Huntington advertiser. [volume] (Huntington, W. Va.) 1874-1921, 1875-01-28
Secret societies are the auxiliarie

Suc1, VIII. necessarily pIOspci. tlds
it not been for the noble services rem
dered by this class of societies, sci
ence, in her infant struggles, would
have gone down beneath the persecu
tion common TO everything new and
experimental in its character.
BY degrees initiates were permitted
to advance in these orders, and by
degrees they developed their skill and
usefulness. Thus was science backed
i all of her efforts, until she was able
to raise her shoulders above the
waves, and erected a fabric that ha,
stood for centuries, and will dou tiles;
stand forever. They have sustained
every movement to forward all eff rt:
that have been made to build ~
and civilize in every ag' Of the
world; and tonight they are essen
tial to the well eing of the laboring
men as against the expressions of EN-
ployers and capitalists. Thy can
not exist without secrets; and, mas
! much as they are lawful in their acts,
and legitimate in their aims, We main
tain that they should be encouraged
by all good people of every church and
nationality.
We do not claim for Odd Fellow
ship an extra ancient origin Yet it is
more ancient than the civilization OF
both Europe and Amer ca, and ante
dates the language We speak to night.
The first account we have OF it, as a
society, was during the reign of Nero,
A. d, 50. The name of "Odd Eel
lows" however, was given by TITS
Cesar, in the year 10, because OF
their singular notion, and their being
able to recognize each other in the
dark as in the light. 1t was estab
lished in Spain in the fifth century,
in Portugal in the sixth, in France in
the eleventh, and in England during
the latter part of the same. From
this small beginning, it has spread
abroad its branches, and tonight is
following the footsteps of civilization
on its grand march to subdue the
world, and plant its banner on the
shores of every land and nationality
Of men. From ancient Italy it shot
forth as meteor of light and love,
on lis missiol round the globe; ard
to night there is no country in which
our lodges are pot situated, and a
brother may be found. 1t makes but
! little difference to Us whether Odd Eel
iowship is of ancient or more inodern
origin. 1t is enough for us to know
that the principles upon which 1t Is
based are as ancient as the creation OF
man, or the bow that gilds the
heavens. Usefulness, not age; princi-
pies, not mon; are the prime objects
of Odd Fellowship
The first Lodge of the /. o. 0. f.
that was established in t..e U =. was
in New York, on the 23d, of Decem-
Der, 1865, but for some cause, un-
Unknown to our historians, it went
down. In 1918, Thomas Wildey
came from England to this country,
and was astonished to tind no lodges
of Odd Fellows, in this great and
New World, then boasting popula.
ton of over ~ millions. He there
for, set about to organize Il Lodge.
After first procuring a Charter from
the Grand Lodge Of England on the
26th day of April, 1919, he inst tutei
Washington Lodge No |, at Balti-
more, Maryland, and from this period
we date our origin in the New World
This, therefore, is the 55th year of
our existence as a society this side Of
the Atlantic Ocean. We were then
weak we ore now strong Oar
lodges number thousands, and our
membership would make an army
greater than was Napoleon's when he
conquered Europe. It's banners have
been unfurled in every town AMI city,
and it, charities are universal Y felt
in thousands of houses in every Sec
ton of our great country. 1t is march
| inc hand in hand with Religion and
. .C.vilization, and is daily widening It's
influence by raising men to a higher
plain Of uefulueSs in this world OF
sorrow and distress.
The object Of our Order is to bind
men in a closer union with each other,
Behold how pleasant it is for breth
reu to dwell together in unit" Is a
Scriptural truth that has been verl
/ fed bv our Association. As we have
seen that the natural design of the
people is in opposition to unity, we,
therefore. need Orders like our own
70 bring them closer together and aid
in the formation of ali universal broth
erhood ou' of men, who should have
+ but one aim in life, as they have but
one destiny. Since the tall OF Adam
distress and difficulties have been pc
culiar to the human family. 81 ha'
cursed our world and has ariayei
men against each other in strife and
and diSccrd. We need more than oul
natural god in linationS to remove
these barriers and make us love oul
neighbors as ourselves We need so
cieties based upon the principle ot
Lore wherein We cultivate cur bet
ter natures, and develop the germ
of kindness that our Supreme Grand
Master has placed to greater or les,
extent in every human heart We
need society founded on Friendship
Love and Truth, and it is needles:
tor me to say that we have it in the
noble |. 0. 0. f. that has 50 often
proved a blessing to our race.
Odd Fellowship teaches us friend
ship for each other; what IA barren and
detected picture would life present il
it were not cbeckered with oases OF
/ 4,..o.. 4 l. - Ii.. ...,,,,,.. -, IL 80.