The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1875-11-13
HOME MAN -.
Odd Fellows Hall Dedication.


The Odd, Fellows of Tonti Lodge OF this city |
dedicated their new hall in the Opera House
block on Tuesday evening of this week. The
night was somewhat inauspicious- being wet
under foot and threatening rain, but by half
after seven two hundred ladies and gentlemen
assembled in the beautiful hall to witness the
ceremonies.
0The ceremonies ofdedication were very beauti-
full and impressive DR.. J. o. Harris, represent
ing the Grand Lodge of the state, conducting
the exercises. At the close of the ceremonies
DR.. Harris delivered very well written ana
highly interesting address.
The DR.. said, among other things, your new
and commodous hall is now dedicated to Friend
ship, Love and Truth; your altar fires are lighted
anew, and you are again prepared to practice
those moral and humane virtues which pervade
our ritual. In this hall you will meet for coun
sell social intercourse and the relief of the dis
trcssed. Here many novitiate will be initiated
into the mysteries of our noble order; here the
calls for relief will meet with that response which
Fellows are ever ready to bestow; here the
Influences around you will tend to the cultiva-
ton of the pure and noble, and better fit you for
that home of happiness which no man hath seen
but which all hope to gain"
The DR., then made some interesting remarks
concerning the order and its workings-stat'
ing that there were some 10000 members in
the United States, and some 100000 all bound by
the closest ties of honor and sympathetic friend
ship; that their charities have in one year reach
ed the muniticent sum Of Sl.500O0a, or nearly
So per minute; that the order was the first to
send relief to burning Chicago in III; the same
foln od ,yban and ShreyenOrf
called for aid.
"But," said he, "Odd Fellows benevolence can
not be measured by dollars and cents, for who
can estimate the good accomplished by their
care and watchfulness at the sickbed, the SYM
patty and support given to afflicted or mourn
ing brotherss That record is written in Heaven
alone"
1t was also social institution; aims to dcvel-
ope the better qualities of mans nature, and
strives to admit only true men,
1--WE care not how widely men may differ III
politics or religion; how rich or how poor they
may be; we care not what country they may
claim as fatherland, or what language they hrst
learned to utter; we care for none OF these
things, because we seek only for true men, and
having found them aGmlt tnem AT once upon a
basis of social equality, and with generous EN-
ulation engage with them in offices OF human
kindness, knowing no nation, no creed, and but
one universal God"
Od5-Tclows are sometimes weighed in the
balance and found wanting, but who is bameless.
They lay no claim to perfection, but strive to
reach tine highest plane both in precept and
pra tice and only give up the battle when death
comes.
The DR.. then refered to the beautiful order
of P-bckah for ladies, and spoke eloquently Of
the beauty and efficiency OF woman's mnistra-
tons in the relief of the sick and sorrowing.
In cenciu. ion he exhorted the Brothers to be
true 10 their order to their obligations, to them
selves; to practice what they teach, and TO re-
member acts alone prove worthy of acceptation;
that &c ne an Odd Fellow means to participate
in all v orks of love and charity that come be-
fore them, to abandon ease and comfort, to part
with their worldly goods for the needy. That
they rust be ready to assist needy and suffer
ing brother, to watch at the bedside thrO'
many weary night, to defend his character, to
aid If need be his family that they feel not too
keenly the cold blasts of adversely or sink and
wither by the way side; and in case a brother
offend to seek peaceable reconciliation.
Cur ORDER said he sis magnificent struc-
ture, built upon the solid bGsis OF Friendship,
Love and T-uth-Fath, Hope and Charity
many of the best men have aided in its structure
ana the blessings OF tens OF thousands OF InOSe
who have felt its bounty surround it with halo
of glory. 1t is now fixed and immovable and
ever will remain
"As some tall cliff that lifts its mighty form
Swells frem the vale and midway leaves the
storm,
Though round its breast the rolling clouds may
spread,
Eternal Sunshine settles on its head"
After DR. HIS address, Mr.. f. Y Gr;ggs was
called upon by Mr.. Jacob Christman, and elo-
quently invoked blessing upon the new hall
and the members of the lodge.
The guests then adjourned to Willis hall,
where pleasant evening was spent in the mer-
~ dance,
The hall itself is very bcautiful-with elabor-
ately frescoed ceiling and wanscoted walls,
with furniture, pictures, Sc, to match, making
it one of the most attractive lodge rooms in the
city, and rejecting great credit upon the organ
ization and it's working members.
Representatives of the Joliet, Peru and Grand
Ridge lodges evinced their "brotherly love- by
their presence at the dedication.