The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1885-04-29

der, however, we will quote q verse written b!
one of England's greatest poets, James mont
gomery, to the Order of Odd Fellows in Lond"r
In the year l7SS.
when Friendship, Love and Truth abound,
Among a band Of brothers,
The cup Of joy goes gaily round
Each shares the bliss of others:
Sweet roses grace the thorny way,
Along this vale of flowers
The flowers that shed their leaves today
Shall bloom again tomorrow.
How grand in age, how fair in youth.
Are holy Friendship, Love and Truth
The origin of American Odd Fellowship Is
dated 1919. This is the beginning and establish
ment Of our present order; but america &c ils it, 4
the Old World. There were lodges established
in various cities IN America, one without the
knowledge Of the other, years b. fore. Early IN
the beginning of THIS century ! odges were
was a lodge in Hartford, Conn in I79S. 1t is
claimed that there were limitations in New
York City in 1902. shakespeare lodge was OF,
ganized in the latter city in 1906. at the old
an old New York paper, the columbian, :,
of 1918. the following notice is found
ODD LLoWs You are requested to meet al
inst, without fail, at Past Noble Grand Moore's
at : O'Clock precisely, for election Of officers.
Stranger odd Fellows are invited to attend"
But the true history of the order in America
begins with the story Of Wildey and Baltimore
in 1919.
But We have not time, we repeat, to speak Of
this most interesting period, or Of that remark
able man and patriarch Of our Order, Thomas
Wildey. We recommend you to procure a copy
of the history Of our Order, you will lind its
beginning relating the history Of is founder, as
full Of thrilling interest as a romance. That be
ginning was small and under great difficulties j;
but now the order embraces the world. The
number of lodges i'll Great Britsin under the
Manchester Unity, we will mention in the gen
eral growth OF odd Fellowship, they number
near 600, composed of upwards Of 2,OO0,uO0
souls. Their annual income is SO, 10 OW and
the value of property assessed is $50, OUO, COO, The
American Order has four Supreme lodges in the
United states. the German Empire, Austria and
New Zealand. The subordinate lodges in the
United States are nearly t Quo, subordinate en-
equipments nearly 1000. The total membership
is over half q million. The revenue in fifty
years has been 49,. 100000. The amount paid
for relief in the same time has been So, WNi 600.
Widowed families relieved, l39,UUD. These fig
ures speak volumes. The order has grown in
Germany rapidly. in Australia, where there are
four Grand odges, in Mexico, in South Amer
lea, in Canada and in the isles of the ocean. We
have not time to enter into details, but these
things show that the sun isrisirg.
Brother Wi!dey wrought better than he
knew. Cot'd he have seen in fancy when he
drew the fist lines the thing Of beauty, the Joy
forever which the masters have wrought Did
he anticipate the Heavenly brightness " len he
first saw the morning Dawn" His name stands
at the head among the immortals Of our order.
Odd Fellowship stands today a vast and
mighty structure, potent for it, influences
throughout the civilized globe. Its broad and
firm bases laid on the divine principle of uni
ve'sal brotherhood, its bright superstructure
reared in deeds of love and charity, and its
beauteous fruits and floral bearings Of happy
heart throbs, tender sympathy and earnest
progress are too plainly imposing to be unfelt or
unknown even by those who have not entered
its sacred temples. Viewed theoretically it ap-
pears harmonious in de>ign, most perfect in
structure: lofty in aim and potent In influence.
Practically it is the fulfllment OF all that is
humane and charitable. kind and loving in
mans nature. When looked on philanthrophl-
cally its principles, destination and deeper
meaning become apparent. The loftiest mind
is astonnded with the grandeur of its design and
onward reckoning of its promise. 1t ascends
that hill of moral excellence and higher civil
zation. where are plainly exhibited the fore
shadowing Of new and higher life for man.
To that e'd it en- "urages him in the %cultiva-
ton ".,t i >vinp'nent of a higher moral social
ami Intellect ial development. 1t is the inte-
grafton Of humanity.
