Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1885-01-23
4 RED-LRTTER DAY
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DEDICATION OF IHElL INV QJAAIEks Iili
PROCEEDINGS THE GRAND MAsrER's AID
DREss-THE BANQUET THE SPEECHES THE
MUSIC TIN NEW ROOMS DEsoRIBED-A
SKETCH or THE ORDER IN BBATTLEBoRO, ETc
The handsome new apartments of the
Brattleboro Odd Fellows were formally dedi-
Gated, with impressive ceremonies on Fri
day evening Of last week. large assem-
blage of members with their families, Daugh-
tiers of Rebecca, and invited guests, were
present, the cOmmodious main hall and ada
cent rooms, handsomely furnished and bill
ianty lighted presenting an elegant, attrac-
tive and homehke appearance.
At 7;4j the procession of grand officers en-
tered the main hall in due form, led by Dis
trct Deputy Grand Master Rettlng rs Grand
Marshal. He was followed by II. F. Frost
Grand Herald, Deputy Grand Master Put
nam Of Rutland as Grand Chaplain, iona c.
Howe as Grand Secretary, T. Harmon as
Grand Treasurer Jerome Corbett, Herald Of
the West, A. l. Williams, Herald of the East,
Frank Marshal, Herald Of the North, L. j.
Huutley, Herald Of the South, J. W. Smith,
Grand Warden, H. l.. Stillson Of Bennington
Grand Master.
These officers having proceeded to their
proper places Noble Grand A. I Knight call
cd the sssemblage TO order and formally pre-
scented the hall, through the delivery Of its
keys. to the Grand Master for dedication.
The dedication was then proceeded with ac-
cording to the ritual Of the order pleasing
variation being introduced in the giving OF
the responsive portions by q quartet OF
voices, consisting of G. L Pufer, Miss Ad-
die Currier Mrs, L. j. Retting and c. L.
Stevens. The ritual ceremony concluded,
the hall, duly consecrated, was returned to
the charge Of the Noble Grand piano solo
was given by Miss Sophie Foster, and the
Grand Master delivered the dedicatory ad-
dress.
Grand Master stiIIsOn's Address.
Hrothers, Ladies and Gentlemen, Occasions ike
these not only TO open with becoming formai-
Ties lodge home, bat TO call public attention TO the
that the order OF DAD Fellows has local habita
tion IN tins community. The ritual ceremony Just
performed in your hearing, II you have followed it
closely, impressed you with this or
der processes certain great principles, (which
alike aXioms among men" and that We comprehend
them IN the WORDS Of our universal motto; Friend
ship, Love and Truth These in turn inculcate the
great command TO visit the SICK, relieve the distress
ed, bury dead aud educate the orphan" which il
an imperative duty njoned by Odd Fellowship. 1t
is purpose at this hour 10 enter into define
alton of the fundamentals of the order-the Father
hood OF God aud the brotherhood OF man--howeyer
granddhe theme OF Inappropriate. Oratons upon these
have employed the brightest minds the order has ever
produced, aud in Brattleboro ADLER pens than mine
have unfolded to you the beauties of odd-Fellowshp
viewed 10 the light Of Revelation. IL will be our en-
deavor to call your attention TO what Odd-Fellowshp
Is, and TO do so practical illustration VII be employ
ed. Aud FIRST tins order is not the product OF schsm
il was not born OF a quarrel, nor composed Of split
either church society. II therefore consistently
holds III its boundaries men Of all shades Of religious
and political opinion, and antaRoulzes good
organization in so doing. Herein lies the of
power for good and its strength TO perpetuate its
good Offices to succeeding generations. The vows
taken at its altar are not sacramenta, but they hu
manitariau. and imposed do not autagonize any
of those exalted duties which accountable beings
owe to our God, our country, cur neighbor or our
selves. on the contrary, the obligations of Odd Eel
luwship emphasize these responsibilities. They exist
because necessity. This order into existence
at time when there was a demand in the world for
the minisrations inculcated by aud yet there
men iu almost every community who are opposed to
our order. Why spend the time aud money they say,
to form such society2 Why rear magnificent tenn
pies In which 20 meet? III Is good thing, WHY
not throw wide open the doors that all may come in
and enjoy It's Deheucent inuuencesl IN reply allow
illustration. Why do you have savings banks
IN every considerable community Why do you open
hne banking houses for their accommodation If a
savings bank is such good institution, why are not
its doors also, thrown wide open dividend day. To
let the whole community share in the division OF pro
hts2 No one will dispute the moral value of a saw
ings bank; how, then, did such institution come
into existence in this Yiage2 apprehend your his
tory this respect other than that Of your
neighbors Several philanthropic gentlemen organ
lied the savings bank. At the hTst few deposit
tors. Then the number begau to increase and the
accreton advanced 1t was noticeable that people of
the wage-earning class became more and more the
great majority. Men, women and children who never
before we're known TO a penny soon held bauk-
books with tens aud hundreds Of dollars written there
in. Probably nne-tenths OF the from S2CO to one
halt million dollars Of assets in each of Vermont
savings banks to-day represents money which would
never have been accumulated but Tor the benevolent
action Of the corporatOrs whose only reward is the
good they in common with the whole people enjoy IN
seeing prosperity where there might have been prof
legacy; in witnessing afhuence where there would
probably have been only suffering. No rises In
your village and sneers at your savings bank as a
"Chrstless institution although 1t is from FIRST to
last matter of money. The only indirect exception
to this statement is the unpaid services Of officers
and trustees In everything else the question one
OF value received In cash aud yet said it
al factorin every community existing Note the prob
able suffering savings institution provides for the
lessened public tax on the people in the paupersm
and crime 20 which is an uudOubted antidOte. The
criminals IN your town are not those with savings
bank book IN their pockets. Tonight have sol
emily set apart these beautiful rooms elegantly fur
nished, TO the use OF society which called into
being very much as our savings banks were. The
apostolic church, If we may believe the early fathers
had connected with II burial clubs guilds to for
the siek-in short all the public machinery attached
TO Odd Fellowship How wasit In these United States
IN 1919, when the Independent Order had its birth in
Baltimore2 Did any church then guarantee care in
sickness, help In adversely, Christian burial OF it's
members, care for the widow aud education of the
orphan? And do they doit to-day? Is It not true
that pauper burial by the commonwealth the us
uai lot lew exceptions reserved Aud is It not
true that exceptions prove the rule 1t entered
the hearts OF I'VE TO form this order which
should secure, beyond peradyenture, to its mem
bers, in sickness, help in adversely, burial in
DEATH and the assurance that the widow should not