The Rock Island Argus., 1882-03-17
PAST MASTER s. D. RoBB

accepted the gift for the Lodge as follows:
Ladies, friends-Not alone for this fine
banner, but also for your words of kind
| ness to US as an order, do we return to you
our heartfelt thanks. Those words we will
ever 2cherish in our hearts, and work to
prove ourselves worthy of them. This
lovely banner, all the more lovely to us
| from coming from your loving hands, we
will cherish and keep, and strive that it
may ever keep clean and unsullied, with
out stain or blemish, so that you need new
er be ashamed of it or us, and may none
here, or any that follow in our footsteps,
ever cause blush of shame to-pass over
your fair faces for the Island City Lodge,
or the cause of the Ancient Order of United
Workmen. I think it is due to you to-
night, after showing the interest in the or
der that you have, that we should tell you
something of what we claim to be. and on
what grounds we establish our claims. I
will therefore strive to give you a short
history of the order.
We are called by some, who are not ac-
guainted with US, a secret society. This
we emphatically deny; for we are secret just
SO far only, as to protect US from being inn
posed upon by those that viii not, or are
not worthy to become of US.
Our order was first started at Meadsvile,
Pennsylvania, in the year of 1868, by few
toiling dust-begrimed coal miners. 1t was
started on the principal that those to whom
was given the blessings of life and health
should guard and watch over those that were
stricken down with disease, and protect
the1oved ones of those that were laid low
in death.
That first Lodge was success, but 1t
was small, and like star in the Heavens,
oh hut n dfVr1lr I rxyac hVIf
from which has grown stately, thriving
protection to many, and to-day it throws
joy and gladness around thousands of
hearth h-stones 1ike,the MONDAY sun mingled
with the dews of Heaven giving
life and brightness to the green grass and
blooming flowers that spring up around
us.
Starting with less than twenty members |
it has grown till now it numbers over 100,- |
600 heads of families, covering over 500,- |
900 souls, who, ii their protector was
called away and they were left to fight the |
battles of life alone would not be left on |
the cold charities of the world but would
always find a helping hand from those who
would weep with them in their sorrow and |
rejoice in their joys. In this state we
number 10000 members, and we have
the hands of the widows, orphans
kuu IfleuUS Oh uiSeaSeQ DrOllerS the sum
Of $40, 900 in the last year. And without
taking into consideration the thousands
hat have been placed in the hands of sick
and needy brothers we have given over
s400, 900 to the legatees of brothers gone
before us, since this state became separate
Jurisdiction not five years ago.
And ladies, if we can show this record
# the past. while being fought inch by
nch, and step by step by rich insurance
that would like to see us placed
n the rear ranks, what may not be expect
ID of us, when the ladies come forward as
Gu have come tonight and aid us on our
way by your sympathy and encouragement.
think with such aid in few short
months we can see our membership
loubled, and the poWeer of doing good.
'iVen to us in proportionate degree.
And now ladies, welcome to our hall our !.
workman home; you will not find our
ZONES hung in rich tapestries nor are there ]
Inc brackets ON which stand costly sculpt- i
ire. You will not find paintings from the !
Id masters on our walls for we are simple
vorkmen. Our entertainment to you to-
light is not a fine banquet such as some
ocieties, that are blessed with more of /