The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1888-05-17


of the year 1877, Thos. Wildey, of
London, a most enthusiastic and de-
voted Odd Fellow, though only a
young man, emigrated to this country.
To this young enthusiast with his fel-
low country-man, John We!ch, belongs
the honor of successfully establishing |
Odd Fellowship, in our grand Repub- |
lie. They called tor meeting IN the
city of Baltimore of all in that city |
who had been connected with the or
der. The first meeting was held upon
this call on the 18th of April, 1919.
The order thus started was called the
independent Order of Odd Fellows,
and Lodge No. assumed the name
of Washington. The youthful order
did not grow with remarkable vigor.
On the contrary it seemed to struggle
for an existence, and but for the un-.
firing energy and devotion of its head
and organizer it must have inevitably
perished. In 1921 the Grand Lodge
of Maryland was established, and
worked under the Manchester Unity,
branch of the |. 0. 0. F. in England.
In 1879 union of the several Lodges
in the United States was effected and
in 194a the Grand Lodge of the
United States dissolved connection
with the Manchester Unity. Nine
teen years after this Thos. Nlldey
died, (1861.) 1t is said that before
his death the I. o. @. F. had gathered
within its folds by initiation, nearly half
million members, and the resources OF
the order from weekly dues mad
reached over $40, 100000. The order
had disbursed for the relief Of the SICK.
the burial OF the dead and the educa-
ton of the orphan nearly $4,000, 900.
There had been nearly half million
brothers and nearly $1,000 widows
and families relieved.
The present strength Of the order IS,
as nearly as we can get 1t, Grand
Lodges, 81; Grand Encampments, "A;
Sub b-encampments, 1896; Subordinate
Lodges, 8,Io3; Lodge limitations, A.
: 600. An increase of mutations IN one
year at 1856. Total Lodge members
52o, 200. Last year sick members re-
ceived benefits TO the extent of 81, 2,227,-
324.5o. The total revenue of the past
year was S5,659,772.37. In the past
, fifty years IN these United States (and
be it remembered that these fifty year;
have been a formative period in ouI
country and in our order, for It is no
more than Is years old in this coun
! try) in the past SO years there have
:. been limitations into the |. .. y. +. tt
! the extent Of 1,46o,45o. Relief ha
been extended to i,265,268 members
= and to 163,573 widows and families
" The total receipts Of these fifty years
10 s115,o14,145.25; and total reilet:
=, S43589, ,o61.87.
i i Fellow members, ladies and gentle
s men, is there any need Of an apolog
- from me OF from any one else for tn
existence of such an order?
d. The two grandpillars upon which tn
noble structure is built are the Fathe
hood of God and the Brothe
hood of man Thus bound t.
eether by The hand of Jehovah VIII
h. God has joined together we wou!
A. not put asunder. We recognize me
as brothers and our efforts
their behalf and our sympathies
s. out to them in the bonds of friendsh
love and truth Man that IS born
woman is born to trouble as t
sparks to fly upward. And the S
tn; preme desire Of our organization IS
H. extend the hand of sympathy and
lief to the many cast down with t
heavy load of misfortune and cal
Into thousands of homes our brotht
have made their way and carrl
many ray Of sunshine to the distress
-, widow and frendless orphan. Yet
,h.' would have it understood that u
me Fellowship does not claim
rlv offer a balm to wounded souls to t
ia n extent that it takes away the cause
zen trouble and sorrow We acknowle
nd it as an inalienable right of God, a
nd so far as We are concerned, His und
of puted prerOgative to forgive S
in .sWith mans first disobedience a
ces the fruit Of that forbidden tree, .whi
me mortal taste brought death into
EEL world and all our woes, with loss
the Eden. till one greater man restore
or and regain the blissful seat" we do /
lte- presume to deal For the troubles a
,et- trials of spiritual nature which m
.ra- here, there is Balm in Gillead an'
un- Physician there, and to the great P
and sician all such weary and distress
dis souls are earnestly commended
2 those whose special duty and pTivil
or it Is to speak of these things.
om- The charge has been made that {
bed Fellowship assumes spiritual prero
h." tives and sets up claims against
r;ca church Bul the charge is false ant
in made by those who do not appreh'
and the principles which We espouse. l
Eel some Odd Fellows may have done
the we are not prepared to deny nor
arlv we prepared to affirm but so fal
tab Odd Fellowship is concerned the chs
but is unjust and without foundat
rom The fathcrhood OF God is truth vi
were we hold dear and jealously do we
r in dcayOr TO guard X. This IS one OF