The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1888-05-17
THE ODD FELLOWS.
Address of DIR. ID. p. Robbins Before
Salem Lodge, of this City.
DR. Robbins said :

one for which we have assembled, il the |
is expected that reference will be |
made to the past, and the historian is |
called upon for facts and dates. The
origin of Secret Societies and the mo-
tives which led to the founding of |
Odd Fellowship will doubtless be of
interest to us at the present hour, and
[ will make brief reference to the |
same. Free Masonry is doubtless
entitled to the claim of being the old
est secret order now in existence.
Some of its followers date its inception
back to the building of King Solo
mons temple; but although the rites
and ceremonies are founded upon
that tradition the real formation of
the order.from which Free Masonry
has had continuance, was probably
about 1910. Prior to this the Cru
sades which were first organized in
1896, to wrest Jerusalem and the holy
land from the Turks or in4idels as they
were called, had led to the founding
of the order known as Knights of the
| Temple and. from which the higher
order of Masonry (now called Chris
tian Masonry or Knights Templar)
have taken their name and symbols
but there is no direct line OF descent
that can be clearly traced.
In 1864 Elias Ashmole gave in his
diary an account of his initiation into
the order of Masonry which was an
operative society of architects. Twen-
ty years later, after the great London
fire, Sir Christopher Wren, the Grand
Master of the order in that city secur-
ed prompt financial aid for the suffer
ing Masons, and the society flourished,
accepting from time to time princes,
potentates and rulers as honorary
members, who had not been apprenti-
ces to operative work.
In 1902, St Pauls Lodge OF Lon
don, then the only active lodge in ex-
istence, dropped the operative restric-
tions and agreed to accept, as Il candi-
date, any man free-born, Of mature
age, of good moral character, Of sound
body,and coming under the tongue OF
good Masonic report.
In f717 four Lodges united to form
the Grand Lodge of England under
proper restrictions and regulations
and from this, the advent of specula-
tive Free Masonry may properly be
dated. It soon spread to France and
other countries of the continent, and
in 1888 was introduced into America.
Washington before the strife had been
Master Of Lodge and during the
revolutionary war the Grand Lodge
of America chartered American I'm
ion Lodge, No. 1, which was conduct
ed by the father Of our country in the
Colonial Army for several months.
: Israel Putnam and others who emf
r grated to Marietta, Ohio (then the
great northwest territory one hun.
dred years ago the 7th of last month
6 carried with them the first United
. States charter for Free Masonry, and
: | while there four years ago the speaker
+ was shown this trophy which is highly
\ priced by the Lodge that still contin
q ues the name of American Union No
+ 1. But lest dwell too long on Ma
9 sonry [ will hasten on to a considera
o ton of Odd Fellowship. The society
of the Ancient and Honorable Loya
Odd Fellows was formed about thu
+ beginning of the present century, anC
from its fantastic and convivial char
q acter was probably originated as
burlesque or take off on Free Mason
ry which at that time was the onl,
secret organization of any Importance
In 1872 or '13, (both dates being give
: by historians,) some of the Brother
a hood at Manchester, England, ,conceiv
. ed the plan of laying more deep an
'e lasting principles for the foundation
= and continuance of the order Mason
, ry had its fraternal characteristics b
Z which they were bound to help eac
~ other when appealed to for aid, an
g the founders Of Odd Fellowship incor
porated in their regulations not onl
this, but provided for prompt attend
N ance and disbursement of funds
la every sick brother, administration
E. the wants of the widows and The edr
cation of the orphans of deceased men
a bers of the fraternity. The societ
IN was then called Union Order Of Cd
es Fellows. On April 26th (our ami
versarv should have been held la
Thursday 1919, SO years ago, Tho
en- Wilder, who had formerly been
s. member in Manchester, England, an
Of four others, organized the Independel
lis Order of Odd Fellows at Baltimor
Nd, naming their society Washingtc
Lodge No. 1. March 26th, 1872
another Lodge was formed at Bosto
Mass, and December 26th, 1872
D. still another at Philadelphia. Th
err. the number 26 seems to have been
rg favorite one in the dates of Odd Fe
rn lowship. The Sovereign Grand LODI
.at of America was formed at Baltimo
in in June, 1923, and from this date t.
for order made a rapid growth in the ne
IL world There are about 46 or
Tvs Grand Lodges on this continent wi
I'M nearly 5000 subordinate Lodges al
yer a membership of OYER half millio
,x- There are 1000 encampments al
ri about 100000 members in that d
at partment. The membership in Euro
mn is approximately the same, aggrega
al ing one million of Odd Fellows in t
al civilized globe, or very nearly as m
ny as the Masonic society which h
100 years the start. Philadelpf
for alone has over 1000 Lodges a
10 about 3d. 900 members. Twelve yes
OK ago your humble servant was Mol
icy Grand of No. 901 in the banner Sta
for Odd Fellowship