The Daily state register. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1870-1872, 1872-07-31
THE LECTURE.

AS We stated in our last issue, a free
lecture on Odd Fellowship was giver
in the Methodist church on Monday
evening last. The orator tor the even
ing was Mr.. +. d. Farnsworth, OF
Tennessee. We propose to say a few
words more on this highly interesting
subject, though we humbly confess
our inability to do justice to the same
or to give the public even a faint idea
of the powerful eloquence of the Past
Grand Sire of the judgement Order OF
Odf Fellows of the United States.
THE OBJECT OF THE MEETING
was to give outsiders a more correct
perception of the purposes and work
ings of the Order as we'll as to treat
It's members to an eXquisitely rare OPP
portunity to listen to the experiences
of one of the great pioneer workers in
their noble cause. We venture to
say, if any ofthe attendants before en-
tering the church ever entertained
any doubts about the integrity and
humanity of this institution, he must
have become convinced, from what he
heard, while there, that Odd Fellow
ship is an honor and blessing to soci-
ETY.. Mr.. f. made a brief review of
THE HISTORY OF THE ORDER
from the first century down to the
present time. During the reign of the
Roman Emperor Nero "a. d. $3.50
they were known by the name of
Fellow Citizens. By Emperor Titus
"a. D.. 1919 they were first called
Odd Fellows, because they possessed
the faculty of recognizing each other
even in the dark of the night. In the
fifth century the Order was introduced
into Spain. in the sixth into Portugal,
and in the twelfth century we find
them in France and England, the
Capital Lodge then being in Manches
ter. InlSl9, onthe Goth of April, Wash
ington Lodge No. l was established in
Baltimore. And now it is found in
Amos every town in the Union and
rapidly spreading all over the civil
ICED world. Kings, princes and states
men: men of s,erling worth and
virtue; the high and the low, the rich
and the poDr-all mingle together
as friends and brothers and count it
an honor to be members of the Fra
ternity. l. has, it is true. its oppon-
entS and sIanderers. The alleged
objection is generally the great stress
laid OH the secresy of the Order. But,
Is ID FELLOWSHIP A SECRET oRDER?
We read in history of secret societies
whose objects were cOnspiratiOns
against and the overthrowing of Gov
]ernnIents and dvnasties. No one
knew who they we're, when or where
they assembled, though their intu
ence was felt and their devices and
plans often We're effective. Odd Eel
lowship does not bear the least re-
semblance to these. 1t is not a secret
society. The Grand Lodge of the
United States, which is the executive
power of the organization, publishes
and scatters broadcast over the land
the proceedings and the good reults
OF its humaniZing work, inviting an
impartial public attention to the
of the same. The subordin
lEpAStS vi IIo 'olu lIiIi
City, etc. do not publish their
proceedings, because it would be ex-
pensive and useless to do so. They
meet once a week. Their exercises
consist chiefly in devising ways and
means for attending and helping
sick and distressed persons, and to in
stall and elevate officers. And so fin
ally the whole mystery lies i'll q few
and signs, necessary to
protect the Order from treachery from .
and imposition from without. l
is in ia It nothing strange in this :
p~recaution. The clergyman, the law
yer and the physician all have their {
professional secrets, which they a
not tell their most intimate friends.
individual has them and it is no .
crime.
Il PRINCIPLES OF H ORDER,
IS explained by Mr.. F., are the high |
asst for hitch man ever chose to live. !
70 the enemy Of them he had NJ ap
peal to make, but would pray, "Fath-
er, forgive him, for he knoweth not I
what he doeth!' Friendship, love s
md truth, are its principles; a uni .
ser>al brotherhood its object. 1t ]
binds its members to no peculiar pol '
itical or religious creed, but requires {
If them all honesty, benevOlence and
in God, the maker and p~reserver
IF all things. A true Odd Fellow is a
man of charity, Of virtue and friend i
ship, and wherever Odd Fellowship is c
Introduced, these noble qualities of i
he soul gradually become the prevail. S
ng characteristics Of society. Were