af-
ford than the name brother, except it
be sister, mother, fdther? Let us pom
der a moment God is our father,
in the highest sense, and should be
in the dearest sense. Christianity
is our mother in sustaining and
most loving sense, and, il we do as
we profess, we are all brothers and
sisters in that wect spiritual sense
which sees no sex III the love that
binds us, and should bind us, to-
gcther.
Who that hears me does not re
member the sweetness of the love of
our mothers according TO the flesh;
does not, perhaps, yet onjoy tho
daily tenderness of love of sister or
brothers? But if deprived of these
great blessings. who that mingics
with us IN the true spirit of our
mystic tie does not see that Odd
Fellowship seeks to extend tn same
benign influences over is mem bers?
And if some "rvot of bitterness"
spring up among us; fsome brother
ioa unguarded moment violate our
principles, let us seek such an one
to restore him-he is our brother.
/ feel, my brothers, when speak
ing of the tender ties of our Order
and the might aud majesty of the
love that should bind us together,
how almost powerless is any Ian
guage at my command to fittingly
impress you; yet, fali Of the spirit,
STR " on in various ways and f.
CURES of speech toreach your hearts
and arouse your interest anew; aud