The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1873-01-30

ouen commuL ion," and to look upon Sc
cret societies as the invention OF the devil
! Ii therefore Odd Fellowship was secret in
all doubt, and would swamp the man in ut.
ter pe.di,ion who had anything to do will,
it. I was not alone then IN my De liei and
conclusions, as I would not be alone now il
we're of the same mind still. There were u
great many in those days who had anti.
secret societies on the brain. In he present
time noLa few are afflicted with the same
malady. They are good people, too.-all
their molivcs honest Snd good Intention
ally they would not lit q hand or say a
word agairs, any helpful instrumpntality
Bnt they sc. through a distorted medium -
they reason after strange methods know
how it, Is my self Aud 1t Is AS clear to them
AS noOu-iay. that because of secret societies
the church is in danger, the state Is in d an.
ger, all great and vital Interests are in dan
ger, and the whole round world Is drifting
rapidly toward ruin
Alter guessing my guess all through con-
corning this new thing TO which my atten.
ton had been called. let Odd Fellow ship
drop out OF my mind Five years, perhaps,
passed away, when, as / was seated in the
hand hat proved 10 be " copy of the Con-
stnuiion and BY Laws OF Samaritan Lodge
No 81, OF the city of Albany. n. Y The
subj CT OF my guesses, and how / guesst d,
ali came back To- me; and now, l said, !
shall know about this society with the
strang- name There was an introduction To
the nttIe book, ree0llect, in which were
81, forth briefly, but very impressive!y, the
principles and aims OF Odd Fellowship and
rs I read found my prtjudices against re.
cret societies, or against this one, all disap.
praring and my heart somehow leaning
over toward it. Before fairy got through
with my reading was on he anxious seat
aud her" VAS promise OF thorough CONVEX
sion.
To starr with there was little bit OF his
tory, remember, The substance Of which
WAS, thai only a lew years ago Odd Fellow.
ship az an otganizrd institution, was uf.-
known this ride he Atlantic In The old
world it had existed for period unknown
hut in this country. until The Other day II
had neither temple nor an altar. In 1915
n humble hand OF FIVE bro hers hpcam. s.
srl' Instituted Lodge, aud commenced hold
ing meetings IN the garnet OF MI obscure no
tel in The city of Baltimore Thus was pisug
I'd the seed, in an unproI NOUS Spot, which
Lss i>tued in al album ant harvest. Il
sprnrg up fresh anf green in he sterile sol
" here IL was cast, and although the storm
Ui prejudice tsssiled il, and the element O
hannah passion varied against II, il has ali il,
hhi'' hrrn 'aking deeper root, sending GU
ne" and vigorous brauch,s. and shoe I'M up
ward ia larger growth.
! Ihr litlle hook next hit rome OF my guess
- that l hEve TO d you ahout. 9 hard slap il
he lace The name ODD Fellow, IT. said, "
held among The unrr hcctIng, The prejudice {
and uniu@nr mrd, as by-Nmd and ii re-
pro"ch and The man who ASSUMES il. how
ever worthy ne may hr ar iAir charactcred
bee mrs AT once IN object at I'll. picion anC
| Is denCunc,d AS dangerous, although i,
/ point OF moral virtue hr may weigh DIV,
scores al those Who launch hard words
| him, or like iit'le dogs b"ik and snap It h
heelh. The reseon Tor Ills followed, wficl
was, that This rev fellowship WAS regarded
bJ great many a. mtlrN -Ihaking affair
gotten up Tor cornwall and bachAnalh,
pntposes. and although It writes Frlrndshir
Love, and Truth upon SIS banner, and ~
scrihes The motto upon it's hadgrs and Ell,
h!sms and repeats II everywhere in i,s ~
ual YET II ia believed This IL done o concra
practices which, il known, would he untvcr
call, repro battd and CONDEMNED
This was followed / recolIect, by eta,e
ment something ike the wi q: Socirv
in it's present slruc ure and prseticsi work
ings, Is in rebellion against the la W of I'm.
v~rsal Brot berhOod, in that it DENIES that W.
with tie false Gust oms. it's castles and arbIra
Try distinctions, shuts man away from h,
brot her Hence the ncrd OF an institution
that, taking its stand upon he broad groun,
OF the Unny OF the Human Race, and havin,
for its creed Il love God, and love m
fellow men, will array itself with blessed
effect against the snlagonism and faIseho,,
ard selHShness Of society, and the s, ron anC
ov"rmasiering tendency OF which shall b.. Il
bring men together upon the commo,
ground OF practical benevolencP, and max
OF them friends and brothers. Such an inst,
tuition do We believe Odd Fellow ship TO b.
1t brings men IF every sect and party into
het'er acquaintance with each other, It en-
ploys them in a common work, shows then
that their interests are I'd, ntlcal, and that :,
help another is TO help ones sell and go tn
rough corners Of prejudice are battered of
| and the hnrnh hard tentnrpS of hirnfru a p