Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-04-27

that of profane history. There had
ever been a necessity for its existence and
an, am lple field for its usefulness. But what
ever il s age-whatever the notifications it
might have undergone to conform it to the
shirt q nd requirements of the times-its
ends. it : objects and its principles had ever
been tbet same. And unquestionably the
same nes Sessity that gave rise to this order
enorafled \ secrecy upon it-so greatly OBJ
iected to Joy the thOughtless. The despOts
of olden time, as well as of the present day,
conscious of the merited eXecration of
those they ruled, and fearing the hand of
retributive justice might at any time put
the 3poison ed chalice" TO their lips, prac-
ticed a sleepiess espionage over the private
circles of their respective people and
promptly suppressed every organization
that might interfere with the policy of
the government. Thus driven to the
exercise of utmost caution they who ban
ded for mutual aid, in the struggles and
misfortuneS Of life, met in secret to avoid
the ever vigilant eyes Of the tyrant and OPP
pressor. But it was not the antiquity of
Odd Fellowship that he desired to vindicate.
He would discard all metaphysical disquisi-
ton and seek TO portray the practical use
dlDlCoo vi bLO OAOCAs 1llC dt1JC VI ali 1uSbl-
tuition was no guarantee of its usefulness.
He then expatiated upon the uses and ben
efts of the Order TO its members, as organ
lied and practiced, and its effect in COM
munities where organized. There were TO
favored few and toiling many in the Order;
no high and low; no lines defining circle
of society. If SANDERS merciless fang
struck member of the Order, a brother
was at hand to defend him. His family
were cared for if they needed
it. A brother did not die
alone. The orphans were cared for. Many
of our pleasures, as well as sorrows sprang
from the aggregation of men into families,
neighbOrhoOds, countries and States; and
some of our most sacred duties to one an
other grew out of our relations to each 9TH
er as members of common country, hay
ing common parentage, interest and des-
tiny. Our friendships and hatreds, and
loves and enmities, arese from OUT inter-
course with our fellow men, i'll our social re-
lations with them, and thus sprang up
around us,as we formed ourselves into sOcie-
ties and communities, new feelings, interests
and duties, and opened up to the philan-
thropiSt unlimited fields for the exercise of
the most extended benev0lence and univer-
sal charity. This was the peculiar field Of
the Order. Oddfellowship arose in the
necessities of man as a social, rational
and responsible being, not to add one more
star to the waning constellation Of nobility
not to deal with fictitious interests or
practice fanciful experiments, but it was
formed TO deal with substantial life-to
minister to real wants-a practical, useful
81, hanov,olonoa Tho arIiar1-
ship of the widow and orphan was entrust-
ed to it-sad yet pleasing duty:
Speak Swoetly to the fatherless
And check the harsh reply
II at Sends the crimson to the check
= The tear-drOp to the eye,
They have the cold and loneliness
of this rude world to bear,
Then gently raise the fallen bud
The dropping foWret spare.
CHANGING at some of the benefcent effects
of Odd Fellowship, not only on themselves
as individuals. but as members of the COM
munity in which they resided, he said it
was equally clear that what was of
benefit to men aggregated in So
cieties or communities wOula be of bene-
fiji to the State at large. They not only
had abstract truth in support of this but
they also had facts. The Order was con-
uuClNe W SOOuESOh6Iulu6llIs Alt.OuSE DSIll
in theory and practice 1t was disqualified
from participating in it as an Order, never
theless it was IN its teaching powerful
auxiliary to good government. He analysed
g. ~, CiicCV VI cOnuucC on the order and its
refrain, and incidentally interpolated an
eyhOrtation on this point. "LeC us culti
vate high, strict and unwavering in
tegrity," he said, sand let it elevate, guide,
control and witty us-every impulse, desire
and action;" not that integrity which
would not outrage the positive rules and
ordinances Of society, but the higher. The
peroratiOn was in favor of all the higher vir-
tues. Tie address was listened to with
marked attention.
The exercises terminated with the clos
ing ode Of the Order, in which all the MEM
beers participated.
Altogether the evening passed off pleas
antly, and all felt that it was good to be
there. The members of the Order must
feel highly gratifed with the observance of
day which will be held in sacred remem-
branc5 for ages to come.