Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1885-05-09
I. O. O. F.

The members of the Orion Lodge,
No. 45, celebrated, on Tuesday night,
in very appropriate and pleasant man
her the Goth anniversary of the order in
America. After the usual business
had been disposed of and lst degree
conferred, a member of the lodge
entertained it with remarks
that were highly interesting, and very
appropriate to the occasion. Below
we give an extract from the address of
Brother R. T. Jesse:
"Again the anniversary of our order
has rolled around, and we are here to
do honor to the occasion. On the Goth
day of April, 1919, five persons met in
the city of Baltimore, and planted the
seed of Odd Fellowship, as the Inde-
pendent Order to-day exists in Amer
lea. The seed then and there planted
germinated, and although at first was
Of remarkably slow growth, yet in &C
years has become mighty tree, whose
brances overshadow the land. From
the lakes to the gulf, from ocean to
ocean, throughout the length and
breadth of the land, every city, town,
and almost village unturls the banner
resound with the knock Of the Odd
Fellows gavel.
And when even America with her
vast domain, and extensive territory
becomes too small to contain the order,
with a mighty bound she leaped
the great Atlantic ocean, and
firmly planted her banner on the soil
of the old world; and Tonight while
we enjoy this delightful, social meeting,
brother Odd-Fellows of the Independ-
ent Order are holding similar meetings,
not only throughout the states and
terlitories of our own loved union, but
in the provinces of Canada and British
Columbia; in the Republics of Mexico
and Peru; in the Empire of Germany
and Kingdom of Denmark; Cuba and
the Sandwich Islands, Trinidad and
Barbadoes, Switzerland, Turkey, Chile
and Austria, the Netherlands and even
ia- off Sweden.
!, Would that l could tell you some
thing of the success and prosperity OF
the order in those distant lands! but
time torbids. Suffice it to say, tc
give you an idea of what the order is
doing; in the city of Copenhagen
capital of Denmark. two years ago a
magnificent Odd-Fellow's Hall was
erected at u cost of 100000, at tho
dedication of which, Oct, 1888, it is
estimated that 1000 Odd-Fellows were
present. In the same city there is al
encampment that numbers 1S0 mem
bers, and also an Odd-Fellow's paper
published in the Danish language.
Yes, sir, the order has grown, and
continued to grow until she became
too big for her name, and Il year OF
two ago dropped the title "Grant
Lodge of the United States" as too
, insignificant, and assumed the gram
= and lofty title Sovereign Grand Lodg,
of the Independent Order of Odd
Fellows which she to-day proudly
l and majesticaliy wears, having unde
her jurisdiction "a grand lodges, ovel
5000 subordinate lodges with mem
bership exceeding 100000. Where i:
the odd-Fellow whose heart does no
swell with emotion. and throb with
e pride and satisfaction, when he review
the orders glorious record, her tri
umphal success, her grand achieve
ments, and the vast amount of gooC
she has accomplished III the &C years o
her existence!
Odd-Fellowshtp! Do you ask villa
e it is? An institution whose basis i
5 broad and deep, resting on The Faith
h erhood Of God and the Brotherhood O
: Man. whose motto is divine, 'In Go,
= we trust whose principles are human
0 izing Friendship, Love and Truth,
| whose command is Godlike, we com
g mand you to visit the sick, relieve tn
e distressed, bury the dead, and educat
f the orphan
!.
f Odd-Fellowship! What has she done
Il She has gone to the bedside of the sicl
n and dying ;she has carried the means @
e procuring bread to the famishing; sh
s has lavishly expended her means in re
e lieving the distressed, in aiding III
e widow, and in educating the orphan
II In the last fifty years she has relieve'
! 1896, $50 brothers, aided l44 $50 wild
J, owed families, and buried LOG 1922 of he
3 members, expending for the one caus
,. of relieving distress the magnificeu