Louisiana capitolian. (Baton Rouge, La.) 1879-1881, 1879-05-03

poet that love Of man must precede
and co-exist with love Of God was
only the exposition Of that sublime
sentiment, Glove thy ,neighbor a. thy
self" spoken nineteen centuries ago
by one who spoke as never man spoke.
The Independent order Of Odd Eel
lowsbip IL one Of the established facts,
md holds n position among the reali-
ties Of the nineteenth century. With
ak thousand working lodges, and
nearly three hundred thousand men,
bors, II Is capable Of welding M i'm
mcnsc influence In society. It's halls
in almost every town, and It's temples
in every city, dedicated to the propa-
gation Of Its teachings, attest the pro.
grcss and stability Of the Order.
Tho purifying truths taught by It
in the Ritual, and excmpliAcd in the
practice Of tho behests Of this Order,
do not cenAne their influence TO those
alone who have passed It's threshold.
"A q small, but sweet flower dis
scminates It's delicious 0lor through
the surrounding atmosphere, 30 do
they permeate tho body Of society and
undermine the cold selAshness that
impedes It's progress as tho falling
waters eventually wear away the
stone that has withstood the friction
Of centuries. The power Of tho un-
DERIVING sentiment Of Friendship pc
caliar to this fraternity Is perceptible
in every vicinity In which is working
q subordinate lodge.
Quietly u thousand little springs
burst from the sides Of the mountains,
and forming riyulets, rush to tho val
ley beneath, then uniting and re-uni-
ting n mighty river IL formed whose
progress no power can impede. So
these little sources Of benevolcnce
and good will yelling up from our
lodge rooms, uniting together, spread
over the earth broad wave Of phi
lantlropy md brotherly lovc--a pow
erfi,l argument against strife md dis
cord, an influential arbiter in favor Of
peace on earth, good will towards
men.
In 1861 tho Southern States seeded
from the union of States, which net
caused n separation Of the Links uni
ting the various Jurisdictions Of Odd
Fellowship. For the time being tho
separation was rs complete IA the
one between the political sections.
The members Of the order in both
sections joined in the war with IA
much fervor and determination as did
their fellow citizens.
| In the Autumn Of 1865 two Lcgis-
lative bodies met. Ono was the Con-
gress Of the United States, assembled
in Washington City, the other was
the Grand Lodge Of the Independent
Order Of Odd Fellows, assembled in
D the city Of Baltimore.
When Congress met the rcprcscn-
tativcs Of the lately seeded States,
elected according to law and usage,
were refused admittancc. When tho
Grand Lodge met the representatives
from all tho States were admitted to
their positions, the severed links re-
united, the covenant Of affection re-
welded, and peace, harmony and
kindly interest in each others VOL
fare resumed their ancient dominion.
In Congress hatred and jealousy
, rcvclcd in the consciousness Of q ty-
I, rants strength; depotism and malice
gloricd in the exhibition Of oppres-
sion; by his angry passions and vim
q dctivc spirit man strovc to degrade
p his fellow man, and lower him to the
q dust; every effort to close the dark
e. chasm, occasioned by years Of car
1 mage and blood was spurncd with
y contempt and scorn; and spirit Of
of persecution intcrposed between the
hearts Of men, which forbade the re-
s ncwal of those bonds ofsympathy that
: should unite the people Of one COM
: mon country, and that spirit is still
It abroad, creating violence, fostering
+ preiudices and crushing down those
! holy aspirations that should find an
If abiding home in the heart Of human
1t being.
&c In the Grand Lodge Of the Order OF
n Odd Fellows, Friendship and Love
Of resumed their mild dominion q feel.
'e ing Of fraternity and forgiveness in
Is terposed their soothing influences
Or by kindly intercourse, and genuine
l. sympathy, man labored to elevate
~ the moral character of his brother
charity cast an impenetrable vel
it over the sorrowfnl part. A spiri
Of harmony and concord prevailed
re-uniting broken links in the clall
that held together 100000 brothers
e, tempered, purified and strengthene
10 by the unnatural separation to wlic
/, it had been subjected, and that spiri
of philanthropy is abroad in this Ian
" scattering flowers, bright immortelleI