Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-03-09

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Preston, January 6, lS44, p. G.. VIM. Burns,
September II, 1914, p G. John G. Deitz, Feb
ruary 5, 1915, are all that are left of the old
veteran members of the lodge. The next Oldest
living member was initiated in 1855.
These brothers have all been faith
full, true odd Fellows, and have through
their long years Of membership ever shown
the deep interest they have in the order.
Live Oak No. and DeKalb No. 8 come next
in order of lodges in your city, both instituted
at the earlier period Of Odd Fellowship here.
and they have ever maintained the true
principle of the order. Live Oak having FUR
nished Grand Treasurer, Grand Masters and
Grand Representatives to the order; Dehalb
having furnished also Grand Masters, Grand
Representatives and Grand Sire to the
Oruer.
Hope No. So was the first lodge instituted
in Savannah after the late war. She has
gradually and surely laid the foundation OF a
large and prosperous lodge, equal in num-
beers to the old grandmother, and doing more
towards increase of her membership. We
have next Golden Rule, the youngest lodge in
the city, with the youngest and most youthful
members. She has made bright and shining
record for her age, and if there is anything in
young blood she should be the mo st prosper
GUS lodge in the jurisdiction.
We recognize here tonight many of the old
veterans of the order, and their cheerful
faces show that il is a pleasure for them to be
here; and as we behold their gray hairs we
arc led to eXclalm:
Fraternal Love shines forth tonight,
Enkindled long ago;
The festal feelings clear and bright,
Make veterans pulses glow.
Ye Brothers of the frosty pow,
Give glad emotions play,
And feel as warm enjoyment now
AS in that younger day.
With hearty vim your voices raise
And wreaths melOdious Irvine,
To bind the joys of ripened days
With those of Aud Lang Syne."
But we miss from this assemblage of Odd
Fellows those old veterans who, when last
we met ON an occasion like this were present
with us, but have been called from their la
bOrs here, hope to a better home in heaven.
refer to p. G. John Oliver, OF Oglethorpe,
p G. NJ. f. ID. Jordan, of Dekalb. Past
Grands James W. White and John W Wilson.
of Live Oak. and p. G. NJ. Chas. c. Millar, of
Haupt Lodge, all of whom devoted the greater
part Of their lives to the good of the order, and
they were spared to see Its wonderful growth.
While the absense of these brothers
must give rise to sad memories of the past,
be it ours to emulate their virtues, and to so
live and act as Odd Fellows, that when we
come 70 fell asleep we may, like them, have
page in the great volume of human exist
enee, dedicated to our memory, and upon it
our name, though humble 1t he, inscribed by
the widows hand, believed by the orphans
tear.
The record of Oglethorpe Lodge from its in
stitution to 1915 was lost that year when their
hall was destroyed by fire. Since that
period the records are fun and
complete; but will not weary you with her
history since that time, but will state that
from nef ufSb return TO the NIFaHu I0lge OF
the United States, made up to September,
lS43 she had increased to 1l3 members. She
has since her institution initiated 692, adj
mitted by card li9, buried IS, relieved AS.
relieved IA families, paid out for sick benefits
$l9,225. to widows and orphans 2.250, burial
OF brothers and brothers wives 50 lOO-tOtaI
paid out for benefits S32,575-which is no small
sum-tOWafds the reIlet OF the sick and
distressed within her bounds. She has had
dfty-One Noble Grands, and her present Sec
rotary has served her for twenty-seven years.
The other lodges, no doubt have done equally
rs well since their organization IN proportion
Ia the time thaV have been working. Since
OglethOrpe started there has been IO4 lodges
instituted in the State. There are now forty
lodges working, and cheering prospect that
several new lodges will apply for charter at
the next session Of the Grand Lodge. The
whole number Of odd Fellows IN the United
States forty-tWO years ago was 30,043, and
they had paid out from 1880 to that time S66.-
600 for benefit. The order now has lodges in
every State and Territory of the Union, in Can
ada, has crossed the ocean, and is established
in Switzerland Germany, Denmark, has
entered Chilli, Mexico and the Isle of the
Sea, and now numbers 5lO,4H members, an
increase of 1860 since 1882. 1t expended for
relief in 1882 81 1872 443 8S and from 1885 to 1888
S34 400, 9SS %; has relieved I,O44,4S6 brothers;
has relieved l3S, 6Sj brothers families This is
the showing of her works made in dollars and
cents; but words cannot express the value OF
the glorious work it has done and is doing in
sOftenlng sympathies smoothing prejudice,
cultlyating forbearance, liberation and
charity.
