Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-12-05

CerS anu leaves the Lodge, as he dOsS MS r.
gala.
The Institution of Odd Fellowship is pro.
gressive in its character. It demands that
its influence in this regard for the good of its
followers be shown By the brotherhood. Is
will be SO manifested by all when each Will
obey the behests Of the Order and follow the
footsteps of the leader whose death we MORN
to-day, OF him, as illustrating in his lie the
ideas we have thus found ingrained IN the
Order. we well may say:
Watt watt We winds his story,
And you, ye waters roll,
Till like sea OF glory
1t spreaas rom p'ie W i''ie
For such an Order as We have, any man
could work. To the, enthusiastic soul OF
Ridgely. whose clear brain foresaw. though
ternal organization, the opportunity to labor
intelligetsly and practically for the coming
of the day when one rule or principle should
govern all MEL was too grand to be lost. Is
it any wonder that, psrmeated as ne was
with love Tor his kind, be became enamored
of the Order and its principles-that he
bound himself to it by indissoluble bands of
thought and affection-that his days were
full OF labor Tor its welfare and mis- nights
filled with dreams of its future greatness
In 1929, when he became one with the
Order, it was weak, small in membership,
but little known, without influence or moral
force. He lived to see Odd Fellowship grow
with giant strides to giant strength, spread
from State to State. until the whole Union
felt its influence and acknowledged its power;
saw it sweep through the American continent
carrying the glad tidiDgs OF universal brother
hood, from where the morning sun makes
rosy the waters of Chesapeake bay. to where
the setting sun gilds the rocky hills of the
Golden Gate; beheld it carry its banner in
triumph eastward and westward, from its
birthplace, across the vast oceans that divide
the civilized peoples of this globe, plant it in
glad glory IN the newly-opened fields OF
Australia, upon the historic Alps, upon
Hawaiian volcanic peak, in the ancient cities
OF continental Europe, thence moving onward
with resissless march, circle the world with
triple bands OF friendship, love and truth,
making tie air OF all the earth redolent with
the perfume of its brotherly love, its kindly
Offices to one another in the day of need.
Oh brethren of this friendly Order, let Us
toll with renewed energy to make Odd Eel
lowship what dear brother Ridgely wished it
to bean eyer-present monitor to eaca iad:-
vidual member, teaching him by its silent yet
impressive influence to practice what he
avows, to be what he claims, to regard the
Lo3ge as his family, the membership as his
brothers. in his daily, hourly contact with
them. Let US make the Order better by
making ourselves better. Let US benefit our
brothers by setting good examples. Let US
be to their failings very forgiving, seeking to
palliate, not to enlarge; to reform. not to
punish; TO prove cur fraternal feeling by our
acts for aud to one another, as we'll as by our
pledges and our professions. We can make
real the ideal of our Order. We can convince
the outside world that the reality of Odd Eel
lomship exceeds the coniecsures of the unini
tiated but so to succeed we must each put
hand to hand, Join effort with effort in our
collective capacity as Camps aud Lodges, and
our individual capacity as members of the
Order The genius of Old Fellowship, the
teachings of cur ritual and ceremonies, the
example of Ridgely, all aid US in kiliiog that
selfish spirit innate to man, ali assist US in
building up within our souls and senses that
broad, that sx } ansive, that ealars ed view of
mankind which enables us to say of every
human being, He is my brother" and to
prove by our actions that our hearts beat re.
sponsive to our savings
When in the history Of creation the time
shall come, as under Gods providence l be.
lieye it will come, that an Odd Fellow shall
be distinguished from bis fellows, not because
of the titles that may have accrued to him by
long continued service in the Order, not by
reason of his ability his wealth or his stand
ing, not because he has been for many years
not because of the power that may be given
to him by the acclamations OF hundreds OF
thousands of admiring members of the same
fraternity but because he is really and truly
friend of every man and every good. be.
cause he is really and truly a representative
of a love that passsth understanding, because
he really represents the spirit Of truth in all
the walks of life then, and not till then: no
matter il before that day millions upon mill
i,ns have acknowled yed themselves Odd Fe'.
lows, no matter if untold billions have before
that been expended in mutual relief then.
and not till then, will the Order have reached
that stage in it's progressive character de.
signed BIZ its founders: then. and not till then.
will we have led man to the realization of the
true fraternal relation DESIGNED by the great
author Of his existence.
God speed the coming OF that day. We
NAV bring it here soon, We NAV bring It to
our Sacramento Lodges, We NAV bring it
to ourselves. We must so bring IT,.
Il is related tina. one of the old masters of
ths art of sculpture, desirous of leaving a.
memento to HIS family that should be Der.
p.tual glory to his nation and an eternal
monument to his own fame. secluded himself
from all that ne loved and held most dear. de-
snnEng.
60 the carving from marble of an image which
should st once represent Beauty. Truth,
Love, Humanity. His whole soul was cor.
contracted in the effort he applied to it all
his genius. and It was great. Time raised !:
he re,ked. it mot /: he REGARDED as wasted
the MINUTES passed in eating and slearine,:
he labofed with the ardor of vontb. the
knowledge of sge and the practice of wears,
At lssE tie statue was finished, the last blow
had been struck, the last polish given. Wait.
ing until the MONDAY sun stone its fnlI. he
unveiled his handiwork and stood enchantsd
before a masterpiece of art. He gloried In his
work, he Toasted his artistic soul upon its
beauties and his ambition upon the well won
applause he dreamed would mari, his nama
down all the cycles of Time. TIE statns
upon its pedestal. with its foftIv rounded
arms. its beauteous form. its sensnors l;mbs
was rraryelcusly perfect. Il was tbe IMAGERY ~
life. the acme Of human progress and art Pvg.
maiion gazed and admired. but as he did 40 new
feelings came unbiddsn to him +: love for his
marble image grew 60 alteration. Rowing
down before il. he PRAYED n tbe Gods II
heather mythology he called mon Ven,,.
mon Cunid. Gnd3ess ard God nf Two La
called unon Jrn;4sr the Great 10 ,,,o,,.
rnirscle for HIM to rive his marble Ise M
l,nds o1sre-a5 bis entrso.;sa VIC nv ne
MI, 90, w., IN 1890 anu as ne
coI5 old 5osoro ~ s+n,,a s.-au 81 IL, sup
Jr;th new erooiions ;tS I;n,hs ~
bojv orav instinct ;.b i;fe ;ts
tn gaze With 1--we mon is creator ~ pIH Sa
nrsssed to his arms liv;ng form I,h;.t L ho
himself had fashioned. and to which SA the he
coJs be5 oivan life VIC