The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1879-10-30

the highest motal hetoism and grandeur.
They shine as cherished jewels In the
crown Of civilization. The great earnest
lessons you teach the brotherhood and
the world, oil forebearance, Of SeltsaCrihce,
and charity, reflect with splendot over oil
the walks Of human lie, and impress on
d. the thought, you have almost incarhat'
ed In your order, that true fraternity
alone can bring out the genius and divin.
lily In men. But iorbeat from further
remarks. Enough has been said trust to
assure you all that you are In the banquet
hall OF your friends, that you are esteemed
guests, and that there is set apart 10 you
all the privileges and happiness Of the
hour.
This address was responded to by the
Grand Master Thos. w. Fleming, In the
following speech.
'The Compliment rendered by Widely
Lodge OF Wheeling to the Grand Lodge Of
West Virginia Is only surpassed by the
smiling faces ] see before me tonight, and
those heaven descended principles Of
Friendship, Love and Truth, that we are
engaged Ia feeble attempt to exemplfy,
and in behalf Of the Grand Lodge | bid
you God speed.n
Supper was then announced, and the
Odd Fellows, their wives and friends 10
the number Of 400 or 500 sat down 10 an
elegant supper provided by Wildey
Lodge. After supper Mr.. Ellifritz gave the
toast: "The Grand Lodge Of West Virginia
ID" and called upon Judge Hoke, Of Key.
ser, who responded as follows:
Mr.. PRESIDENT: II Is difficult task, and
! shall fail to do justice to the subject in
to respond to the sentiment
Just offered. However, the Grand Lodge
Of West Virginia, composed Of the repre-.
Sentatiyes and Past Grands OF eighty.nine
subordinate lodges, and representing near
" four thousand Odd Fellows, would be
ungrateful and unkind did It mol Sieze
upon this occasion TO express In few
brief words Its high appreciation Of the
hospitality extended to its members by
the brotherhood OF the city OF Wheeling,
and especially lift did not Acknowledgements
delicate and tasteful tribute paid them by
the Daughters Of Rebekah In this delight
ful, agreeable, and l might add, palata-
BILE entertainment.
This manifestation OF their friendship
and kindness, we take not 10 ourselves
personally or individually, but accept
rather as a token Of your high regard and
esteem for the noble principles OF our ex"
cellent Order, which only Odd Fellows
can fully appreciate or properly under.
stand.
Mr.. Freident-I have not the time or
liberty to state In detail all that the Grand
Lodge OF West Virginia is, but have the
privilege OF stating a few things which II Is
not; it is not Methodist Conference, Q
Presbyterian assembly or Republican
Association, although many OF our best
members belong 10 these excellent denom-
nations; nor is 1t political convention or
town caucus.
Odd Fellowship is not political inst-
tuition, yet it Is both republican and demo-
cratic In its character: 1t Is republican in
the representative features OF its govern.
ment, and democratic in its obliteration Of
classes and equality Of membership. This
democratic feature, this ohliteration OF all
classes and equality among all members,
is the only browning glory OF Odd Fellow
ship.
Here the "pine-knot and eoon.skin"
lodges Of the mountains meet on the same
great plane Of fraternal equality with the
palatial halls OF your wealthy city. The
same latch iastens the door OF every lodge
room, whether it be raised by silver
knob or o leather string.
This great law Of equality almost sug-
gests the idea that the term, Odd Fellows,
Is a misnomer; instead Of Odd Fellows
we ought to be called Even Fellows. But
after all, Mr.. President, there is a great
difference and inequality among the mem
bers Of this Grand Lodge. There are more
points in which they differ than in which
thew agree. No two are OF the same
heiSht:or weight or equally handsome.
And there Is another point in which
there is still a greater difference. This
Grand Lodge is divided into two great
classes-eyen Odd Fellows and Odd Fell
lows. The even Odd Fellows are those
who have taken themselves better halves.
They are Of the same opinion as Gold
smiths Vicar OF Wakefield, that he who
married and brought up large family did
more service than he who remained sin
gle and only talked Of population" The
other class are the Odd Fellowship odd
est kind Of tellors. They are like one
blade OF a pair OF shears, or one leg Of q
pair Of tongs. They selfshly take life like
their oysters, on the half shell. For the
benefit OF these eccentric Odd Fellows the
Degree OF the Daughters OF Rebekah was
instituted and added to Odd Fellowship.
But am sorry to say, Mr. President,
that II had no perceptible or profitable
effect upon them. Rebekah sits at the
well in all her queenly beauty and lovli-
ness, but they will not go near the well.
They are afraid Of the well-will not go
near the we'll. But total abstinence, Mr..
President, is not what keeps these old
batch elors away. They are afraid OF the
well-airaid that they will get hit over the
head with the well.sweep or windlass-or
that the curbiug will give way and they
will fall in and drown. But still, Mr..
President, we hope this entertainment
will have GOOD effect on them, reclaim
and do for them what the degree Of Re-
bekah was intended to do, raise them to
higher and better plane.
R. W. G. Secretary Steele, then in re.
Spouse to the toast "The progress Of the
order" gave very interesting description
OF the rise and progress Of the Order in
this State from LOO members, with %
lodges, to a present membership OF nearly
1000 with 90 lodges.
Frederick Goodfellow, Of the Grand
Lodge Of Massachusetts, saidI Ladies' and
Gentlemen, Brothers and Sisters: It
affords me great pleasure to be present
on this suspicious occasion. haye been
called on to respond to the "Degree Of
Rebekah." I am.very sorry that more at
tontion has not been given this important
degree. ] want not only the wives Of Odd
Fellows to be initiated into this order, but
also the sisters and daughters Of Odd Fell
lows. This degree is the grand supple
ment to the triune virtues, Friendship,
Love aud Truth, Faith, Hope and
Charity. The cry was raised In the
beginning women cannot be trusted" !
have found in twenty years experience
that women can be trusted in whatever Is
good and noble before God and man. The
material interests Of the order will be
advanced and enhanced II women are rails
cd to q higher and better position in the
order. The speech throughout was one
~ ,,ohIaf aantiTnantA in favor ~ woman and