The daily gazette., 1878-03-13
THE TRIPLE LINK.
LARGE TURNOUT OF ODD FELLOWS
CELEBRATION oY THE TWENTY
EIGHTH ANNIvERsAY OF
...I ASYLUM LODGE.


EIGHTH ANNIvERsAY OF
.I ASYLUM LODGE.
The celebration of the 28th anniversar,
| OF Asylum Lodge, No. %, 10. O. f.. o.
this city, came of at the Grand Opers
House, last evening, and despite the
stormy weather was attended by an au
dience that filed the hall.
The. guests of the evening were the
Grand Sire of the Grand Lodge of the
United States, John w. Stokes, George
F.. Borie, ESD Past Grand Master Of
pennsylvania, and fifteen members oj
Cadwallader Lodge, No. 253, of Phila,
delphia. Messrs. Stokes and Borie ar.
rived during the afternoon, and were
quartered at the Clayton House, while
the other visitors arrived on an evening
train. They were met at the depot by
the members of Asylum Lodge, headed
by the United Cornet Band, and escorted
to the Odd Fellows Hall, and afterwards
to the Grand Opera House stopping Oh
the way to tender their escort to Grand
Sire Stokes and Past Grand Master Bo.
rie.
AT the Opera House the curtain rose
at $40 o'clock, and disclosed about a hun.
drcd members of the order, in full rega-
liza, and representing the different grades
of Odd Fellowship, from the officers OF
the Grand Lodge and Grand Encamp-
ment to the ordinary degrees of the sub
ordinate lodge. The stage was not deco
rated in addition to the usual scenery,
with the exception of two flower stands,
each bearing glass vase in which was
contained beautiful bouquet, the pur-
poses of which will hereafter be ex-
planned.
The exercises, which were conducted
by ex-Mayor Joshua s. Valentine, OPEN
ed with music by the band, the opening
ode of the order, sung by the members,
under the leadership of Henry +. Pickles
and prayer by the Grand Chaplain,
Rev. Gaylord l.. Moore.
His Honor Mayor Whiteley, who had
been deputed to deliver an address of
welcome to the visitors on behalf of the
city, then arose and spoke as fol-
lows:
Ladies' and Geatlemen.-The members of
tho Independent Order of Odd Fellows
of this city have imposed upon me the
pleasant duty of welcoming among us
the trustworthy Grand Sire of the Grand
Lodge of the United States, the Past
Grand Master the State of Pennsylvania
and other visitors. The order in Will
mington embraces large and influential
part Of our citiZrns, and on their behalf,
and on behalf of the municipal authori-
ties, L extend to you not only the right
hand of fellowship, but a right hearty
welcome to our city.
AT the conclusion of the Mayors ad-
dress the audience was treated to a sem
timental song, "See that my graves kept
green" by VIM. Whitcraft. 1t was so
excellently rendered that an encore was
demanded, and in re-
sponse Mr.. Whitcraft sang "Roses under
meath the snow" which was also hearth
ly applauded. The organ accompani-
ment was performed by David +. Find
ley, who ably presided at that instru-
ment during the evening.
Grand Master John j. Gallagher, of
this city, then delivered short address
Of welcome to the visitors on behalf of
the order, in which he said:
L welcome you, gentleman, on behalf
OF the members ofthe order in this ,juris-
diction and more particularly those of
Asylum Lodge. We propose to so well
come you that you will remember this
episode for years to come. We welcome
you for your intrinsic worth, as well as
for the honors conferred upon you by the
Grand Lodge of the United States. And
yet there is vein of selfshness in our
welcome, for we have need of your valu-
able counsel and advice, and expect to
receive your help in this respect. l bid
you, therefore, in the name of the Inde-
pendent Order of Odd Fellows of this
Jurisdiction a kind and hearty well
come.
After another musical selection by the
band, Grand Sire Stokes was introduced
and said
Ladies and Gentlemen: L pro-
ceed with my address allow me to return
my sincere acknowledgements for the
cordial welcome extended to me by your
worthy Mayor, and by my respected
brother, Grand Master Gallagher. When
consented to come here and give few
words of advice and counsel to this young
and enterprising Lodge, did not dream
of such a reception as has already been
extended TO me. And rs L have prepar-
ed short address to deliver ON this oc-
cassion, will proceed with 1t, without
further Acknowledgement.
Grand Master Stokes then proceeded
to read carefully prepared and interest
ing address. which occupied about three
quarters of an hour in its delivery. He
said that Asylum Lodge, with its %
Of the great body composed of &, 800 other |
lodges in various parts of the country,
over a half million of mem |
bers. Some of the members of Asylum |
possessed an experience of twenty-eight |
years in the blessings and benefits of the |
order, and could he but call on them to |
'elate their plain, unvarnished personal |,
experiences and to rehearse the scenes |
hey had witnessed, it would be regarded |
" the grandest and noblest tribute to
Odd Fellowship that could be rendered.
He next traced the rise and progress of
Odd Fellowship, from the organization
If the first lodge by Thomas Wildey, in
fifty-nine years ago, until it
its present gigantic proportions,
with its temples ornamenting every town
md hamlet in the country, and its ban
iers bearing IN letters of living light the
words, "Peace on Earth, good will to
men," Continuing in this strain, he de-
cribed the sgloriOus works of charity
performed by the order of Odd Fellows,
which are made apparent by hundreds of
thousands of grateful recipients, who
yladly bear tribute to the noble manner
n which it fulfills Its objects and pur-
POSES. Its revenue, during the past year,
was over s4,7O0,O00; 1t relieved 1925
,rotheB and assisted 6,146 widows, pay
Ing to them in round numbers the sum of
II 1893, 900. 1t paid for the relief of wild
mo nd tho aduaat of nrpha eOSq |