These are the results and progress of an or
der established here AZ years ago-these are
what are left You by its workers. When we
remember its progress, and look back to its
founders, we cannot but eXclaim, what a
noble heritage has been left us. With the
holy memories and blessed inspirations of the
past let us go forward to nobler and greater
achievements. Then,
Sup with your banner a standard more fair
Never flashed IN the sunlight or waved in
the air.
A precept more holy meier came from above
Than it's beautiful legend, Truth, Friend
ship and Love-"
Brothers, from the teachings of the order you
are commanded to go where duty calls to
ameliorate the condition of the human race,
not only on the land, but the sea: to go when
the diamond gemmed curtain of night robes
the silver queen IN glory; to go when the Yir
gin rays OF the rising sun are tapping the
dew drops fir m the slumbering flowers; to
go when utter darkness shrOuds the world in
gloom, while the storm lashes the fOamIng
pillows; to go where squalid misery lives I'M
cared for in howell; and where ever along the
slippery pathways of life the bruised heart
pants for deliverance, where misfortune has
placed her signal, where life is to be admins
tered to or death to be cared for, there is your
work, my brethren.
The past is recorded. The future is now
before us. The canvas IS untouched. What
shall we paint there Things of beauty that
shall live forever, or shall it be deeds of dark
ness that shall bring us misery forever The
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man Affections common journey of life,
common home hereafter, is our polar star,
and let us follow it with eager
steps. We must, we cannot stand
still-it is either forward or backward. Rest
means stagnatiOn, stagnation death. Action
is life and health and strength, and | trust
that each one of us will feel and realize these
truths. Cling to your principle, live up to its
spirit, and your lives will be untarnished.
Why are your Lodges at a stand? 1t is the
want OF action by individual members. If
every member viii do his duty to his Lodge
and the order, your Lodges will grow, they
cannot stand still. RecOllect that he
who lays aside the noble teachings
of our order when he leaves the lodge room,
to be resumed again at the next meeting, is
but dead form of odd Fellowship. Its lv-
Ing principles must go with you in the count
ing room. the work shop, the busy marts of
trade, that you may scatter good seed by the
wayside in your daily pilgrimage of life, be-
lieving in the Divine assurance that it will
return to you hundred fold. Fill up. there
fore, my brothers, your every day life with
the Cody teachings of our order, and with
such principles in practice, you must secure
the golden harvest of Gods approval and
mans respect.
Why, my brothers. is it that in the far West
the growth of the order has been so rapid? 1t
is that every pioneer that settles in It's wids
carries his Odd Fellowship with him and
practices It's teachings, though he may be
twenty miles from lodge. We in this city
find every form of excuse for not attending
to our duties, when our lodge is almost
q
brother Odd Fellow describe an
incident that occurred in the far
distant West, and what sweet memories of
it fingered in the heart of her who, when far
from the haunts of men, alone in dreary,
snow bound pioneer cabin-alone with her
dead-was sought after and cared for by the
brother whose duty it to visit the sick,
and who journeyed on foot twenty dreary
miles to perform that sacred duty. Pardon
me for quoting it, but deem it applicable:
WHAT IS AN ODD FELLOW?
BY Up. MARSH, N. D., P. G., 675, I. O.O.F.
An aged lady one day in her parlor was sit
ting,
were fitting,
And scenes Of long years, DER life's rugged
way,
Came up like some phantom. and to her did
say:
"Tell me, aged mother, tell me, pray,
What is an Odd Fellow"
Musing a moment she turned on her chair,
And the silver threads glistened in the once
raven hair,
And she smiled in such sadness, 'twould make
the heart ache,
And with sobbing emotions, as though it
would break,
She said: "Listen moment, in the twilight
so mellow,
And will answer your question, What is an
Odd Fellow
Long years ago, in the summer of lifa,
There came to this country a man and his
wife,
Who were strong and sturdy, like the noun.
tain oak, -
And tear-drops gathered as the old lady
spOke,-
"And they were strangers and lonely;
They dWelt on the plain