The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1870-05-19

Of what the world would
be uBder the universal recognition
Of thia truth There, men ofeycry1
Fanksi1eet IN new felatioHss The
world with its vices, dissensions,
md distinctions, Is shut out. There
none are known as rich, none as
poor, none as high, none as low,
none as learned, none as unletter-
ed, but all are known as brothers.
And, brethren of Columbus, / can
not refrain from saying just here,
that the sincere wish of my heart
for you all is, that the beautiful
temple you present this day for
dedication to the uses of our Or
der may ever be a secure retreat
from the cares and strifes Of the
world, where you may realize the
purest friendship, the warmest love,
the noblest truth, and be able to
sing in the words of our earliest
song.
"From these delightful fountains fow
Ambroslal rills Of pleasure;
Can man desire, can Heaven bestow
A more resplendent treasure?
Adorn'd with gems SO richly bright,
Wen form Constellation,
Where every Star with modest light
Shall gild his proper station.
How grand in age, how fair in youth,
Are holy Friendship, Love, and Truth"
But l was saying that Odd-Fel-
lowship endeavors to realize the
brotherhood of man. And this it
does from the rudiments taught
the initiate to the sublime truths
Of the Royal Purple Encampment
degree, in scenes and symbols, in
pledges and ,precepts, in lectures
and lessons.
AS the initiate advances step by
step through its successive grada-
tions, he is first shown a globe in
clouds, beautiful but storm wrapt,
light and darkness mingled and
struggling; and is taught that even
SO this world is while man contends
with man and unmindful of those
cardinal virtues, Friendship, Love,
and Truth, pursues his fellow with
falsehood and malice and passion.
Thence is he led on, his mind ex-
panding and his heart glowing un-
der the inspiring lessons of mutual
love and sympathy, and of chart
ty broad as the world, and extensive
as the wants Of man, until he is
shown at last another globe; but no
longer enveIoped in shadows and
darkness, it is globe in full light,
respondent in brightness and beau
ty; and he is taught that even SO
this world was when it came from
the great Creators hand, "while
the morning stars sang together
and all the sons of God shouted
for joy" and that even so it shall
be again when men are true to God
and man, and when friendship
love, and truth, faith, hope and
charity, are the principles by which
their hearts are warmed and their
lives directed.
To labor for the realization oi
this great consummation every
Odd Fellow is bound by the mos
solemn obligations, and is sent ou
into the world under lifelong or
ders "to war against vice in all it,
forms, friendship prompting the
contest, the gentle influences Of
love supplying the weapons, trutE
consecrating the effort and leading
to victory"
But it is urged by some that it il
incodsistent to say that any JrGter
nits is founded upon the principles
of the brotherhood Of man; mas
much as its teachings are, in tn,
nature of things, limited to tn,
members of the society; it canno
at once be universal and particular
|, l answer: Odd Fellowship is a
once universal and particular. Ii
its teachings it is limited to it
members; but in the application o
those teachings, it is as universe
as the family Of man. If it is sup
posed that Odd Fellowship teache
that its principles are only to b,
applied to its members, that We
are not bound to act upon them il
our intercourse with man, wherev
er we may find him, let me say u
all who entertain that view, tina
they have but to examine our law
and lessons to feel that they hav
entirely mistaken both the spiri
and practice of our Order. Th
; principles which Odd Fellowship
teaches cannot be limited. Drilling
its members in the beliefand advo
cacy of the brotherhood Of man
how could it, even if it would, limi
that grand conception to the mem
, bership of one organizationp Od'
Fellowship, like the Church, teach
es friendship that is friendship