Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1875-04-27

until it has spread over the continent,
from the e-bOund regions Of the lakes
TO the Orenge-gTOves of the gulf; from
where the morning sun first bathes in
the crested waves OF the fretted Atlantic,
beating against its rugged shores, tC
where he sinks to rest Oh the golden
i coast of the calm Pacific; which has
| found lodgment in the South Ameri-
/ can States and in tue islands OF the sea;
( which has TetraveI=ed the sea to the
I land whence it sprung, on a grand mis-
4 sion OF humanity, from its empire in the
/ west; is now spreading over the map o.
| Europe, breaking through its petrified
/ forms Of rooted se'fishness aud bigOtry;
! is nov teaching her ancient dyuasties
| lessons in the warm impulses Of an en-
| larged humanity, and erecting upon their
/ sol, CHASTITY with hecstOmbs OF the slain,
| temples whose mysteries are Peace.
| Aye, sirs, ths priests who minister in
| her temples view the sunlight of almost
/ every zone, and gather for the decOra-
| ton OF her altars flowers kissed by the
/ deWdrOp Of almost every cline.
I Bat, say some of our enemies,
/ you are trenching on the domain
/ OF the church, invading our sane.
! tuaries, and substituting moral
| code for faith in the christian religion.
I Others affect to condemn the secresy of
! tbs initiative ceremonies and govern
ment OF our order. Others say, your
| charities and your benefactions are ex-
| clusive the brotherhood you teach EN-
| braces only the members OF your organ
| izatiOu. We answer: That the christian
| church embraces every phase Of human
obligation and duty-civil, moral and
| religiOus-nO one will deny.
! ITS UNRIvALED EXCELLENCIEs
present the most perfect, complete and
! beneficent system Of moral and christian
reformation known to the world. But
! why should it seek to exclude from the
! domain Of humanity, institutions which
! uphold its authority and approve its
| sanction; which draw their lessons and
! authority from the same source; recOg-
! nize the same God? Should we abolish
! the civil constitution and authority Of
| the State because, fOrsoOth, the chris
! tian church embraces like obligations,
! cOunsels obedience to the laws, restraints
! vice and condemns crime? Would the
! church advise charities to the poor,
| feeding the hungry, clothing the naked,
| visiting the sick, burying the dead
/ anu 5NuCatluS t1e OipAdN- IhSSc
! are among the cardinal virtues
of our order. Will she expunge
| from her csnOns the sacred prinCi.
| pies of friendship, love and truth. These
| we teach and practise. Would she ig
/ more in her precepts and practice the
sublime conception Of the universal
! brotherhood of man and its cO-relatlVe
| duties ami obligations? They are the
! cornerstone and foundation of Odd
! Fellowship. No, no. The grand mis-
! sion of the church and Odd-FellOwship
/ does not, cannot, clash or be opposed.
! Each is y part OF q 6 rand system to re-
| generate man; to relieve the miseries of
| the race. They are planets, fixed stars
! In the moral heavens, with orbits as
! signed them by the divine architect, re-
! YOlving in the plane Of humanity, and
! subject to the same master law. But
! the church-the christian chuTch-must
| confess that ia time it has been (snd
| may be III the futuIe) the nursery OF re-
| ligiOus fansticiSm; IntOllerant and ty-
! ranicai. The bl0Odiest and most cruel
wars have been waged in its interest
! against hereticS and 1D1beljeUerS, and the
| hecatOmb Of its victims attest the iu-
! tensity OF the strife. Fiercer and more
unrelenting than the strife of political
/
! white rose, disputiDg the pos
session OF the English crown, its
! embittered hate ends only in the grave.
"Catholic" and "PrOtestantp have each
baptized their banners i'll bloody, Teligi-
! ous fratricide, and the coalition of either
with the civil government has signal
! lied lis power by its butcheTles. This |
say not IN censuTe OF the church, but as
5 plea for Odd Fellowship. Thank
/ Heaven, under the broad 8gis OF Odd
! Fellowship in the universal brotherhood
it prOclaims and practices, there is no
room for division or sect, federation for
the opinions of others, liberty of con-
lcienCe for all, are among the sUblimest
lessons inculcated from her liturgy. Can
the christian church answer as well?
Let the voice OF impartial history re-
spond. Oid-FellOwship rises above the
iealOusies OF church or sect, and with
charity and liberation to all mankind,
claims their homage and devotion.
"But," says another, ''yOur secret signs
and words are Objectionable" We an
swer, why? They sTe designed for our
protection, and to prevent any unworthy
| applicant receiving or enjoying our ben
efaction. Every relation aud depart
! ment i'm life, from the family circle to
7
the hOvel to the palace; the
banker, the merchant, the man
of letters and the man Of figures, the
scientist and the philosopher, the wise
man and the fool, all have their
secrets aIoOf from the world, and which
no prying curiosity can discover. 1t IS
their own business and for their own
protection. Shall we be condemned for
claiming any less? Our objects and
aims, our constitution and laws are
published to the world and have become
matters OF public history. What else
should they desire to know? Another
says. "YOu are exclusive in the minis
trations Of your charities and hsnevC-
lence. The brotherhood you teach is
confined to your own order" The
brotherhood we teach, my friends, cir
cumscribes anC embraces the whole race
of man, and il it be that yOn bright
worlds which deck the brow OF night are
peopled with the creations of Gods
highest handiwOrk, then will it reach
the stars and sweep with them the cir.
cult Of their grand evOlutiODs.
OUR "AIUTUAL RELIEF"
is shared only by the members Of the
order and their families, because they
have paid consideration iOr 1t and are
entitled to claim it by reason Of their de
vOtiOu TO her principles. Fill our treas
ury FIONA the Golfers Of the State
add to it ''ss the sands of the sea-shOTe, ,
and all mankind will be made glad VIII
the muniticenCe Cf cur OenefSctiCns
J But what are the practical results 0
Odd.FeIlOwship during tie brief period
I OF her histOry2 Let the statistics Of lht
order demonstrate the problem. EX
. amining them, the returns embracing
: the jurisdiction of the grand lodge o
the United States alone, and We fine
that up to the year 1880 no dGtN ar
given, but from that time to the yea
5 ending September, 1874 the total rev
] enue psi6 in was SAG, ,283, $50 %; the TO
tai relief expended was Sl7, 7,Sl3, 432 %
while the total number initiated wa
S72 529. Nearly fifty millions Of n1one.
: paid in, my brothers, for the sublim
J purpose OF the order! With the sum
e mers Of scarce more than half q centur,
, upon her brow, how great her power
g ard how grand her accomplishments
s We search the annals Of the ages for
parallel IN the rapidity and grandeu
| Of her developments, and We fin
I not one! We invoke the voice Of th
4 past for q precedent in the gor
d. OF her Conquesls, and 1t is silent
4 1t was the pride Of the eighteenth cen
. -, III lr.oj L,I 4,