The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1885-04-29

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must not forget to mention that when h
entered the harbor Of Honolulu, there va
flying at the masthead Of his vessel ltht
United States revenue cutter Lawrence),
large, blue dag, on which was a dove Will
an olive branch III its mouth, one Of the ex
| pressive emblems of our Order. This fas
he kept flying every day as long as he lay il
| our port. We understood at the time thai
the flag was intended as compliment and
welcome to Excelsior Lodge, No. /; as d
compliment, because, like the dove, we had
! found a resting place on dry land, amidst
| the waste of waters; and, as a welcome, be-
! cause ours was the pioneer lodge in the far
! West, as we'll as in the Pacific. Much to
our surprise, we learned, years afterwards,
| that the flag was in the possession Of Cali
| fornia Lodge, No. 1, Of San Francisco. Why
it should be in their possession instead of in
ours. 1 fail to see. They have no tender
and sacred memories clinging around it, as
| we have; and / can but think that we are
entitled to it. What a graceful act it
would be for the lodge that now holds it
to tender it to old Excelsior. The entire
Order would applaud; and we should ever
| hold California, No. 1, in grateful remem-
brance. Let US hope that our Order may
yet be able to point with pride to un-
selfish, generous and noble deed.
1 will now briefly review the events of the
five years that we remained in our first com
paratively comfortable hall. During the
first two years there was no incident Of i'm
portance that 1 can call to mind. The
lodge went on in its quiet way, increasing
in membership and conscieu tiously perform
ing its various duties.
The fall of 1852 was about the most trying
time the lodge ever had; and the sincerity
and brotherly love of the members were put
to severe test. A large number Of Odd
Fellows arrived from San Francisco, sick
and III distress, and but one visiting card
among them, most of them not being aware,
before their arrival, that there was - lodge
here. They had wandered to California in
search of gold, but were among the unfor-
tunate and disappointed ones. What could
We do? We were convinced that they were
Odd Fellows and hold lodge membership.
We knew that they were far from home and
in strange land. We could not SEQ them
sick and dying without administering to
their wants. The lodge funds were soon
exhausted, and then these heavy expenses
had to be met by subscriptions among the
members, for We never disregarded the COM
mand to ''visit the sick and bury the dead"
Though not quite so frequent, similar cases
we're not uncommon for two OF three years
longer.
In July, 1853, we received from the
Grand Lodge of the United States the snm
of 81 600, which, under it's auspices, had
been contributed by the various lodges in
the United States for the express purpose of
building hall III this city, and we we're not
allowed to use it for any other purpose.
The amount was gratefully received, but it
was altogether inadequate for the purpose
intended. 1t was at once placed for invest
ment in the hands of the Trustees, of when
Brother J. Wood was Chairman and
principal manager. Under his able and eff
cient care the little fund proved to be
very attractive nucleus, which grew SO rap
idly that i'll II fcw years ne found ourselves
with building fund amounting to $1,000.
But l shall have to refer to this again
further on. The year 1853 was an important
and fruitful one for us. 1t not only brought
US the fund just referred to, but it also
brought Us the Degree of Rebecca. Brother
r. A. S. Wood had made q visit to Califor-
mia, and while there was invested with the
degree, and he was empowered to confer the
degree and to institute Rebecca Degree
Lodge in this place. The lodge WAS never
instituted, but Brother Wood conferred the
degree on most of the members who were
entitled to it, and on many wives of mem.
bers. It has continued to be conferred by
the officers of the lodge whenever required.
The degree has in many cases been of great
advantage to wives of Odd Follows. I will
give you an instance that came under my
OWn observation here in our own little town.
In the same year a whale ship arrived here
from the coast of California, having on
board a number of passengers from the
wrecked steamer Independence. The ladies
we're in pitisbls condition, having lost all
their baggage, and being left without q
change of clothing. Among them was one
who had received the Rebecca Degree. Sis
ters were found who had received the
degree, and they at once took the stranger
under their especial care and supplied her
with what she required. Nor were the other
ladies neglected or forgotten-the sisters, as
we'll as other ladies in Honolulu, did all they
could for them.
On the 1st day of February, 1854, in COM
pliance with the application from a number
of the members of Excelsior Lodge, Poly
nesia Encampnent, No. 1, was instituted by
Brother Dexter of California, who had been
appointed by the Grand Lodge of the United
States to visit Honolulu and perform that
duty. The expense of this visit and start
ing the encampment amounted to 1851 so,
WhicE was borne. by the charter members,
viz, Patriarchs W. A. Hussey, r. A. S. Wood, |
J. II. Wood, 6. D. Gilman, W. c. Parke, |
Henry Macfarlane, Michael Brown, D. n.
Flitner, B. F. Hardy, r. II. Bowler, Henry
Rhodes, I. C. B. Rookie Abraham FOrnan-
der, George Williams, Charles Brewer, I'd,
G. S. Barlow and II. Bennett. OF all these |
there are but five new living. On February
8, 1854, Polynesia EncaRpment was dig
banded, and on the 10th of June, 1865, I, as
D. D. G. Sire, took possession Of the charter, |
as they had not had meeting for three |
months, and on December Is. 1872, it was
re- organized under the same charter.