, 1889-05-02

sorrow and brighten the pathway of her |
votaries.
The Independent Order Odd Fellows is !
American In origin. sentime and growth,
and 1t has not only kept pace with other
American institutions, but its mystic sym.
b0ls and hailing signs are now recognized
all over the civilized world. From a
small and crude beginning, it has grown
and spread into one of the greatest humi-
tartan and benevolent organizations of the
nineteenth century. With high purpose
IL encircles the world with its links of
friendship, love and truth, and numbers
among its cardinal principals, virtue. So
brit ty, purity OF home, protection of go
ciety and safety of state. Its objects are
to Tighten the gloom, and make easier the
burdens OF the sOrrowina ones, to bring
peace and quite to troubled minds. For
this reason we ask the earnest considera.
ton of its merits that you may assist us to
more glorious future.
To promote the happiness OF those
around him, to feed the hungry and
clothe the naked, to instruct the ignorant.
and to pour the balm of consolation into
the hearts Of the disconsolate, constitute
the highest dignity of man and stamp
upon his character the brightest resem-
the end, the very destiny of his creation.
For this purpose he is endowed with the
powers of nationality and the charms of
the. social affections. This 10 the grand
desigu OF his being, and SO far os he
acts in conformity to this design,
30 far he is an object Of
complacency, and deserves the approba-
tion Of his fellows. II is for this reason
that men unite in society and enter into
whatever men may think of one another.
he who does the most good, who scatters
around him on every hand the blessings Of
enjoyment and makes this the chief object
| of his tolls. his studies, and the sufferiDgs.
is viewed by the onniscient eye of God, as
the most mertorious and deserving.
In the past ages, in days gone by, men
seeing the wretchedness of humanity,
united for the purpose of al,evistinR those
bosom heaved with anguish, when the
poor and afflicted in their solitary cabin,
were pining with hunger, and feeding
upon their morsel of bread. II waa their
happiness to wipe away the falling tear
and relieve their wants.
| When they saw the stranger linked with
the bonds of brotherhood, borne down by
the pressure of misfortune. crushed by the
weight Of unavoidable calamities, brood
ing over the wreck of departed joys, it was
their purest pleasure to take him by the
hand and lead him back to enjoyment and
peace. To scatter the clouds that darken
the pathway and obscure the vision of the
hapless, TO span the rainbow of benevo-
lence over the gloomy sCene presented to
his view and calm the agitation of his tu-
multuous bosom, 10 the .perogative, the
duty, the governing principles of our fra
ternity. With their honored names stand
connected everything that exalts, that en-
mobiles and dignifes the character of man
They believe, they feel, they know that
this Is the grand object of their creation
and in it they find their glory.
Wherever sorrow is found. they not only
profess. but they act in conformity with
those elevated and God-like principles
Principles that are calculated, when car
ried into operation, to make the earth re-
joice like renovated Eden.
Principles which constitute green oasis
in the desert OF suffering world, on
which the eye may rest with plea, ure. and
to which the hand is extended with the
assurance of finding relief in the day oi
trouble. Mutual benevolence 10 the chair
whose golden links bind their hearts TO-
gether, and prompt them TO 20 forward
with sleepess eye and untirinR step in ths
extended circle of philan thropy. While
good 10 being done TO their fellows. while
one of their associates is to be reclaimed
from his wanderings. while another, desti
tute Of bread lis to be fed, and still another
cold and shivering is to be warmed, they
go forward with benevoence that knows
no limit hut creation, no end, but duration
of time; no cessation, but the last pulsa
tion Of the tnrObbing heart. Difficultie,
In the prosecution of their philanthropi,
labOrs, they may and do meet. Barrier,
: may oppose their march in the way O
duty. The world may frown. and tn,
Ignorant may sneer, but all these obstacles
instead of dampeninR their ardor. serv,
only to nerve their arms and inspire theil
ance Of their labor of love. As brother
hood, they taste Of a JOY, celestial in it.
origin, pure in its development and sub
lime In its consumation. He who is
stranger 10 this is stranger to the holles
fountain Of earthly enjoyment.
He knows not and feels not the pleas
ures derived from doing good, and con
tinues ignorant of the prime object of hi
existence. He lives to himself, forgetfu
of the sutferinRs of the world around him
unacquainted with the warm and glow inl
sympathies that burn perpetually like thu
fires of Vesta III the heart that beats il
the bosom of every true Odd Fellow.
You are all more interested in tht
secrecy which envelopes the order, than you
are in the order itself. The |. o. 0. +. il
not secret society alone, but benevo
lent society as well.
In 1871 the order contributed 10 the
Chicago sufferers $l3l 600 more
than any one other benevo
lent institution. At the time
of the famine in Ireland, they chartered g
weasel and filed it with clothing and pro.
visions and sent to the starving people
When the epidemic ragged in the South
they sent supplies to the sufferers in
| Memphla, In excena of all other aocieti..a