The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1881-02-17

vening, nothing has ever tended to
! bring man so close to his fellow,
/ heart so loyal to heart, hope so akin
TO hope, and interest seebleniea
with interest, as does friendship,
love and truth.
Odd Fellowship was born when
the world became poor. 1t was the
blrthright of poverty, the child of
necessity. We do not boast of an
inheritance from the temples of an
tiquity, nor of wondrous wisdom and
authority, emanating from the scroll
of kings; yet we can Justly claim
that our deeds of 'bencvolence; and
charity are not covered by the
shadows of antiquity and of an in
heritance born of necessity and en-
couraged by mans fellowship to
man, and of a growth stout in the
hearts of the people. Go We then
and teach Odd Fellowship; diffuse its
principles; argue well its cause and
practice well its examples. Re-
member that there is no tie that can
bind man so close to his brother as
membership in your order; that, in
it, envies and jealousies do not ex-
list; that political and religious diff
ferences are.buried, forgotten; that
vice, in every FORM. is warned
against; that friendship towards
man prompts the contest, and that
love and truth assures the victory;
that you are banded together by
true benevolence in the Icauserof re-
lief, and.th man rise, to his best
manhood in becoming a good Odd
Fellow. ?, d
THE GERM OF ODD ODD FELLwsHIP
was planted with the germ of civil
liberty in Texas. Lone Star Lodge
No. was organized in the city of
Houston in 1888. How appropriate
the name, the place and the timel
The name Is historically blended
with that given the infant Republic,
and which will follow our beloved
Texas as distinctive appellation in
the great future. The place was
happily selected. 1t was meet and
proper that this order of. humble
origin, but noble virtues, should be
christened in the place called after
the patriot, friend and father of
DUTY and sacrifices for others are so
typical of ours. How opportune
the time! Did il not follow in the
wake of revolution as the gentle
successor of the rugged wounds OF
war and the ruthless havoc of
cruel soldiery? With Texas it has
grown. Its hencvolcnue is blended
wlththe developments of this lovely
land Of ours. From the Red river
In the north to the gulf in the
south. from the eastern Sabine to
the western Rio Grande, Odd
Fellowship has its hold. Texas
has no better friends and no
nobler sons than those in our ranks,
contending for the supremacy of
friendship, love and truth. FIVE
thousand jealous Odd Fellows con
stltute our membership of Texas to-
DAY, and in each one who wears the
links and bears an open palm, is a
sentinel, guarding jealousy our
principles, and keeping from the
door of the distressed Brotherhood
encroaching want. Organized in
America nearly sixty-tWo years ago,
it has, in this incredible short time,
an active working list of one-half a
million members, and has 7disbnrsed
in the cause of',charity and! relief
more than sixty million dollars. Odd
Fellowship Who can estimate the.
good it has Accomplishment 1t is as
impossible to calculate the tears it
has checked, the want it has salts
fed. the homes made comfortable,
the hearts made to rejoice, and the
prayers for its success, as it is to
count the sands upon the seashore.
An Odd Fellow is ever welcome
among his brethren. Go where you
will a friendly greeting is yours
from every brother.
PAST GRANDs, .