Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1872-01-04
Chieage Relief.

/ Asmeeting of the Independent Order 9
1 IOdd-Fellows of this city was held at Coor
er Institute last evening, to raise fun
for the benefit of the widows and orphan
of Americus Ledge of this city, and ais
to extend aid to. their suffering brethrel
IN Chicago and the North West. TIL,
meeting was presided over by yice-Prcsi
dent Schayler Colfax. who was aintroduc
led by Past Grand Master Ralphs. Mr.
Soifax said sIzsa i':sF = Tsas1s~ - :. =
AND GENTLEMES.-I conc
from the National Capital to my natiy,
city, in compliance with your invitation
with a happier heart than ever before
To aid in the noble work; of charity, in the
relief of distress. in the assuaging Of hu.
man N woe, and the soothing of human sor
row, honors as well as gladdens all who
participate in it. 1t is of the heavens
heavenly, and not of the earth carthy.-
1T lifts us out of the miserable mire and
quick sand ; of human selfshness. Ii
places our feet on the sure rock of a broad
and generous philanthrophy. 1t warns
us with the inspiring sunshine of Gods
smile. 1t recognizes that second great
Commandment, "Thou shalt love thy
neighbor as thyself;" and it illustrates
that rule of all rules, that duty Of all du-
ties, whicli the world has called so Justly
the Golden Rule. .Whatsoeyer yc would
that others should DO unto you, do We
even SO unto them"
,@s We cannot realize, even with the most
fervid Imagination, that great calamity at
Chicago. whose terrible story echoed
around the civilized world. and filed it
with sorrow and sympathy. An hundred
thousand men women, a1d infants, who
on one day had hvmes, but on the next
were roofess, houseless, foodless, with the
chill October winds piercing them through
and through as they crowded together on
the cold and open prairie to which they
had fed for their liyes-what an agere-
CATION of misery and suffering, of the keen
est anguish and the darkest despair, must
have been crowded into that fearful day !?
When men of wealth had not where to lay
their heads, what must have been the tri-
ais of those who had lost their all, per-
haps, but still their all with neither home
of the humblest, nor worldly gear of the
poorest, nor the smallest of earthly means
-all swept away by the tornado of fire
and fame But to this night of gloom
followed a morning of hope and of sue
cess A city, the most marvellous in its
growth of which history speaks. overwhcl,
med ina night by the most startling ca
lamity ever known. attracted for its relief
the most extraordinary and gratifying out
pouring of charity witnessed during our
lives, if not during all past eras of modern
or ancient history. Quick as the light
ming flashed the fearful news through the
land, flashed back the prompt response of
a nations sympathizing heart. From rich
and poor, u friend and stranger came
as unexampled as was the ca
lamity itself. No disaster of the present
century ever moved so powerfully the
while civilized world. Not only in our
own laud, but beyond the Atlantic, from
the rivers, indeed, to the ends ofthe earth,
caac the swift-wingcd messages of human
ity and charity. of the truest philanthropy
and the purcst unsel6shness From with
in the shadow of thrones. and from thrones
came the heaven prompted
charity of Christiandom. The rich gave
their thousands. but the poor gave their
dollars, and the dear children their pen
nies, while the story of the widows mite
was over again realized. rejoice that
your hearts, too, were prompted from that
Throne whence flow all good impulses, to
Join in this noble labor of love. I.
( It is easy for Odd Fellows to mingle in
a philanthropic demonstration like this
condemned By those who know us not, for
as We do first to our fraternal
family, as if it were sel6shness, our whole
ritual impression and reimprcsses in the
hearts of its initiates generous bcnevo-
lence, wide as the world, and limited on
ly by the obligations of-lIfe with which
we are all environed We seek to warm
and unlock the. hearts of our members, to
render them more regularly thoughtful oc
the distresses of those about them, to
teach them that the joy resulting from un-
selfish kindness to the children Of men ex-
ceeds all pleasures that money can buy,
and, in a word, to render Benevolence at
tractive to many heart to which it has
been before stranger.
Nor do we fail in Sour efforts. ex-
clude from my calculations all sickness
md funeral benefits paid to members and
their widows in the time of trial and of
need, all amounts paid for the education
Of our orphans to fit them for spheres of
usefulness and pathways of virtue, instead
Of rearing thcul, as the world too often
trains its orphans. for the poor-house, the
chain gang and the prison. And proper
tiofing tue wealth. of our members to the
aggregate of the communities where our
lodges are to be found, 1 claim that, all
over the land, whenever the cry of dis
tress and the wall of the miserable appeals
for prompt and liberal siiceor, the mem
bers of our Order give dollar for dollar,
With those not bound to the special obllga-
tions we have, as a fraternity, so faithfui-
lrEfulflled. When it fails in such minis
lrations, shall be among the FIRST to con-
iemn it. But it will not for wherever
its alters are erected, the blcssedness of
as we'll as the wickedness Of
Is always taught; and the
fruits of such teaching are the highest
rIories of the Order, causing it to 60 on
ward in its successful career, prospecting
md to prosper. conquering and to con-
Iucr. & .r.FSs.z.s s. - -. - -
: Nor is this all. Even at our altars has
been taught that sublime doctrine of the
of God, the Brotherhood of
nan. Outside our balls. this divine truth
nay be dimmed or sdarkenod by carping
criticism as, to creed or cline But, since
Odd Fellowship has existed, its ritual has
.ar4r I'D .