Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1885-01-23

he allowed TO suffer- nor The children left 70 the ten-
der mercies of o. cold aud heattess world neither
should they be- pnriakers only of such chance chart
lies Az Christian people might happen 20 bestow.
Sinty-six years pass The hye brothers. long since
gone to the rest of Paradise are represented py s1
hundred thousand. The one lodge has multiplied
more than i've thousand times. The then empty
treasury now contains millions, held 10 sacred trusl
for the objects stated above and in this year oi our
Lord one branch of the church in South Carolina, q
descendant of tue original which began ha career IN
Jerusalem OF pcutecost, has organized burial gulu
part Of iis Official parish work Very tne Woilu
moyesi But how did Odd Fellowship assume its
present grand proportional Ike everything else
that h coed, Il came mp through many ulpuiatohs'
Traitors within and foes without alike IN vain en-
denvored TO stay its progress. Persecution Only en-
HANGED the zeal of its members, and Ike mighty
host Il moved on, and will continue TO do so until
christendofn rent into % thousand fragments
ANAL once more become united. aud the millennial
glory shall dawn upon the sons Of men.
We ask the community to support our order IN its
public work in this town because we believe rs mis,
sion is uobler and more comprehensive than mat Of
the monied institution OF our llustral9ni anu ~
ia its sphere your taxes are reduced your crime
s kept more IN allegiance, and the moral character OF
your people elevated thereby A. one OF the agencies
whereby Christian manhood may be developed, we
askthe friendship Of all good people.
In conclusion allow me TO say that the lodge sup
piles the social element well a. the doctrinal A.
assemble around the Widespread board, Oct us re-
member the vows we have this evening renewed, that
the nfeast of reason aud uw Of s0ul about begin
iu the blnquet-room may indeed eukindle anew the
In the interim which followed before the
supper Was announced speeches were made,
songs were sung by Mrs BethDg and Miss
Currier, aud Miss Foster gave another piano
solo The banquet was served by the Daugh-
tere of Rebecca, the hall presenting nm at
tractive appearance. The tables we're abund-
antly furnished, and deity served, and the
provision WAS ample for the large number
who partook.
In the banquet speccLes. which were given
in the main ball, Grand Master Stillsou led
with a response to the sentiment, "tho state
Of the Order, in which he INDUCED in rem
iniscenCes OF special local interest and ap-
propriateness. He recalled the fact that the
first lodge Of Odd Fellows in the state was
organized IN Burlington in $40 BY FIVE breth-
rem who came from Whitehall, n. Y, for
that purpose. The growth OF the order from
that starting point WAS rapid. In course Of
year 10 additional lodges we're organized.
and on Dec. 20, 1876, the Grand Lodge Of
the state was instituted, the charter for lodge
No. ! . being issued al this session. AT the
end Of few years - lodges hsd been Or
Ranzed, and their prosperity continued until
1867, when, from no cause that could be dis
covered or named. adechne set IN and the order
kept going down until in August 1869 at the
meeting of the Grand Lodge N the dark DAYS
then on the country there were only 1--WE
lodges in the state, and only two Of these
were represented by seven members at the
session Two individuals Of this Immortal
seven were Sewa Morse and Timothy Vim
ton. members OF Wantastiquet lodge Of Brat
tleboro. Three Of the i've lodges in the
state, weak and discouraged, had voted to
surrender the charter Of the Grand Lodge.
and the matter came up for decision at this
session. Sewall Morse, than Grand Master,
in an earnest speech, said there must be mo
Surrender. and be then and there became
responsible for the dues OF the State Grand
lodge, present and accumulated, amounting
in all to over 500. He and Mr. VInton car
ried the day the charter was not surrender
ed, and the fortunes Of the order almost i'm
mediately changed for the better As a re
suit Of the action Of these two Brattieboro
members there are to day 20 lodges in the
state with an active membership Of 2OO0.
The lesson which the Grand Master drew
from this historical reniiniscence was that the
motto OF the order in Brattleburo should be
+ mo Surrender. Wantastiquet lodge found
ed on a rock, is She corner stone OF Odd Eel
loVship in Vermont On her outer door she
should write the words NO Surrender. no
surrender Of the eternal principles Of right,
no surrender to wrong in any form.
