Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1878-04-28
EUREKA DAILY SENTINEL.
o RATIoN
Delivered by Judge VIM. DOoliD. nj
the Odd Fellows Celebration In
Eureka at BigeIow's Hail.. ON
FRIDAY. April 26. 1873.

MR. PRESIDENT, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. AND
BROTHER ODD FELLOWS;
1t is one Of the high privileges that accrue
to us by vir'ue of the political institutions
under which we live to meet here this day,
to celebrate the ffty-Dinth anniversary of
the Independent order of Odd Fellows. 1t
il with feelings of gratitude to the Giver Of
Al Good that we meet, to cast cur of.riRgs
on the altar of our Order and our Country.
We rejoice that we live in a land the genius
of whose institutions make it possible for a
great society. like ours. to bloom and -four
ish. We rejoice not alone in the rise and
progress Of our Order, bat in the rapid
growth and amazing prosperity Of our coun-
try. But a century age the Colonies, founded
along the Atlantic seaboard, have, under our
system of government. become thirty-eight
populcus sovereign States. The hamlets es-
tablished by the early settlers have now be-
come mighty cities. great marts Of trade and
commerce., ceutcrs of learning and refine
ment, where art and science hold imperial
sway. The hardy pioneers who leveled the
forest and built homes in the Wilderness, a d
rested from heir arduous labors to familiar
music Of the deep ssa-waves, soon found the
tide OF immigration pouring upon them from
the continent ana tDo Isles OF Europe In sucn
numbers that it became necessary fer tn m
70 seek new fields for their labors. Accord
ingly, with a spirit and det rmination tina
will stand to their eternal credit. they brav,d
the dangers Of the uDbrok q West and
wre-ched from savage breas $, and .~esrcely
less savage man, the fertile soil which now is
te m Dg with a popu alton the most acfive
and intelligent. Cities sprang up sif by the
magician's wand. The white winged mes
eengers of M were Sc: afloat on our
magnificent rivers aad great in and sea-; an
intermiDable system Of railroads were con-
structed; tbs discovery Of gold in California.
gave a new impetus to our country. 1he
hardy sons who built cities by the seabosrd
and peopled the valleys of great rivers and
lakes, soon found their way TO the golden
shores of the Pacific. California was added
TO the grand constellation OF States. Soon
followed the discovery Of silver in the wllds
of Nevada The restless spirits. who were
attracted to the golden shores Of the Pscifc.
seal d the Fashioned summit of the Sierras
and wrung from the bosom of our rock
ribbed mountains a brigh silver strea "a,
which was sent forth to invigorate the great
arteries of and replenish the
treasury OF nations.
The incentive to these great achievements
are loud in the Declaration 0 A ~nericun Iu
dependence. True. indeed. nothing new was
enuDciated in that imperishahle documen =.
but it remained for American freenen I
have wrought tn N into tangibl law. To
wrest such a country from The rude forces o
IdkdiC " hShACNO CO 6tHha u SUI
pendous, nee ssarily repaired the action of
various elements. 1hese elem -nts, tho gh
nor united. were nevertheless uDctously bat
actively engaged in ach ewing the same grand
results. Societies played an important par /;
sci ties which reared sheir tenn pies and ded-
tcatcd them to the worship Of the hving Gud;
societies which delved deep into the shroudei
secrets of Nature, and discovered great Prin-
cipies which m ide it possible tor man to
brave, with security, he storms of The ocean
and cast his though hts nstantane ou sly arou, d
the world: societi 3 that. separating rom be
discordant elements which, alas, too often
men. cast the olive branch of peace on he
altar of Friendship, Truth and Love. Will
we accord to other societies the full meed OF
praise for til. part they took IN the achieve
ment Ct a work 50 grand and stupendoas,
doned Tor briefly recitlng SONS of the work
ings.
AS to the origin Of our Order. the stud mt
of history will be spared the ~necessi' y OF
searching the records o! the remote past.
Fifty nine years ago this day, the Order was
institn ed in the CT > Of Baltimore. Ii was a
feoble b ginning. bat, like the bright rays #
morning ligh breaking in through deep d.
file and mountain gorge. it steadily advanced,
un il nov, though not at its ne idian, it IL
1umininates and cheers the world. America,
Europe and the isles of the ocean reconize th
practical workings, OF our advanced sy tenn
Of b-nevolencs and charity A miilion Udd
= oot y 'OaNoh
widows relieved from the bllgh ing touch Of
want; seventy thousand orphans educated
rescued from ignorance and its twin sister,
Crime, are s me Of the monuments erected
by this great Brotherhood. Thirty millions
of dollars distributed among the poor and
suffering. are landmarks Of its benevoience
and goodness. This, although a pa { OF our
practical workings. is but a 1.-THE of the in
trinsic excellencies of cur beloved Order.
10 visit the sicS, relieve the distres. ed, to
barry the dead, and to educate ths orphan,
is tbs Of our laws. and an imperl-
tive that odd fellowship emf inns. We also
seek to improve and elevate the character o.
man-to i'm bue him with a prop r concept on
o. his ca pa abilities for good, to enlighten his
mind. to enlarge the sphefe of his fl ,%ctions.
in a word. our aim is to lead man 70 the cult :
signed by the Great Author OF his being.
With the divisions and ciassifications Of So
Getty our order holds no feilo sshin. While
il inc lcates subJrdinati0n TO civil cove n
Aft atty with systems OF faith OF sects, whether
religious or political. Aye, in brief. an odd
Fellow, in spirit and truth, must be graf. ful
to his Crs ator, f.ithful to his country and
fraternal to his fel ow,man. The Authority
of conscience N ist at all times be r spectet,
and as 1T determines so shoald we act in all
the relations OF life. We endeav r to incui-
cate a just obser vance of those high moral
affections and duties for the en-. orcement OF
which society can enact no code.
With odd Fellowship, all stand upon one
common lie fel, and are alike entitled to that
consider alton and regard which each claims
for himself. The rule by which we walk i
founded on the inmutable truth that 'all
men are brethren" From one common
source the existence of all is derived. A
nerve Of the same life runs through all the
race and gives TO each an interest In all that
live. Recognizing, as we do, this great nat
uraI BOND oil union, the evils that afl ct our
brothcr-h an become in a measure our own;
hi misfortunes are our misfortunes, and his
sufferings do but increase the aims that
shoot through our systems and render life SO
feverish and itscl. l. we smite him, we smite
q mem Der o. our own hody; and if we strike
for his blood, our fe- b shall feel the wound.
The onward march OF civilization and the
rapid advances of human society have de-
prived the world Of much Of that simplicity
and virtue which gave it's richest charm to
the lives Of our ances ors. We seek to revive
that simplicity and inculcnte that purity.
We have. as we believe, laid bro d and deep
the foundation OF that universal brotherhood
which shall link. in the golden chain Of an
corresponding sympathy. heart With heart.
man to man, until the vices which de6's. and
the passions and prejudices which separate
the children oil q common Father shall be-
~extirpated from earth. and the abodes OF SER
rev and suffering DO lighted with the be-
nignant beams OF peace and love Let these
principles prevail. and mankind will become
one happy family; . caiu, repose will come
upon the e'ements of discord. content on and
- Ill L.