Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1882-01-11
IN MEMORiAM,
The Late Hon. J. L. Ridgely, Grand
Secretary of tho Grand Lodge Of
United States. I, q. q. f.

Secretary OF the Grand Lodge OF
United States, .. o. o. F.
In Address Delivered by Edward B,Ke.
low, before Austin Lodge No. 20, De.
ccmber ~ 1881.
BROTHERS: The year 1881 is nearly
,ast Many Who, at its beginning, were
n the enjoyment of health and united
With friends ia welcoming the new year,
are now lying beneath the earth, "sleep-
ing the sleep that knows no waking"
Deaih has entered some of our h households,
and loved ones have been borne to their
last resting place, and hid from mortal
eyes, 81, TOO, our Brotherhood, our grea,
family of Odd Fellows, has been visited
ny the ''des,roying angel" and one high |
in a,talnments and hOn"rs Of the or Ter, |!
has ceased his work, aud his voice will
DO more be heard in the counsels of our
beloved order. He was in the winter oil
life, and for half century his heart, his
mind, and his pen have ever been active
in defending. correcting abuses, and dis
the grand principles Of our
brotherhood. Therefore, obedient to the
commands OF our Most Worthy Grand
Master, and to the nobler dictates of our
common humanity, we are Eere tonight
10 commemorate the life and services Of
our deceased brother and Most Worthy
Grand Corresponding and Recording Sec
rotary of the Sovereign Grand Lodge OF
the United States, the Hon. James Lo,
Rldgely.
Our brother was born in Baltimore, Nd,
Jan. 9th, 1907; lie WAS therefore ut his
uea,h nearly 70 years of age.
He was initiated into the Order of Odd
Fellows in the year 1929; he became a
mem Der OF ,hc Grand Lodge of Maryland
in 1880, and of the Grand Lodge III the U.
S. In the year 1881, was elected Grand
Sire in 1886, and in 1912 Was made Grand
Corresponding and Recording Secretary
IF the Grand Lodge Of the U. S., which
position he held ill removed by death.
BY profession he was Law yer; and
frequently called to occupy positions OF
yrea, responsibility and trust, and thus he
lived to enjoy the confidence and good
will of his fellow citizens.
The lite OF James l.. Ridgely is nearly
corxis:ent with the present organized
form Of Odd Fellowship lin the United
STATES. 1t would seem, therefore, not IN
consis,en, in this memorial service, to re-
view briefly the history and principles o.
our order.
The ord r was first organized in Lon
don, England, about 1745. The frs
~ gan,zut,on Of the order in the United
States was in New York in 1906 Thi
lodge soon went out ut existence. In 1871:
Thomas Wiley and 4 others members, o
the Manchester Lodge in England, organ
lied in Baltimore, Md Washington Lodg
No. l. This se!f.ins,ilutcd lodge wa
recognized by the Duke IF Y"rk's Man
chester Unity aud commissioned as a sub
ordinate and Grand Lodge of Maryland
Lodges were rapidly formed in o,he
states and grand Jurisdictions established
TIL in 1924, it was thought advisable t.
separate the state from the national juris
,lictions and was cOnsum mated the sam
year.
The first meeting Of the G. and Lodg
ct The United States was held Feb. 22t
1926. AT this session Of The Grand Lodge
Thomas Wiley, Grand Sire, was commi!
s,oned to visit England and obtain
"char,er for a sc2ara,e Jurisdiction wit
authority to do the business of Odd Fe
;owship without the interference of an
other country, so long as the same is II
minis,ered according to the principles {
Odd Fellowship"
, Intimate relations existed between til
Grand Lodge Of the y. s. and the Mar
chester UHily of England for several year
In time, however, great difficulties ha
: aris> n between the two Jurisdictions
regard 10 the ritual and general manag
ment OF affairs, till IN 1874, James
Ridgely Grand Secretary, and Isaac Wi
hanson Grand Chaplain, were commi
stoned to visit the Manchester Unity ,
reconcile differences. Eeither time {
the occasion permits US TO discuss III
merits of the differences. The Two Jurl
dictions had become Qnite hostile, an
the efforts Of our commissioners were VI
! availir after several days of earnest wOrl
! They presented an elaborate report 10 ii
l Grand Lodge which resulted in the ado
: ton of resolution, upon the subject.
, The Manchester Unity 10 1842 threa
enpd, and in 1943 pursu d their hnstlli,,
by attempting to institute lodges in Il
u. S. which re-. ul,ed in the entire separ
lion Of the two bodies.
From that time to the present. II
D Grand Lodge Of the u 8. has vigor"usI
prosecuted its work and extended sjuri
dic,i"n into every state and territory I
} the U. S., in the provinces of Cahad
Switzerland, Germany, and Australia.
9 That we may have more accurate id.
Z Z Of The strength 1T our order in the U. S
we take Il few figures from the report
0 our mos, worthy deceased brother to II
n Sovereign Grand Lodge Of 1880, ut T.
rnnto, Canada. This shows the streng,
o nf the order Jan. l, 1880: Grand Lodg,
= SO, Grand Encampmen,s 40, SubOrdina
5 Encnmpmen,s 1851, E"campment mer
bers, active, 1888, Subordinate L"dg
o 1916, active membership, 449,745.
o ma, " Ous growth, which Indicates vi
3 orous lie OF 81 years.
70 We do not claim antiquity for our ordt
~ and search among the tombs of ancie
- Egypt, or enter the heart of her grea, py
!. amids, or seek among The debris Of II
: dead empires of Western ASIA for e,
: dences Of our ancient origin, but clai
y tor ourselves modern organization,
young and sturdy giant just coming in
n The years Of manhood, armed and equipp
Tor vigorous campaign TO promulga
> the grand principles Of our noble ord.
l. We do not claim for our order that il
of Divine origin. 1t is an outgrowth
human mind and heart, to extend aid Al
>, comfort to our brotherhood.
We have said we do not claim d,vini
or antiquity for our order, but we
:. claim ,ha, our principles nre divine Al
;. as ancient as divinity himself. Befu
=. the world was brought forth they exist
), in the mind If an all-wise and ben. fee
" Creator. When the earth was wilho
form and void, and darkness covered I
- face Of the Deep" then they were 10 ex
tence, when man was brought forth 81
made in the image Of his Maker, th
= were transmitted to him, and have be
'; transmitted from generation TO generate
~ until now, and we take up the work
9 transmission TO others, md they who f
u loy US will continue 1t until the ear
~ shall melt with fervent heat and the he.
ems shall be rolled together as a scr
10 and the present order OF things shall p,
* away-sIill the eternal principles sh
IS live on through the countless ages Ut
Is endless eternity.
g We are swed by the sublimity of I
y. thought, and yet, my Gear brothers,
are called upon 10 be active agents 10 ,
dissemination Of these great eternal pr
ciples.
Let us, then, for . few moments,
quire " hat these principles are:
Isl, We recognize the existence of
e one Almighty God, Creator of all thin
7e and tile source from whence emlnaies