Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1885-04-27
Odd Fellowship.


THE slXTY.sIxTMA ANNIvERsA
RY CELEBRATED IN THE
OPERA HOUSE Yesterday
MIR. GRAHAM'S SERMON.
The sixty sixth anniversary Of the
introd uction Of Odd Fellowship into the
United States was celebrated yesterday
afternoon by an anniversary in ths
Opera House. The orchestra chairs and
the three first rows In the circle were
reserved for members Of the order, who
At o'clock marched In and occupied
the places assigned them. There were
Ia number Of the Grand Officers and
other prominent members of the order
on the stage, and also a choir under
the direction of Ferd Fullmer.
The exercises were opened with few
remarks by Mr.. David &. Truitt, fol.
lowed by the audience singing "Praise
God from whom all blessings flow"
The choir then sang, "Oh sing unto
the Lord" and the Kew. @. W. Pretty.
man, pastor OF Union M. K. church. lea
In prayer. "All Hail the Power OF
Jesus Name"was sung by the audience.
leo Oy the choir.
Grand Chaplain Robert W. Graham
read the 18th chapter Of Paul's Epistle TO
the Romans, and then commenced his
discourse,of which the following synop-
sis Ia given:
He opened by congratulating the au.
dienc and members of the order on the
progress made during the past sixty six
years, and expressed his pleasure at
meeting with such large audience to
celebrate the day. He then announced
his text as the 1st verse of the 18th
chapter OF Hebrews: LET trotherly
love continue" He spoke Of love being
one OF the cardinal principles Of the or.
der, and said the golden rule was what
they professed to be governed by. The
order In accordance with Its principle
renders alteration to the Bible as the
great fount of all good, and could help
in disseminating the principles of truth.
as laid down in the Holy hook, and al.
though 1t might seem strange TO some
1t WAS nevertheless true.
The order T. aches obedience u com.
mands, and to become thorough Odd
Fellow one must obey the commando.
The lodge Is school room, in which
many useful lessons are taught. The
organization does not attempt to abolish
the ills of life, as that would be a
hopeless task but 1t does seek to amelio-
rate the condition Of mankind, and
how well 1t has complished that work
let tie widows and orphans of the de-
ceased members, who have been benefit
ID by 1t, SPEAK. 1t is An old saying
that charity begins at home, but that
was no reason why It should not no
abroad. The order also teaches honor
among men, and this carries out anoth-
sr principle Of the text.
Kind words can never die, and al.
though 1t takes but q minute to speak
lhem, yet how lasting their effect and
influence. Ii the principles OF brother.
hood were to prevail, wars and rumors
Of wars would be unknown, and the
war cloud that IL now rising in the East
might through the providence Of the
living God be dispelled. He did not
wish wis, t. to % detract from the Jp sJhparcb, but
been done by the order. Brotherly
kindness Is q crowning grace of our
manhood. Brothers of the order no
matter what might be- their mother tom
quo make themselves known to each
other, as Odd Fellows, for 1t has a lam
guage Of it's own, by which brothers
can recognize each other no matter
" here they may meet.
Man can under certain conditions
stand alone, but when sickness, trouble
and distress comes upon him, be needs
the sympathy OF his fellow man, and 1t |
was for this purpose of mutual help
that they were banded together. In this
order men of different religions or
political views can bury their diff
ferences, and join together in doing
HALL Kuh Ia,
ligious order, but il teaches and
practices the highest virtues Of christi.
anity, in attending to the sick, bury
ing the dead, caring for the widow, and
the orphan. Let brotherly
love continue, because it is the command
Of Christ, and none should forget the
love of him who COM
THAT we should love one on
other.
Let all stir their hearts to greater
love, and remember the message "That
God so loved the word that He gave
His only hegotteh Son, that all might
be saved"
When Mr.. Graham closed. the choir
sang, o come let US sing" The Rev.
G. W. Prettyman then made an adj
dress, and opened by saying they had q
language of their own by which they
each other, and he supposed
they had recognized that he was not q
mem Der of the order. He had aleo heard
that they were not q church, but he |
could not see how it was possible for a |
man to be An Odd Fellow, and take
upon himself tho vows as he understood |
them, and not be n christian.
He gave beautiful illustration of
friendship in the story of the twol
Greeks, who ventured into Scythia, |
the law of which was that all foreigners
who passed its boundaries should die |
They were unaware of this law, but |
were Immediately arrested, and con
demned to death. They were handed |
over to the priestess for execution, but |
she happened to be q Greek, and upon |
talking with them concluded to save
one of their lives by sending him as o
messenger back to their native land. 1
She left it to themselves to decide |
which one should go, and leave the |
other to suffer death, but they both pre- |
ferred to remain and die together to
being separated. The priestess over |
heard the controversy between them
and WAS so moved with their brotherly
love, that she concluded to save both
their lives. by fleeing with them. They
escaped in safety to their own country,
when 1t was ascertained that one Of the |
men WAS her own brother.
He closed by exhortinR all to practice |
the great principles of love, and assured |
them that the world could be ruled by
1t easier than in any other way. Rev.
Robert M. Graham led in prayer, the !
entire audience rising 10 their feet, and
the exercises closed with singing,
How firm a foundation" and the
benediction by the Grand Chaplain.
The rain no doubt prevented many