The Wichita city eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1872-1883, 1877-07-19

ON otnerS faults. III joining l0dge
of Odd Fellows you are not required
to abandod any party or sect to which
you may be devoted, nor diminish the
allegiance you owe to your country.
We do not allow distinctions of party
or sect or prejudices of race or country
to lessen our benevolence. BY the
practice of charity we benefit our
selves as well as the fortunate recipi-
ents of favors, for it is law CT our
nature that the better we serve the
more we love, and the more we culti-
vatc the sentiment of love the better
we become. AS it is hard to forgive
those whom we have injured, so we
are apt to feel feel more lively re-
gard for the subjects of our kindness.
There is no situation in which a man
may be placed, that more rightly COM
mands sympathy and service, than
sickness. We all admit it, but love
our ease so well that unless some Pc
culiar circumstance arouse us to ac-
ton, there is but little compassion ac-
tually shown the sick. There are for
tunately many relations in life that
serve to counteract this tendency to
evade duty, and if we are sick in the
midst of family or friends, or if we
are ''well of in the world" we may
depend upon reasonable care and at
tenlion. Among Odd Fellows this is
rendered certain at all times and un-
der all circumstances, at home or
abroad, among friends or strangers.
Besides, We secure the sick against
want by system of weekly payments
original with us, which he may claim
as debt, and does not receive as char
ity. Thi. lodge received information
last fall that member was sick in the
Black Hills country. Upon mere
conjecture that he might be in need,
the lodge sent him q remittance sufii-
cient to relieve present wants, with
directions to draw upon the lodge for
more, if needed. This is single cir
cumstance out of many which could
be given, illustrative of the manner in
which our lodges do business. If you
are travelling and happen to misfor-
tune, card from your lodge will Sc
cura Won oil tho rpotor;a1 n IN Won roo1
None OF us know how soon we shall
need assistance We are the victims
of change and decay. Many of US to-
night are in the flush aud vigor OF
robust health, but tomorrow we may
be PROSTATE and weak OH a bed of pain
and suffering. Some enjoy position
and wealth, and in the pride and
strength of their power and prestige
are disposed to take very comforta-
BILE view of life, but who knows how
soon his brightest prospects may be
blighted and his most cherished hopes
come to naught. OF course Oddfellow-
ship will not undertake to guard you
against all the ills of life, neither can
it rebuild your broken fortunes, but
we are bound to give brother the
sign of warning, and answer the call
of distress. There are two classes of
duties this lodge has never been called
upon to perform: Not one of its men,
bers has died during the five years of
its existence, but it is some comfort
to know that if we die the whole fra
ternity is pledged to protect the widow
of an Odd Fellow from wrong and i'm
position, and to educate his orphan
child.
The benefactions of the Order have
not been confined to its own circle.
Last winter when many were out of
and hard pressed for the
necessarles of life, this lodge had re-
lief committees in every ward in the
city, and considerable restitution out
of the pale of the order, was relieved
by these committees with lodge funds.
have briefly considered the Order
as mere beneficial society, aud it is
to multiply instances,
They are numberless. and of an endless
variety. | doubt whether there is one
of this audience who cannot call TO
memory some circumstance in which
he has observed the benefits and bless
ings of Oddfellowship.
The institution has other aspects to
commend it. While it points with
pride 10 its long line of charities, it
claims recognition as moral and So
cial power.
1t is government within itself.ruled
by laws, enforced by penalties of its
own. The severest punishment the
Order can intlict is expulsion, and be-
ing held by all good Odd Fellows
throughout the globe as man void of
honor. We have no gallows, no prison,
no pillory and no whipping-post, but |
venture to say that no government Of
equal equal extent exercises more
restraint upon its people,
han does our Order within its sphere
lpon its members. Our people in this
country have made many laws to pun
sh crime. We build work houses and
prisons, organize courts, and pay Off
,ers large salaries. We cast the Of
ender into prison and he comes out
With character blasted, reputation
rome and poverty staring him in the
ace. What is such man to do? He |
must, in addition to what he has re-
eived, lead life of degradation, per-
laps of want, to expiate otfenses for |
which society is largely responsible.
)ddfcllowshlp surrounds man with |
friendly influences, imbues him with |
proper conceptions of his capabilities,
tirs up all that is noble and generous
II his nature, removes the fear of
want by its pledges to stand by him in
leads him in the path Of rec
itude and honor by mild appliances
nd laws which restrain and do not
estroy, and what is the result? |
oubt if any of my hearers ever knew
f an Odd Fellow in full fellowship
cling in the poorhouse or penitentia-
y. In five years experience on the
ench, have never tried an Odd Eel
wv OH criminal charge.
Again, the lodge meetings bring