Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1886-04-29
THREE LINKS.
Sixty.Seventh Anniversary of Odd
Fellowship
on THE AMERICAN CONTINENT,
Pleasantly Celebrated at the Opera
House Last evening---Hon. G. W.
Atkinson's Address.


Fellows in the United States, was pleasant
ly celebrated at the Opera House las
evening. A fair sized audience filled tht
house and was entertained with An er Joy
able musical and literary programme, il
which the following persons took part
Misses Minnie Schulz, Laura Colvig, lns
Reed, Lille Lewis, Jennie Edwards, Msy
Goff, Nellie Reed, Amelia Reich, Jenni,
Reich, Jessie Johnson, and Messrs. vii
Nesbltt, John Myles, Alex. Steinfeld
Fred Sesmon, Chester Lewis, c. 7. Reed
T. E. Kssley and C. E. Smith. Hon G
W. Atkinson delivered the address, which
was very eloquent and interesting and was
well received Following will be found
the main part of the address
Mr.. Atkinson began by stating be would
ask three queStions-6rst What is Odd
tello Sship2 second, What has it done for
msnkind2 and third, What may we expect
from it in the future? In answering the
first question, be said Odd Fellowship was
a secret society, organized especially for
the benefit OF its own members and those
dependent upon them. 1t was thus far
selfish in. it's ends and aims, but it was at
the same time charitable and practicable.
Men were naturally gregarious. From
childhood to old age we cherish close ssso-
Citations, aud love to have come one on
whom to lean when the trials OF the world
gather about Us. The order was built upon
this idea and this necessity. The members
believed in the fatherhood OF God and the
brotherhood of men. The members met
not merely for pleasure, but to provide
ways and means for those dependent upon
them. Continuing, he said
Poets have loved the music OF the
mountain streams, ss they tinkled down
the hillsides, leaping from rock 10 rock, and
dancing in the sunlight, or murmusing
under lesty shades or amid iiowery dels.
The voice of God is often alluded to ss the
voice OF many waters. So it is with the
precious boons of charity and friendship.
They have O voice which men hear, and
better than all, which God hears speaking
better things than the hlood OF Abel. Sor-
rouG sse bequeathed to all Without come
one upon whom to lean, We would kave
world without hope or happiness, without
love or peace, the past would be burden,
the present o veRripess, The future shape
less teFFor,-such would the earth be il
there were no fellowship, friendship. love "
After referring TO the size Of the order,
AID its phenomenslIY rapid increase from
the rA;ept lodge plSdted at baltimore, Mr..
Atkinson saidI-
Secret societies are Of very ancient
origin. They run back to the building Of
the frat temple at Jerusalem. Our triSnds
claim that the Odd FelloB0' organization
was first eatsbmssed By the Romans under
R.ro's reign, A. ID. 55 and at that time it
was called the society of Fellow Citizens"
The name Of ODD Fellows, i! is said, WAS
given by Titus Caesar, A. D. 70, because
o! the singular notions and customs of it's
members. # was established in Spain in
the 9Th century, in Portugal in the sixth,
IN Frabce in the twelfth, and in EUgls
shortly after. in the year 1900 81 Man
chester, England, BECAUSE Of aome differ
euee and mispnderstandiugs that sprung
up among the members. the branch Of the
Order which ve represent seeded and be
came independent nt-hence the name OF
Independent Order Of Odd Fellogs.
The frst Odd Fellows lodge that was
established in the United States was in
the city of New York, December %,
1906, but for come reason not now known
it was allowed to 60 down. AS now organ.
izsd, Thomas WILDLY end ,oar others, all
OF whoa received tseir degrees in England,
established April 10Th, 1919, the frst lodge
OF Odd Fellows in the city OF Baltimore.
This, therefore, was really the beginning OF
the Order in EEerias. January 10, 1928,
O Grand Lodge was organized called The
Grand Lodge Of Maryland and Of The
[ ui,ed S,sles.' aopen separation, how.
ever. of the Grand Lodge Of England and
the Grand Lodge Of the United States did
not formally take place until some time in
the year 1872 The present Supreme
Grand Lodge of the United States was
chartered rnde; the laws OF Maryland in
the latter part OF l8il, jaSt before the for:
NAL separation from the Grand Lodge OF
Eoglsnd.'
answering the second question, Wtat
hos Odd Fellowship down for MANKIND
he said
"Iu sixty-seven years our Order has
grown from 6v. members in the Unlte1
States to upwards Of halt million, ana
these contribute annually to over quarter
of q million people that are needy and
many of them helpless The exact expen-
ditures for the relei Of widows and orphans
and disabled aud siat brethren in the
United States in 1884, tthe last year We
have statistics for), amounted 10 81 ll6,'
2G9. IL, and during the same year the oil
,erent subordinate lodges received into
their treasures 8. $40 353 Il, to be used
for charitable and bene7olsnt purposes.
And to SHOW you that there 10 steady
forward movement On the part ot this
Order, | will add that the net increase OF
active members in the year lp34 was 10.
5oy 10 the United Sisles; ana from ioeg
to 1885, a period Of 6fty.siI years, | will
give lev facts which are both Interesting
and suggestive
Number Of iaitlst ons in subordinate
lodges, l,364,3sl; number OF mem
bers relieved, l,l5l S93; nsmoer
of widoSed families relieved
lI5l,222; total amount Psid for re
lief during the Sc years stated, S38p p9lS.
4O6. l6; total amount o. receipts during the
time stated, $lO3, ,7S7,s13 81, total number
of dea,hc Of members, ll2265.
Il also subjoin table OF Ggores SHOWING
the growth OF the Order By decades IN th'
United States:
In 1919 We had lodge and members
in 1929 We had 81 lodges and 1000 mem
bers: in 1889 We had l30 lodges and s. %,
members; in ls45 We had l,T2f lodges ant
l39, ,242 members; in 1859 We had 3,42I
lodges and l77,7ll members; in 1869 W
had 3,473 lodges and 26s, sos members II
1879 we had 1904 lodges and 45O. %
members; and in 1884, which is only
half decade, we bad increased 70 sos
: working lodges With 50 sctiEe menbsrshi
of 532 46T. Taking the first halt OF th
present decade as . basis upon which I
. kat