Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1877-05-03
UUU Z hILU NSHIP AND hbFUhM.
An address delivered In Lancaster on the oc.
casion of the Anniversary of AmericauOd id
Fellowship. by the Rev. A. e. BARRY:
Ny Br0tHers, and Ladtes and Ge1atlenle7l'

versary of American Odd Fellowship,
I was both glad and grateful because
of the compliment paid me in it, and |
accepted it without hesitation or de-
lay. Beside had very pleasant recol
lections of that former visit, and of the
hearty welcome | received and
especially of the very agreeable ride
here in company with my old friend
Bro. Rice, of Boscobel, who knows
how to make cloudy day one of sun,
shine. Permit me to thank you, my
Brothers, for the compliment of a
second invitation, and for the kindly
greeting you havo given me. And
yet | am going to be sufficiently un.
gracious to tell you, that when l left
the northern part of the State two
days ago to come here, | was sorry |
had promised 10 cOme-not because |
did not want to see you, but because
| was jaded and weary with over
work, and longed for home and rest
Bat | would not for the world have
disappointed you, and so here | am,
sup OH my hind legs" as we say out
here in the West, to do the best I can
in the little time / shall stand before
you.
When Kossuth was in this country
ne visited the landing-place Of the
Pilgrims, and there, standing on
Plymouth Rock, he made one of his
greatest speeches. lie began with
these words: at is said that poor
little bird, having grain of seed in
its bill, was waited over the waves TO
a new part OF the globe, barren
desert yet, lately risen from the depths
of the sea The grain of seed fell
from the bill of the bird, and out of
that seed a new creation was born.
An ocean of balm, the children of that
solitary grain, undulated over the
blooming prairie, and bowed in ador-
alton"
The purpose for which he recited
this parable is explained by the Hun
garian orator as he proceeds: If /
were to stand on the spot where that
grain of seed fell from the beak of the
bird, with the blooming prairie spread
ing before my eyes, boundless like
eternity; | could not feel more awe
than here on this hallowed spot, the
most striking evidence of the most
wonderful operation Of divine provi-
dence. Every object which meets
my eye" he said, "the very echo of
my steps, is fraught with the most
wonderful tale that ever found its way
into the heart of man."
He might have gone on to show
how like the grain of seed which the
bird bore in its beak across the ocean,
and dropped in the barren soil, was
the colony of pilgrims planted on
Plymouth Rock. from which has
issued one OF the grandest harvests
ever gathered. His parable also IL
illustrates fact that continually makes
its appearance in history, and repeats
itself every day before our eyes; the
fact that mightiest results often pro.
coed from feeble and insignificant
causes, as from little word spoken,
or an humble deed performed,or from
an event obscure and and apparently
unimportant.
To the south of Jerusalem, and about
two hours travel therefrom, is the
small town of Bethlehem. With its
three hundred houses, it is to-day, to
the outward eye, but an Insignificant
village. And yet it is consecrated
place-a place of the hottest and
most affecting associations.
When our attention is first called 10
it. it is an obscure place among the
hills of Judea. And they who are
mentioned in connection with it, are
only obscure people. The beginning
is a little bit of family history, in the
opening of which we arc told of Elm
eiech and Naomi, Ephratites of Beth
lehem-iudah. BY and by this history
begins to broaden, to take IN other
names, and to grow in dignity and
Importance, Let me tell you The
story.
To the two names already mention
ed are Joined, after a little, two Other
names-those of Ruth and Boaz II
the valley yonder, still rich and fruit
ful. ere the fields of this man Boaz, tC
which the woman Ruth came in The
beginning of the barley-harvcst; ant
where she CLEANED, and along will
the stalks of ripened grain bound NJ
in a golden sheat the heart of thu
wealthy land-holder and her own.
From the union of this man an(
woman dates the ancestry of a long
line of kings. The FIRST fruit of il il
Obed. And now the history reads
"And Obed begat Jesse, and Jess
begat David" You will not forge
that with these names that OF Bethle
hem is associated. nor that, becaus
of them, every rock and bill and val
lev in the region surrounding it is il
lustrious. Here was the first home @
Elimelech and Naomi-here the ma
of Judah and the woman OF Moa
were married ana lived-and fror
the surrounding hills, over which h
led his flocks when shepherd-boy
David stepped to throne, and TO
more than kingly greatness.
Thirty-one generations pass away
and then we are brought to where W
read. away down at the bottom OF tn
table in which it is said that Boaz bC
cat Obed, and Obed begat Jesse, an
Jesse begat David; And Jacob b'
gas Joseph the husband of Mary
of whom was born Jesus, who
called the Christ" If we think, now
we shall see that this long chair
stretching down through ever S
many generations, is fastened by on
of lis links TO the going forth of f
imeleeh and Naomi from Bethlehem
Judah into the land of Moab. Fror
/ the grandest event in history, theT
{ we go back through many centuries
to an out-ot the-way place, and to c
; out-ofthe-way people.
No doubt all this is in accordanc
with divine plan. This plan we Sc
developing itselfin bye-places, and a.
sociating itself with obscure peopl,
Ratblehem-iudah comes into view /