The weekly Oskaloosa herald. [volume] (Oskaloosa, Iowa) 1855-1885, 1872-07-18

ed by Request.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, AND BRETH-
rem OF THE INDEPENDENT ORDER OF ODD
FELLOWS There are moments In the life
time of each and every one of us, when we
are wont to wish that the positions assign
ed US, and their corresponding duties, had
been given to others thanourselves.
This is pre- eminently the desire of my
heart at this time. | couldhave hoped that
the task devolving on me, should have fall
len to those better qualified to unfold to
this highly Intelligent audience, some OF
the principles which govern our Order,
and at the same time to contribute some
what in the removal OF that strong preju-
dice which exists in the minds of many of
the uninitiated, against our Order on &C.
connt of its being what is commonly called
secret society. But rs the lot has fallen
upon one of the least among his brothers,
l will offer no further apology; but ask
your attention to few Important facts, in
connection with the Independent Order of
Odd Fellows, the three strong links of
which are denominated Friendship, Love,
and Truth; which are supported by the
three holy Il had almost said Heavenly sis
ters) Faith, Hope and Charity.
Odd Fellows Shas been assaulted by bit
sir ,Uesi e epe met t aaa nU viz
which prot/ g Letting u institution be,
cause IL -e Mahasits T such protest is
loves ETY., beldat ree.v r,1 VINE" ihe,
of true aversion to unfrank ness.
1t is a love of the secretis ye that is al.
ways Jealous oil the s'a ;ets it does not
know. just as oil a.. f<1f lers the acquisitive
man 10 most aVpitpth In. -,
hidden treasure W. have no respect for
that opposition To (sdd Fellowship, which
rests chiefly on the grounds OF its secrets.
The known character of the men concern
cd, is sufficient guarantee for the tencts OF
society, though it should not condescend
to let every inquisitive person into its
movements. Do those who oppose the
Order on this ground, realize the extreme
absurdity of their position +? | am charit-
able enough to concede that they do not.
Is not every family circle a secret society,
into whose privacy it would be mean to
pry and though its smallness takes away
| the danger 10 the timid, cannot see that
such should make its secrecy any more or
| less criminal. Indeed, till man is ready
| to wear his heart upon his sleeve for DAVIS
| to peck at, | do not see how he can reason
ably object to the privacy of his neighbor,
| or the secrecy which the members OF a so
| ciety mutually agree TO observe. Some
say that if Odd Fellowship be good, it will
not shun the light but SO thought not
| One who said: Let not thy left hand
| know what thy right hand d ,eth." So
| thinks not God, who worketh in secret fol
ever, and who requireth us to worship
Him in secret, that He may reward us
| openly. And who that liz a student OF Holy
| Bible Book Divine, but must see in almost
every incident there recorded, the foot,
prints of (what by some well meaning, sin,
| cere but deluded men Is called) this dread
monster. Where, l ask, would the cap
! tive children OfIsrael have been. had they
have known what the Almighty Father Of
| the Universe only communicated to their
| Deliverer What would have been the
| feelings OF Sarah had she known what the
mission of Abraham was when he went
out to offer up her son Isaac? What would
| the feelings of Saul of Tarsus have been
when on his way to Damascus on his mis-
sion of persecution, had he have known
when be set out from Jerusalem, what
should befall him by the way, had any o.
his brethren dared to insinuate that before
reaching his destination, he would 60 over
Ito what he then supposed to beg the enc
my's side and still it came to pass. What
would have been the course pursued by the
| kinsmen of our blessed Lord when they
cried, "Crucify Him, cruelty Him, and pu
Him to DEATH" had they have seen Of
| known what the result of that death woull
eliminate in And what becomes of tn,
| Injunction of that same Savior already
| quoted, when He says, "Let not thy lief
hand know what thy right hand doeth ?
And again, 'All things are delivered I'm
to me of my Father, and no man knowetl
the Son but the Father neither knowett
any man the Father, save The Son; and hi
to whomsoever the Son will reveal Him.
| What is proposed TO be done with JohI
the Baptist, or the disciple whom Jesu
loved, st. John the Evangelist? Does any
one doubt that the one was the forerunne
of Christ and the other His beloved Apos
tie and martyr. in viii, but not in deed
In will, inasmuch as he yielded to the boil
ing cauldron of Patmos but not in deed
because God, in the exeicisc of his secre
counsel, carried hun through unhaImed
What Is TO be done with Him who is Gu
the voice oil one crying in the wilde
prepare We the way OF the Lord. iournme
to whom His Lord. y66r tsdRSGGiaailmen HUI
behold thy SON soA''y' ieiuuo' onu
What repeat is
with these holy me previous meeting w
bers OF secret sOcietjd.
and ask, what do t, ort If Tho C;tv Solici
nineteenth century
whole college Of A TcelVed.
incarnate Savior following resolution
prayer and meditman Hurst was adopt,
the multitude, Gas tl,mmittee consisting of
appears to me, my d,and Councilman Will
rem fraternally, thate an ~ o1ainan nNs ~
must Lave been engaging Of the Council
temptation as this, VIII Committee ON Fina
beautiful lines ,,, To-
| nls s wonders der TO, to- to $777,9i000.
AID rides upon,lliams offered the foil
If secrecy be prooaoyed its adoption
morality of society, it : lew for the current
every family should livllar on the assessment
that every apartment
and tenement should frs adopted.
thought, aspirations, anhns reported the
alike be clothed in ira Recommended Il
nuditv On they were ALLOW
But even then it WILD to issue Orders
God should so modify
ion, that the clay shoulouarter's salary$ So
| eyes be gifted with Too al no,;ceman
ance, or there would be 90 "a a
ter all. anas ios so., =
This is an extrayaga,as on motion allo'
sure; but till the opposil adjourned.
/ great an extreme, we al VIM. t. SMITH,