Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-04-26

Tiskilwa Lodge.
| Ktwanee Lodge.
| Iowa City Encampment.
| Bleuer's Band.
| Canons.
The procession then proceeded in the
order named over the line of march here
tofore published in the ARGUS and ter
minated at the rink, where tie exercises
took place.
| THE EXERCISES.
A stage had been erected in the wes
end of the rink, which was taste-
fully decorated. On the background APP
peared in nicely painted letters; THE
TriCity Anniversary association well
comes you to the sixty~ninth anniversary
|. o. O. F." w. A. Guthrie, president
of the Tri-City Odd Fellows association,
presided The exercises commenced with
an overture by the Great Western band
of Davenport, followed by the
OPENING ODE:
Brethren Of our friendly order,
Honor here assertH her sway;
Ill within our sacred border
Must her high commands obey.
Join, odd Fellowship Of brothers,
In the song of Truth and Love;
Leave disputes ard strife to others,
We in harmony must move.
Honor to her courts invites u.s.
Worthy subjects let us prove;
Strong the Chain that here unites us
Linked with Friendship, Truth and Love.
In our hearts, enshrined and cherished,
May these feelings ever bloom
Failing not when life has peri shed-
Living still beyond the tomb.
Rev D. @. Martin, of the Ninth street
church, offered prayer.
WELCOMED TO THE CITY.
Mayor V. NJ. Banding, being intro
duced, welcomed the societies to the city
in the following language;
Worthy Sire and Gentlemen of the Order of odd
Fellows.
This large assemblage in our city of
representative men of your order implies
an event of more than ordinary signiti~
canoe. The sixty-ninth anniversary of
the introduction of the order of Odd
Fellows in this country is in itself an in
teresting occasion; this convocation is
doubtless intended to commemorate not
only the introduction of the order but
also many and important events CONNECTS
ed with the growth and success of Odd
Fellowship under its present form and
who are friendly to your order will note |
with pleasure and satisfaction that our
location, our accessibility by rail and
water, and our conveniencies for the &C
commodation of such an assembage |
have received your favorable consdera-
ton, and have brought to our acquaint-
ance and social entertainment this large |
and respectable delegation of members of
the brotherhood. That you will receive |
from the brothers of this city kind and |
generous reception, and from those |
friendly to your fraternity undoubted |
manifestations of respect and esteem, |
needs no special assurance from me to |
substantiate on their behalf. The I'M
questionable aim and agency of the order |
in promoting and encouraging laudable |
and benefcent objects, its wide repute |
and standing in this country, as well as
its responsibility in numbers and weight |
of character, all combine to make your |
proceedings a matter of public interest |
and to give to your anniversaries wel- |
come recognition among the effective |
agencies of desirable and organized hu |
mauitarian efforts.
Although not myself member of the |
order of Odd Fellows, my connection |
with a similar and wide spread fraternity |
enables me, undoubtedly, to discern and |
understand in a reasonably clear and in
telligent manner, the nature and purposes |
of your institution. In all societies and |
fraternities which are based upon |
the value and dignity of human
brotherhood. the essential elements of |
their organization consist not so much in |
the name of the brotherhood, or the |
stereotyped phraseology of their rituals, |
as in the visible and permanent amount |
of good they accomplish. practically ex-
emplfied in the lives and character of the |
membership. Your ceremonials of ads |
mission to membership, your symbolic or |
mystic modes of communicating and en- |
forcing great moral truths, your forms of |
recognition among the brotherhood, |
these are matters which principally |
concern only members themselves |
and are not particularly sought |
after or inquired into by the world at |
large. Passing these by, then. as not |
essential to be inquired into by the unin- |
itiated, let me say. nevertheless. that it |
is important to every honest inquirer to |
ascertain and determine what the funda- |
mental principles are upon which the |
order is based, and as the result of dill |
gent investigation to feel assured that the |
essence and vitalizing spirit of your |
esoteric work is healthful and productive |
of good results, is so Enthusiastically |
beneficent that fair minded and in telligent |
men shall everywhere recognize it as
such. Judged by this high standard, it |
is not too much TO say that the contin-
uous growth, prosperity and general re-
putation of the order, have long since !