The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1883-04-28

this beneficent order, begun in the latter
part of the 18th century has reached the lat
ter part of this brilliant 18th, having eX-
hausted al its appliances, and still I'M
weaTied in welI-dolng. 1t has reached 10
the acme of its greatness still has not
melted all the ferocity, this noble and glori-
Gus order has still failed to Xpung every
thing, for one OF the most prominent aud
active OF its members shot out his sting, that
cruel member, the tongue w~herewith he
wounded me. He asked me to make a
speech to inflict and wound all you this eve
ming. Even Odd-ellOws are not free from
the cruel pleasure of the present day, of
cruelty to animals. They deli=ht in wit
Messing the agony of the poor fellow who
attempts to satisfy their craving. This
noble and prominent brother came to me,
and requested me to make a speech. He
quietly Informed me that another noble
and prominent brother would enlighten you
concerning all the grand doings of the
Grand Lodge and this Lodge in particular.
That still IA. other brother would exhaust
the subjects r, lative to odd-feliowship gene
rally and still another would speak on all
general topics. Casting about in my mind
what in the world was left for me, without
rhyme or r, asOn, whom do YOU think
sprang into thoughts ? No less a person
than Mrs. Negus, of course you all know
the lady at lea>t by her works that is her
writings. If she is here this evening, she
will learn how de ply | syInpathise with
her ideas, and then perhaps she will pardon
me for thus making use of her name. This
lady has evidently been snubbed to use a
common but forcible EXPRESSION, and she
feels for her fellows, if L may so speak.
The meaning of the word snubbed in my
personal vocabulary is-'not allowed to
enjoy the only amusement to be
had in Honolulu" We only nave one real
and lasting amusement in this country,
and that is social intercourse. This ac-
counts for the many societies which spring
up, flash out most brilliantly, make hosts
of members, and then die out. Tie rush is
made to see if there is any new develop
ment in the one great source of pleasure
social intercourse. The death of a society
is often caused by its unwie!diness Num-
bers crush and weigh down. But this only
applies social intercourse TO that part of
which Mrs. Negus seems to advocate
personal acquaintance, possibly friendship,
Numbers in u social order, such as this, of
Oldfellowship inspirit and give life and
action. There is 40 feeling so utterly blank
as that one experiences on coming into Il
lodge, when there are few member beyond
tie quorum, or even the difficulty of get
ting that-unless perhaps it is that of the
preacher who is gazing at empty pews.
That feeling is utter Darkness. 1t has had
such an affect upon me that | must return
to Mrs. NeguS for fresh spirit. / wonder
whether that lady is legally connected with
his ancient order, for L find that those
ladies who are so favOured may themselves
DelOn3 I'd tue OIOel ny OCluS iullidlSd lnlO
the degree of ReheKah. This is what L
extracted from u book on OddfellOwShip a:
'tIn 1851 the degree of Rebekah was adopted
by the Grand Lodge of the United States
for the use of ladies legally connected with
subordinate lodges by male membership"
/ do not know the exact Interpretation Of
the phrase illegally connected" 1 sup
pose it means that the lady must be the
wife o. an Oddfellow. 1t can scarcely re-
late to natural laws, for 1 never heard Of
| .i.+nr, .Nreinc md aI1nfG i'm GnIfnlinNVShIn
But then | have not heard of the degree of
Rebekah for a long time. / remember
years ago that many of the " best society
ladies" as Mrs. n. would call them, had
| taken this degree. Perhaps some more
enlightened brother will by and by inform
us concerning this degree of Rebekah. L
am rather anxious about 1t because | waat
to see something done for the ladies, and l
myself would prefer to build up an old
foundation than to lay another and a new
one. You see what q great success the
Young Mems Christian Association made
last week. / have said to myself a
few times this week {: What about
the Young women NV private opinion is
that you can't do much for the young men,
if you leave out the young women. They
must go together. | shaking my
head wisely some years a9o at a scheme OF
one of the honorable members of our Legis-
lature. Mr.. Martin, some OF you Will
remember how he advocated bringing up
the boys separately until manhood, and the
girls until ~womanhood. Then to place the
portraits of the young people in a room,
and allow them to examine them and
make choice of their future partners. This
act did not pass. / believe in boys and girls
being brought up together, but in a day
school only. Pm sure you will pardon
me for relating a very Old auecdote Mt this
juncture Just to put a finishing touch on
the only idea in all the words / have been
using this evening to torture you, namely
the advisability of getting up social scheme
by which the people young and old of both
sexes, can derive social pleasures together.
You see by this time lectures won't do.
Readings and entertainments by local
inhabitants won't do, what will ?-but here's
the story. Once upon a time near a certain
town lived a farmer who carefully kept his
son from the society of ladies, until he was
quite grown up to manhood. To reward
this dutifuI son, who had never opposed his
wishes i'm the least degree, on his twenty
first birthday the father took him TO the
large town to see a fair. promising him that
he would buy for him anything whatever
he might see there to attract his fancy. Oi
course he soon saw some ladies. He was
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