Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1885-04-28
SIXTY-SIX.
Odd Fellowship in America Celebrates
With high Honors Its Natal
Day.
A Brief History Of One Of the Noblsst and
Best Of Benevolent
Orders.
Godwin's Hall Blazes Upon a Brilliant
Scene Of Mirth and
Measure.

nApoouAOt
Odd Fellowship In America oele-
brated its sixty.Bixth anniversary yes
terday. Nearly million membership
joined in honors to the occasion, and
in almost every city, village and ham,
let In America IL was day OF celebra-
ton and rejoicing. A brief resume of
the
HISTORY OF THE ORDER
may be OF interest in this connection.
odd Fellowship is secret, benevo-
lent and beneficial association which
had Its origin in London, England,
about l745. The earliest societies or
lodges OF Odd Fellows was that of as
semblages mainly for social purposes,
having an initiation ceremony and q
collection made to aid needy members.
About the year 1900 the lodges In
London and Liverpool were known as
1.-THE London order.n In 1909 MEM
Der of o London lodge removed TO
order into that city, where IL
was so favorably received that several
lodges were speedily organized, and in
vicinity were consolidated under the
title Of "The Independent Order of
Odd Fellows of the Manchester
Unity.n A grand lodge composed OF
those who had filled the chair OF
noble grand the presiding officer
regular term in subordinate lodge,
was organized and assumed super
vision of the subordinates. Several
other "Unitiesp soon sprang
into existence, but that
of Manchester was the most
prosperous, and thelincrease in lodges
determined the Manchester authorities
to organize an annual movable COM
mitteen to take the place of the local
grand lodge, the first meeting of which
was held at Hanley in the Potteries,
Stafiordshire, May 10 and 20, 1928. and
was attended by ninety.eight deputies,
representing the several subordinate
lodges. The condition OF the Man
chester Unity, the largest and most
important body in Europe, Is exhibit
ed In the following abatement made
Jan. l, 1875: Lodges, 1929; members,
1876 500; lodge funds, $l6,S09, $40; re.
ceipts, including interest on invest
ments, in the ten years, 1865 20, $24,-
554 ,0S4; paid for sick and funeral bene-
fits, 1868, SIS, 392 $50, The various
branches in Great Britain aggregate
5000 lodges and 700. 900 members. The
| Manchester Unity has organized
lodges in England, Scotland, Wales,
Ireland, France, turkey, Africa,
| North and South America, East and
| West Indies and Australia.
Societies or lodges OF Odd Fellows
were organized In New York and other
cities in the United States as early as
| 1906, but had brief existence, On
| April %, 1919, Thomas Widely and
four others, who had been members OF
Odd Fellows lodges in England, organ
lied a lodge in Baltimore, Md.
calling it Washington Lodge No. /
and IL Is the sixty.sixth anniversary o
this organization which was celebrat
ed last night. On February %, 1925
the fret meeting of the Grand Lodge
of the United States wa
held. In 1926 Thomas Wildey,
the "Graud Sire,n visited England
and obtained from the Manchester
Unity an independent charter, grant
ing to the Grand Lodge OF the Unitet
States authority ito conduct the bust
ness OF Odd Fellowship without the in
reference of any other country, 81
long as the same is administered &C
cording TO the principles and purit,
OF odd Fellowship"
The objects OF American Odd Fellow
ship are ito visit the sick, relieve the
distressed, bury the dead, and educate
J the orphan" 1t seeks ITO improv
and elevate the character OF man, i'm
bue him with proper conceptions of hi
, capabilities for good, enlighten his
mind, enlarge the sphere OF his affeo
tions and lead him to a cultivation o
the true fraternal relation designed by
the great Author Of his being,n Tn.
motto. Friendship, Love and Truth,
; the triple link, was known and uset
In connection with the order in 1T75
The statistics from 1880 to 1870 show
limitations, 979, 42S; mem oers relieved
ia S25; widowed families relieved
%, 065; members buried, 6i,654; re
ceipts, $50, S50,77 paid for sick ant
funeral benefits and the care o
widows and orphans, $27, GSl, 772.
In every state, and nearly every ter
ritory, the Grand Ledge Of the UniteI
States has organized grand lodges, a
! we'll as in Canada, Switzerland, Aus
! tralia, Chill and a Grand Lodge OF tn
German Empire which has fiv
grand lodges under its Jurisdiction
Subordinate lodges have been orgsn
lied in the Sandwich Islands, Peru, 5
A and London, England.
For years the good deeds Of thos
: who claim the ''triple link" as a badg
OF honor have been known in thi
city. Two lodges, Junction City ant
Fort Worth, exist Ia a fieurishing con
, dition. on the roll OF memberahil
, can be found the names OF those VIII
! have borne themselves we'll In tn
, battle OF life. Many whose names AT
revered by the order have gone before
q but their rest Ia sweet, for on the othe
, side OF that dark river the transcend
! emily beautiful faces OF the widow
! and orphans made happy In this liz
! by their deeds, smile upon them, Will
! the Divine approval, 'inasmuch as y
/. have done 1t unto one OF the least {
these my brethren, ye have done
(. unto me,n gives all Joy.
IN FORT WORTH
the occasion was celebrated in b
fitting manner A grand procession
formed on the public square at 2:SO /