The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1886-01-27
ODD FELLOWSHIP.
Lseturs by Past Grand Sire james
3. Nicholson.

A good sized audience, composed of Port
land Odd Fellows, members of the order
from other places and many interested citi-
zens listened with pleasure and profit to the
admirable lecture delivered in City Hall in
the course of entertainments givenlby Port
land Encampment No. 10, by Past Grand
Sire James B. Nicholson on the subject of
Odd Fellowship last evening.
The concert given by Chambers band from
half past seven to half past eight was COM
posed of the programme already published
and the band never played better than on
this occasion.
At the conclusion of the concert, the Odd
Fellows Veteran Association, headed by
their president, VIM. D. Little, ESQ.,, took
seats upon the platform The following
grand officers also had seats upon the plat
form: Grand Patriarch, Milton Higgins,
Deputy Grand Master, Freeman T. Merrill;
Grand Secretary, Joshua Davis; Grand
Scribe Cummings Grand Representatives
Crockett, Cox and Clark, Grand Junior
Warden Goss of Lewiston, Grand Marshal
Gilliatt, and others.
The speaker of the evening was introduce
ed by Past Grand Representative o. B. Whit
ten, who spoke in a pleasant manner. Mr.
Written referred to the success of the course
of entertainments and returned the thanks
of the Encampment to the audience for their
support. Mr.. Written spoke of the benefit
of such courses as this, bringing the men,
bers of the order into closer relations with
each other and increasing their power for
doing good. He touched upon the prosper
GUS condition of the Odd Fellows in this
city, who now have membership of 5000
here and introduced Mr.. Nicholson as one of
the most illustrious members of the order,
and on whom the highest honors have been
conferred.
When Mr.. Nicholson stepped to the front
of the platform he was greeted with loud
and CONT nued applause, and frequent bursts
of applause during his remarks testified to
the favor with which they were received.
Mr.. Nicholson said that he was not an ora
tor, but wanted to let his heart speak to the
hearts of his hearers. Te those persons who
made money getting the chief aim of life he
could not speak, but by the men and women
who believe in humanity, the common and
universal sentiment of man his remarks
would be understood.
Odd Fellowship is an institution for the
prevention and relief of distress, and the up
lifting of the toiling masses of the world. 1t
found its origin among the working classes
OF Great Britain, whose dread OF the poor
house and pauper's grave led them in the lat
ter half of the last century to first form
clubs for mutual protection Emigrants to
this country brought with them the ideas Of
their former home, and On the 26th OF April
1919, five English workmen in Baltimore laid
the foundation of Odd Fellowship in this
country, from which all the lodges of the
land have sprung.
The speaker denounced the scientists
who worship what they esteem humanity,
while denying the existence OF God. The
fundamental principle of Odd Fellowship is
belief in the Deity, the source of all good,
as made known in the Bible. Odd Fellow
ship is practical use of these precepts,
seeking to prevent ills by deeds of good.
The statistics annually sent to the Sover-
eign Grand Lodge speak volumes of the good
done by Odd Fellowship, but give no idea of
the countless acts of kindness done every
day in the year by the lodges and their mem.
bers. In this country there are "a grand
lodges and A grand encampments, 7S45 sub
ordinate lodges and 1884 encampments The
lodges have a membership numbering ,230
and the encampments 94,257. During the
past year 50, Ill, 926.8 SO have been given for the
prevention and relief of distress. To give an
idea of the immensely of this sum the
speaker said that it meant daily amount of
So, 1856, $24109 every hour, and $4.02 every
minute. Since $780, when statistics were
first sent to the Sovereign Grand Lodge,
$39,00oO00 have been given for relief The
original workers of the order have passed
away, but this work still goes on, and the
benefit to be derived from it in future GEN.
turtles can not be calculated.
The material aid offered to mankind, how
ever, is small part of the work Of Odd
Fellowship. 1t is great ethical school, aid
ing in placing the truths contained in the
Bible into the hearts of men and women. 1t
assists in forming character, and is no wild,
Utopian theory. 1t aims to take the law of.
love into the haunts of men, teaching the
fatherhood Of God and the brotherhood of
man. 1t does more than education, by rails
ing the standard of morals, while the educa-
ton man receives may be used for further
ing unrighteouS ends.
The lecture was interspersed with anec-
dotes illustrative of the subject and
delivered in an interesting manner the
lecturer speaking clearly and at times with
dramatic power and effect