Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1883-05-24

which lived until s22 several 9th ~ |
were organized during this period, Lut
they still remained Independent OF each
other, all of them defective in system,
and OF course unsuccessful
We are prepared now to notice how
! easy matter 1T was to start out Gncw in
| organizing such system as would stand
he test OF ages, without infringing u,on
the rights or Irerogatives Of any othtr.
Inquiry has often been made that ali Tho
order was a legitimate one, Why has i,
the name of independent. attached to it,
which would indicate rivalry with an
original onc?' Net so! because there
was no one which stood iigher in au.
ihorty than another. The name then
was simply enc to indicate its separate
character, which it had a conceded right
to adopt.
Thomas Wildey was the founder Of
our present system in this country I;
when II years old he was initiated into
a lodge Of Odd Fellows in London. Ia
1917 ne embarked for America the
following year he met brother Odd
Fellow, John Wclch, also from England,
and they agred to try and establish a
lodge in Baltimore. They called meet
ing Mar,h =, 1919, which drew out on
ly two clhors, when three were necessary.
The call was renewed for April l3, when
the required number was obtained, and
the lodge was organized under the name
of Washington April26, GA yrsagoto-nisht
andwithin amonththey tool, measures to Sc
curca charteriro the Manchester Lodg as
an Independent Lodge. The charter was
confirmed to them in June 1921 and
| thus constituted No. Grand Lodge Of
Maryland and of the United States, with
power to charter lodges
For several years the order made but
little progress the members were obscure
and the princi pies were not well under
stood, but the small number persevrcd
and by 1926, had united several distinct
lodges to the grand lodge. AT this point
it was found important that this organ
ization be legally recognized by the Union
Lodge of Manchester; SO Bro. Wildey
went there TO secure such recognition.
At first, his application was treated in
silence, and not until the very eve Of his
departure, did they indicate favorable
action, when he was made glad by having
a cnarter placed in his had, granting sole
jurisdiction over Odd Fellowship in the
United States to Grand Lodge; to con-
duct it without the interference Of any
other country, so long as the same is adj
minstered according to the principles
and purity of Odd Fellowship,
You see there was still conncctine
link. The forms, ceremonies and ritual
emanatod from the Manchester Lodge.
These were changed frequently without
any system of communicating them
Hence the Grand Lodge Of the United
States found it Necessary to make thor
ouch revision Of our ritual suited to the
changed and progressive ideas of this
country.
Efforts were made to reconcile the dii-
ficulties which sprang up between the
two Jurisdictions but without avail, So,
in 1912 the Grand Lodge Of the United
States severed it's connection with Man
chester Unity, and declared itself the
only fountain and depository Of lndepan-
dent Odd Fellowship on the globe. To
find a complete jurisdiction for such act
one has but to examine more closely the
minute details Of history.
The order like all other enterprises has
had its seasons OF depression aud adversi
ties, but the general workings have been
upward and onward, so that, from the
number of one in 1919, the order has in
creased according to the last census, to
over 400 900 members Founded, as it
is, on the first great principles Of human
ity, love and God and good will to men,
it has that to endcar it to the hearts Of
its members and to the outside worlt, as
harbor Of refuge against the buicttings
Of life
Having for its motto "Fricndship,
Love and f'ruth, an cxcmplifcation Of these
virtues, is demanded Of every Odd Eel
low, and when possessed of them, he has
a shield, impenetrablc to the shafts of en-
w and contumely.
The friendship can cxis. only who're
confidence abides confidence can Only be
impaired where truth is established, when
these unite love, with Its broad mantle
clothes the whole sacred relation.
| Without such IN union protessel
friendships are shan, ard when built
upon, must sooner or latter collapse in
enc common ruin.
Regarding our objects and work, the
world at large is quite well informed, and
yet, We may find it not Improbable to
briefly advert to them.
Recognizing the fact that there is but
little unorganized charity in the world,
the oxpodiency of the formation of socic-
ties for mutual relief becomes apparant
This is one of the grand purposes Of cur
institution. But, say some, why do You
work in secret; if your aims are noble
they VIII bear the light. We have only
TO say ,ha. the human mind is 80 cousti-
tutcd that mysteries have fascination
that i,npels it On irrcsis,ably, until solu-
ton or insanity results. Why? don't
you know that if there is anything OF
mystery attending a person, the whole
| :. .ftt .igl