The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1871-12-21

T.
Iuewly-iniatiated members. They found
drunkenness, disorderly coH1ucts unseem
| " acts of every kind, were Towned upon
and condemned in the most emphatic
manner. They soon found anotheF rea-
son for refofmatpt too When brotherly
Hove had plead, and plead in vain, they
| learned that brotherly discipline
strong, that disgrace followed discipline.
They yielded to the pleadings of their
| fellow-members, and the result was what
we saw: two men saved from utter ruin.
| two men on the high roadto success. L
thoughtAhat such an oder must be good,
and its influences salutary. ] Joined it,
and was not disappointed. 1t was all,
and more, than / had looked for L con-
| ceived high respect and admiration for
it, which has not been lessened as the
years have passed away. | know that
there are many good menIuho are bitter
ly opposed to this and all other secret So
cieties. While 1 am willing,to give due
Irespec. to their opinions, have not fail
| ed to notice that such opposition came
very generally from persons who know
| nothing of them except from outside
hearsay Could they enter the portals
of Lodge, and know all the good there
! is in the organization, believe that they
would willingly give their testimony to
the effect that it is well to, be faithful,
true. honest Odd Fellow, or Mason.
| But, ladies and gentlemen. l am de-
| tanning you too long. l was asked to
| give you word of welcome to the Capt.
toll, and I have wandered from that
point.
| Representing, as you do, thousands OF
| the best and truest citizens of the State ;
representing as you do, an order which is
entitled to the respect and esteem and
confidence of all good citizens, I give you
a hearty welcome to your. capitol, trust
ing that your elaboration may be entirely
harmonious, and result in the greatest
good to your order. 81
Hon. M. P. Lindsey, Grand Master,
was then introduced, and said:
On behalf of the members of this Right
Worthy Grand Lodge, / desire, sir. to say
| in fitting words, what they have already
| said In their hearts-we sincerely thank
you. We thank you for all you have
| said and done, here, and on behalf of
our Order. We thank you for your kind
and generous hospitality, as the chief
executive officer of this young and pro-
gressiye State, in opening to us this
ornate and beautiful Assembly Chamber;
and for the complete and ample accom-
modations thereby afforded for our de-
alterations. We thank you for the lib
eral policy and kind Offices which it has
ever been your pleasure to extend to our
noble fraternity; and we thank you es-
pecially, as citizen and Governor, as a
man an officer, for-What seems to US
the browning act of your life, your prompt
and liberal minded policy, for your gen.
erous and noble response to that cry of
suffering and distress, which on that ter
rible Sth and 9th of October last, came
up, deep and sepulchral, as the voice of
many waters, from thousands of our
| northern neighbors and citizens along the
shores of Green Bay, through Peshtigo
| and the Peninsula, and sweeping down
the west shore Of Lake Michigan fell on
your ear, like some terrible night mare,
| with that piteous cry from the old and
young, the strong and weak, from men
women and children, asking for bread |!
bread II Them. my dear sir, rising to
the true dignity of manhood-to the no.
bility of grand and generous humanity.
clothed with the purple of authority, you
flashed the glad news to the Mayor of
Green Bay-"Draw on me for $40, 600,
if need be, to relieve our northern neigh
bors. ' Then. sir, you rose to the fall
dignity of man and Governor, and we
honor and thank you for it, Such acts
are precious In the crown of any man or
officer. $500. $1,000. Sd,
But especially do we prize the noble
response, In you, not only, but In the
great-heartedness and generous offerings
of all the people, North, South, East
and West, who have, as with one accord,
contributed so literally Of their sub
stance to feed the hungry, clothe the
naked, and relieve the distressed because
it is in keeping with the teaching Of the
Golden Rule, doctrine underlying our
institutions, and which for fifty years and
more, have been its guide and practice.
These acts, Sir, these prompt and liberal
offerings, this grand relief of distress,
which this emergency has called forth, is
practical Odd Fellowship, is what our
| Order, in a quiet and unobtrusive man.
ner, has been doing and preaching for
| upwards of halfa century. And we pre-
| dict that the results of this fearful ca
Iamity, upon the heart and life of the
American people. will be salutary and
good-proving itself TO be an angel of
mercy, blessing liz disguise.
With reference to our meeting here,
permit me to say, Sir. that we come as
representatives Of an Order in this State,
which, though scarcely quarter of a
century has elapsed since its permanent
establishment on your soil, is neverthe-
less quite strong ard vigorous; and to
those of US, who, with something of a
mothers care and father tenderness,
have watched and nourished its growth
through all these tender years of trial
and temptation, whose heads are now