Brookings register. (Brookings, S.D.) 1890-1894, 1891-05-08
BROOKlNGS, SOUTH DAKOTA, FRIDAY, MAY s. 1901.

90

Anniversary Sermon Delivered by Rev.
f. IL. Wheeler.
At the 72nd Anniversary of the Order,
Brookings, April 26, 1891.
In the city OF Baltimore, on the
Goth day of April, 1919, five English
Oddfellows, with Thomas. Wildey at
their head, constituted the American
branch OF the order by organizing the
first American lodge of the independ-
ent order of Oddfellows.
In his address of welcome to the
sovereign lodge, which met in Topeka,
Kansas, Sept. 18th, 1890, John M.
Price. OF Atcbison, who spoke in
behalf OF the grand lodge OF Kansas,
said: "Oddfellowship in America is
comparatively a modern institution.
It's humble origin. it's rapid advance
ment, Its brilliant achievements, with
its grand and glorious history, are all
embraced within period of about
three score years and ten We do
rot, therefore. claim for our order,
remote antiquity. We do not Judge
our institution by it's ancient lineage.
We do not boast OF long line of
venerable ancestry. We present no
gray hairs from the hoary head OF
the aged past and demand for them
reverence or recognition. The pages
OF our history are not as yet enriched
with the stories OF legendary lore.
but In our onward and triumphant
march our pathway ls decked with
fresh and fragrant flowers and illumin.
ated by the light and civilization OF
the 10Th century. In our works of
mercy and labors of love we have fed
the hungry, clothed the naked and
bound up the wounds of the afflicted
IN obedience to the heimperative, immut-
able and immortal command of our
order to visit the sick, relieve the
distressed, bury the dead. and educate
the orphans We are all brothers,
united by the same obligations,
engaged in the same mission, aspiring
to the same exalted destiny, and
cemented by the same triple links OF
that mystic chain that binds us to-
gether as one harmonious household
in one universal brotherhood. Pur-
ity of life and rectitude of conduct in
ourselves, personal fidelity to each
other in all the relations OF life; and
charity to all makind are some OF the
crowning excellencies of our noble
order When we consider the rapid
progress our order has made, the
exalted position it has attained
among the organized charities of the
world and the results already
achieved we do we'll to refer to
these things with pride. With the
past history of the order we feel Justly
proud ard with such principles as
form the foundation there is reason
to feel assured that the super.struct-
ure will endure the ravages of time.
In this meeting, then, brought to.
gether in the bands Of fraternity,
coming from every part OF our broad
domain-these United States-let us
thank our Father in heaven for our
success in the past, live up to the
noble teachings of our order
in our daily life, grid our armor,
and press onward in the work of
friendship, love and truth" In that
meeting, the last meeting of the SOW
ereign grand lodge, there were rep.
resented IS grand lodges, S,744 sub
ordinate lodges and 65S,T71 MEM
bers. Judging from the ratio Of
increase up to that time there are not
less than 100000 members at the
present time. Allow me to quote
again, this time from the conclusion
of the report of the grand secretary
of the sovereign grand lodge. "While
we render this report our heart
swells with emotion and we cannot
but utter our thanks and express our
gratitude to the author OF our exist
ence, the supreme ruler Of the uni.
verse who has watched over this insti.
tuition for seventy-one years and has
stamped approval OF every effort In
the great cause OF allevlating, In
some degree at least, the sorrows OF
the world. 1t is undeniable that
Oddfellowship has its peculiar mis-
sion. It's duties do not interfere
with the duty q man owes to his
God, his country, his family or him
self Based upon the broad platform
of universal brotherhood, teaching
no peculiar doctrine in religion, hold.
ing no affinity with political parties
OF any kind, opening its doors OF relief
and sympathy on the right hand and
on the left, it invites all honest and
true men to enter the portals OF its
lodges without making any sacrifice
of their opinions, or changing, in any
manner, their relations with the
church or the state. 1t Is about
impossible to write this conclusion
without taking a retrospective view
OF this great institution. At each
recurring anniversary of the birth of
the order the mind naturally reverts
to the scene OF 1919. We imagine we