Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1874-04-09
History of Odd Fellowship.

Proofs not wanting to indicate
that Odd Fellowship first existed
among the Cloths and Huns, in the
fourth century. 1t less legendary
that in the fifth century the order
became popular 10 Spain and III Por'
tugal in the SIKH century. In the
twelfth century, France was tl'ssed
with coun,l ,ss l'idges, and into EnA-
land eight notl Knights from France
introduced the ben,fi ent orgahiz4 :
ton in the Ugh teenth century.
There are legends which fancifuliy
ascrlbe the origin of the. order 10
Roman soldiers IN Nero's day. The
story goes, that the Emperor Titus
noticed their singulhrliy and sa'd ::
"You are odd lie 1--we" Thus the
legend devises ho rigsn OF the name
that the order now Wears.
The positive historical record OF
the order shows that in the 18Th cen
tury there existed in London iodge>
Of mechanics and laborers, c.:il'ng
thems. Ives "AnrienJ and II nora b.
Loyal Oid Fslows" Their meet
gs were conviVial, and one penny u
week was cDntrlbuted TO fund foi
the relief of the poor. In 1913 Al
Manchester, the order was returned
It's convivial character dropped, and
the name chosrn, "Independent 0 :
der t Oid Flows" The Manche,-
ter UNITY now remains the main
body of the BriLlsh Odd Fol- ,ws,
with 100000 members.
Thomas Widely, al E glish lsck-
smith, introduced Odd Folio wshIp il :
to the United States, ins'i uting I'll.
first lodge at Baltimore, Md in 1919
The o. der is organized IN ma :
ner similar to the Free Masons. The
primary body is the subordinate
lodge, which derives it's power from
q charter granted by the Graod
Lodge. They make tt cir own laws
and manage their own peeuniary af
fairs, requiring dues from their mem
bers, to the amount, generally, OF
from 81 TO Sl8 per year. The eick
receive weekly allowance, and D
stated SUN is assigned tor the burial
expense OF . member or for mem
ber's wife. In due ssas n a member
may receive the first five d, grces OF
the order by paying certain sums.
These degrees are The white degree !;
tho covenant degree the royal blu'
degree the rememb' ahce degree and
the scarlet degree. There is also the
degree of Rebeka or l'dies degree
which is conferred on members Of tht
scarlet degree id on their wives.
The officers of subordinate lldg'
are the noble grand, who preTides
the vice grand, he treasurer and The
manent and recording seer, tsIIe ,
A person who bas Fl led he office o.
noble grand for six m ,nths, is sty led
past grand they form The grand
lodge. The grand lodge derives .
revenue from charters and percer
tags on the revenues # subordinate
lodges. lis presiding fiji ;er is tn
grand master who il Gle ted annua'ly
The grand lodge of he q ited State,
is composed of representatives eec-
ted bienniaIly by the State grand
LODGE.
The grand encampment ia sepe'-
ate Institution within the ] 'dge.,
whose members are called Patri.
archie. Those only are members VIII
have received the scarlet degree il
the subordinate lodges. There is j.
each State grand 'ncampm""'. |
1860 there were l73 8l8 Odd f oN.
IN the United States; he 'tallrlic.
now are much larger. For 80 year-
no TO 1860 the Old Fellows OF the
United States contributed about So
500 900 to charity! That il u nobI,
record. - Mdine Farmer