Ia closing Grand Master Stillson called out
Deputy Grand Master Putnam Of Rutland
pleasantly referring to him as the coming
Grand Master Of the state. Mr. Putnam re-
ferred to the Brattieboro lodge as having the
best rooms il the state, as the largest lodge
in the state, the most prosperous and one OF
the most fertile IN good works. 1t had stood
firmly by it, principles in all the past. and
the order IL Vermont could better afford
10 lose two or three weak lodges from IL
rank than this strong one. In the darkest
days Of ~ history Nantastiquet lodge had
kept the Grand Lodge from going dowr
through the faith and fAithfulness OF two Of
It's members aud he looked to sec It hold true
to its principles In all the future.
MIR. Sullson, rs master Of ceremonies. call
ed GU, Timothy Vinton The "only Survivor
Of the iustrious seven" who in 1860 haC
saved the charter of the Grand Lodge. Mr.
Nnton fehcitously replied, confirming the &C
count given by the Grand Master, and saying
that MIR. Morse's memorAbie Never Surren
der" words were spoken at the end Of lopl
debate, and turned the tide, a tide which haC
steadily set toward tine ebb from that day Il
this
Mr.. Stillson. abiding to the principle O
Odd Fellowship which holds ever true to til,
powers that be, called out Grand Repressn
tative II. N. Currier TO speak for the Sever
eign Grand Lodge the highest aud rulinl
power III Olu 1chohhull MI AurIler SAX
in reply that the Order was a model OF Re
publican government founded in Democrats
principles. A republic is what its individu
al citizens make il, aud just 30 do the ind
vidual members decide the character Of Cd,
Fellowship. The Sovereign lodge is wha
the Grand lodges make It. the Grand lodge
are what the subordinate lodges make them
and the subordinate lodges are what thei
members made them-the final responsibilit-
resting. therefore, with the individual repre-
seutRuyes OF the Order
The social spirit held full sway after th
supper, and II was midnight before the for
mai breaking up came. The musical part 0
the evenings program, already alluded TO a
pleasant feature, was warmly praised by al
present The music for the ritual response
was arranged by Me c. L. Stevens especial
ly for the occasion. The departure was
new one, and its skilfu management paid. il
itself, high tribute to that gentlemau's mu
steal taste and cultivation.
Perhaps to none was this occasion happi
er one than to Mr. Timothy Vinton, the ola
est Odd Fellow in the state, whose So year
have left hm still hale and vigorous, while hi
kindly face aud kindly words tell their owl
story Of how the principles of the Order
faithfully observed through lifetime, keeI
the heart ever young aud true.
ln connection with this red letter event 10
the Brattleboro brethren it is pleasant to re
call the fact that the local branches of tn
Order have never been so strong, never g
well organized and housed. aud have neve
had so bright future before them as TODAY
The New Apartments.
To make this sketch complete we IT produc
here description of the new apartment
published IN this paper some weeks ago:
"The Odd Fellows quarters occupy the emit,
northern half of the third door Of tho new Ho0Er
block, aud comprise main hall IS 10y SO feet 10 siz
q banquet hall 80 by 81 feet, ante-roou q bv j
feet, preparation rooms for the Lodge and Encamr
meui, each II by u feet, pantry aud fuel room
making suite Of rooms complete in every particula
both In arrangement and accessories The preuar,
ton rooms have handsome wardrobes for the regait
there are wide tuding-dpors between the main hi
aud the bauquet-hall, and the ARRANGEMENT Is sur
that all the rooms can be practically thrown into on
large apartment on any special occasion. The MIA
forms aud furniture of the maiu hall are movable !
that they can be taken out and the Garnet covere
win canvas for dancing social aud reception ever
lngst when the members choose 90 invite their Ia
and other friends 20 share their hospitality New "a
pets have been placed ON the floor of the main ha
and ane-room the furniture aud other appoint mem
are handsome and substantial, aud the decorator
are in excellent taste-giviug general eject witch
exceedingly satisfactory, especially by gashqht N
bratueboro brethren may safely congratulate then
selves on the possession OF permanent quarters viii
are the 0est-arrauged and among the most comm,
dious of any in the state
The Order ia RrattIeborO
The beginning of Old Fellowship In Bra
teboro was made August 3, 1916, by the il