National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1879-07-14
THE ODD FELLOWS FAITH.
Eloquent Sermon Preached to Mem
bers of the Order.
Services Mt the First VI. L. Church Attended
by Three Bodies of l. o. o. F.-Dis-
course by Rev. j. w. Gray-what
the Order Means and Teach
es--Thc Duty of Its Mem
Der - Charity, sc.
A sermon to odd Follows.

| Probably one of the finest sermons on Odd
| Fellowship that has ever boon delivered in this
city was that by Rev. J. w. Gray, member of
Henry Clay Lodge, No. 81, of Maryland, and
pastor of the First Methodist Protestant
| Church, corner of Virginia avenue and Fifth
street southeast, delivered yesterday morning
at the church, in the presence of large audi
oncc including Harmony Lodge, No.. o; Union
| Lodge No. IL, and MagGnenu Encampmcnt
| No. T. The doctrines of tho order he expound
| ed in language so explicit VI not to leave a
doubt as to their meaning. At tho same time
the remarks were highly interesting, and re-
| coived tho commentator Of the brothers of
| the order Ho preiaccd his sermon by u few
words Of welcome to the visitors, aud selected
rs his text Galatians w.. Is: "But 1t is good to
be zealously affected always in good thing
and not only when aui present with you"
In every enterprise said he there are
| always difficulties to encounter, but to n pro-
| grcssivc mind they are incentives 10 greater
| labor We are rcaping the benefits to-day that
| have been transmitted to us by those we
| have never seen, ~ the results OF most per-
sevcring labor. The telegraph, steam, public
| Schools colleges, homes provided for the friend
loss, all are but the glorious results of earnest
| work. Among the many institutions that have
come down to US, and from which we are now
rcapug great benefits, is the order of Old Fol
| lows Born among men of little influence aud
of small literary abilities, 1t has lived to see
| tho rise aud fall of many institutions which
started forth with brighter prospects. 1t re-
mains with us but to cherish the sentiments of
| the order. We take the text ~ our motto Cor
| this occasion: 1T Is good b. be Zcaouuy at.
fectcd always in good thing" Simply join
| ing the order will not make man good
| Odd Fellow.
Being in full sympathy with tho order of
| Odd Fellowship. he could testify that ii was
u good thing. Tho objective labor to DO at
| tanned is the establishment of Il universal
brotherhood. While wealth may classify man
| kind, Odd Fellowship seeks to Danish from
| hearts the sin of selhshncss and teach that Us
all originate from some common parent we are
in duty bound to assist and care for our brother
man. And while we are from some common
| parent every man becomes his brothers
keeper. Yot how little is this great truth re-
cognzed. Deeds of kindness arc generally
conferred Oh those who have assisted us as "A
recompcnse for services received Ii this be
the motive by which we are actuated, whence
comes the recognition of the great fact that we
arc our brothers keepers? We often ask our
selves Am my brothers kooperY rs rea-
son why We should not perform duty.
The command to do good to all mon" is too
often disregarled.
This relation once established, we recognize
that we have become identified with the hui
man race. 1t teaches us to educate man TO the
performance of his duty aud leads us to the
recognition of the great truth that mo man
iveth to himself" The world is too selfish to
recognize this great truth without education.
II is the duty of Odd Fellows to do this, rs
Odd Fellowship teaches US to forget self and
live for others. 1t is not impossible to meet
with some who have no higher opinion of the
order than what its beneficial organization af-
tords. As he understood it, it was to bring
man in closer relation to his fellows. Every
| 4 II 4.
the mind that man must 1.-Two i'll universal
brotherhood. Had it started to reform politics,
or tho many other things for which institutions
have been organized to reform, it would have
been numbered among the things that were.
} But 1t went forth with the olive branch in one
: hand and peace and good will in the other, aud
it has enlisted the sympathy of all mankind
] The order comes up to-day in beautiful pro-
portions, and men exclsim. What workmen
wrought that ridge of stecl?" With malice
! toward none and charity for all we bend our
energies to the glorious work Of visiting the
! sick, relieving the distressed, and educating
! the order. He who meditates on others
wounds in that meditation loses his wounds.
To be charitable it is not necessary to be rich.
. All nature teaches lessons of charity. She
gives us all that she possesses. The sun yields
: to us its living light; the moon ever dispenses
light along our pathway; the little stars shed
I golden drops all about us the little streamlet
lends its body to the ocean. 1t is evident that
charity is to DO estimated according the sacri
flee. There is no necessity for any strife be-
tween the church and Odd Fellowship Odd
Fellowship is doing what the church does moi
=, and the church is doing what Odd Fellowship
: cannot.
b Odd Fellowship Is a good thing. Before W.
| can faithfully perform the duties cnjoinet
upon US there must DO impressed upon GU
, minds the motto, Love, Purity, and Fidelity
u Peace on earth, good will for man." Love Car
b. ries friendship and truth and supplies al
t weapons necessary for victory. 1t is not he
Y cessary for us to buckle on the sword friend
Q ship, love, and truth will DO all the weapon
. needed Let us unite our forces at the shrin
of Odd Fellowship and 20 forth with earnes
work for suffering humanity. He was lookin
t 10 u contamination when the sword will be con
Il verified into implements to till the soil; the
will universal peace be complete and earth an
heaven will combine and shout "Hallelujah
4 OUR CLEARING-OUT sALE--GREAT REDUC
=, TON OF PRICES TO FORCE OFF SrOCK
q EISEMAN BROS, CLOTHIERS AND TAILOR;
], CORNER SEVENTH AND E.
N - 90 -----------
-