Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1870-12-01
WASHINGTON COUNTY.
The Bible and Odd-FeiIGwship.

i The Bible ana Odd-FeiIGWship.
An Address deliuered before K5zlsngtol
Lodge No. 30. on Monday e0ening,
No0. %, 1870. By Req I. IT,
| ..... Brigham.
TIE daty assigned to me, at this time
| is to present some points of harmony be
tween the Bible and the principles of ou
noble Order.
In the short time we are obliged to al
low ourselves for the disensaion of thi
question, we can only briefly refer t.
some of the most striking and obvious
| harmonies. Presenting the subject in It'll
general character, rather than specia
points of harmony, we might first inquire
what the Bible is supposed to teach, and
then examine the principles and work o1
our Order, and determine ii they are il
harmony with each other. The Old Tes
lament is i'll the main an historical record
of the sayings and doings of individuals
and nations. 1t contains, alsp, proverbs
moral maxims, and many sayings and
prophecies, valuable because uttered, by
men moved by that divine spirit of iuspi-
ration, that enwraps and overshadows
all Gods children. They are record OF
the then existing state of civiliz ,tion, OF
mans experiences, and the Heavenly
Fathers dealings with them. Ga this oc-
casion we shall have but little to do with
this portion of the Bible. II we shall find
that Odd Fellowship is in harmony with
the New Testament. it must be with the
Old, in so far as itself agrees with the
new covenant.
1t is with this new dispensatiop, the
principles, spirit and tendency of the
Gospel of Jesus as recorded in the New
Testament, with which we propose to DO
at this time.
Nor do we propose to enter into any
examination of the text, bat to go beyond
any verbal statement, and rise to the con-
temptation of its spirit. and practical
work it epioins. What is the spirit that
charaoterises this gospel What prin-
ciples pervadipg it, gave it its dignity,
character, success and permanenoy To
have secured its universally, it must have
been founded upon the essential need and
nature of man, and the eternal fitness of
things.
Thus this gospel meets the wants OF all
men, and oommends itself to every mans
Judgment and conscience, and under it all
may find a common ground of fellowship
and work. 1t could not do less than
this, and be divine, and meet the demands
put upon it. To this end religion must
exist in its purity, freed from all dogma
tism and not confined to verbal state
ments, for these only divide and al;enatc|
men. In these we differ, in religious ex-
perienoea and practical work we are all
agreed.
Men differ in their mode of statement
of any fact. Everything is presented to
us in symbols This is the language of
truth. Nature presents one continuous
series of emtlems, which appeal to the
universal sense Of all, everyone compre-
bends her language, for she speaks alike
to all hearts an il universal language |
So of Gods higher truths belonging to the
gospel, they make their most direct ap-
peals to US through it's emblems. Our re-
.igious forms aud ordinances are symbols,
while the way ward, discouraged, suffer ing
md fallen ones of earth are presenting
neir mute but emphatic appeal unto US.
They are the outward signs of human
understood and known of
III. They are the voice of God speak
ng to all that is tenderest, most
charitable and humane within us.
Forms and theological statements
ire but symbols of religion at the
most, as words are the symbols of our
IDEAS, and often in an esgerness to magni-
y and perpetuate the syllabOl we ignore
the thing sgmbOli2ed. The spirit
If the Gospel fnds its echo, through this
language of true symbols and intuition
n the experiences of all men, aud is the
sertial life of all religions so far as they
,ase lis,
So far as words set forth any truth,
he spirit and genius of the Gospel is en-
,odied in the formula of Jesus, "On these
wo hang all the law and the prophets"
,iz "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God
With all thy heart and thy neighbor as
Myself" To impress this upon the con-
,ictiaps and into the experiences of man
lind, did Jesus live and die. Breathing
his spirit of love to the heavenly Father,
md cherishing divine charity and sym
,atyy for our fellowmen. one has imbioed
he spirit of the Gospel, and is not far
rom the kingdom Of heaven. In carrying
tut the claims and spirit of this religion,
t enioins duties of practical character.
We are taught to SO identify our love 70
humanity with that for the Father, as
nat iabors parformed fer His children,
ire accepted as done for Himself, Hence
he duties growing out of our religious
experiences and convictions, have refer
,nce to duties performed here and now
oward one another.
"Inasmuch as We have done it unto one
t the least Of these nay brethren, ye have
iona it unto Me-" lie is the true disciple
vino evinoes his love by keeping His com
oandmeuts. The moral precepts of the
Jew Testament have reference to the per-
ect;op Of human character. and as a
means to this end, diligent care in pro-
noting each the others good. Acts of
,iety and devotion toward God are the
Iajly food upon which the soul feeds to
opr;.b il for christian work. They are
. .acessary TO our spiritual natures as
be fond Sye eat and air we breathe are to
ba health and life of the body. But
hese even ipjure the body, unless relat-
No ourselves to then properly, we have
bundauce of good ana Tholesome eyer
Use, then can we relish the food and ap-
reciate Gods free air, So are christian
works for others necessary TO give rai'sn
Or devotion, which without 1t only clogs
nd letters the free action of the soul.
he world presses heavily upen us, we
eed not only divine strength with when
) withstand it's storms, temptations, tol
,eet its disciplines and overcome iss
wills, but also human sympathy and help.
indeed huran hearts and hands are the
pstrumepts God pses to convey his out