The beauties and adornings of our order are
heart. the gentle ministrations of the sick
chamber, the last kind offices to the dead, the
tear OF heartfelt sympathy for the bereaved and
the helping hand extended to the unfortunate
one. Such deeds of kindness and sympathy
throw about the structure of Odd Fellowship a
tenderness and beauty which endears it to the
hearts of those who kneel at its.shrine.
& i y So arises and grows Odd Fellowship:
So SpF6duS us U[dHCucS So puLS OIL inc green
mantle, emblematic of perennial life. so blcs-
SONS in the summer Of its strength and grand
eur so ripens its fruits and soWs its seeds of
truth inspired by love and fl friendship, to spring
up, bearing richer and more perfect fruit unto
eternal life.
The little rivulet, starts forth at first with
many a struggle, over rocky precipice and mar
row mountain ways; FLASHING and urmur
ing, it goes along over its pebbly bed; but it
gathers strength from the hfllsides and plains
it deepensits chanpel and smcOths its course:
its banks become clothed with verdure fed by
its moisture. trees and forests spring up To shade
strength and grandeur at last, and The world
blesses it, and seeks its banks with hamlet and
city, and the wealth of nations is heaped upon
its bosom: Il has become $ rong, mighty, and
u~seful-has fulfilled its mission. satisfied aud
peaceful at last. it seeks the ocean of eternal
rest So obi Fellowship, begun in humble Oh.
security. murlnuring on at first through rough
way and with many a struggle has gathered
cream of mighty force ana power, and the
wealth and happiness Of millions is borne upon
its bosom. 1t sweeps on now, Ill mighty
strength, spreading rapidly over the entire
tined ocean Of universal brotherhood, where
mans lnhGmanity to man, shall no more make
countless thousands mourn. We, each Of lis,
are but as the seeds of the tree or the waves of
the stream; we have our work to do, our fruit
to bear, our seeds tn SOW, our energy to put
forth with thi' great brotherhood in this cause. for
eur own advancement and the "~elevaGon of
human character" We have our 50 ingtime,
our summer and our fading autumn; a short
period to laaOr in and much, oh, much remains
to be done. Our labor must be done while the
strength OF MANHOOD lasts, ere the night Of
death cOmeth, when no man can work.
'Oh, then remember that waves, like thy prime.
Which neer will return to thee more
Thy life's but a drop in the ocean %oftiIue.
That bears thee to deaths dreary shore
The ephemeral affairs and existences of this
world have their time for growth, maturity and
decay, They rise IN beauty. shine for a space
in transient grandeur, then perish snd he
gone But the principles and preceprs or our
Order are imperishauie. They are eternal
truth. On the-e foundations the supers'ructure
of our order will endure. resisting alike the
changes Of time aud The attacks of all adver-
Saries.
like some tall cliff, which rears it, mighty
swells from the vale. and midway leaves the
Though round Its breast the rolling clouds;
may spread,
Eterpa: sunshine settles on its head"
When we are laid in the silent tomb, our Or
der will ST. il grow and flourish. Its romp and
grandeur are scarcely yet begun. The great,
songs OF gladness yet to be sounded and sung
the professions. triumphal arches the strength
and elevation ii shall attain the white, pure
hands of those who shall bear it upwards and
OuWdTuS dltcE " SOICCS ! s1ASAI, Nv SN'u
1t does ana shall ever do, are the 10y OF "ur an
ticipation and the hope of our reward
When the above Grafton, which
was splendidly delivered, had been
finished. the services at the Opera
House were concluded hy the entire
audience rising and singing.
After prayer by the chaplain, the
audience was dismissed, with a
general invitation t, attend the dedi-
cation ceremonies, which were to
take place at the new Odd Fellows
Hall, on Broadway.
The Dedication
Immediately after, the procession
was again formed in front Of the
Opera House, and marched to the
hall, the dedication of which then
took place with imposing ritual.