Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1878-05-01
with a copy of my address before
your body, for publication.
Yours fraternally.
ODD FELIOWsHIp

your oouy, LOT puollcallon.
Yours fraternally,
VIM. DoNNELLY
ODD FELLOWSHIP.
Fellowship as defined by Web
ster, is "the mutual association o
persons on equal and friendly
terms" True fellowship is found
ed upon two essential or funda
mental truths; first, the fatherhooC
of God; second, the brotherhood
of men.
Brotherhood of God. ale
hath made of one blood all nations
of men for to dwell on all the face
of the earth" Acts 1926.
2.--The brotherhood of men
"Have we not all one father! Hath
not one God created u.s." Mala-
chi 2-10.
Upon these fundamental or pri-
mary truths, the Order before me,
to-day, is founded. Upon these
primary truths rest the golden rule
of the great teacher. "Thou shalt
love the Lord thy God with all thy
heart, mind, and strength. This is
the first and great commandment.
The second is like unto it, viz :
Thou shalt love thy neighbor, as
thyself. Whatsoever we would that
men should do unto you do we even
so unto them, for this is the law
and the prophets" That is the
sum of legal obligation and pro-
phetic teaching.
ANTIQUITY OF THE ORDER.
It's existence, in some of its forms,
goes back, it is claimed, to the days
of Moses and the Jewish priest
hood. Also organized among the
Roman soldiers, A. ID. 80, and call
ed Odd Fellows by Titus Caesar, be-
cause they knew each other by
night as well as by day. The or
der was introduced into America in
the year 1906, in the city of New
York. But the effort to establish
a permanent organization failed.
The first permanent organization
was Washington Lodge No. l, in
the city of Baltimore, on the Goth
day of April, A. D. lSl9-just 90
years ago to day. This first lodge
was composed of five members, viz:
Thomas Wilday, John Welch, John
Duncan, John Chea.ham and Rich
ard Rushworth. To-day, the or
der in the United States is over
half a million strong. Truly the
weak one has become mighty, and
the small one a great army.
The motto enscribed upon our
banner, must commend itself to
every virtuous, intelligent, and pure
minded person. Friendship, love,
and truth, these are the links OF
the chain that binds the brother
hood to the cheerful performance
of the duties they owe to each
other, and to their fellow men in
all the relations Of life. Fully to
carry out in our lives these prin-
ciples, will require great firmness
of character. The patriarch jacob
said to Reuben, his first born: =
"Unstable as water, thou shalt not
excel" We must be Steadtast, un-
movable, always Astounding in every
good work.
"Friendship, love, aud truth, uni
versally practised by man toward
his neighbor, would change this
world with its woes into paradise"
and bring back Eden to man, or
man to Eden; then indeed
"No more should nation against nation rise,
No ardent warriors meet, with hateful eyes,
Nor fields with cleaning steel be covered DER,
The brazen trunpet kindlc rage no more,
But useless lances into scythes should bend
And the broad falchion in ploughshare end
Then palaces should rise; the joyful son
Should finish what his short lived sire began;
The vines a shadow to their race should yield'
And the same hand that sowed should reap the
field"
Friendship, love, and truth, faith
fully practiced, are a safe guard
against all the ills of life. eff we
are actuated by these motives IN
all the transactions of life, we will
not ONLY secure our own happiness,
but the happiness of our fellows.
Good conduct before the world VIII
secure to us the esteem of the wise
and virtuous. The example we
show will have an important infu-
ence for veal or woe. Faith and
virtue are ever admired, even by
the bad; falsehood and vice are
despicable, even to those who prac-
tice them. We must be honest In
our dealings with our brethren
We should take nothing more than
is Justly our due; in all things we
should avoid even the semblance OF
deception. We should be honest
with our neighbor, by speaking
well Of him, and, If we can not thus
speak of him, by holding our peace
concerning him. The calnmniator
cannot be man of good faith he
is not to be trusted; he should be
Stunned as leprosy. He is more
to be despised than a thief" for che
who steals our purse steals trash
twas ours, tits his, and has been slave
to thousands; but he, who filche'
from MS our good name, robs us o.
that which naught enriches him, YET
makes us very poor indeed"
Men are not always what they
soo,o IN he We are often deceived