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

Ezzk1
principles our signs, tokens, words an
grips are not an end-they are only
means. a man IS not an Odd Fellow mere
| ~ because ne becomes familiar with ia
rltes ana ceremonies of the Order,--h
may DC perfect In these; he may be mos
actiYe on ali pubic occasions lie may al
tain the highest rank in the Order. an,
YET, alas, De as The sounding brass an
| tinkling cymbal. The seat of Odd FEEL
| lowship is in the heart. JUDGED the tru
| Odd Fellow must not only possess IN
moral virtues of the soul, but he must kee,
them in active exercise In short, maj
cannot be an Odd Fellow in spirit anu il
| truth, unless he is grateful To his Creator
faithful To his country, and fraternal TO hi
fellow man. But to be all this, he must b.
surrounded by kindred sp .rits. to urge hin
on In bis narrow path; through the fol
lies OF life, and this want we claim is fully
supplied in our honorable association, fo
which accordingly necessity does exist
But some one may ask: Cannot all thi
be done without secrets, parade and pomp
Cannot man administer to the wants of hi
neighbor without regalia, passwords, and
grips? Yes, my friends, he could, but
alas how few do it. Therefore let it snf
flee you to know, that Odd Fellowship
does it, and that it is the result of separate
organization, OF these foolish trappings, as
they are called by some By our regalia
symbols and signs, we draw men together
and urge them to the performance ofthose
duties that will lead to the glorious results
We have spokee of. What, / ask, would
be the elect up IN an army to take 1om
them them Uniform, deprive them of their
standard, and silence their martial music I!
would tho came high deeds of gallant dar.
ing be performed Would the Same vic.
tories crown their efforts All, no. The
true soldier feels when he puts on his uni
form, that il is the emblem fhis country's
greatness. He sees the standard floating
in the breeze, and feels that when that
falls, his country's honor is lost while the
strains of martial music strike upon his
ear, and nerve his heart for victory Oh
death. So with US in milder form those
jewels which you behold in our regalia, re.
minds us OF some virtue We should cherish
each token of some duty we should per.
form. l wish had the power TO impress
upon your minds the sublime pictures OF
moral Odd Fellowship O, that l might
sketch them; that | might thrill the un-
initiated with our symbolic lectures that
l might throw aside the veil and open be-
fore your wondering vision the glories of
the Patriarchal Temple. But never, no,
never, until my tongue shall glow with the
fire of the upper Shekina, and the Grand
Sire OF the Grand Lodge of Eternity shall
take the finger of silence from my lips, may
l reveal to an assembled world, the stu
pendous pile of sublimity and beauty
which symbolic Odd Fellowship has reared
aloft.
have thus, imperfectly, demonstrated
the fact that a necessity exists for the in
stitution of Odd Fellowship I shall now
to show its design When at
the first creation, God said, Let there be
light, and there was light" it was to the
intent that the darkness might be dispers-
ed and His works become visible. When
at the second creation, our Redeemer says,
Let your light shine before men," He in
tends that those whom He had called the
light of the world, should endeavor to dis
sipate the moral darkness of mankind, by
them in the doctrines of His
gospel, and by displaying the happy effects
of His religion in the purity of their lives,
and lustre of their virtues. The metaphor
here used by our Lord is fraught with
great beauty. Nothing, certainly, is more
apt to attract the eye and enliven the coun-
tenance than light especially that which
shines in dark place. In like manner,
nothing can more excite the observation,
engage the attention or gladden. the heart
Of beholders, than fair light and excellent
character appearing in the midst of dis
solute and corrupt generation. And as
all luminous bodies, in proportion to the
degree of their own brightness, diffuse their
light around them, and at distance en-
tighten other bodies, so in moral and
religious sense, good example is light
shining in darkness, spreading its infiu-
ence every way; diffusing instruction and
as well as motives to reforma.
ton, and encouragement Of virtue Now,
my friends, in order to give these princi-
pies practical demonstration, / advance
the proposition that the Odd Fellows arc
4 band of brothers, who profess to be con-
nected with each other, by the firmest en-.
gagements and most afiectionate ties
Warmed, as they should be, with the most
genera phiianthroPhy. they profess To get
ORTIZ the example just spoken of, for the
purpose OF uniting their endeavors i'm the
benevolent design of assisting the perfec-
ion OF human character, as well as the
and happiness of society. To
communicate the blessings OF which we
IRE partakers, to contribute to the success.
ul propagation of knowledge, virtue, and
peace [; to bring into living, active sympa.
hy, the God-like attributes of Friendship,
Love and Truth, and whatever cultivates
md adOrns social life-these are, and ever
AVE been, the great objects of our Order,
Odd Fellowship processes to constitute the
alliance which unites man in
warm cordially with man. In its solemn
men of different nationalities
meet around its social altar with benignant
ooks of esteem, and sentiments Ofunfeign-
d friendship. II endeavors to cast abroad
loves connecting yoke, and bind together
n the strong cords of Truth the whole hui
nan family. With religion, whose sub.
ime doctrines it cannot increase, whose
loble precepts it cannot improve, and
whose sanctions it dare not judge: with
his, Odd Fellowship does not interfere.
he duty of piety must be the voluntary
nd spiritual intercourse of man with
- 10y over these matters the institu-
at, Cler, no control, and claims no juris-
nd for tbs satisfied with teaching all
sever to remember that He it is un-
en- faw hearts are open, all desires
nds -om whom no secrets are hid
DENNY conduct, and that they must
try by a. as seeing Him who is invisi-
and They must have their souls raised
leg he gross indulgences of vice,
oao t;fic actions refined by the energies
will 49, at they must be alive to all
a. o"i duties of benovolence. and
oo' tereo their fellow men by all those
,ef at ottvhich brotherly love and char
80, brr beget, and which will hold
Wv the most permanent captivity. |
any re anticipate the question
o,a Iuently asked by the unln.
. "N torsan man, who is by associa.
intend neent prejudice opposed to our
time en h Hoe Of NOV r;as az you CAIN loI
ay but al Church Of God :. AS chris
John III say most emphatically that
rehere was time when in this
has ted her whole duty. For near
edthe Church of God had all
=. :, mmon, all christians were
giles. fahess robe of Christ has been
lb-divided, we have as q
=. d from this noble, selfsacri-
, Baltl- ,;le. In that branch of the
exported r. indeed t.oYhase.. allarsI.
A new g. competent corps of instruct
ione Of study embraces Clas-
aiientific course Ladies q
ur. efa Normal; and Bible course.
or M facilities for private clubs,
care afforded. Board In
IS from $500 to $3.50 per
boarding from $3.50 to $1,75,
.sfI