Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1870-06-02

each other in the light as in the dark,
and BY which secret our doors are secure
" locked against any imposter or burglar
who would break in and steal our treas
IRE, held ms sacred trust for each other
in our need hour-for our wives and or
phan children. Is there lurking dan
ger in such a secret? We have paid
honestly for It'll II is the deed to part Of
our earthly inheritance. 1t is the key to
our door. We are certainly entitled to
it. You surely would not steal it!
5.h Objection. 1t compels the associa-
ton of good and bad men. We answer:
Jesus Christ set us the plain unmistaka
BILE exam pie, and then he left on record
this command: "FolIow thou me-" This
is full and sufficient answer to this OBJ
lection; but / am not willing that the
members of Thu order in this city shall
rest under the infliction contained in this
objection. The objection implies that
Odd Fellows are bad men. There was
Judas among the disciples, there are
| men in al the churches who have evi.
IDENTITY stolen the livery of heaven to serve
the devil in, and there are, doubtless Odd
Fellows in every lodge, who have stolen
the regaia of true men, in which to serve
the same prince of darkness. Shall we
therefore blame the disciples, the church,
the order of Odd Felowss
Odd Fellows are not all christian men,
in what / understand to be the gospel
sense. l wish they were, but every
member of this order in its letter and
spirit. must be socially and morally
true husband and father, good citizen
and n noble friend. If you shall inquire
after the men who compose this lodge, if
YOU ask after tho character of the ladies
who are the members OF this order, point
ing you to this coffin before you, | reply:
"by their fruits We shall know them"
9th Objection. 1t is an unnecessary
order Religion and the church cover
the whole ground. With the history of
this brother in your minds; | ask: Did
religion in this case, cover the whole
crounda Did this Methodist church in
which we are convened, or the Presby-
terrain church, or any church in this city,
search ont and pick up this dying brother,
who in search of heath, came an entire
stranger among us?
No! No! The christianity of these
churches would have done this christian
net, such deed is in perfect harmony
with the spirit and teaching of these
churches. Yes, they would, but they did
not cover this ground. Icy could not.
Oar deceased brother has for years
been entirely dependent upon tho care,
sympathy and support of the lodge of
which he was member. Besides the
personal and individual labor bestowed.
The money expended in his behalf has
exceeded two thousand dollars, perhaps
three.
Neither of these churches could have
met either outlay of labor or money
The heart and hand of the church are
full. Ten thousand calls that she cannot
answer, ten thousand wounds, into which
she cannot pour one drop of oil. Please
remember these facts, when you hear it
said that the church covers the whole
ground. 1t may al,o, with equal justice
be said Of government, of sabbath schools,
temperance societies; that religion covers
the whole ground.
1t certainly does, in its spirit, its teach
ings, in its principles; it does not, it can
not cover these institutions in its practice.
1t only remeins for me TO answer the 9th
err part of the objection; that this organi-
cation is unnecessary.
Does it do what it processes to do!
Does it provide its members with sure
defence against the misery of want and
property; against the fearful desolation of
loeliness and neglect?
We have already shown you, and our
individual experience is confirmation of
the truth, that this defense cannot be
safely left to any individual friendship.
We may have many true friends, but
they may be just as powerless as true.
They are inefficient friends. See that
mother on her knees before the governor
for the life of her son. Her soul is an
agony of prayer, his feet are wet with
her tears, they are unavailing tears.
See the wife, waiting, watching, pray
ing, night after night, through cold and
hunger and darkness-for husband
VIII ose feet ever stagger as they come, and
whose greeting is ever curses and blows.
These are friends, but o how unaval
ing are their pray gers, how short and weak
their arms. 1t is true. that some of our
best friends, dearest, truest, most priced,
most loved, have scarcely power to speak
our names. or wipe the dew of death
from our throbbiug temples. THIS as not
so aoiM the organized and disciplined
Friendship of this order!
This institution has the power, and
does in every case, Danish want, and bring
in its stead-as it has in this case-ali
the association, that love could bestow or
wealth purchase.
Shall we not then pronounce Odd Eel
lowship n friend? Genuine and efficient,
upon which man in the hour of greatest
physical need may rely? Our brother
before us must be again my answer. Did
it not give him home, physician,
pillow for his aching head, a bed for his
aching nerves? Did itnot carry the cool
ing cup to his parched lips, when his own
right hand had lost its cummings
Let these brethren in mourning reralia