The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1870-01-06
I. .. Q. =.
GRAND MASTERS ADDRESS.
installation Ceremonies.

Last night the annual re union Of the
members of Rock Island Lodge, No. 49,
l o. o F., took place at Odd Fellows
Hail. on the occasion of the installation of
officers for the year 1870. The lodge room
was open to invited guests ousside the Or
der, and the families and friends of the
members. The exercises were opened by
the singing of the opening ode by the mem
bers, accompanied by Professor Lighton
at the organ, after which the interesting
installation ceremonies took place.
The following officers, elected at the last
regular meeting were then installed for the
ensuing year:
W. G. Weber, N G.
Gust Stengel, V G.
c W. Hamilton, Recording Secretary.
Chas. Engel Permanent Secretary.
W. L. Sweeney, Treasurer.
The N G then made the ioiio"'ns "p-
pointments
IF. Hsrson, W..
Gsorpe Stocker, Con.
s. B. S,oddard, r S to N G.
j. W. Pratt, l. s to N G.
George Alder, R to V G.
Gust Sehuert, l. S to Y G..
John Aster, o G.
c Wright, | G..
| c Peck. R s s.
L Eckhart, L S s.
After the ceremonies of installation q
recess for five minutes, given by the n. G.,
was pleasantly spent.
Upon being called to order s. B. Stod-
dard introduced J. Ward Ellis, who mace
an interesting and pleasing address. He
said "the institution of odd fellowship was
as odd as its name indicated, for what can
be more odd than to see company OF men
banded together for the purpose of practie-
ing charity, burying the dead, relieving dis
tress and educating the young. Yet such
are the teachings of the order, and no man
can belong to it without learning to love 10
do good, and any man whe has been any
time connected with the order and does not,
is no true odd fellow" He then amused
the audience with some anecdotes. and
promised to tell the secret of odd fellow
ship except few words, (Which" ne said,
although simple, are obliged to be kept
secret for protection; the same in regard TO
few signs which would, if seen by those
who did not understand them, appear fool
ish and useless. Some say that all this is
very pretty to talk about. but they do not
practice what they preach at all times
Some fall short, as | do not claim that we
are all perfection, and all are human, and
/ we do not profess to take naturally mean
man and make a decent man of him; but
/ it will improve him. And if you will show
| me that a man ever became a worse man by
being an Odd Fellow, I'll stand upon the
street corners and renounce it,"
| He then spoke of the opinion Of some tina
it was antsgonistic TO religion, and stated
that he had been nearly twenty one year.
an Odd Fellow, and for nearly the ssm'
length of tune a member of the church, sDe
had never found anything in either bod,
that conhictad with the teachings of tn,
other. He then spoke of the honorable
origin of the order, saying that Fsthe
! Wilder, of Baltimore, with four others, haC
formed the first lodge little over fifty year
ago. and since that time nearly l,000,o0
men have been initiated into the brother
hood. He referred - the gradual incress'
of this country, and compared it to thu
/ increase OF the order. He then gave a yer,
interesting account of the Grand Lodge o
the United States, from Baltimore to Sal
the members in Chicago, he said that
number of carriages had been engaged u
convey them through the city, and the mex
dsy the reporters had noted the fact in tn
papers that large funeral of some distin
guIshed Odd Fellow had taken place tn
preceding day. Mr.. E. gave very enter
tanning account of their journey to and shei
visit in California, with some interesting
statistics of the order.
After the address Miss Beebe sang
piece entitled "The Pacific Railroad"
spienulo supper Was tneh seENeo up ~hie'
a Il present seemed to heartily enjoy. 1t il
about twelve months since a similar reunio,
of the members and their families took place
and they improved the opportunity Offered
to enjoy to the fullest extent the repet tior
of the pleasant occasion. The compsn,
dispersed about midnight, we'll pleased
with the entertainment and seeming Il
regret that the hour of parting had SO sooI
arrived.
LIBERAL-At the conclusion of the ser