Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-04-29
DISTRICT ODD FELLOWS.
They Fittingly Celebrate the Seventy
First Anniversary Of the Order.


First Anniversary of the Order.
A GREAT GATHERING AT THE NATIONAL RIFLES
| ARMoRY-rHE ExERcIsEs-ELoQUESr REVIEW
OF THE HISTORY OF oDD-FELLOwsHIP BY PAST
GRAND SIRE NICHOLSON OF PENNSYLVANIA.
The seventy-first anniversary Of the organiza-
| ton Of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows,
which fell this year on Saturday, the 26th in
slant, was celebrated last evening at the Ma
tional Rifles armory. G. street between 9Th and
10th streets northwest The audience was one
of the largest ever gathered on such an occa-
sion. Long before the hour fixed for the be-
ginning of the exercises every seat was taken
and the sisles were packed almost entirely with
ladies.
About z o'clock the Grand Canton, in
their rich uniforms formed at the hall on 7th
street and. headed by the band of the Third
artillery, marched by way of 7th street, Penn
sylvania avenue and 14th street (takinR up the
orator Of the day--Past Grand Sire james B.
Nicholson of Penusylvana--at Willard's). +
street. 9th and g streets, to the hall. L he bat
TALON was under the command OF Major John
T. Chauncey, with F. c. Griffin adjutant, and
DIR. W. G. Fowler. assistant surgeon; and the
companies were under Capts. W. T. Galliher
Joseph Burroughs and J. A. Shackelfor'L
AT THE AIMoRY
it was with some difficulty that the. could
get even standing room elsewhere thar. in the
wings on the stage. On the stage wee PIG.
Sire Nicholson of Pennsylvania, P.G.M John
II. Oberly of Indiana, Grand Master, w. ii.
Frazier, P.G.M and PG. r. J. L. Petty, CIR
Oliver Dufour, G.P. F. A. Norway, CIV. W. l..
Sherrett, D.G.M. t. +. Kinney, p. G. Disney and
others.
After an overture-"The Belle of the Viii
lage"-by the band, G. Warden Sherrett briefly
stated the object of the celebration and then
an opening ode, written by Mrs. A. l.. K. Du-
four, was sung by the membership and audi
ence.
PIG. Rep. J. T. Petty offered the invocation,
and Mrs. Capt. j. W. Bradford sang Ruth and
Naomi"
ADDRESS OF PAST GRAND SIRE NICHoI SON.
The feature of the evening was the address of
Past Grand Sire Nicholson. He spoke elo-
quently of the origin of the order, its work and
its future. He referred to the claims made Of the
origin of the order away back in the dark ages,
but said these claims could not be sustained.
The order could not be traced back more than
a century. He sketched two of Dickens char
acters-Betsy Higden. fearful of meeting the
fate of pauper. and Lizzie Hickson, who gave
Betsy her sympathy and aid. 1t WAS that feel
ing of sympathy existing among the lace
makers of Nottingham which prompted them
to care for the SICK to give decent burial to the
led to the organization of the order in that
country. 1t spread rapidly there and soon
reached our shores. lodge was established
in New York of which the poet Morris was a
member, but It did not prosper.
GROWTH OF THE ORDER IN AMERICA.
In 1919 Wildey established the lodge in Bal
timore which the present structure has
risen. Look at the order then. Look at it
however Il, 900 lodges; over SOC, 900 members;
- liz = a =,
bursed annually. He referred to James l..
Ridgely, John A. Kennedy and Joshua Vansant
as G>rly members of the order, and TO the fact
that the first named told the speaker that he
was attracted to the order because he saw that
it would become a great social and moral
power. He spoke of a number OF instances in
which the order had aided those in want, and
said there was no place where money can do
more good than IN passing through the treas
ury of a lodge. for 1t was righteously disposed
of. After men disburse charity only to find
that 1T was to an unworthy recipient their
hearts became hardened. and when - worthy
person applies for aid he is repulsed. Not SO
IN Odd Fellowship. for due inquiries are made
and charity is quietly bestowed i'll such man
ner as not to affect the feelings of the re-
cipients.
THE SHOCK OF WAR.
In pathetic terms he spoke of the meeting of
the Grand Lodge at Nashville in 1860 hen the
NeHtrdpie Nlluey was present, just. as the
young men of the north were about IN desert
their lodge rooms and the young MEG Of the
south to do the same. 1t was predic ed then
that in the war the order would cons. to an
end. The next annual session was held in Bal
timore and representatives were told sot to re-
spond- Those from the north with pa sses from
the military authorities met in Baltiilore and
at every roll call the names OF the southern
states were called, but their seats Iemained
vacant. The session, however, went on with
its business, knowing that when the pressure
of those calamitOus times WAS removed the
delegates would be found in their seat. This
pressure was removed and in 1865 every state
was represented and they legislated not for a
section, but for the whole country. He did not
believe the angels ever looked down upon
brighter scene than this-a scene which proved
that love is stronger than politics; that there
was no power In the north in the south to
kill fraternity" Mr. Nicholson then elo-
quently portrayed the future of the order.
Then followed the song, III Never Forget"
by Benjamin +. Taylor; music, The Puritan's
Daughter" by the third artillery band; original
song by James E. Taylor; vocal music, Fly
forth, o gentle Dove" by Miss Gertrude Wood;
the closing ode and benedicton.
The floor was then cleared for dancing, which
was kept up till early in the morning.