Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1870-10-20
THE COlORED ODD FELLOWS,
THEIR CELEBRATION HERE.
ENCELLENT ADDRESSES. &c.
Interesting History of the Order I'm
this Country.

he grand procession of the Grand United
order Of Odd Fellows, (coIored) as stated in
IHE STAR, moved through the streets in i'm
posing procession, and after carrying out that
part o: the programme arrived on the grounds
OF the Olympic Base Ball Club about o o'clock
and, having opened order, the Grand Council,
headed by the chief marshal, entered the
erouncs, the past officers following, ana the
lodges, in reverse, following, the Grand Coun-
GU at opce taking position on the stand and the
various organizations massing in front The as
semblage was called to order by Past Grand
Master wilkinson, who made few Introductory
remarks, and the Order sang when Friend
ship, Love and Truth abound, ''after which Rev.
81. r. Lane, or Annapolis, offered fervent
=. n. f. Rev. James A. Handy was first intro
duced, and delivered an address, in which he
said they were fortunate in living in an age
when all blessings were being crowded; and re-
ferrlng 10 the present aspect of affairs he said
what II Paris is surrounded by needle guns the
Republic must be tree, and he thought a. no
distant day. Ireland would be free also, as the
example of noble America would be followed in
every section Ct the world as the people became
enlightened, and in conclusion he said the Order
mrSt take their part in the march OF progress.
Past Noble Father ". "A. Freeman then de-
iveTed the following excellent addTess:
ADDRESS OF FAST NOBLE FATHER ". A. FREE
MAN.
Worthy Past Grand Master, Brothers and
Friends: 1t is not unusual for nations and in
situations TO celebrate events in their history o,
special interest But we meet on this occasion
10 INC most important event in the
hlstOry or oli ancient fraternity in the District
of Columbia. We meet not, however "A our
fathers did, who first formed this order in this
city twenty four years ago, in ali isolated spot,
where none but
THE ALL-sHHING EYE
could behold them. Nor do We meet the sinh
iects OF tyranny and oppression; but while the
heavens declare the glory of God, and the fir
mament sheweth forth his handy WORKS we
II eet a. fTeeI1en in the sunlight of liberty amid
the assembled multitude, to defend the prin-
nj p uh tph fafh OBJ
jOlce that their labors were not in vain Sir
this occasion is OF more than ordinary interest
when We remember that the fifteen men who
first raised the standard of Friendship Love
and Truth on this side of the Potomac c. espoused
the cause OF humanity at a time when the future
OF our race on this continent was doubtful when
III was uifcult TO discern in the distance single
ray OF light that would encourage them 10 hone
that the object for which they labored would he
Lnally consummated. But determined to assist
the cause OF humanity, they perseyered and nv
the assistance Of Him who is the antI5r AND
friend of society, established for themselves and
Their posterify an organization whose fame is
will live while time revolves, and as a BODY al
herring 10 the teachings of our fathers, we re-
jOice this day that the seed Of
FRIENDSHIP, LOVE AND TRCTH
though sown in the dark DAYS of slavery. in
sorrow and tears, they have produced An album
dant harvest, but as each d"y brings is duties
and every advanced position we take, brings us
nearer TO the goal for which we labor. am
aware that on occasions like the present and
especially where organi "A .icls of ancient origin
exist il is customary to boast of their antiJnifv
but J an here for no such purpose. As an hum
bic member of our Order. am here 10 lend
my feeble efforts for its advancement, and i do
not claim that
ODD FELLOWSHIP EXISTED ANTERIOR TO THR
DELU0E,
nor Is it question with me whether Moses,
Nero, or Titus Cesar, was the founder OF our
order, for, If history he true, from the earlias,
period OF the world TO the present time the
moral, social, and religious future of nations
las greatly depended upon society, aud in the
history of our Order there is something
peculiarly interesting, which seems To have
me-ited tue tSYor of large number Of our
fellow creatures sl over the globe, and 1t may
lie true that prior to the sixteenth &c ltury little
was Known of IT as an organ .taticG for oerevO-
lence, organized as il was in the dark dges OF
the world, when mankind believed in the a. zine
right OF kings to rule over them il is not sur.
lTlslng that the ia incipes iL;u'ca ed by the
sIRES IN ENGLAND
were regarded by the uninitiated as isolatel
Tor IT would appear az that age Of the world al
most impossible for an organization to eXis.
where The prince and peasant were regarded As
equal, or where the vi low and orphan claimed
equal rejection; but IS peculiar - s,tua
ton OF the Sros who first Tc,sad ..,o eI,SHart
IN the county OF W. NAV appesr n is na~ar
u.eies. q fact, A. Christianity and civilization
advanced as mankiUd became convinced that
u ole blood God III ms wisdom created the ma
tons Of the earth, the influence OF Friendship
Love and T. nth began to srread, and
THE STAR THAT APE RED IN LEEDS
made It's way through The mist OF years, and in
the nineteenth century, having reached point
in the trmar ent OF progress where its light
could no longer be obscured, il burst forth shed
ding its rays DER the world OF mankind. But
with this, as W 18th other associations tor great
and noble purposes, Opposltions that were al
most insuTmouutable have stood in the way to
impede heT progress. But Notwithstanding these
heT influences spread rapidly over the continent
Of Europe, and the oppressed millions of this
and other lands felt their power, and venture
10 Assert that few organizations have made such
rapid progress as ours. Historians tell us that
ours is one Of the most powerful self-goyerniug
associations IN existence, wieIdins greater IN
huence morally, socially and politically over the
nations Of the earth than almost any other
Turn, II you please, to the organization Of the
order II this country. In the year 1913
PETER OGDEN AND HIS ASSOCIATES
Knocked at the doors OF the Independent Order
there asked for dispensation Of the great
principles OF Friendship, Love, and Truth.
THEIR PETITION WAS REFUSED.
and Ogden was compelled to cross the Atlantic.
this did not hinder their progress for as soon
as ogden returned and the standard was raised
On this continent by the organization of Philo-
nathan Lodge, the oppressed were welcomed,
and the light spread from New York TO Massa,
chusetls and Pennsylvania; but the work of
those pioneers stopped not there, for in the year
lat the light OF Odd Fellowship crossed the
line that divides the North and South, first into
Alexandria, Va, and then into the District OF
Columbia This, my brethren, is the day We
celebrate-nOt tire anniversary Of any psrticu-
lar branch of oLT Order, but, claiming AN equal
interest, we meet to rejoice thai TIE banner OF
Friendship, Love, and Truth was unfurled to
The breeze on
TsIS SIDE OF THE POTOMAC.
Aid il would be useless for HE to undertake to
enumeTate the many hardships our fathers who
organized Union Friendship Lodge, No. sol, OF
Washington, or those of Harmony, No. SIS, of
Alexandra, had to endure, for these are known
only to themselves and their Creator; but, while
the fathers Of this city labOred and in isolated
SPOT in the southw estern section OF the city in
yOked the blessings OF the Grand Master on
their undertaking,
were deprived Of that privilege, and were fire.
quently compelled to cross the river for the
purpose Of meeting. Patriarchs, you who have
grown gray in the service, and have borne the
burden and the heat OF the day; you who know
by experience how grand in age and how fair
| in youth is holy Friendship, Love and Truth
with YOU rejoice that the principles for which
you have labored, and the cause you have SO
nobly defended for nearly quarter OF a CEN
| fury, have thus far triumphed. We have rea-
SON to rejoice, that sweet roses have eraced the
/ thorny way along the vale OF sorrow and the
| flowers that shed their leaves that day bloom